About the family computer keyboard instruction manual

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About the family computer keyboard instruction manual
by Banshaku on 2009-05-07 (#46627)
While on vacation in the south of japan, I was able to find a family computer keyboard boxed and it seems complete. Didn't have time to test it yet since I will only be able to test it once back in Tokyo.

just want to know if the instruction manual could have any value for the community? I could always try to figure out how to scan it.

by frantik on 2009-05-07 (#46646)
they're trying to get it translated over at play power...

by MetalSlime on 2009-05-08 (#46653)
Is the instruction manual big? We could take a crack at translating it.

by Banshaku on 2009-05-09 (#46668)
The box came with an instruction manual that is around 100 pages. There was 2 fliers about the tape recorder for saving data and another thing and some kind of thin Q/A manual that I didn't check yet (must be for troubleshooting I guess).

If play power already scanned it, there is no point in scanning it again I guess. I can always scan the flier if it was not already done. I'm always curious about any publicity related thing for the nes/famicom so I guess there must be other people that have the same interest. At the time, family basic cost was around 15000 yen. That's seems quite expensive for just a keyboard + basic add-on. the tape recorder was 10000 yen. If you add the cost of all of them together based on the currency at the time, it would be a lot more expensive then the current gen console.

edit:

I think I found the website mentioned above (playpower) and they said "Perhaps it's possible to find a copy of the manual, and have it translated?". This almost imply that they don't have a manual at the moment. Can someone confirms it?

by Jeroen on 2009-05-10 (#46689)
Too my knowledge theres no scan of the manual anywhere on the web.

by frantik on 2009-05-10 (#46696)
playpower has a manual.. don't know if they've scanned it or made any headway on translating it. i'm sure they would appreciate any help we could provide..

http://groups.google.com/group/playpowe ... ea1eb14215

by Banshaku on 2009-05-11 (#46714)
ok then. I will be back to Tokyo tonight and I should have time to browse the manual to see what it actually contain.

From the picture I saw on the web, I may be missing something. There seems to be an extra sheet/manual with some sprite on it. I guess most of the information must be in the main manual so I shouldn't worry too much for now.

I will try to test the scanner that comes with the printer that someone lend me. What would be the best format for distribution thought.. One thing for sure, I don't want to cut it before scanning it so I need to test to see how it comes out.

by No Carrier on 2009-05-11 (#46720)
Jeroen wrote:
Too my knowledge theres no scan of the manual anywhere on the web.


PlayPower scanned it. I uploaded it and posted the link in the IRC channel before, but I think it expired. I'm uploading it again. 90 meg PDF.

EDIT: Here it is: http://rapidshare.com/files/231720099/FamilyBASIC.pdf

by Banshaku on 2009-05-11 (#46723)
No Carrier wrote:
PlayPower scanned it. I uploaded it and posted the link in the IRC channel before, but I think it expired. I'm uploading it again. 90 meg PDF.


I checked the content and it is the same as mine. There is no need to scan it again then.

The only thing different is that they scanned the first flier and put it at the beginning. In the one I had there was one extra flier + troubleshooting guide. They may have not much value but I could always try to scan them someday.

I just tested it... The keyboard is quite a pain when you're used to new one. The key are small are not very ergonomic. But I guess that how it was at the time, similar to the C64 (I'm not bashing the C64, I had one as a kid).