+Allan Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 New dual program cart pcb design is done, though I am having some issue with the PAL gating which I need to go back and look at again, so I'm going to put OSS 7800 Basic and 7800 VideoWriter onto a single cart. I am talking with some contacts in HK about a small run of 7800 computer keyboard cases with some markings on them so they show they are a new run and no one tries to say they are originals. The 600XL/800XL keyboards are what were used and I am still working with the MCU coder on the new MCU programming, its been a VERY tough battle getting a clone workalike running of the 13bit 1670 that was originally used. This whole thing got put off into a box on another desk for a while as I've been working on the arcade machines presently and that has chewed up pretty much all my time right now --- I need 72hr days, then I could finally catch up with things Curt Well, it's been a couple months. I figured this thread might use a good bump. Hoping for some news. -Rob Well glad to see this is still moving forward. If there is any info on the OSS Basic, I'd love to see it. Even just a list of the commands it uses. Here's to hoping it gets finished. Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Glad to hear the project hasn't been abandoned. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gambler172 Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 New dual program cart pcb design is done, though I am having some issue with the PAL gating which I need to go back and look at again, so I'm going to put OSS 7800 Basic and 7800 VideoWriter onto a single cart. I am talking with some contacts in HK about a small run of 7800 computer keyboard cases with some markings on them so they show they are a new run and no one tries to say they are originals. The 600XL/800XL keyboards are what were used and I am still working with the MCU coder on the new MCU programming, its been a VERY tough battle getting a clone workalike running of the 13bit 1670 that was originally used. This whole thing got put off into a box on another desk for a while as I've been working on the arcade machines presently and that has chewed up pretty much all my time right now --- I need 72hr days, then I could finally catch up with things Curt Well, it's been a couple months. I figured this thread might use a good bump. Hoping for some news. -Rob Hi Curt please subsribe me for all your products about the 7800.How about making a preorder list?So you would know,how many keyboards and cartridges you can sell.I think everybody,who wants one,should have the possibility to get one. greetings Walter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Glad to hear the project hasn't been abandoned. Yeah, me too! please subsribe me for all your products about the 7800.How about making a preorder list?So you would know,how many keyboards and cartridges you can sell.I think everybody,who wants one,should have the possibility to get one. Well if you do take an official pre-order list Curt, definitely put me down for one cart/keyboard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potatohead Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Glad to hear the project hasn't been abandoned. Yeah, me too! please subsribe me for all your products about the 7800.How about making a preorder list?So you would know,how many keyboards and cartridges you can sell.I think everybody,who wants one,should have the possibility to get one. Well if you do take an official pre-order list Curt, definitely put me down for one cart/keyboard Add me to the list as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PacManPlus Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 I would like to be on the list for one of these as well please, Curt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Hi Curt please subsribe me for all your products about the 7800.How about making a preorder list?So you would know,how many keyboards and cartridges you can sell.I think everybody,who wants one,should have the possibility to get one. greetings Walter 1. I would like anyone who is interested in purchasing a computer module and carts to email me please: curt@atarimuseum.com and just put the subject line as 7800 Computer keyboard. 2. I am not taking pre-orders or down payments, I don't like to have to hold people's money and then have them emailing me wanting to know the status, so when I've built enough units to start the first batch I'm going to setup a simple storefront or perhaps ask Albert here to setup a storefront page and have them sold direct to everyone. Didn't we do this back in Dec? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pocketmego Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 Hi Curt please subsribe me for all your products about the 7800.How about making a preorder list?So you would know,how many keyboards and cartridges you can sell.I think everybody,who wants one,should have the possibility to get one. greetings Walter 1. I would like anyone who is interested in purchasing a computer module and carts to email me please: curt@atarimuseum.com and just put the subject line as 7800 Computer keyboard. 2. I am not taking pre-orders or down payments, I don't like to have to hold people's money and then have them emailing me wanting to know the status, so when I've built enough units to start the first batch I'm going to setup a simple storefront or perhaps ask Albert here to setup a storefront page and have them sold direct to everyone. Didn't we do this back in Dec? I wasn't here then. So Ijust sent him my E-Mail today. I still want this if it is going to happen. -Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorclu Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 I wasn't here then. So Ijust sent him my E-Mail today. I still want this if it is going to happen. -Ray You know I've been thinking about this, and you know what might actually be easier that a special keyboard, molded case, motherboard for keyboard and I/O port? A little converter box that would convert a standard keyboard with I/O ports on it. Not even a box, the case the use could add later, but just a board with a keyboard port and I/O ports. Maybe add extra ram... maybe. So that is my thought. And you say converting to a PS/2 or USB keyboard would be too much hastle? How about a SERIAL KEYBOARD then? How about the Newton keyboard... http://users.visi.net/~arn/pic3.jpg This keyboard is small, has nice action, and many many other platforms have converted to for use with simple drivers (HP100/200, ipaq, Palm, ect) Great great little keyboard. Perhaps slightly more brilliant and useful than the Newton MessagePad itself. So this is my thought... a board with a serial port with some driver programming on the board to have it emulate the keyboard protocals. Some I/O ports, or at least 25 pin connectors that could have adaptors made to work with standard I/O ports (which is common since I/O ports are rather hard to find. Now all we need to do is to make the word processor and modem carts to run these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 (edited) I just read Curt's update again and noticed that he mentions doing some MCU coding, so I suspect he's already got an interface for modern keyboards in mind. It might even be similar to keyboard interfaces designed for the Atari 8-bit computers (like this one), since the original design used keyboard mechs from the XL series. Using a modern keyboard might make the 7800 computer module a little less "retro," but it would almost certainly make it cheaper and easier to produce as well. I'm sure none of us would have a problem finding a spare keyboard of our own to use. Edited September 8, 2006 by jaybird3rd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaDDuck Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 (edited) I just read Curt's update again and noticed that he mentions doing some MCU coding, so I suspect he's already got an interface for modern keyboards in mind. It might even be similar to keyboard interfaces designed for the Atari 8-bit computers (like this one), since the original design used keyboard mechs from the XL series. Using a modern keyboard might make the 7800 computer module a little less "retro," but it would almost certainly make it cheaper and easier to produce as well. I'm sure none of us would have a problem finding a spare keyboard of our own to use. Excellent point! In my keyboard pile, I've got an older XT, Amiga4000, Amiga 3000, a few USBs, and some PS2's. Hopefully it'll be USB or PS2. But I also have a few old 800XL keyboards, so I think I'm covered either way! Edited September 8, 2006 by MaDDuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorclu Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Excellent point! In my keyboard pile, I've got an older XT, Amiga4000, Amiga 3000, a few USBs, and some PS2's. Hopefully it'll be USB or PS2. But I also have a few old 800XL keyboards, so I think I'm covered either way! Just posting something here to keep the message from falling too far into the archives. Still think this is a great idea that I want to try someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaDDuck Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Excellent point! In my keyboard pile, I've got an older XT, Amiga4000, Amiga 3000, a few USBs, and some PS2's. Hopefully it'll be USB or PS2. But I also have a few old 800XL keyboards, so I think I'm covered either way! Just posting something here to keep the message from falling too far into the archives. Still think this is a great idea that I want to try someday. I concur! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flipper Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 (edited) I wasn't here then. So Ijust sent him my E-Mail today. I still want this if it is going to happen. -Ray You know I've been thinking about this, and you know what might actually be easier that a special keyboard, molded case, motherboard for keyboard and I/O port? A little converter box that would convert a standard keyboard with I/O ports on it. Not even a box, the case the use could add later, but just a board with a keyboard port and I/O ports. Maybe add extra ram... maybe. Know what's sad? I had this working...well over a year ago. http://www.phin.com/atari7800/ There was some brief interest, then I blew out something on my RIOT, and the port didn't work too well. However, that shouldn't have stopped anyone from replicating my results and extending on them. Oh well. Edited December 7, 2006 by Flipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 The 7800 keyboard not just a keyboard. It has a cassette interface and SIO port. Somehow it manages to do all that through one joystick port. The wasteful thing about this is that since the 7800 doesn't know anything about the keyboard, and only has 4K RAM, the carts have to both have all the keyboard hooks as well as a RAM chip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flipper Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 The 7800 keyboard not just a keyboard. It has a cassette interface and SIO port. Somehow it manages to do all that through one joystick port. The wasteful thing about this is that since the 7800 doesn't know anything about the keyboard, and only has 4K RAM, the carts have to both have all the keyboard hooks as well as a RAM chip. It's a simple 3 bit protocol, and requires maybe 100 bytes of code in the cartridge. However, to make it a full 'computer', yes, you're going to need extra ram. But just to include 'keyboard' support in a game, would take nothing at all. You could even do game saves to tape with little extra code, and no extra RAM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 It would suck if it had to be an adaptor for a standard keyboard. I was really looking forward to a real production run of the keyb module that was intended for the 7800. I was thinking it was to be exactly like the prototype keyb for the 7800. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godzilla Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 i put in way back when, just making sure you know I STILL WANT ONE :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalemFrost7800 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I am new to the 7800 Scene and I would also buy one of these Keyboards when they are ready, is there a waiting list? Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I am new to the 7800 Scene and I would also buy one of these Keyboards when they are ready, is there a waiting list? Tim email Curt Vendel and then hurry up and wait like the rest of us Also, WHERE THE FUCK IS THE KEYB CURT?? (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I am new to the 7800 Scene and I would also buy one of these Keyboards when they are ready, is there a waiting list? Tim email Curt Vendel and then hurry up and wait like the rest of us Also, WHERE THE FUCK IS THE KEYB CURT?? (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) Ditto minus the F-word and the capitals. Please!!!!!!!!!! Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I am new to the 7800 Scene and I would also buy one of these Keyboards when they are ready, is there a waiting list? Tim email Curt Vendel and then hurry up and wait like the rest of us Also, WHERE THE FUCK IS THE KEYB CURT?? (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) Ditto minus the F-word and the capitals. Please!!!!!!!!!! Allan Come on, it's good to say FUCK once in a while. Keeps you young Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I am new to the 7800 Scene and I would also buy one of these Keyboards when they are ready, is there a waiting list? Tim email Curt Vendel and then hurry up and wait like the rest of us Also, WHERE THE FUCK IS THE KEYB CURT?? (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) Ditto minus the F-word and the capitals. Please!!!!!!!!!! Allan Come on, it's good to say FUCK once in a while. Keeps you young I agree but not with kids around like my son. Plus I figured brute force is going to motivate Curt. He's not a wimpy guy. Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Speaking of the 7800 Keyboard... I hope Curt would consider designing the board to fit into a 600XL case. It has all but two I/O ports for the keyboard add-on and it also fits the actual keyboard itself which uses the XL keyboards. All you need to do is add the cassette port and the whole for the joystick plugs to go into the 7800. Any thoughts on that? Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Another thing that's going to be a pain is that someone is going to write a DOS in order to use the keyboard with an 8-bit disk drive. Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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