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sagt3k

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Joined: 01/02/2015
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Posted: 03:15am 15 Jul 2015

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Ok ...thanks ... for hc-05 I meant to set in program-mode with ATcommand. Thanks

Geoffg

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Joined: 06/06/2011
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Posted: 03:28am 15 Jul 2015

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kiiid said with the MX470 version there is enough pins to allow the KEYPAD command with bigger matrix configurations. I would very much like to see it being able to serve a 8x8 matrix.

Wow, that would be big - 64 keys, almost a keyboard. From what I remember of that function it would be easy to do. I will look into it.

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

MicroBlocks

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Joined: 12/05/2012
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Posted: 03:59am 15 Jul 2015

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Geoffg said I have not experimented with the hc-05 but I did with the esp8266 and it was too unreliable - supporting it would have been a nightmare.

Going back to the HC-05, it is a Bluetooth to serial bridge so it can be easily controlled via a COM port - no special support is needed.

Geoff

Is the nRF24L01+ still on the roadmap? I particularly like those (on arduino) as they can be used 1 to 1 or even in a network with nodes (that requires some software).
I found them very reliable and the range is pretty good.

Also something to consider is the keyword KEYPAD.
If a matrix is used then KEYPAD MATRIX followed by the rest of the existing syntax.
There is some research getting started to support the Xbox keypad, and maybe other like the one from sony. Would be nice if once figured out it could be part of MMBASIC.
For the XBOX pad the command could be KEYPAD XBOX,for Sony KEYPAD SONY, etc.
It would then follow the DISTANCE, HUMIDITY, LCD, TEMPERATURE etc style.

Edited by TZAdvantage 2015-07-16

Microblocks. Build with logic.

kiiid

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Joined: 11/05/2013
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Posted: 04:01am 15 Jul 2015

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Geoffg said

kiiid said with the MX470 version there is enough pins to allow the KEYPAD command with bigger matrix configurations. I would very much like to see it being able to serve a 8x8 matrix.

Wow, that would be big - 64 keys, almost a keyboard. From what I remember of that function it would be easy to do. I will look into it.

That will make my homebuilt MX470-based laptop a reality :)
Thanks for looking into this.Edited by kiiid 2015-07-16

http://rittle.org

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Geoffg

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Posted: 04:18am 15 Jul 2015

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TZAdvantage said Is the nRF24L01+ still on the roadmap?

I suppose that it should be - but I found it difficult to find a straight forward and practical configuration that would be good for the normal user. It got complicated with multiple transmitters and the like.

The real issue is that I am not a radio guy and I keep thinking of a simple transmitter/receiver link that can be done by any number of low cost 433MHz FSK modules that will work using bog standard serial.

Geoff

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

Geoffg

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Posted: 04:25am 15 Jul 2015

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TZAdvantage said Would be nice if once figured out it could be part of MMBASIC.
For the XBOX pad the command could be KEYPAD XBOX,for Sony KEYPAD SONY, etc.

I think that the key phrase is "if once figured out". I have never heard of them. Googling now.

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

MicroBlocks

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Posted: 05:00am 15 Jul 2015

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XBOX chatpad topic
This topic has some interesting links.

I agree about the RF stuff.
It should be much easier to use. The modules i mentioned use SPI and as such it is not easy to do inbasic.
There is lots of code for them running on arduinos that work pretty good.
Libraries are available.

Edited by TZAdvantage 2015-07-16

Microblocks. Build with logic.

Grogster

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Joined: 31/12/2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 9610

Posted: 02:50pm 15 Jul 2015

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Geoffg said

kiiid said with the MX470 version there is enough pins to allow the KEYPAD command with bigger matrix configurations. I would very much like to see it being able to serve a 8x8 matrix.

Wow, that would be big - 64 keys, almost a keyboard. From what I remember of that function it would be easy to do. I will look into it.

YES PLEASE!!!!

That would make my additional 170 matrix MM redundant, as the new 470 could then do that part too!

My 170 MM matrix thing can also work up to 8x8, and although it works OK, it would be absolutely marvellous if the MM+ could handle a bigger matrix.

In my case 6x6 is enough, but.....

Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!

factus10
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Joined: 30/12/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 45

Posted: 04:31pm 15 Jul 2015

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Can I make an alternate suggestion for those who want enough inputs for an 8x8 keyboard matrix? You might want to check out using two 4051s. You'll get 8x8 with only 6 I/O lines. The Atari computers used 4051s to scan the keyboard. There's a circuit in Don Lancaster's CMOS Cookbook too.

I'm guessing this would be a good opportunity for a cfunction.

WhiteWizzard
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Joined: 05/04/2013
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Posted: 09:32pm 15 Jul 2015

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Two 4067s gives upto 16x16 from 8 I/Os.

I mention this because some keyboards have more than 8 rows (or columns) due to special keys such as Function, shift, control etc.

Anyway, this should be enough keys - just depends on scan time now . . .

WW

MicroBlocks

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Posted: 10:30pm 15 Jul 2015

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a 555 to provide a clock, a counter, two multiplexers an 8 input OR gate and a serial to parallel latch, and maybe some diodes and resistors. You would then need only two pins to clock the data out of the latch. :)

Well something like that should work, but it is still easier to just hook it up to an MM and use KEYPAD. :)

Microblocks. Build with logic.

factus10
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Joined: 30/12/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 45

Posted: 03:30am 16 Jul 2015

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I don't want to derail the main topic too much, but where are you guys planning to get a raw, unencoded keyboard from?

MicroBlocks

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Posted: 04:26am 16 Jul 2015

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Most keyboards are a matrix. You just take out the chip that is scanning the matrix and scan it directly.
It would be interesting to see a MM inside a standard PC keyboard.

Microblocks. Build with logic.

geraldfryjr

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Joined: 02/03/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 61

Posted: 06:53am 16 Jul 2015

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Why not use just a single MCP2301x or MCP23S1x ?

The Color Computer used two 8 bit ports for its keyboard and it provided plenty of functionality for it via 6821/22

jer

Edited by geraldfryjr 2015-07-17

Keep on DIYin' !!!

factus10
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Posted: 08:15am 16 Jul 2015

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Maybe I'm misunderstanding. The vast majority of keyboards available these days are USB (which can be converted to PS/2). Why go to all the trouble of ripping that out to wire your own when you can just plug it directly into the MM?

Obviously, if you're after something special (like a CoCo or some ancient keyboard), then rolling your own matrix scanner makes sense.

Or are you planning to use a laptop keyboard (most are plain matrix)?

I'd like to see a MM inside a Sinclair ZX-81. But then, I'm a masochist. ;)

Chris Roper
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Joined: 19/05/2015
Location: South Africa
Posts: 280

Posted: 08:51am 16 Jul 2015

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factus10 said I'd like to see a MM inside a Sinclair ZX-81. But then, I'm a masochist. ;)

If you slowed it down enough to emulate the ZX81 properly it would send so much time in sleep mode that it would probably last for 10 years on a pair if penlight batteries :)

http://caroper.blogspot.com/

viscomjim
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Joined: 08/01/2014
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Posts: 925

Posted: 08:52am 16 Jul 2015

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that would be one bad ass sinclair!!!! Would love the see the TFT color sinclair!

jman

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Joined: 12/06/2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 711

Posted: 09:47am 16 Jul 2015

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viscomjim said that would be one bad ass sinclair!!!! Would love the see the TFT color sinclair!

What he said :)

Jman

factus10
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Posted: 11:13am 16 Jul 2015

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That'd be a Spectrum.

atmega8

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Joined: 19/11/2013
Location: Germany
Posts: 724

Posted: 10:47pm 16 Jul 2015

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factus10 said Maybe I'm misunderstanding. The vast majority of keyboards available these days are USB (which can be converted to PS/2). Why go to all the trouble of ripping that out to wire your own when you can just plug it directly into the MM?

Obviously, if you're after something special (like a CoCo or some ancient keyboard), then rolling your own matrix scanner makes sense.

Or are you planning to use a laptop keyboard (most are plain matrix)?

I'd like to see a MM inside a Sinclair ZX-81. But then, I'm a masochist. ;)

Hi factus10,

Can you show me such an Adapter/circuit that converts a USB Keyboard to a PS2 Keyboard?
THX

Atmega8

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