Amstrad NC Questions

[jimmyd]

Theoretically you could replace the reflective film with transflective film instead, which is only half-silvered. https://3dlens.com/transflective-polarizer-film.php

Sounds risky, would you have any idea if something like this is usually glued together?

[pelrun]

I assumed you had reasonable access to the back of the panel once the metal case was off but if it's attached to the pcb in some non-obvious way then it's probably safer to leave it attached.

[CrookieMonster]

I have a broken NC100 lying around and I'd love to somehow connect the original keyboard to a Raspberry Pi, replace the display and install a CPC emulator. Guessing this is too ambitious a project though. Is it even feasible to connect the keyboard to a Pi?

[pelrun]

You probably want to look at how mechanical keyboard hobbyists build their custom keyboards, for which there are countless tutorials. A raspberry pico running KMK ( https://github.com/KMKfw/kmk_firmware ) or the like could be readily connected to the keyboard matrix and present it as a usb keyboard. 

The real tricky bit will be properly connecting to the keyboard's flex cables. I'd personally have made a custom pcb and put new connectors on it, but you could also cut that part of the nc100's pcb away and wire to it if that is easier for you to contemplate.

[robcfg]

I have a broken NC100 lying around and I'd love to somehow connect the original keyboard to a Raspberry Pi, replace the display and install a CPC emulator. Guessing this is too ambitious a project though. Is it even feasible to connect the keyboard to a Pi?

Maybe John Kennedy's work could be of inspiration to you: https://twitter.com/JohnKennedyEsq/status/1574105624342044672

https://twitter.com/JohnKennedyEsq/status/1573877601969799168

[CrookieMonster]

Oddly enough, I was just looking at that. Pretty much what I'm after doing!!!