Dev board / N-GO Reset, Drive and M1 button caps

[iss05e]

Hello,

I always wanted to install a Spectrum Next board inside an original rubber-key Spectrum case, but having missed out on the dev board, I opted for an N-GO board.

After cutting the necessary holes in the case, I need to find button caps for the Reset, Drive and M1 tactile switches which are long enough to stick out of the case.

Has anyone installed a Next dev board / N-GO in an original case and found suitable switch caps?

Regards,
Paul

[Eratosthenes]

Hi iss05e,

I'm running "Just the Board" with a Retro Radionics 48k case. See photos below...

RetroRadionics01.jpg (111.94 KiB) Viewed 1245 times

RetroRadionics02.jpg (93.21 KiB) Viewed 1245 times

As you can see there are silver "buttons" being connected to the switch of the board.

Maybe they can give you a hint what they have used...

Have a lot of fun.

MfL der Eratosthenes

P.S.: (Edit)
Using a shortened SD card adapter the case looks really nice...

RetroRadionics03.jpg (51.38 KiB) Viewed 1245 times

[iss05e]

Wow - that looks really good. Yes, I'm going for the same kind of thing. I like the idea of the shortened SD adapter. I was quite aware that the SD card stuck out a bit much and could easily get knocked.

I'm looking for some caps for the switches so they come out of the case slightly (like yours). The board mounted switches are "tactile momentary" switches and there's a whole host of caps to fit - but there are different lengths of switch and I need to order the correct caps. Next time I open the case I'll check the size.

Thanks for posting the pictures!

[Eratosthenes]

Yes, the solution is very nice.

If you buy short SD card adapters from China, buy more then one. I've got four of these. Two were "dead on arrival", and one is working only with 50% of the cards.

Haven't seen the exact layout of the N-GO. Is the ESP8266 mounted in the same position as it is in "Just The Board"?

Mounted where the new Next board has put it in place it may not fit into a 48k case I think.

[iss05e]

I found a shortened SD card adapter on Amazon and it arrived the next day. It's a much better solution!

card.jpg (225.62 KiB) Viewed 1084 times

Regarding the N-GO board layout, the Wifi module seems to be in the same position as the dev board. I have both the wifi module and RPi Zero installed, and it all fits in the original 48K case. See photos below for before wifi and RPi fitted and after:

Before wifi and RPi fitted

no_rpi.jpg (296.7 KiB) Viewed 1084 times

Wifi and RPi fitted

rpi_fitted.jpg (321.29 KiB) Viewed 1084 times

As you can see from the photos, the Reset, Drive and NMI buttons don't have any caps yet, so I'm using a modified Nintedo DS stylus to activate them. Finding the caps to fit the switches and protrude out of the case has been a bit difficult. I've ordered a few different types from eBay, but as they're coming from China, I'll have to wait a while to test them!

[Eratosthenes]

The board looks really nice.

You should populate the RTC battery and the joystick ports. I'd prefere the ones at the right (see below).

RetroRadionics04.jpg (154.44 KiB) Viewed 1033 times

A working RTC is really nice when using the Next and the joystick ports do fit very well into the 48k case.

Have a lot of fun...

MfL der Eratosthenes

P.S.: By the way - NEVER buy an acryllic case!
Even though it may look nice when it is new, see all the cracks mine has after being used a while...

[iss05e]

Well I have finally sourced and added button caps to the tactile switches. They were available from here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50Pcs-5x9mm- ... 2749.l2648

This is size of the cap compared to a 5 Euro Cent coin (which is the only coin I had in my pocket - and is odd becuase I live in the UK and we don't use Euros )

button_cap.jpg (808.47 KiB) Viewed 929 times

These are the caps fitted. They don't stick out too much.

button_caps_fitted.jpg (244.77 KiB) Viewed 929 times

These are the dimensions of the buttons:

button_cap_dimensions.jpg (16.02 KiB) Viewed 929 times

I had to open them up slightly with a screwdriver, but once pushed onto the switches, they're very secure and definitely won't fall off.

If anyone needs some to finish off their project, send me a private message with your address and I'll send you some.

I hope this helps anyone else fitting a board into an original case.

[Eratosthenes]

This looks pretty nice. => Well done...

The short SD card adapter seems to be the same one I'm using, by the way.

[AndyCalling]

https://store.activeconsult.co.uk/shop/ ... etdrivenmi

In case anyone needs another option.

[iss05e]

I tried these but unfortunately they were too short to protrude from the original ZX Spectrum case. Fine for the N-Go board if mounting in a simple acrylic case.