Sinclair ZX80 / ZX81 / Z88 Forums

Hi all

I've built myself a mechanical keyboard using a ZX81+38 PCB which I've been using with various ZX81 and Spectrum emulators via an Arduino Leonardo, which is great. I'd like to solder a set of the 5 way and 8 way membrane keyboard connectors onto the mechanical keyboard PCB and then use some kind of flat ribbon cable to join my keyboard directly to a ZX81 motherboard's connectors.

The problem is, I'm nut sure whether such cables are available or where to get them and I couldn't find any on the usual retro sites with Sinclair parts. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Apologies if this has been covered before, but I couldn't find it in the search.

Cheers

Dave

I don't think there's one easily available. However, Ginger Electronics does some very nice insertion boards which he did sell to me separately, and I used whatever wire I preferred. You might want to consider putting a small tab on the top of the small boards to make them easier to pull out if, like me, you're using a keyboard between multiple machines to work on, as they are designed to be installed, inserted and left alone.

Thanks for your suggestions msknight.

I've been reading up on this and it looks like some kind of ffc or fpc flat cable with a 2.4mm pitch should work with the Molex connectors but I haven't had any luck tracking them down - they all seem to be 0.5 or 1mm. I'm thinking a Plan B might be in order

Dave

In this video (illustrating a very nice case and keyboard) you can see the little PCBs that can be used instead of the keyboard connectors: Mechtrum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_FdXpOi2W4 (at 6:30)

Currently out of stock, but I'm hopeful they will come back in

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/395519280717

I don’t tend to use these when fitting the KDLX keyboard so if anyone needs any…


I keep forgetting to say don’t send any.

YESS PLEASE

Paul wrote: ↑Thu Aug 01, 2024 7:59 amYESS PLEASE

How many do you need? PM me.

PM sent