Synertek 6507

From: Jim Kearney <jim_at_jkearney.com>
Date: Wed Mar 12 20:47:01 2003

> Again, just what Eric said. It is for a KTM-2.
> This is Synertek's keyboard/video board.
> Dwight

Neat! I really wanted one of those for my SYM-1 way back when. As I was a
poor high schooler in 9179 I managed with a surplus keyboard scanned by
software and some kind of serial video terminal card that I think I got from
Mouser.

For some reason Eric's post didn't come through here, but it sounds like
we're on the same wavelength.

There is a page about it in my Synertek catalog, but no schematics or much
detail. The text says "The design of the KTM-2 incorporates 8 MOS-LSI
integrated circuit chips, including two dedicated microprocessors.".

The picture is not quite sharp enough to make out, but it _looks_ like two
PIAs on the left to scan the keyboard matrix, then the two microprocessors,
then a couple of ROMs on the right, with smaller ICs mixed in. If that's
the case, then there is no CRTC, and it's probable that the 6507 is acting
as the address and timing generator for the video. The text sorta supports
this theory in that it says "More features are available at lower cost than
if a CRT controller chip or other approach had been used."

If you want a scan of the page I can send you one (tomorrow).
Received on Wed Mar 12 2003 - 20:47:01 GMT