Back from the Grave: Before you begin

(Originally drafted on January 21, 2018. Blogger just decided not to post it when I asked, for reasons I can't even begin to guess)

Before I get into my new series, I'd like to take a moment to outline some of the tools, equipment and processes that can (and should) be used for people wanting to undertake such things.  Keep in mind that I'm more of an electrics person than electronics, so it's going to be a fairly "simple" list of tools - but don't let that fool you into thinking they can't get many, many jobs done.

Back from the Grave: Apple //e (keyboard repeating and ignoring input)

(Originally drafted on February 17, 2018. Blogger just decided not to post it when I asked, for reasons I can't even begin to guess) 

The Apple II series includes a fairly unusual keyboard  A semi-custom decoder chip feeds the input via a ROM to determine which character code should be sent to a system.  This meant that custom keyboard layouts (such as DVORAK) could easily be implemented by only switching the ROM, and modified or extended characters (such as the extras added to the //e Enhanced and Platinum) could be easily dealt with.

It also offers functional advantages and disadvantages.  On the one hand, a full keyboard matrix meant that every key can be read individually - something only more expensive modern keyboards offer.  On the other hand, the decoder provides no feedback when individual keys are released, so the system only really ever knows what the last key pressed was.  These two aspects combined to make it extremely good for typing, but abysmal as a control method.

Back from the Grave: Atari Lynx II (No power, capacitor leak)

Released just two months after the Nintendo Game Boy, the Atari Lynx had all the makings of a clear winner in the portable console wars of the late 80s before it even began: a more efficient yet still familiar CPU; a backlit, colour display being driven by a 16-bit graphics chip capable of blitting and an extensive array of hardware manipulation; four channel, stereo, digital sound support; and support for up to 16-player gaming through link hardware. On paper, it left Nintendo's offerings for dead.

Unfortunately for Atari, Nintendo had three rather significant counter points in its favour: the Game Boy's launch price was only half that of the Lynx, Nintendo was able to focus on more than one device at a time, and they knew how to run advertising campaigns. Despite its clear shortcomings this meant that the Game Boy would go on to enjoy far more success simply by virtue of market penetration, rather than any actual merits.

Towards the end of the Lynx's lifetime a second model - known as the Lynx II - was released. This version, like modern "slim" consoles, was aimed to reduce costs and power usage, thus improving battery life. But it would prove to be too little too late as Atari would very shortly afterwards shift their focus entirely to the ill-fated Jaguar. This single-minded approach ultimately heralded the end of the Lynx, and of Atari itself as a hardware company when the Jaguar failed to compete with the PlayStation and Saturn.