[vcf-midatlantic] SCELBI Oscilloscope/Keyboard Interface Updates

[Joseph Oprysko]

Question, while I know the original display was an Oscillscope, would other
X-Y displays work do you think?  I'm asking as most scopes have relatively
small screens. But the Vectrex game console has a 9" X-Y display. While I
know modifications would be needed to accept the input, if it's something
you may be interested in trying, I have 2 Vectrex systems, and would be
willing to use one for that if you think we could make it work.

Joseph Oprysko.
On Fri, Feb 3, 2017 at 11:07 AM Mike Willegal via vcf-midatlantic <
vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:

> I've been busy getting ready for the upcoming VCF east event and  I'm
> really excited about what I'll be able to show this year.
>
>  I'll show a working SCELBI 8B connected to a oscilloscope and keyboard
> which are used as a terminal.  A cassette tape interface is used as mass
> storage.  It will be running the vintage game, Star Shooter and SCELBI's
> original integrated development environment (MEA), which dates back to
> 1975.  The SCELBI can natively assemble and run Star Shooter from source
> code and I'll be able to demonstrate that, as well.
>
> The hardware is all reproduction stuff, as fully functional, original
> SCELBI 8Bs don't exist.   The oscilloscope interface has been a
> particularly challenging project.  There is only one known set of original
> SCELBI oscilloscope and keyboard interfaces.  These are in storage at the
> CHM in California.   I only had partial schematics,  some excellent photos
> that Jack Rubin took of the original interfaces during a visit to the CHM,
> and a few notes in some documentation of related hardware and software.  As
> far as we know, the original oscilloscope driver software and documentation
> has been lost.  I've had to reconstruct the software by reverse engineering
> MEA's interface to it, along with gleaning a few hints in some surviving
> documentation that refers to the oscilloscope interface.
>
> I now have the hardware and software working.  Before VCF, I'm looking to
> tweak the oscilloscope analog interface board to see if I can improve the
> quality 0f the oscilloscope display output, as, at the moment, though it's
> usable, it is quite bad when connected to my Tektronix 465.
>
> In order to more easily reproduce the Oscilloscope/Keyboard interface
> software, I updated my Macintosh OS/X SCELBI application to support those
> interfaces.  The revised application is now available on Apple's app store
> for $5.  I still have version 2.7 (without oscilloscope/keyboard support)
> available for free download from my website:
> http://www.willegal.net/scelbi/scelbiapp.html <
> http://www.willegal.net/scelbi/scelbiapp.html>.  I'm asking a little
> money for the latest version of the app, in order to help cover the cost of
> Apple Developer Membership, which is necessary in order to complete
> development of an IOS version, which I would like to do when I find time.
>
> enjoy,
>
> Mike Willegal

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