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General Category => Technical support - Hardware related => Topic started by: kanken6174 on 13:17, 04 April 24

Title: What connectors does the keyboard use on the CPC464
Post by: kanken6174 on 13:17, 04 April 24
Hey everyone,

So this might be a bit odd for this specific community, but i recently came accross an empty shell of a CPC464 (no motherboard but all the rest is in there), and i want to chuck my own custom motherboard in there built around a linux based SOM i designed (makign a carrier board to give the amstrad some sleeper brains basically).

I know that the amstrad uses this type of connector (FPC-like) for its keyboard:
(about:invalid)
And i wanted to know which type/model it was. Clearly it's some kind of FPC/FFC connector but i'd like to know it's pitch and model number if any of you guys know it. If you know where i could source some it'd be even better. If i can't source the exact same ones i'll improvise with some modern FPC connectors, but ideally i'd really like to not have to tear into an amstrad motherboard to get some.

So any ideas on what these are? :)
Title: Re: What connectors does the keyboard use on the CPC464
Post by: kanken6174 on 13:18, 04 April 24
https://castman.fr/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Amstrad-CPC464-d%C3%A9montage006.jpg

picture of said connectors ->
Title: Re: What connectors does the keyboard use on the CPC464
Post by: kanken6174 on 13:20, 04 April 24
(about:invalid)
This is the exact picture of the "shell" amstrad i bought, it's quite blurry but you can make out the brown keyboard pcb as well as what looks like a white connector on the end there?

https://img.leboncoin.fr/api/v1/lbcpb1/images/d4/0c/d8/d40cd804b17bf40b32a240688af13310fae87fd1.jpg?rule=ad-large
Title: Re: What connectors does the keyboard use on the CPC464
Post by: kanken6174 on 13:26, 04 April 24

Oh! I just noticed that this model i got is one of the older ones, it doesn't use FPC connectors at all. It uses wire-to-board connectors, like in this pic:
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/imgs/6/60/Datamedia_sp64_2.jpg

That's going to make things a whole lot easier for me... :D
Title: Re: What connectors does the keyboard use on the CPC464
Post by: SerErris on 11:47, 08 April 24
It is a 2.50 mm rastered pin header. That is all about it.
On the keyboard it is a Molex Mini-SPOX 2.50mm ... at least the picture looks exactly like it.

However I am not able to find any with 20 pins.

But you can remove the keyboard connector and replace it with a JST one for instance.
https://www.digikey.de/de/products/detail/jst-sales-america-inc/B20B-XH-A-LF-SN/3677009

Or this:
https://www.digikey.de/de/products/detail/te-connectivity-amp-connectors/2-1744418-0/4730893


Most important is the pitch of 2.50 mm to be able to solder a new one.

If you can find a Molex MINI SPOX compatible with 20 pins... let me know...
Title: Re: What connectors does the keyboard use on the CPC464
Post by: kanken6174 on 14:45, 08 April 24
I see! thanks for the reply.
2.5mm is quite an unusual pitch as they're usually 2.54mm (for most wire-to-board connectors), they're especially uncommmon in a 20x1 setup...

but i do think i found some?
https://www.lcsc.com/product-detail/Wire-To-Board-Connector_JST-B20B-XH-A-LF-SN_C158016.html


at least these look right so i hope they might fit (https://discord.com/assets/02dfd69fe96885956810.svg)
Title: Re: What connectors does the keyboard use on the CPC464
Post by: SerErris on 18:21, 08 April 24
That is a JST not a MINI SPOX

This is how it looks like
mini spox connector.jpg
mini spox plug.png

The JST only works if you desolder the original one from the keyboard itself. But then you can solder anything as I said, that has a 20 pin plug. Actually only 19 pins are used, so 19 pin would be enough ;-)
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