NS (SC/MP) Introkit - With Keyboard-Display I/F Interconnection thin PCB - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

ortek_service · 7th Nov 2022, 2:49 am

After discovering from a couple of people who had Introkits at this weekend's Retro Computer Festival, that they didn't know about Introkits with a proper thin 2-layer Interconnection-PCB for the extra Keyboard-Display circuitry - to avoid having to wire-wrap it all - I've took some photos of mine and I'm posting it here for info.

I can't recall if I ever found any Nat.Semi. documentation on this PCB
- But I do recall finding the instructions to add the interface via wire-wrapping, and showing where to position the parts.

I just need to get mine working (I borrowed some logic IC's from it, to put in a replica MK14 to test these, and have verified the (EP)PROM with a Homebrew adaptor to read it on a standard single-rail IC programmer.
So I'm hoping that the original multi-rail PMOS SC/MP is OK as they don't seem to be obtaining from anywhere at present.
I may have to try making an adaptor for the later single-rail NMOS one, just to see if that helps - IIRC, I just got a blank display, last time I tried powering it up, but have now verified display / cable is all OK)

SiriusHardware · 7th Nov 2022, 1:52 pm

That's a very valuable little resource Owen, thanks for posting that. Like most others here I only knew of the version of Introkit + Keypad and Display where the user was required to build the keypad and display interface on the prototyping area of the PCB using the wire-wrap method.

The National Museum of Computing (Bletchley) has a complete built example of one of the wire-wrap versions alongside a never built basic Introkit in its blister pack, displayed side by side in a glass cabinet alongside similar single board computers - or they did 2-3 years ago when I was last there.

This Youtube video about the MK14 - a direct descendant of the National Introkit - was made at CfCH. It allows a brief glimpse of a wire-wrap version Introkit at about the 4:13 mark and the CfCH does allegedly have an Introkit currently stored in a cardbox archive box - whether the one in the video is the one stored in the box is difficult to know, but it would be reasonable to think so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_vhWxu-spA

7th Nov 2022, 1:52 pm	#2
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,560	Re: NS (SC/MP) Introkit - With Keyboard-Display I/F Interconnection thin PCB That's a very valuable little resource Owen, thanks for posting that. Like most others here I only knew of the version of Introkit + Keypad and Display where the user was required to build the keypad and display interface on the prototyping area of the PCB using the wire-wrap method. The National Museum of Computing (Bletchley) has a complete built example of one of the wire-wrap versions alongside a never built basic Introkit in its blister pack, displayed side by side in a glass cabinet alongside similar single board computers - or they did 2-3 years ago when I was last there. This Youtube video about the MK14 - a direct descendant of the National Introkit - was made at CfCH. It allows a brief glimpse of a wire-wrap version Introkit at about the 4:13 mark and the CfCH does allegedly have an Introkit currently stored in a cardbox archive box - whether the one in the video is the one stored in the box is difficult to know, but it would be reasonable to think so. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_vhWxu-spA