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Old 30th Jan 2021, 5:41 pm   #1
Buzby123
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Default Vicky, looking good !.

Here is Vicky looking very smart.

( Micky is still sulking in the attic )

Cheers,

Buzby
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Old 30th Jan 2021, 5:44 pm   #2
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Nice - that key overlay does give it the MK14 look.
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Old 30th Jan 2021, 7:00 pm   #3
SiriusHardware
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

More surprisingly... still working! Lightning hasn't struck yet?

I must be the only issue VI driver who doesn't have one of those keypad overlays now.
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 6:17 pm   #4
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SiriusHardware View Post
More surprisingly... still working! Lightning hasn't struck yet?

I must be the only issue VI driver who doesn't have one of those keypad overlays now.
I have the overlay but the wrong kind of keyswitches so you might have a chance to get ahead
I like the overlay, but still dithering between it and using the clear keycaps with better switches than the cheapo ones they came with. I'm putting off making the decision while I work on other things like getting my loader working.
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 6:18 pm   #5
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzby123 View Post
Here is Vicky looking very smart.

( Micky is still sulking in the attic )

Cheers,

Buzby
Looks nice, good to see another Issue VI being used!

Did C16 get in the way of the overlay at all? Its not incredibly well placed...
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 6:53 pm   #6
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Slothie View Post
I have the overlay but the wrong kind of keyswitches so you might have a chance to get ahead
I'm actually going to stick with the slightly taller switches and clear keycaps, they work really well for me and the ones I have don't seem to have the swivel-head syndrome which the rest of you have experienced with your switches so they all stay pretty geometrically aligned.
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 7:22 pm   #7
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

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... Did C16 get in the way of the overlay at all? Its not incredibly well placed...
No, there's just enough room, about 1mm !.

One thing I did have to do was put an extra washer between the two halves, as when I tightened the bolts the corner keys got pressed.

I really bought this frame just to make it look a bit better than sticky labels.

If I get round to using Vicky in earnest I'll build whatever the latest download circuit is.

Cheers,

Buzby
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 7:35 pm   #8
SiriusHardware
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

One which still hasn't been done is Slothie's suggestion from a long time ago - use the NENIN input to kick the SC/MP off the bus and transfer the code directly into the RAM via the bus connections on the rear edge. As he said at the time, you could also read the code OUT of the machine near-instantaneously in the same way.
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 8:08 pm   #9
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Another option for fast download is to use an FT245, but needs some way to disable prom read while the FT245 is active. I’ve used this on z80 and it should work on the 8060. While bootstrap mode is active, all reads are taken from the FT245 including instructions, while writes are still written to ram. The ready from the FT245 is used to drive the nReady of the 8060 only for read cycles. Then you feed instructions to the 8060 via the FT245 to write a bootloader to ram, jump to the correct ram address and then switch out of bootstrap mode to run the bootloader. One of the flag outputs could be used to disable bootstrap mode.

I was thinking of trying to do this with a 6402 uart, to be a bit more retro. Ideally with a cassette interface feeding the 6402. I think I found a problem with getting a ready signal from the 6402 though, and it all got out of control looking at a hardware interface from cassette to parallel input to the 8060.
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 8:44 pm   #10
SiriusHardware
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Quote:
to use an FT245
I've never even heard of those - looks interesting, but annoyingly not available in DIP.
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 10:34 pm   #11
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Those of you who have those overlays, what is the material the key legend layer is made from and how thick / flexible is it? Are the characters printed onto the overlay or 'manufactured in' somehow?
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 10:40 pm   #12
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

It feels like Fablon or a similar product.

The text doesn't scrape off, so it's either very good printing or below a clear film.

I'm pleased with it.

Cheers,

Buzby
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 10:57 pm   #13
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

They look very good, we're very fortunate that someone with the know-how and resources has just independently turned up and decided to do this, and done such a nice job as well.

It's just the finishing touch that the project needed, and it may well encourage more people to build them if they see that it can be brought up to such a professional looking finish at very reasonable cost.
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 11:11 pm   #14
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SiriusHardware View Post
Those of you who have those overlays, what is the material the key legend layer is made from and how thick / flexible is it? Are the characters printed onto the overlay or 'manufactured in' somehow?
Hmm... mines just laminated paper, quite stiff... I was concerned it might not flex enough...
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 11:18 pm   #15
SiriusHardware
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Maybe try it before you form a final opinion?

Buzby has his fitted and he obviously likes it. If it was too soft it would tend to fold down around the outer rims of the button tops and then crack around the line of the rim edges.

This is beginning to sound like the ideal excuse to build up your spare black board, that way you can try both types of keypad.
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 11:30 pm   #16
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SiriusHardware View Post
Quote:
to use an FT245
I've never even heard of those - looks interesting, but annoyingly not available in DIP.
They are available in modules though, with 2x10 right angle header pins.
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 11:30 pm   #17
Slothie
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SiriusHardware View Post
Maybe try it before you form a final opinion?

Buzby has his fitted and he obviously likes it. If it was too soft it would tend to fold down around the outer rims of the button tops and then crack around the line of the rim edges.

This is beginning to sound like the ideal excuse to build up your spare black board, that way you can try both types of keypad.
I was planning to get the keys and fit them to the spare board without soldering and then assemble the frame over them to try it out and see (a) if it works and (b) if I like it. The keys should stay in the board well enough due to the plastic pins on the back.
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Old 1st Feb 2021, 11:34 pm   #18
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Slothie View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by SiriusHardware View Post
Those of you who have those overlays, what is the material the key legend layer is made from and how thick / flexible is it? Are the characters printed onto the overlay or 'manufactured in' somehow?
Hmm... mines just laminated paper, quite stiff... I was concerned it might not flex enough...
I was thinking of printing onto photo paper, but would need some kind of protective film. Maybe not actually laminating the cover sheet would help to keep it flexible.
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Old 2nd Feb 2021, 12:11 am   #19
Buzby123
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

The seller does say in his listing that the film is laminated, but the back is not shiny, it's slightly tacky.

It reminds me of those labels made by printers that use a twin-spool system, where a clear layer is put on after the thermal printing is done. They make very robust labels, but I can't remember the maker. ( It's not Dymo, which is the one I've got. )

Cheers,

Buzby
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Old 2nd Feb 2021, 12:35 am   #20
Slothie
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Default Re: Vicky, looking good !.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzby123 View Post
The seller does say in his listing that the film is laminated, but the back is not shiny, it's slightly tacky.

It reminds me of those labels made by printers that use a twin-spool system, where a clear layer is put on after the thermal printing is done. They make very robust labels, but I can't remember the maker. ( It's not Dymo, which is the one I've got. )

Cheers,

Buzby
Interesting.. mine has laminate on both sides!
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