(But what TYPE?)
Normally the next article would/should be about the changes to the Expansion Interface, but I actually found something that is going in the middle of the keyboard and the EI.
A bit of history
Long ago and far away there was a company called Big Five Software that came out with a device called “TRISSTICK“. It was an Atari 2600 joystick with a connector to plug into your Model I Expansion port. This allowed you to be able to use it in games as a joystick to go up/down/left/right and fire
( I think that blue part was an aftermarket add. I remember it looking different). I never had one, I never was a gamer on my TRS-80.
So why add a joystick
I actually didn’t intend to, but it came as a set with what I REALLY wanted to install. 😉 Plus, this starts my list of “Non Tandy repro/aftermarket” pieces.
What I wanted was a detached keyboard. I actually had expected to work on this myself, using an Arduino and some other items, but I also subscribe to “Why build it when you can buy it”. On the Tandy forum, I was pointed to a device called “NewKey/80” from Plaid Vest Software. While the site only mentioned Model III and 4, there was a daughter board you could order that allowed it to work with the Model I. It’s list of features is –
- Compatible with most standard USB keyboards
- Also works with wireless 2.4Ghz USB keyboards
- Atari‑compatible 9‑pin joystick port
- Compact size. Mounts inside TRS80 case.
- Can work simultaneously with existing keyboard
- Fast and accurate key response without keybounce or ghost characters
- Native TRS-80 key repeat
- Handles special keys independently (arrows, space, control, break, shift, @) for excellent compatibility
- Works great with games and applications
- Supports TRS80 control and multi-key sequences
- Easily upgradable firmware to allow for enhancements and bug fixes
Sounds like a win to me! So I ordered one in anticipation. A little while later, the designer told me he had a replacement model that was smaller and just a single board. Here it is (Don’t mind all the speckles, I was doing a lot of concrete drilling that day)
So the top left is a reset button for the unit. Top middle is the 9 pin port for the Atari Joystick. Top right is USB provided power and an on/off switch. Bottom left is where you plug your keyboard in, and the right is the cable. The unit sits between the Model I and the EI. There’s only one teensy weensy thing. You can’t use the keyboard and the USB keyboard at the same time. Eh, ok, no worries. OH, and if you’re using the USB, you need to stop the *KBD signal exiting the system over the cable. Well, its a good thing we already spliced into the keyboard signals and put 14/*KBD on a switch. So now, switch on pin 14/*KBD, switch off on NewKey/80 Ultra. Switch off pin 14/*KBD, switch on NewKey/80 Ultra. Not a bad setup.
Plaid, we have a problem
I had a spare gaming keyboard that I wanted to use for it, so plugged it in. Not working. Yea, alright, I didn’t totally NOT expect that to happen. I have a Fnatic MiniStreak that’s been a bit of a pain in the backside. I’ve had issues with it on servers, in a KVM switch, my Mac, etc. When it works, its great. When it doesn’t work, its a pain in the backside. I spoke to the developer and since they weren’t too far I sent out the keyboard. I have a backup $14 no frills keyboard, and that worked perfectly. After fiddling with my MiniStreak, the author couldn’t get it to work nicely with the Newkey/80, so the $14 keyboard it is. Not like I plan on using a keyboard long. 😉
And that’s it. The hardest part of install was the pin 14/*KBD, and since I was doing it in a cable instead of that “piece of tape with wires” that originally came with the unit, it was much easier. I haven’t tested the Joystick yet, I have to wait until I have an OS running and game to play with.
I’m not going to go over the Power Supply. It’s a standard original Radio Shack standard power supply, nothing special done to it, so not worth a whole post. Yet. 😉 Maybe 😉 😉
Next on the list, the video.
