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Re: A Place for Real Computer Newbs??
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 12:47 am
by AmericanPi
Moggy wrote:
Except you could not get a ZX printer in the states as it was banned by the FCC!
Get outa' here
Wow. That's kinda messed up.
Moggy wrote:
You had to use the far superior Alphacom 32 (Timex 2040 in the USA)
This thing
tell ya' what....the Timex 2040 looks way cooler than the
Sinclair zx81 printer
Moggy wrote:
clunking pile of junk that was the Sinclair printer.
too funny
Re: A Place for Real Computer Newbs??
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 1:00 am
by AmericanPi
Speaking of add ons....
_have you seen this SuperBad
keyboard
Why doesn't my
image show up when I use
And since were getting off track....
I thought this was pretty cool:
Rpi ZX81 keyboard ribbon adaptor
But I think theres a name for that kind a of ribbon and connector. I don't think it's exclusively a Sinclair thing.
Man I wish my images would show.
_that way ya'll didn't have to go to the link to see them
Re: A Place for Real Computer Newbs??
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 8:38 am
by RWAP
AmericanPi wrote:Speaking of add ons....
_have you seen this SuperBad
keyboard
Why doesn't my
image show up when I use
That is because the link you used is the google link - not the actual image itself - if you had clicked on View image and then copied the actual url it would work
The keyboard is the FileSixty add-on keyboard - which basically adds a rubber key keyboard stuck onto the top of the membrane - it is fine until the membrane fails...
Re: A Place for Real Computer Newbs??
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 4:40 pm
by Moggy
The stick on keyboard pictured is the first implementation of that device and uses hard plastic keys not rubber which press on a horizontal self sprung plastic peg to press the membrane, the dark grey mk2 version used a neoprene mat rather like the one used on the spectrum and a card based face plate and the keys act directly on the face of the membrane.
I have tried both with the replacement membranes and found that because of the stiff top membrane layer neither is any good (the rubber one unusable)and make keyboard entry a pain in the arse.
I would add that was with the first issue of replacement membrane so not sure if say the newer Xpand compatible type has a thinner top layer, which I believe was mooted at some point,than the original which in MY experience made key board entry worse than Sinclair's' effort regardless of nice they looked.
Re: A Place for Real Computer Newbs??
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 9:19 am
by RWAP
Moggy wrote:
I would add that was with the first issue of replacement membrane so not sure if say the newer Xpand compatible type has a thinner top layer, which I believe was mooted at some point,than the original which in MY experience made key board entry worse than Sinclair's' effort regardless of nice they looked.
Yes - we reduced the thickness of the top layer when we moved manufacturing to Scotland, so the latest versions are both better
Re: A Place for Real Computer Newbs??
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 9:50 am
by 1024MAK
Something thin from Scotland
, never
Mark
Re: A Place for Real Computer Newbs??
Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 2:11 pm
by Moggy
RWAP wrote:Moggy wrote:
I would add that was with the first issue of replacement membrane so not sure if say the newer Xpand compatible type has a thinner top layer, which I believe was mooted at some point,than the original which in MY experience made key board entry worse than Sinclair's' effort regardless of nice they looked.
Yes - we reduced the thickness of the top layer when we moved manufacturing to Scotland, so the latest versions are both better
In which case time for an order methinks.
I take it the Xpand version also has the thinner top layer?
Re: A Place for Real Computer Newbs??
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 10:37 pm
by AmericanPi
-
-
-
Aw
_that's kinda what it looked like, something that just sits on top of the regular keyboard membrane.
__well that stinks, I mean that introduces allot of slack and now i have to press on those keys the same way i would if i was using the regular keyboard.
___so maybe not so "SUPERBAD".
[quote = "Rwap"]That is because the link you used is the google link - not the actual image itself - if you had clicked on View image and then copied the actual url it would work[/quote]
Hey thanks RWAP.
As an aside, you wrote
Rwap wrote:Yes - we reduced the thickness of the top layer when we moved manufacturing to Scotland, so the latest versions are both better
Did you work for or own the company
_that'd be pretty cool.
__it's just amazing how you guys know this stuff.
__my old man always told me to respect my elders caus they know their S*&#, and you guys sure know your stuff.
What do you guys know about this ribbon connector?
Is there a name for that ribbon type or is just a ribbon
_I was curious so I learned a bit about keyboards. It's kinda like a matrix deal? Well membrane keyboards anyway....
I saw this:
Which was cool. The controller (
) board looks like it might fit in the TS1000's case.
_I was wondering if the actual mapping of the keys happens in the TS1000? like on a chip or something?
__this keyboard has a different ribbon connector so i guess that's why it needs that controller (
) board.
Educate Me
Re: A Place for Real Computer Newbs??
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 7:30 am
by dasteph
That's one of Dave Currans USB conversion kits for the Spectrum, there are also ZX81 models available, and he has them for sale on his website
http://blog.tynemouthsoftware.co.uk/201 ... -kits.html. The controler and matrix fit into the shell of a dead Sinclair (or other 80s Micro depending on the version you may buy) and allow you to use it a regular PC keyboard. All the keyboard control code is on the Amtel / Arduino chip.
I borrowed the basic idea and some of the code he provides in posts about the ZX81 in particular, and my own version of a controller and married it to a Raspberry Pi (and other components). What I called the AZ15 was the result. All the details about that project and other in my blog.
https://zx81keyboardadventure.blogspot. ... ne-of.html
Re: A Place for Real Computer Newbs??
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 2:49 pm
by RWAP
AmericanPi wrote:
As an aside, you wrote
Rwap wrote:Yes - we reduced the thickness of the top layer when we moved manufacturing to Scotland, so the latest versions are both better
Did you work for or own the company
_that'd be pretty cool.
__it's just amazing how you guys know this stuff.
__my old man always told me to respect my elders caus they know their S*&#, and you guys sure know your stuff.
I only run RWAP Software (RWAP Services, RWAP Adventures and SellMyRetro) - but I have been around the scene since 1986 officially (just had RWAP Software's 30th anniversary). I started out with the ZX81 when at school in 1982.
I sourced keyboard membrane manufacturers to reverse engineer keyboard membranes and make them anew (although I had some help as one manufacturer I have used in Poland used to make replacement membranes for some of the Sinclair machines in the 90s)