[Coco] CoCo keyboard connector

[Steve Batson]

I do know it's a matrix with all the switches connected to it as already 
mentioned. It's been many years, but when I had my original CoCo 1, I hated 
the chicklet keyboard and I found out about some surplus model I (I think) 
keyboards that a local Radio Shack was selling from a friend of mine that 
worked there. We both got one and wired up our keyboards to the other side 
of the keyboard connector. I don't recall how we got the matrix, if it was 
from an existing diagram or if we ohmed out each connection. I do recall it 
taking quite a bit of time, but it it was well worth it. I even went down 
to a local shop, picked out a piece of plastic and had them cut it out from 
a template I made so the coco would look decent with it's new keyboard. It 
actually worked pretty good. My next project was a numeric keypad that I 
put in a project box and wired up a special connector on a cable and fed it 
outside of the coco so I plug could plug it in. I hacked the crap out of 
that old system, had a big heat sync on the CPU and a fan mounted inside 
the case to keep it cooler. Those where the fun days...I haven't done 
anything like that in years.

----------------------------------------
From: "Bruce W. Calkins" <brucewcalkins at charter.net>
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2012 4:26 PM
To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Subject: Re: [Coco] CoCo keyboard connector 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Allen Huffman"

> Hey, is there a tech manual online somewhere? I'm interested in how the 
> CoCo keyboard connector works. I know it went to a thin mylar connector 
> for the CoCo 3, but wasn't it a ribbon cable for the CoCo 1?
>
> Are the CoCo keys just switches, that open/close contacts and it's read 
as 
> an X by Y matrix of switches?
> -
> Allen Huffman -

The thin Mylar connector came out with the "283" "F" board CoCo 1 and 
continued through the 2 and 3.  The keyboard was a 7 by 8 matrix of SPST 
momentary contact switches.  I rebuilt two "real" keyboards for my "E" 
board 
CoCo 1.  I actually wore out the first.

Bruce W.

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