Membrane keyboard on ZX-81?

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Paul Panks
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Membrane keyboard on ZX-81?

Post by Paul Panks »

Is there an easier way to type on the ZX-81 keyboard other than tough typing. I can't seem to get good tactile feedback from the keys and must look at them, hold them down for a millisecond, and then it gets printed to the screen. But typing isn't fast. Is there an easier way to use the membrane keyboard on the ZX-81? On the emulator I also notice a slight pause between keypress and what gets repeated to the screen.

Paul
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Andy Rea
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Re: Membrane keyboard on ZX-81?

Post by Andy Rea »

Sounds about right to me LOL; in the old days when we used real telly's typing in fast mode was the only way, you could concentrate on what your fingers where doing and everytime a keypress was accepted you could see in you peripheral vision the screen flickering so you didn't have to look up to often.
I often wonder how i managed to sit there for hours on end in the early eighties writting utter rubbish that at the time i thought was wonderful. many of my games where so slow you could go downstairs grab some pop and still be back before it was your turn again !

The Joy...

Regards Andy
what's that Smell.... smells like fresh flux and solder fumes...
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yerzmyey
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Re: Membrane keyboard on ZX-81?

Post by yerzmyey »

Hehe. :)
Actually, after I bought the real hardware, I find the keyboard better then the one from ZX48 or ZX+. :)
However You are right that You have to look on the keyboard while using it. ;) Because You can't "feel" it with fingers, hehe. ;)
IN NIHILUM REVERTERIS - a big text-adventure game for ZX81: http://tiny.pl/g2m6m
"MONOCHROME" issue 5 - (Spring 2014) free paper/PDF magazine about ZX81: http://tiny.pl/q2m44
ZX81 COMPETITIONS 2007/2009: http://zx81.republika.pl/
sirmorris
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Re: Membrane keyboard on ZX-81?

Post by sirmorris »

I used to 'stroke' the keys in a gentle top-down manner. It was quite therapeutic and it improved my lurve technique no end :lol:
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BrunoFlorindo
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Re: Membrane keyboard on ZX-81?

Post by BrunoFlorindo »

If you really want to use the TS1000 you have two options:

1-Get an alternate keyboard or an add-on (that sticks on top of the keyboard but adds tactile feedback) - Almost impossible to find
2-Do a hardware mod to connect a PC keyboard to the ZX-81 - Difficult if you're not into hardware, soldering, etc.

Now, if you want to find something that works like the TS1000 but is easier to work with, I would suggest the TS1500. I've seen these on eBay at least once per month. I have one, and it's basically a ZX81 with internal 16K memory but the outside looks like a Silver 48K Spectrum. The other nice thing about the TS1500 is that you can use the 16K add-on and get a total of 32K of ram.

I used to have two but sold the other one last year. All I have extra is some TS1000s.
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BrunoFlorindo
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Re: Membrane keyboard on ZX-81?

Post by BrunoFlorindo »

Well, it seems I spoke too soon. Here's something I found on eBay, but the seller is in the U.K. and it's not just the keyboard, it comes with the ZX81:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ZX81-Computer-in- ... dZViewItem

If you really, really want to use the TS1000 but with a better keyboard this is a good choice, but it might be expensive and the keyboard doesn't have a space bar.
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yerzmyey
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Re: Membrane keyboard on ZX-81?

Post by yerzmyey »

Yes, Timex 1500 is a ZX81 with rubber keyboard and 16Kb of RAM. Very beautiful, however I still think that touch-pad has its own advantages. And keys will not be erased, hehe. ;)
Anyway I would agree that more regular keyboard would be maybe better for games.
But as Andy wrote - the joy is to use original hardware. :) I would never repleace my touch-pad with some additional keyboard - again: unless we talk about games.
Surely there is a PC-keyboard interface for ZX81. You can ask guys from ZX-TEAM.
The best place is German ZX81 forum http://forum.tlienhard.com/phpBB3/viewf ... 04cd1395c0
I would say that German ZX81 scene is very strong and active (envy, envy!! ;) ).
About the reaction for key-press. On emulz it's kinda slow. But when I use real hardware I don't actually notice it. Hm. Probably emulators' fault.
Anyway remember that ZX81 is *really* old computer :) so don't expect it to be as fast as modern stuff. :)
I did the mistake once and now I have to but another tv-set, especially for ZX81, hehehe. :)
IN NIHILUM REVERTERIS - a big text-adventure game for ZX81: http://tiny.pl/g2m6m
"MONOCHROME" issue 5 - (Spring 2014) free paper/PDF magazine about ZX81: http://tiny.pl/q2m44
ZX81 COMPETITIONS 2007/2009: http://zx81.republika.pl/
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yerzmyey
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Re: Membrane keyboard on ZX-81?

Post by yerzmyey »

Paul, now I think I know what You mean. If You have Timex1000, it might show such behaviour because - as emulator shows - TS1000 is a bit slower (because of NTSC vision system).
In this case I don't know what to advise You in fact, except buying some PAL TV-set and ZX81. :) But is isn't rather any good idea for USA-based guys. :)
IN NIHILUM REVERTERIS - a big text-adventure game for ZX81: http://tiny.pl/g2m6m
"MONOCHROME" issue 5 - (Spring 2014) free paper/PDF magazine about ZX81: http://tiny.pl/q2m44
ZX81 COMPETITIONS 2007/2009: http://zx81.republika.pl/
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zx81jens
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Re: Membrane keyboard on ZX-81?

Post by zx81jens »

yerzmyey wrote: Anyway remember that ZX81 is *really* old computer :) so don't expect it to be as fast as modern stuff. :)
I did the mistake once and now I have to but another tv-set, especially for ZX81, hehehe. :)

hi!

you´re right. it is on of the oldest computers ... but: it is THE BEST!!!!!!

greetings
jens
eyerything will be okay in the end.
if it´s not okay, it´s not the end.

and: uıɐbɐ ʎɐqǝ uo pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ɹǝʌǝ ɹǝʌǝu ןןıʍ ı
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yerzmyey
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Re: Membrane keyboard on ZX-81?

Post by yerzmyey »

Oh, of course I ment nothing wrong.
The TV subject is related to another thread, where we were talking about old ULA version (too weak signal for modern TV-sets). But now I have a micro-TV and it works perfectly and the screen is sharp like a shark's tooth. ;)

Anyway - I always say that ZX81's games are the best. One would never believe that such highly-playable games can fit in 4Kb or 16Kb. :) Or even 1Kb!! :) :)
I also like ZX81's graphic very much. I have seen many fine pictures for it and several of them were simply outstanding.
These ones I found recently
http://hooyprogram.republika.pl/sley.gif
http://hooyprogram.republika.pl/mario.gif
made on ZX81 Image Maker (they should add some saving on disk, not only WWW editor).
I regret I can't make such pics by myself, hehe, but I'm crap graphician.
IN NIHILUM REVERTERIS - a big text-adventure game for ZX81: http://tiny.pl/g2m6m
"MONOCHROME" issue 5 - (Spring 2014) free paper/PDF magazine about ZX81: http://tiny.pl/q2m44
ZX81 COMPETITIONS 2007/2009: http://zx81.republika.pl/
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