deskthority

Got lucky with this one. I knew nothing about it but it looked interesting so picked it up and it turned out to be a Digitran capacitive leaf switch keyboard. It was dirty, but overall in good shape. The PCB has a sticker dated 7-85.
I was pleased when I started pulling some key caps and saw the switches.
PCB back and front:
The columns are represented by the metal leaves and the rows by pads under solder mask on the PCB:
Plungers on the switch tops in the front plate press the leaves down and activate the switches:
Traced out the rows and columns:
Then wired up the Xwhatsit and the CapsLock LED:
I went ahead and retrobrighted the key caps and put things back together:
Quick video of typing on it and a link with some info about Fortune Systems:
https://randoc.wordpress.com/2016/06/05 ... e-systems/

How does the switch feel and smoothness compare to other leaf springs such as Fujitsu's?

VERY nice find. Never seen this particular model of them before. Great color scheme too, especially after the retrobright. Looks like the Digitran name for it was Golden Touch. That's very interesting.

Excellent work!

Mixing leaf springs and capacitive sensing? That rubs me in all the best ways.

It looks lovely, great job with the restoration!

Thanks for the nice comments everyone! I first learned about these switches after seeing Sangdrax's post on GH about his conversion of a Harris-Sanders Smart Terminal ( https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=90 ... msg2436488 ) and used his post as a guide when I was able to pick one up ( workshop-f7/harris-smart-terminal-xwhat ... lit=harris) . That's why I was happy when I pulled a keycap off this board and saw the same switches.

xxhellfirexx wrote: ↑How does the switch feel and smoothness compare to other leaf springs such as Fujitsu's?

I just got out one of my Fujitsu 3rd gen leaf spring boards (Tandy 1000) and I'd say that the Digitran switches are heavier ( likely due to the external springs) but as far as smoothness, they feel very similar to me - which is really nice.

Related, the Fujitsu 2nd gen with the dampers feel like vintage Keytronic with a hard foam mod to me except with that same slight weighting difference since the Fujitsus are like 45g IIRC and the others are 50-55g.

I just bought one of these on eBay. According to article you linked mine comes from this companies initial model, the 32:16. I am really hoping it has the same switches. Yours turned out super nice with cleanup and retro brighting.

JP! wrote: ↑I just bought one of these on eBay. According to article you linked mine comes from this companies initial model, the 32:16. I am really hoping it has the same switches. Yours turned out super nice with cleanup and retro brighting.

Ty!

Your board is very cool! A most excellent find! Finding new stuff makes it even better - I had never even heard of Fortune Systems before I came across my board. It's really cool that you found a 32:16 for sure! I also really like that your board still has the keyboard overlay! I bet it has the same switches, but either way it's a nice board!

When I seen it pop up today I thought it looked familiar, but only since I had previously read this thread otherwise I would not have known about Fortune systems. I agree, it's always fun finding something new. Also I can't wait until this one is all cleaned up and converted. I really like the layout.

Definitely a neat looking setup


Some additional info as well: http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/fortuneSystems/

JP! wrote: ↑I just bought one of these on eBay.

Has it arrived yet? I'm really curious because Sangdrax said he bought a Fortune board that was KeyTronic F&F! I like vintage KT F&F but it is a difference for sure.

OldIsNew wrote: ↑Got lucky with this one. I knew nothing about it but it looked interesting so picked it up and it turned out to be a Digitran capacitive leaf switch keyboard. It was dirty, but overall in good shape. The PCB has a sticker dated 7-85.
....

I just got one of these myself, got some pictures that im going to use to attempt to reverse engineer the pcb. from cursory glances here is my attempt at reverse engineering: on mine the only chip that i cannot determine the part number for is the one in the upper right hand corner of the pcb (looking at the leaves) other than that the columns are controlled by two 74ls259 8 bit addressible latches, and the rows are multiplexed into the mystery chip (which im going to assume is some kind of comparitor) via a cd4051 8 to 1 analog multiplexer, there is a 74ls14 hex inverter chip which i assume is input protection/inverting amplifier, as its near the cord jack. as the controller chip is socketed i just really need to know what the pinout is for it (bog standard intel 8748) and what goes where into it. should be able to fabricate an alternative controller as soon as i figure out that mystery chip (i wont know whats an input or an output just from the controller pinout alone).

my board desperately needed dusting, wasn't really that dirty though. it really needs some lube after cleaning.

<double post, deleted>

listofoptions wrote: ↑
I just got one of these myself, got some pictures that im going to use to attempt to reverse engineer the pcb...

Very cool! It is an interesting board IMO - keep us posted!

OldIsNew wrote: ↑

listofoptions wrote: ↑
I just got one of these myself, got some pictures that im going to use to attempt to reverse engineer the pcb...

Very cool! It is an interesting board IMO - keep us posted!

can you actually send me a pic of that chip on your board? it looks like the one on mine is some weird proprietary numbering of a common chip (lots of companies did that sadly)

listofoptions wrote: ↑
can you actually send me a pic of that chip on your board? it looks like the one on mine is some weird proprietary numbering of a common chip (lots of companies did that sadly)

Are you referring to U6 in this photo? - I'm happy to try to help for sure! Just want to be sure it's the right chip before I reopen the board for pics.

OldIsNew wrote: ↑

listofoptions wrote: ↑
can you actually send me a pic of that chip on your board? it looks like the one on mine is some weird proprietary numbering of a common chip (lots of companies did that sadly)

Are you referring to U6 in this photo? - I'm happy to try to help for sure! Just want to be sure it's the right chip before I reopen the board for pics.

U6.jpg

yup! thats the one! mine has some weird part number, hoping other's don't. Thanks!

listofoptions wrote: ↑

OldIsNew wrote: ↑

listofoptions wrote: ↑
can you actually send me a pic of that chip on your board? it looks like the one on mine is some weird proprietary numbering of a common chip (lots of companies did that sadly)

Here's a pic of the chip with numbers. Hope it helps!

listofoptions wrote: ↑

listofoptions wrote: ↑
can you actually send me a pic of that chip on your board? it looks like the one on mine is some weird proprietary numbering of a common chip (lots of companies did that sadly)

Any luck with it?

sorry been busy with work, life an IBM 029, and a teletype 40k, so i haven't quite gotten to this board yet. after the 029 and the 40k i should be able to trace the board out.