Play chess against your keyboard

This forum is for general discussions and questions, including Collectors Corner and anything to do with Computer chess.

Moderators: Harvey Williamson, Steve B, Watchman

Forum rules
This textbox is used to restore diagrams posted with the fen tag before the upgrade.
Post Reply
User avatar
Tibono2
Full Member
Posts: 696
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2017 7:55 pm
Location: France
Contact:

Play chess against your keyboard

Post by Tibono2 »

I recently bought a Novag Octo (10€, nearly a gift as it was boxed with manual and mains adapter included :D). It runs a small 2k Kittinger program hosted on a 80C49 single-ship microcontroller.
Searching for information regarding this 80C49 I found it has been frequently used as the scan controller into PC keyboards, as you can see here.

Funny to know I am playing against the computing power of a PC keyboard!
Regards, Tibono
User avatar
Fernando
Admiral of the Fleet
Posts: 3059
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:35 pm
Location: Santiago de Chile

Post by Fernando »

Considering my current strength I think I must look for the processor used by a debit card.
Festina Lente
Larry
Senior Member
Posts: 2269
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:42 am
Location: Gosford, NSW Australia

Re: Play chess against your keyboard

Post by Larry »

Tibono2 wrote:I recently bought a Novag Octo
The Novag Octo! Yes, I remember buying one of those in my lunch
break from a pawn shop, way back when. After a few games, I
concluded that they called it the "Octo" because it was suited to
8 year old children.
L
User avatar
Steve B
Site Admin
Posts: 10140
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 10:02 am
Location: New York City USofA
Contact:

Re: Play chess against your keyboard

Post by Steve B »

Larry wrote:After a few games, I
concluded that they called it the "Octo" because it was suited to
8 year old children.
lol Regards
Steve
User avatar
microhenri
Member
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 7:58 am
Location: Netherlands

Post by microhenri »

The Octo may be a weak machine, but technically it is a great achievement.

The 80C49 is the first 8 bit single chip computer. This means that all I/O (Input and output ports to control applications such as keyboard display or LED’s), the RAM and Program ROM are all on one chip. The predecessors of this chess computers almost all did have a microprocessor with multiple RAM IC’s, one or more ROM IC’s for the program and separate hardware to control the buttons and display. These Chess computers where expensive and the 80C49 gave the opportunity to reduce the costs.

A disadvantage was the limited computing power of the microcontroller and the small program ROM. Again a great achievement to write the best possible chess program in only 2k ROM and 196 bytes of RAM.

Henri
Post Reply