The Sinclair QL Forum

Do I need the CTRL key if I have separate backspace & breaks or is it used for other software that might be loaded?

Ruptor wrote:Do I need the CTRL key if I have separate backspace & breaks or is it used for other software that might be loaded?

Yes, you do. You will need it for <CTRL>-C to switch between jobs and lots of the accented and symbol characters from the character set.

If push came to shove, you could reassign SV.CQCH ($28092)

i.e. to change CTRL+C to ALT+C

POKE_W 163986,25599

to revert to default CTRL+C

POKE_W 163986,3

OK thanks guys. I could add another 60 keys to cover every combination but I think I will leave it as is.

The hacking job became a bit complex so I have the hacked bits but now have to put them back together and I shelved it for now.I had a brain wave and a free day for a replacement membrane that isn't and here is the PCB layout. I wonder if you recognise it. It requires checking and it might be tricky to build but it only requires manual labour no thought.

Does the membrane keyboard require debounce because I could add a 1mS RC or something to the PCB if the software reading of the lines in the QL is rubbish?

Zer0_lag
BOT
— Today at 09:42
I've been banned on theqlforum.com, but have a message for Ruptor that was trying to rework mechanical keyboard for QL...
look at https://www.theqlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3972
QL-Bot
BOT
— Today at 09:42
Command sent by Zer0_lag
... so if anyone could contatct ihi and pass the info, that'd be great...
Andrew13 — Today at 09:43
You've been banned on theqlforum.com???? Why??
Zer0_lag
BOT
— Today at 09:43
THat keayboard is of INSANE quality. Keys are explosion proof -on HALL effect.
Each key has 3 pins. Cenral one is Vcc(5V), bottom one is input, top is output.
So all he has to do is to dremel existing connections on the PCB to pins 1 and 3, check that all the 2 pins are connected...
cut the PCB to contain just the key matrix ( or desolder pretty much everything else.
QL-Bot
BOT
— Today at 09:46
Command sent by Zer0_lag
... reshuffle keys as desired within top steel mesh...
vanpeebles — Today at 09:46
ok, anything else? i can post that
Zer0_lag
BOT
— Today at 09:47
and use thin lacque wire ( from old transformer etc) to connect pin inputs and outputs into a matrix...

Post via the discord, hopefully it helps!

vanpeebles wrote:Zer0_lag BOT
THat keayboard is of INSANE quality. Keys are explosion proof -on HALL effect.
Each key has 3 pins. Cenral one is Vcc(5V), bottom one is input, top is output.
So all he has to do is to dremel existing connections on the PCB to pins 1 and 3, check that all the 2 pins are connected...
cut the PCB to contain just the key matrix ( or desolder pretty much everything else.
... reshuffle keys as desired within top steel mesh...
and use thin lacque wire ( from old transformer etc) to connect pin inputs and outputs into a matrix...
Post via the discord, hopefully it helps!

Not sure who has been banned or why. It must have been something really evil with warnings and upset everybody on the forum for such drastic action. Thanks for the Hall effect Pinouts that I wasn't sure about how to connect to the QL. I found confusing pull down resistors on the 6 matrix lines perhaps to help the 8049 processor to read a good low signal. Ideally I wanted to put the Hall effect keyboards in the QL but many reasons prevent that so I have shelved it for now and done the above PCB so I can keep the original look and fit a PCB where the membrane sits. Well that is the plan and the system is tweakable like bridge tuning a guitar so it should work in the end.

Slightly OT:

ruptor wrote:Not sure who has been banned or why.

Only 3 people have been banned. The most recent, on the weekend that Sir Clive passed away, was the user formerly known as "Brane_2" who was a bit of a hardware type. Apparently his hardware skills were/are lacking. (Not my observation, I'm definitely not hardware!). Given this is a hardware thread, this Zero_lag person could be him.

Cheers,
Norm.

Deleted duplicate post