[Coco] Coco Digest, Vol 153, Issue 65

[Dave Philipsen]

Ok, after thinking about it a little more I came up with another idea. Design the keyboard with a stock, passive-matrix layout and design a dual-row header where all of the traces exit to the flat cable so that all of the signals must pass through it.  Only do not install the header.  Just have traces connect all the pins across to the opposing side (1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6, etc.) So now you have a factory style layout and the ability to cut all of the traces between the two rows of the header connector with a dremel tool.  Then, if you want to customize your keyboard electrically you can plug in a little adapter board to the back of your keyboard with all of the smarts in it. Otherwise, it's just a stock keyboard. And if you want to take it a step further you can swap out keycaps to customize even more.

Dave Philipsen

> On Aug 26, 2015, at 9:59 AM, Mark J. Blair <nf6x at nf6x.net> wrote:
> 
> 
>> On Aug 26, 2015, at 06:07, Dave Philipsen <dave at davebiz.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Ok, let me make a counter-counter-proposal 😀. Why not design the CPLD on the keypad with all of the traces and everything and some sort of jumper that could make it a standard passive matrix keyboard if the CPLD was not installed? Although your idea has some merit and maybe there are some folks with CoCo 1s & 2s who would like the expanded capabilities. Even if the project goes nowhere it's still fun to brainstorm it!
> 
> I'm charmingly stubborn, that's why! :)
> 
> 
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> Mark J. Blair, NF6X <nf6x at nf6x.net>
> http://www.nf6x.net/
> 
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