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The hidden secrets of the Famiclone keyboards

Redneckerz

Redneckerz

Those long posts don't cover that red neck boy
Disclaimer:
A lot of this thread is in part due to this post. Thank you Shifty Shifty for suggesting to make it a thread.

Introduction:
We all know Famiclones, right? For those who do not know, A Famiclone is an aftermarket console that mimics the NES. They are made by a 1001 companies and often feature a 1001 games. Processing is done by a NOAC, or a Nes-On-A-Chip. See it as a very primitive SoC containing everything one needs to make a NES a NES.

In some countries where the NES was not available, companies produced their own, and became really popular (See the polish Pegasus, or the russian Dendy). More info regarding a Famiclone is this Wikipedia link.

Alright, okay. So what is this Famiclone Keyboard you are talking about?

You remember Homecomputers like the Commodore 64 and the Amiga, right? Complete computers in a keyboard casing. That's what this is. Here is how one model looks:

7070f6bc9cbc29f836839966cc6d6901.jpg.jpg


Chinese hacks produced their own takes on Windows and even had a fully functioning DOS system. They also included a BASIC interpreter, G-Basic. Some even included a printer port so you could print out your BASIC stuff, however most Famiclone keyboards do not have the ability to save your work as, typical for a knockoff, it has the flaw of not having additional SRAM to save it to.

All this was a selling point for PlayPower. It was essentially a british initative to buy up famiclones that were in a keyboard and a basic OS in a cartridge and to ship these to third world countries where computing power is practically non-existent. Since Famiclones are so numerous and keyboards are also plenty available, they cost next to nothing to make. Nobody in China seems to think that it might be okay to stop making these, so new clones keyboards are still produced as we speak.

Cool beans Red, but i want more. You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention. Where are the links?
For more info on the Playpower initative:
playpower.org/
http://playpower.pbworks.com/w/page/17230477/About the $10 Computer and Playpower

There is also a great write up on these specialized Famiclones, by HelloACM including using DOS (That's right, NES hardware actually was converted to accomodate home computer stuff):
https://helloacm.com/the-8-bit-dos-by-famicom-clone-bbgdos-in-the-1990s/
https://helloacm.com/a-quick-overview-of-different-versions-for-8-bit-bbg-dos-famicom-clone/
https://helloacm.com/the-childhood-memory-subor-famicom-clone-sb-486d-xiao-ba-wang/
https://helloacm.com/tag/6502
http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=10474.0

I am also aware of the CPU's used, here is a PDF of one of them.: http://gannon.portablesofdoom.org/SH6578_Spec_V980826.pdf
If you want to look further, look for the names Sinowealth SH6578 and Novatek NH6578. :)

Lastly, there is OneBus hardware that actually expands the colours on NES hardware and there are even some exclusive games to be found on them.:
https://wiki.nesdev.com/w/index.php/VTxx
Datasheets: http://www.vrt.com.tw/datasheet.htm
There are several interesting features from both a hardware and software perspective. Take for example the VT03 chip:
50/60Hz, PAL or NTSC selectable
Stereo sound! There are two APUs, the second is accessed in the region $4020-$4035
Optional "one bus" operation, i.e. a single ROM chip contains both PRG and CHR data. (Cartridges for the OneStation console probably use that feature.)
Timer interrupt facility, can count down PA12 or HSYNC (scanline) transitions
High-colour palette mode; according to the datasheet, there are 121 possible colours. Colours specified in $3Fxx and $3Fxx + $80
Built-in bank selection hardware, change H/V mirroring in software ($4106 bit 0)
16-colour sprites and large sprites (16 pixels wide)
BONUS: There is also a Megadrive keyboard: http://segaretro.org/EZcom
 
Redneckerz

Redneckerz

Those long posts don't cover that red neck boy
Bwoh, i guess this was an excercise in futility, then. :messenger_mr_smith_who_are_you_going_to_call:
Ill never bump again on this thread, i swear.
 
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Shifty

Shifty

Member
Ha, I didn't expect them to lack any saving capability. That's totally expected given that it's a NES, but I figured they would have included some additional memory in the OS cart (or equivalent) itself.
Printing things out as a method of saving them, how very nostalgic!

And as I mentioned in the the eXtreme box thread, I wonder if that keyboard has the good ol' YM2612 in it, or whether it's some derivative thing. It'd be hard to use for anything these days, but I like the idea of an integrated keyboard with that glorious chip.
 
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kingbean

kingbean

Member
That's really neat. I've heard about bootleg consoles doing this but I've never taken the time to read anything of it. It was a good usage of time while I'm waiting for the clock to wind down at work.
 
P

polybius80

Member
very impressive

there are "famiclones" here in mexico under the brand "polystation", but when they include keyboard(hard to find) are usually based on the cartridge for the programs, and the keyboard is wired directly to cartridge port without floppy and standard specs sometimes they include lpt port for printer
 
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S

Syckoson

Neo Member
I have been looking for one of these famiclone Computers for ages. I wanted to get my little girls one as they want to play games and learn to read, thought it would be a great intro. Plus I already have famicom and NES games. I just can not find a supplier that looks real (not scam).

Any online retailors selling these?
 
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polybius80

Member
Syckoson said:
I have been looking for one of these famiclone Computers for ages. I wanted to get my little girls one as they want to play games and learn to read, thought it would be a great intro. Plus I already have famicom and NES games. I just can not find a supplier that looks real (not scam).

Any online retailors selling these?
Click to expand...
the consoles are relatively easy to find in mexico not necesarily the capital city, there are the newer with a NOA chip and the old 90's versions( with each chip separated) but usually there is no distinction in price even if they are more expensive in other countries, even the ones without keyboard include some software to read and paint and things like that

from the 90's versions I bough 1 that is basically a famicom clone(controllers attached) in gray and 2 with detachable controllers(had to buy controllers for them), of NOA type I have 1 that looks like a n64 controller and recently one that looks like a laptop with keyboard which is rare, the prices are between 150 and 200 pesos wich is like 7 - 10 us dollars check if you can buy online

in the case of famiclones its possible to 3d print a nes controller adapter and solder to a female db9 connector to use original nes controllers you can use some solid wire for the internal pins and put some epoxy to fix them in place

www.thingiverse.com

NES & SNES Controller Ports by shantigilbert

I found this parts on the internet, the SNES version came from http://www.raphnet.net/ in .STEP format, and the NES was given to me by /u/ubermeisters on reddit. I had to modify both of them so that they would print with a 0.4mm extruder (which is the extruder I have) unfortunately the holes are...
www.thingiverse.com www.thingiverse.com

Ill open the one with a keyboard and see how it works maybe its not so hard to adapt a keyboard
 
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Syckoson

Neo Member
polybius80 said:
the consoles are relatively easy to find in mexico not necesarily the capital city, there are the newer with a NOA chip and the old 90's versions( with each chip separated) but usually there is no distinction in price even if they are more expensive in other countries, even the ones without keyboard include some software to read and paint and things like that

from the 90's versions I bough 1 that is basically a famicom clone(controllers attached) in gray and 2 with detachable controllers(had to buy controllers for them), of NOA type I have 1 that looks like a n64 controller and recently one that looks like a laptop with keyboard which is rare, the prices are between 150 and 200 pesos wich is like 7 - 10 us dollars check if you can buy online

in the case of famiclones its possible to 3d print a nes controller adapter and solder to a female db9 connector to use original nes controllers you can use some solid wire for the internal pins and put some epoxy to fix them in place

[/URL]

Ill open the one with a keyboard and see how it works maybe its not so hard to adapt a keyboard
Click to expand...
I would even love to know if a keyboard could be adapted to the original NES through the controller port or expansion at the bottom.

But yeh, I can not find any that will ship here to Canada for a reasonable price.

I would love the one from the playpower blog. They would love the pink and purple.

advJrau.gif
 
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