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From: prindle@nadc
Newsgroups: net.micro.cbm
Subject: remote C64/C128 keyboards
Message-ID: <2312@caip.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Wed, 21-May-86 16:39:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: caip.2312
Posted: Wed May 21 16:39:33 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 24-May-86 01:19:28 EDT
Sender: daemon@caip.RUTGERS.EDU
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 16

From: prindle@NADC

I have one of these too, but it uses a novel approach.  It's a micro-switch
hall effect keyboard, with a homebrew row-column encoder and discrete shift/
ctrl logic, and plugs into the two *joystick* ports.  The major disadvantage
is it requires a keyboard scan routine be resident somewhere in memory and be
wedged into the interrupt processing (this has not proven to be much of a
disadvantage with the software with which I use it).  The major advantages
are complete key definition control; parallel operation with normal keyboard;
no opening the case; and incredibly smooth key action.  No, it doesn't take
it's power from the 64 (ZaP, pOw, MeLt!).  Another disadvantage is that most
of the hall-effect switches on this kbd generate only pulses, not levels, 
so it is not possible to detect a key being held down.

Frank Prindle
Prindle@NADC.arpa