The Sinclair QL Forum

Hello everyone,

has anyone seen this kind of QL keyboard interface before?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154371862956


It may have been used not only to connect a serial (six pin DIN) keyboard, but also to destroy Rick Dickinson's balanced industrial machine design – but looking at the pictures [1] I have to admit that the interface was cleverly designed: Re-using the Philips 8049H IPC that "scans" the eight data lines of a 27C64 (with the eight output port lines converted to three EPROM address lines by a 74LS148) that are showing a pattern selected by eight to ten more address lines driven by a NEC D8749 (and "debounced" by two 74HC14s). The D8749 may be only communicating with the attached keyboard and changing the address lines depending on the keycodes it receives.

Is this a "Schön PC Keyboard" (in contrast to the "Schön Keyboard" [2])? – It has a sticker "AS0906-2", and the Schön keyboard was part no. "AS0720-1" [3].

I am not the seller (and won't be the buyer), but I'd like to know if that keyboard interface is more widely known.

Thank you

George



[1] The first picture itself should be sold as a piece of art and two others really are "hands on" photographies, but all the pictures together are very informative.
[2] https://qlwiki.qlforum.co.uk/doku.php?i ... :keyboards
[3] https://www.qlforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php ... 20-1#p4202

I have the exact same QL kit with the metal bracket. I think there is a schon keyboard floating about in the cupboard too.

This is the keyboard cover from the Schön PC Keyboard Interface. But you need the original keyboard as it was designed for it. As far as I know, this is no standard Keyboard.

I have one of those I used to use with SuperHermes!

Hi,

I also have of these interfaces, it came with an XT Keyboard, but I did not use it much, as there was too much debounce on the keyboard.

I replaced it with a Superhermes, much better and can use AT &PS/2 keyboards.

Thank you very much.

I agree that a SuperHermes may be a far better replacement for a Schön PC keyboard interface, I did not understand how to use a Schön interface with a SuperHermes, and I still wonder why a product called "Schön" looks so "unschön".

George

"Schön" was the birth name of Christopher Smith's grandma, hence the name of his company.

1984 wrote:Hello everyone,

has anyone seen this kind of QL keyboard interface before?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154371862956


It may have been used not only to connect a serial (six pin DIN) keyboard, but also to destroy Rick Dickinson's balanced industrial machine design – but looking at the pictures [1] I have to admit that the interface was cleverly designed: Re-using the Philips 8049H IPC that "scans" the eight data lines of a 27C64 (with the eight output port lines converted to three EPROM address lines by a 74LS148) that are showing a pattern selected by eight to ten more address lines driven by a NEC D8749 (and "debounced" by two 74HC14s). The D8749 may be only communicating with the attached keyboard and changing the address lines depending on the keycodes it receives.

Is this a "Schön PC Keyboard" (in contrast to the "Schön Keyboard" [2])? – It has a sticker "AS0906-2", and the Schön keyboard was part no. "AS0720-1" [3].

I am not the seller (and won't be the buyer), but I'd like to know if that keyboard interface is more widely known.

Thank you

George



[1] The first picture itself should be sold as a piece of art and two others really are "hands on" photographies, but all the pictures together are very informative.
[2] https://qlwiki.qlforum.co.uk/doku.php?i ... :keyboards
[3] https://www.qlforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php ... 20-1#p4202

I have one of these, a few years ago I thought it was expired so I did a hand drawn copy of circuit and read EPROM (have yet to read 8049). But I was able to revive keyboard by sticking foil pads on keys. If anyone is interested I'll scan what I did (might be a few Mb though).

That would be interesting. A little added debounce would have taken it across the finish line - a lovely product.

Hi Silvester,

I am interested in your documentation, do you mind to share by Email?

Thanks,

Stephan