AGC connectors and chance to use Applied Science EL panel

DSKY SUBSTITUTE FOR THE APOLLO GUIDANCE COMPUTER

Bottom case

The DSKY aluminum case is not deep enough to comfortably fit the power supplies for the EL wire and any connectors I add. Thus, I designed a 3 1/2" box that will fit underneath. On a side note, the resulting combined size is closer to a real DSKY.  I designed this from 9mm thick acrylic and sent the work out to Ponoko.

For connectors to the outside world, I chose to use a very similar connector to the one selected by MIT in their design of the DSKY. It is a Bendix 85 pin circular connector, readily available on eBay and on its way to me. I chose a similar but smaller two pin connector for my main 5V supply to the unit.

Power connector - total overkill for 5V supply

Connector to AGC signals and power

Planning for possible replacement EL panel

Ben Krasnow created a true electroluminescent panel as a replica of the one used on the MIT DSKY, as announced on his (watch video) Applied Science YouTube channel. He has loaned it to us and I now need to find a way to make use of this marvelous creation in the short time left before we are again working on the AGC.

Once I pick it up, I will see if its size is suitable to fit inside the aluminum enclosure I am working with on my DSKY replica. If it is, then I can remove my 7-segment display parts from my PCB, drop the mounting of the PCB lower and place his panel in the enclosure opening. His replica is programmable over USB serial link, which I should be able to accommodate from my Arduino in my replica.

The worst case situation is that I can't fit it in, thus we will need to use my replica as built with his panel sitting beside it and linked over USB cable. More on this soon, once I have completed the measurements and detailed planning.