Well then, I had better start planning this project!
It will be helpful if there is a way to have the emulator spit out the entire state of the console display over I2C and likewise be able to scan the entire state of the switches. The panel lamps are mounted on four boards that span the back of the console. Each has three H802-style (single sided) cardedge connectors. I can't remember but there may be one for each row of lamps. I would imagine one common design row driver PCB with lamp drivers and I2C receivers like MCP23017 could be used to address a row of 16 lamps. The console switches are presented at the rear as six H802s across the width of the console. Another common design switch monitoring board could also be used at each switch connector. I2C seems plenty fast and the addressability is useful (although the 23017 has only three address pins, so an external address multiplexer would be needed for the lamps (unless someone knows of a similar device with more address select pins). I have used this device for other projects which is why it comes to mind.
I have an LA36 and VT52s, which although mid-70s would at least be only slightly period-incorrect with respect to the KA. I think Dad would get a kick out of it, however he would likely try esoteric field-service things to see how accurate the emulator is.
Does this emulator run well enough on a PI 3 or beaglebone, or is something more heavy-duty required?
Lou
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