I just discovered this product to use myself and sell on ebay USA.
It is a well designed, mature, reliable product, that has been sold in Europe for years.
New Upgrade/Replacement TS1000 / ZX81 Keyboard
Featuring tactile switches for easy typing.
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The assembled keyboard as shipped to you.
ZX8 KDLX w ZX81 Overlay 1000w
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This photo shows the top of a ZX81 case that has had its original keyboard removed. The original ZX81 keyboard can easily be removed with a mat knife to get under an edge of the keyboard and then it is easy to pull it off. This leaves a slightly rough, but clean surface, The photo shows how the two flexible cables of the new keyboard enter the case top.
ZX8 KDLX 1200w
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This shows the ZX81 with the new keyboard installed. ( Yes. From the top, I looks just like the original. )
ZX8 KDLX Installed ZX81 1200w
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This side view shows that the new keyboard is a few millimeters thick, in contrast to the original which is about a millimeter.
ZX8 KDXL Side Profile
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So that you understand what the assembled keyboard is made of, here is a view of its components: The printed circuit board with 40 tactile switches, one 5-conductor and one 8-conductor flexible cable, the strong flexible plastic keyboard top with the key layout printed on it, thick double-sticky foam tape that mounts the keyboard top to the printed circuit board assembly and provides the precise gap height to clear the switches.
ZX8 KDLX as shipped 1000w
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Partially assembled keyboard - Flexible cables have been soldered to the PCB, double-sided sticky tape has been placed around the periphery. The ZX81 ( good for the TS1000 ) or ZX80 overlay is then applied to omplete the keyboard.
ZX8 KDLX with Sticky tape 1000w
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This photo shows the 2 flex cables inserted in their corresponding connectors. No soldering is required. It is important that you have good eyesight and carefully line up the cable conductors with the connector conductors.
ZX8 KDLX Ribbon Cables cropped
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This photo shows the Scotch* brand Double-Sided tape that I use to attach the new keyboard to the case top. You can purchase this common 3M product from the stationery department of you local pharmacy, Staples, or Amazon. You can alternatively use something similar, or various liquid glues.
Double Sided Scotch Tape
The assembled keyboard as shipped to you.
This photo shows the top of a ZX81 case that has had its original keyboard removed. The original ZX81 keyboard can easily be removed with a mat knife to get under an edge of the keyboard and then it is easy to pull it off. This leaves a slightly rough, but clean surface, The photo shows how the two flexible cables of the new keyboard enter the case top.
This shows the ZX81 with the new keyboard installed. ( Yes. From the top, I looks just like the original. )
This side view shows that the new keyboard is a few millimeters thick, in contrast to the original which is about a millimeter.
So that you understand what the assembled keyboard is made of, here is a view of its components: The printed circuit board with 40 tactile switches, one 5-conductor and one 8-conductor flexible cable, the strong flexible plastic keyboard top with the key layout printed on it, thick double-sticky foam tape that mounts the keyboard top to the printed circuit board assembly and provides the precise gap height to clear the switches.
Partially assembled keyboard - Flexible cables have been soldered to the PCB, double-sided sticky tape has been placed around the periphery. The ZX81 ( good for the TS1000 ) or ZX80 overlay is then applied to omplete the keyboard.
This photo shows the 2 flex cables inserted in their corresponding connectors. No soldering is required. It is important that you have good eyesight and carefully line up the cable conductors with the connector conductors.
This photo shows the Scotch* brand Double-Sided tape that I use to attach the new keyboard to the case top. You can purchase this common 3M product from the stationery department of you local pharmacy, Staples, or Amazon. You can alternatively use something similar, or various liquid glues.
This keyboard is a joy to type on. If you realize you made a typing error 5 characters ago, you can hold down the SHIFT key and quickly click the RUBOUT key 5 times with minimum effort, and great speed. You will love using your TS1000 or ZX81.
This keyboard makes an excellent upgrade for those who want a keyboard with tactile feel, or for anyone who needs to replace a broken TS1000 or ZX81 keyboard. It is the Model ZX8-KDLX imported from Ginger Electronics in Germany. The switches are surface mount devices ( SMDs) that are positioned by modern pick-and-place machines and soldered with the latest production line technology.
About the keyboard labels.
The original ZX81 and the TS1000 keyboards are dimensionally and electrically identical, but the last key in the third row is labeled NEW LINE on the ZX81, while it is labeled ENTER on the TS1000. These tactile keyboards are imported from Europe and are labeled NEW LINE, the European ZX81 standard, but you can use them on the TS1000 as well.
IMPORTANT INSTALLATION NOTES:
NOTE 1: I ship the keyboards with a printed installation sheet and a link to online documentation.
NOTE 2: My supplier, Ginger Electronics has instructions for optionally installing this keyboard on top of an original keyboard without removing the original keyboard so that, should you ever want to, you can restore your computer to it's original condition by removing the tactile keyboard. Personally, I think it would be difficult to get both sets of flexible cables passing through the thin opening of the case. I am not prepared to recommend this method because I have not yet tried it.
NOTE FOR ZX80 OWNERS: I sell a similar keyboard for the ZX80. The only difference between the one for the ZX80 and this one for the ZX81 is which overlay I glue on top -- the underlying printed circuit board with switches and flexible cables are the same. Message me or look for my other listing if you are interested.
SHIPPING TIME: I generally ship this item in a rigid mailer box via First Class Mail. The U.S. Post Office is changing its standard timeframe for delivering first-class mail this fall "as part of a plan to cut costs and provide more reliable service". Please be patient. Tracking may lead you to believe your package is stuck at some mail facility, but it is not stuck. Wait and you will get it.