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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Alfonso45322 on Sun, 02 April 2017, 04:42:17
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I inherited a 1987 Jameco JE1015 from my dad and I'm in the process of restoring it, but it appears that its microcontroller is completely missing... yeah. My dad was probably experimenting with it and just never put it back together correctly.
I know this is a long shot, but does anyone have a this or a similar board that's willing to take it apart and photograph the IC for me? The controller is a 40 pin DIP and that's really all I know about it, I'm hoping that it's a commonly used keyboard controller that I can find a datasheet for (even that's probably a long shot). My plan is to trace out the PCB and replace the controller with a Teensy, and having the datasheet would make it much easier.
Thanks in advance!
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Usually they use a microcontroller with ROM on board. The issue isn't finding a similar controller, it's finding one with the same ROM.
I'd suggest getting a Teensy++ and using a harness to connect it to the keyboard matrix and lock light pins (if any). Then you can configure a modern firmware to drive the board, and it will be USB too.
Or honestly, people will want that board just for the switches.
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harvest the switches and do something cool with them
not worth trying to find a new controller
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Or honestly, people will want that board just for the switches.
I want this board for the switches. ;)
But in any case, considering this is a keyboard my dad used when he was my age, it's too sentimental for me to every sell or harvest. I've already traced out most of the matrix, I was hoping I could just drive it with one of the spare Teensy LC's I have but it's looking like it has too many pins for that. Guess I'll either have to buy a ++ or an IO expander.
harvest the switches and do something cool with them
not worth trying to find a new controller
As much as I'd like to harvest them and make a custom split 60%, too sentimental. Just to be clear though, I really didn't have any hope of finding a new controller. I was really just looking for a datasheet to aid me in tracing out the PCB.