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RetroConnector for the //c

Thanks for letting me know! Here's the review:
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I purchased one of the RetroConnector for the //c and wanted to report here on my testing results. The RetroConnector for the //c allows you to use a //c keyboard (but NOT a //c Plus keyboard... yet) with a modern system that supports USB. I purchased one for my projects with the //c and Raspberry Pi, for which it is ideal!

Here's a link to the RetroConnector for //c site: https://www.tindie.com/products/option8/retroconnector-keyboard-shield-for-apple-iic/

And here's my photograph of the RetroConnector, annotated: http://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab300/drkenb/RetroConnector1_zps032c2457.jpg

The RetroConnector for the //c measures 2.75" long by 2.0" wide by 0.75" tall. The board has a 34-pin (17x2) connector which accepts the //c keyboard's cable, and a standard USB connector at the opposite end. I took one of my //c keyboards and attached it to the RetroConnector, and then the Raspberry Pi and booted the RPi.
The RPi immediately turned itself OFF. After a few more tries, I disconnected the RetroConnector for the //c and rebooted the RPi, and it booted fine. After tooling around for a bit, and trying 3 other //c keyboards, I figured there was some problem with the RetroConnector for the //c and emailed Charles (the developer).

The //c used two different keyboards - one manufactured by ALPS, the other manufactured by Atlanta Photoelectric. All of the keyboards I tried were of the ALPS flavor.

Even though he was at Kansasfest, he replied back very quickly to let me know that he just discovered that the ALPS //c keyboards differ slightly from the Atlanta Photoelectric keyboards. More importantly he provided me a link (https://github.com/option8/RetroConnector/blob/master/IIc-USB/PCB/rev3 errata/errata.pdf?raw=true) to a document he already posted to his Github site with a fix: remove one pin from the RetroConnector's //c keyboard connector. Although NOT an easy task for someone like me with knockwurst-like fingers suffering from arthritis, I was able to get the pin removed without too much swearing, reconnected my RetroConnector for the //c to the RPi and the RPi booted with no problems.

According to Charles document, pin #23 in the ALPS keyboards is 5V, not a ground like it is on the Atlanta Photoelectric keyboards, and that was causing the RetroConnector & keyboard to draw off too much power from the RPi, which is a very low powered unit to begin with.

The RetroConnector for the //c is ideal for anyone who wishes to use the //c keyoard with their modern-day computer, and is ideal for the Raspberry Pi. Its absolutely wonderful that folks like Charles are continuing to support the Apple II series that we all love, and I commend him for this device!

Thanks, Charles!

Ken
 
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