Converting a Zenith ZTX-1 Terminal

SpacemanToby · 18 Feb 2018, 19:01

I came into possession of a Zenith ZTX-1 Terminal computer with Alps SKCC green switches. I would love to use this board on a modern computer without modifying it too much. The only outputs it has is video, some kind of printer connection, and two phone outputs (phone and wall). I have no working knowledge of any of these outputs. Is it within the realm of possibility to connect one of the phone lines to like a teensy or arduino or something and convert the signals to something usable through USB? I'm not even sure where to start researching.

//gainsborough · 18 Feb 2018, 19:06

Man, these boards have really been coming out of the woodworks - this makes the fourth I've seen in a 30 day span. I really overpaid for that first one >_<

In any case, I'm also interested in learning if there is a way to convert it! A couple of people have told me that since the boards PCB is all passive that one could just desolder the ribbon cables and wire up a teensy for it.

mike52787 · 18 Feb 2018, 19:06

From seeing the photos of the inside of gainsborough's unit, I can tell that this would be very easy to convert. Desolder the ribbons going from the keyboard pcb to the system board, trace out the matrix of the keyboard pcb, wire it to a teensy and program with qmk.

//gainsborough · 18 Feb 2018, 19:17

mike52787 wrote: From seeing the photos of the inside of gainsborough's unit, I can tell that this would be very easy to convert. Desolder the ribbons going from the keyboard pcb to the system board, trace out the matrix of the keyboard pcb, wire it to a teensy and program with qmk.

When you wire a teensy is it basically just making sure each trace is connected to the teensy in some way?

SpacemanToby · 18 Feb 2018, 19:25

//gainsborough wrote: Man, these boards have really been coming out of the woodworks - this makes the fourth I've seen in a 30 day span. I really overpaid for that first one >_<

In any case, I'm also interested in learning if there is a way to convert it! A couple of people have told me that since the boards PCB is all passive that one could just desolder the ribbon cables and wire up a teensy for it.

Your post was pretty much the only thing I could find online about the unit. I did find a manual though which helped me get through some of the menus when I hooked it up to the TV.

//gainsborough · 18 Feb 2018, 19:31

Oh nice! Mine actually didn't come with a power cord - or any cords for that matter - so I can't do anything with mine =/ Unless I hooked up a teensy!

SpacemanToby · 18 Feb 2018, 20:03

I wish I didn't know mine was in working condition. I would have gutted and handwired it by now. As it is, I feel conflicted. It's an interesting piece of computing history. But I'm also not a collector so....

Norman_ · 18 Feb 2018, 20:43

I was just going to convert mine (which arrived yesterday) by removing the ribbon cable from the board and putting it to a teensy. The manual should have a matrix of the keyboard in it, so it shouldn't be hard at all.

I'd have posted pictures of mine, but i'm not home to do so right now. It arrived like an hour after i left home.

mike52787 · 19 Feb 2018, 04:06

SpacemanToby wrote: I wish I didn't know mine was in working condition. I would have gutted and handwired it by now. As it is, I feel conflicted. It's an interesting piece of computing history. But I'm also not a collector so....

No need to handwire. all you have to do is disconnect the keyboard pcb from the main board.

SpacemanToby · 19 Feb 2018, 14:53

I wonder if it's possible to split the wiring so it connects to the teensy, but then is still wired into the pcb. Then it could still function as a sweet terminal. I keep meaning to take some video of the terminal in action.

mike52787 · 19 Feb 2018, 14:59

I wouldnt try that. just solder pin headers and sockets onto the pcb and ribbons so you can easily swap it over.

SpacemanToby · 19 Feb 2018, 15:44

It looks like there's already headers on the pcb and the ribbons just pull out, so that should be easy.

ScottPaladin · 02 Mar 2018, 22:11

SpacemanToby,

I recently started to convert my Heathkit HD-8999. Zenith and Heath shared a bunch of parts, and it looks like I have some information that would be useful in your conversion. The HD-8999 has a shell from the same mold and the keyboard layout looks identical (the legends on the caps are way off of course).

I got it working of a Pro Micro running QMK just recently.

I'll be happy to share my config files and what I've learned. Just let me know and I'll write it up for you.

SpacemanToby · 21 Mar 2018, 17:37

That's awesome. The heathkit version looks so cool. I might take you up on that when I get around to tackling it.