Looking for the Keyboard MB connector

[Richard Giroux]

I am working on a non-destructive Atari 800xl to USB KB conversion. I haven't been able to source the connector that is on the original Atari 800xl MB. Does anyone know where I can purchase one?

[Simius]

Connector type: DS1020-24ST1D, manufacturer: Ningbo Connfly Electronic Co.

http://www.connfly.com/

https://www.tme.eu/gb/details/ds1020-24st1d/connectors-ffc-fpc-254mm/connfly/

[Richard Giroux]

Thank you for the reply. Unfortunately, the minimum order is 2000 pcs...a lifetime supply for me would be 10pcs. Does anyone else have some or have a supplier where the minimum order is say <100?

Edited August 15, 2018 by Richard Giroux

[flashjazzcat]

Is this the same one?

 

https://www.tme.eu/en/details/24fmn-smt-a-tf/connectors-ffc-fpc-100mm/jst/

[Richard Giroux]

@Quadrunner

 

That is close but it has a 1mm pitch where the Atari connector has a 2.54mm pitch. That company has the right connector but it too has the minimum 2000 unit order.

Edited August 15, 2018 by Richard Giroux

[flashjazzcat]

Bugger - sorry: didn't notice the pitch. Perhaps we should set up a crowd funder so that a trusted forum member can put in a bulk order and mail them out to interested parties. Order comes in at over £200 but a fiver for fifty connectors isn't too bad.

[xrbrevin]

when i worked on an IBM model M keyboard USB conversion i had the same issue.

i bought 2x smaller ones and cut/filed/grinded the ends off and butted them up together. it doesnt look as neat but it totally works so you may wish to consider it as a "plan-B"?

alternatively, you can replace the socket with a dupont pin header conversion and a ribbon cable from the keyboard PCB. (wont work on XEs tho..)

Edited August 15, 2018 by xrbrevin

[flashjazzcat]

alternatively, you can replace the socket with a dupont pin header conversion and a ribbon cable from the keyboard PCB. (wont work on XEs tho..)

That's my preferred solution, but it does of course make swapping keyboards in and out a little difficult.

 

If it's just the cable that's shot and not the edge connector, how about this approach I took with an aftermarket 400 keyboard:

 

 

It's a tight fit in the board edge connector, but it works and maintains compatibility with the original keyboard's ribbon.

[xrbrevin]

i ended up doing the dupont solution to my 600xl because they have that foolish sub/inter-PCB with resistors on. all the movement had broke the pins at the back of the ribbon socket - out of sight... i only found out when i desoldered them, they fell out

so i fitted a row of pins to my 600xl board, cut up and soldered an old 40-pin IDE ribbon to dupont sockets (like PC front panel plugs but i used 3x banks of . solved!

[flashjazzcat]

I did the same. The daughter-board bending the motherboard connector every time the case top was lifted up represented very poor design. I managed to source some 20-way Dupont housings and simply added an extra 4-way housing at the end.

[Level42]

 

alternatively, you can replace the socket with a dupont pin header conversion and a ribbon cable from the keyboard PCB. (wont work on XEs tho..)

 

 

Why won't it work with an XE ? Because it is fully "flex"? If so, it won't work with the metal-backed 600XL keyboards either. I have one like that, and it doesn't have the resistors PCB like the non-metal back keyboards do.

[xrbrevin]

the 600xl and 800xl have a proper PCB for their keyboard which can be soldered to directly - lose the flex altogether and use the now vacant through-holes for a cable of your choice!

BTW: the 600xl works fine without the resistor board

Edited August 16, 2018 by xrbrevin

[Level42]

-

 

the 600xl and 800xl have a proper PCB for their keyboard which can be soldered to directly - lose the flex altogether and use the now vacant through-holes for a cable of your choice!

BTW: the 600xl works fine without the resistor board

 

Depends on which keyboard you have. My "main" 600XL has a metal-backed all-foil SCCO keyboard like XE's and there's no PCB in sight.

"Sadly" I find this to be the best (well..my favorite) 600XL keyboard. However, it should be possible to cut back the flex to near where it extends the metal backing and place a connector there, and then go into ribbon cable. It's a bit of a gamble though....and I'm kinda fond of my SCCO keyboard

 

The SCCO (flex) keyboard doesn't have the resistor-PCB by the way...so I wonder why it would be necessary for the AWC (PCB) keyboard...

Edited August 17, 2018 by Level42

[Brentarian]

I'd like to find the connector as well as I'm converting a 600XL case/kb to PS/2. I have a junk XL board that I may scrap one off of, but a new clean part would be preferred.

[Level42]

Deleted....

Edited August 19, 2018 by Level42

[xrbrevin]

i ended up doing the dupont solution to my 600xl because they have that foolish sub/inter-PCB with resistors on. all the movement had broke the pins at the back of the ribbon socket - out of sight... i only found out when i desoldered them, they fell out

so i fitted a row of pins to my 600xl board, cut up and soldered an old 40-pin IDE ribbon to dupont sockets (like PC front panel plugs but i used 3x banks of . solved!

 

in case anyone is interested, here are the pics of my 600XL keyboard mod

[flashjazzcat]

Looks very nice. I like the idea of trimming every other wire so the cable doesn't have to flare out at the end. I'll follow suit next time.

[Level42]

I’m designing two little adapter PCBs to the more modern-day FFC ribbon cable. These are way narrower,can be longer and thus less in the way....I ordered those nice flip-up connectors which make it easy to connect and disconnect when necessary.

 

I also ordered 20cm. long ribbon cables which is twice the length of the original flex of my 600XL keyboard, so usually disconnecting won’t even be necessary.

[Level42]

Finished the PCB and ordered a few from China.

 

The PCB is very small at 12 by 64 mm's. I'll need two, one on the motherboard and one on the flex-foil of the keyboard. Not sure if I'll cut mine short but if successful I will. Then I'll have a very flexible, small and long connection between motherboard and keyboard.

 

While I was at it, I took the "chance for open goal" to make two simple break-out pins. When shorted, they act just like the space-bar.....this will offer the opportunity to wire in a 2nd button of a joystick or control-pad directly to the space-bar input which is very nice for games like Dropzone and Scramble.....and I'm sure there are plenty more which use the space-bar....

If the PCB proves to work OK both electronically (should be no problem, only tracks on it) and mechanically I'll share it for download.

 

I'll still need to desolder the original connector and put that on one of the little PCB's....I wish there was a cheap source for just a handful of these connector.....I did find manufacturers but they'll only sell in high quantities....

[Level42]

Finished the PCB and ordered a few from China.

 

The PCB is very small at 12 by 64 mm's. I'll need two, one on the motherboard and one on the flex-foil of the keyboard. Not sure if I'll cut mine short but if successful I will. Then I'll have a very flexible, small and long connection between motherboard and keyboard.

 

While I was at it, I took the "chance for open goal" to make two simple break-out pins. When shorted, they act just like the space-bar.....this will offer the opportunity to wire in a 2nd button of a joystick or control-pad directly to the space-bar input which is very nice for games like Dropzone and Scramble.....and I'm sure there are plenty more which use the space-bar....

If the PCB proves to work OK both electronically (should be no problem, only tracks on it) and mechanically I'll share it for download.

 

I'll still need to desolder the original connector and put that on one of the little PCB's....I wish there was a cheap source for just a handful of these connector.....I did find manufacturers but they'll only sell in high quantities....

 

These are the FCC ribbon cables I ordered, they have the contacts on the SAME side (note that some have contacts on opposing sides): https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/10pcs-200mm-Length-24-Pins-0-5mm-Pitch-FFC-FPC-Ribbon-Flat-Cable-Forward-Direction-For/32363570763.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.1eac4c4drRBgg5

These are the connecters I ordered (naturally the 24 pin ones)
https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/10-stks-FFC-fpc-0-5mm-6-8-10-12-14-16-20-24-30-34/32838848588.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.1eac4c4drRBgg5

Edited August 29, 2018 by Level42

[Level42]

This is how it works.

I guess it's not designed to be opened hundreds of times, but it will be OK for my use of sometimes wanting to completely remove the keyboard. Most of the time I just want to flip the keyboard aside and the extra length of the FCC ribbon should give enough length for that.