CreatiVision Console re-Creation

[Editor]

Next I'll add some protection to the rear of the keyboard PCB, maybee Acrylic or cardboard and arrange for a slight forward facing angle with short and long feet and a better cable strain relief.

I look forward to seeing your finished creation.

I had thought about designing a 3D printed case for the keyboard (eventually), but this also sits with my thoughts of creating a 3D printed case (cube?), for a finished MECB project (e.g. like the CreatiVision re-Creation).
At the moment, these thoughts have been parked, pending where I go with the possibility of making an all-in-one MECB CreatiVision Controller IO Card (as mentioned in my previous reply).

As always, lots to do!

[djrm]

Well, a lot changed in the last two months, one thing was that before we went away I must have found my old joystick and brought it inside ready for my new creativision interface. I completely forgot this and today was pleasantly surprised to find it in a corner of my test bench, no wonder I couldn't find it outside in the shed. The Arari CX78+ arrived yesterday too. So I now have a joystick and a gamepad connected to my system together with the new keyboard. I found a plastic tray which more or less fits the keyboard which will give it a bit of protection against it touching things on my desk.

Maybe one of those low cost steel boxes would suit the system with an open front to slide the cards out...

[Editor]

... The Arari CX78+ arrived yesterday too. So I now have a joystick and a gamepad connected to my system together with the new keyboard.

Nice!

I found a plastic tray which more or less fits the keyboard which will give it a bit of protection against it touching things on my desk.

Amazine fit. From the photo it almost looks like it was made for the keyboard.

I suspect you've probably sown the seed for me to get on with doing some 3D design for a case (at least a keyboard initially?).

In the meantime, your earlier post prompted me to start on an all-in-one MECB Creativision I/O Card. So far, I'm just doing a bit of PCB routing each day (as time permits), but it is progress.
I already have a pile of newly manufactured PCB designs (from over the last couple of months), all waiting for me to get back to making some videos.

[djrm]

I've put together another 6502 board specially for the Creativision 2MHz CPU but I've run out of mini-dip ram chips now, since the rom socket isn't needed when using the !M expansion rom card I repurposed the rom socket to take an 8KB RAM chip. I just needed to tie pin 26 to Vcc instead of the A13 signal. The 16V8 code has been adjusted to output ram CS onto both chip select pins.

[Editor]

I've put together another 6502 board specially for the Creativision 2MHz CPU but I've run out of mini-dip ram chips now, since the rom socket isn't needed when using the !M expansion rom card I repurposed the rom socket to take an 8KB RAM chip. I just needed to tie pin 26 to Vcc instead of the A13 signal. The 16V8 code has been adjusted to output ram CS onto both chip select pins.

Awesome work! That's the kind of creative / "outside the box" thinking that drives the retro community!

I'm sure your approach will also be helpful to others. Effectively meaning (for projects like the CreatiVision re-creation, or just when using the Expansion ROM Card), the 6502 CPU Card can actually be populated with your choice of either 0.6" or 0.3" DIP RAM chips (that are, of course, pin compatible).

Kudos!