One thing I always wanted to do is an Apple II-like keyboard that could be connected to anything emulating a II or II+ (or a Teletype - same layout). Lot of the “experience” hinges on the physical object more than the perfect pixels on the screen.
Oh definitely. I had to go with an RGB keyboard and some generic keycaps for this build, but it definitely was a compromise. Otherwise the keyboard would have been more expensive than everything else combined…
Shouldn't it be a PCB, switches, close-enough keycaps, and a tiny controller? I'm imagining a 3D printed case, with screw inserts and supports for the board on the bottom part. I never designed a keyboard though, but if it's prohibitively expensive, this throws a wrench on a bunch of retro keyboard projects I have.
It depends on what you'd consider "expensive", for mine the keycaps were £25, plus the keyboard itself (Epomaker EP84) was £21 secondhand. I think you'd be starting at £150 if you were to design one from scratch, and that's at the low end.
That’s painful. Are there standard PCBs with placement for Cherry switches that cover the most common arrangements (such as 65%, TKL, and such)? From there it’d be just the board, the switches, and the controller, with case being 3D printed.
I guess I have to learn how to design keyboards and do something about this project.
A //e version would be nice.
One thing I always wanted to do is an Apple II-like keyboard that could be connected to anything emulating a II or II+ (or a Teletype - same layout). Lot of the “experience” hinges on the physical object more than the perfect pixels on the screen.
This my project :) I specifically avoided the //e for reasons of needing to replicate the custom PLD chips.
Anyway, someone’s already done that here: https://www.applefritter.com/content/uncle-bernies-replica-2...
Thank you. This is a super cool project.
On the physicality, what do you think about the keyboard part? Do you think a USB Apple II keyboard would be a good idea?
Oh definitely. I had to go with an RGB keyboard and some generic keycaps for this build, but it definitely was a compromise. Otherwise the keyboard would have been more expensive than everything else combined…
Is building a keyboard so expensive?
Shouldn't it be a PCB, switches, close-enough keycaps, and a tiny controller? I'm imagining a 3D printed case, with screw inserts and supports for the board on the bottom part. I never designed a keyboard though, but if it's prohibitively expensive, this throws a wrench on a bunch of retro keyboard projects I have.
It depends on what you'd consider "expensive", for mine the keycaps were £25, plus the keyboard itself (Epomaker EP84) was £21 secondhand. I think you'd be starting at £150 if you were to design one from scratch, and that's at the low end.
That’s painful. Are there standard PCBs with placement for Cherry switches that cover the most common arrangements (such as 65%, TKL, and such)? From there it’d be just the board, the switches, and the controller, with case being 3D printed.
I guess I have to learn how to design keyboards and do something about this project.