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PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2019 8:54 pm 
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Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2005 12:07 am
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Location: Soddy-Daisy, TN USA
Sorry to be OT, but I'm faced with a dilemma on one of my computers (an MSX2). Maybe this could help others as well.

Anyway, the computer has an uber-cheap keyboard (despite being a Sony computer) that is basically a clear plastic sheet with a flex ribbon cable. The keys come down and touch two spots on the plastic membrane. Common stuff, really.

The problem is that the traces have literally dissolved away in many areas. Including the connector side. In fact, it almost seems that if I had a conductive Sharpie, I could literally draw the traces back.

So I got to thinking...how hard would it be to recreate one of these? Maybe find a thick sheet of plastic and trace out the existing traces with some type of conductive paint/ink?

Then, perhaps, use some copper tape for the two pads (on the membrane sheet) and some type of conductive material on the underside of the keys?

Has anyone tried something like this?

I've tried to find a replacement membrane but they are apparently very hard to find.

Thanks.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2019 9:32 pm 
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Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2018 2:33 pm
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Location: Scotland
cbmeeks wrote:
Sorry to be OT, but I'm faced with a dilemma on one of my computers (an MSX2). Maybe this could help others as well.

Anyway, the computer has an uber-cheap keyboard (despite being a Sony computer) that is basically a clear plastic sheet with a flex ribbon cable. The keys come down and touch two spots on the plastic membrane. Common stuff, really.

The problem is that the traces have literally dissolved away in many areas. Including the connector side. In fact, it almost seems that if I had a conductive Sharpie, I could literally draw the traces back.

So I got to thinking...how hard would it be to recreate one of these? Maybe find a thick sheet of plastic and trace out the existing traces with some type of conductive paint/ink?

Then, perhaps, use some copper tape for the two pads (on the membrane sheet) and some type of conductive material on the underside of the keys?

Has anyone tried something like this?

I've tried to find a replacement membrane but they are apparently very hard to find.

Thanks.


Not tried it, however conductive paint is a thing: e.g. https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/paint-pen-10ml

-Gordon

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Gordon Henderson.
See my Ruby 6502 and 65816 SBC projects here: https://projects.drogon.net/ruby/


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