Mounting the remote control

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Mounting the remote control

Postby koffeiniker » Sat Nov 01, 2014 10:06 pm

Maybe the topic is redundant.

I have seen discussions about cases for the remote control pcb for the CFFA3000.

I do not know wether this was by intention or coincidential, but I found the remote control to be nicely mountable to the backside of the Apple IIe.

Ok. This is likely not the distance everybody would want for the remote control, but for my use-case it makes sense. Maybe I am not the only one:

I use that CFFA to reduce all physical disks from the Apple IIe, so I can take the computer and just store it in a shelf when not working with it.
The monitor is an LCD behind a converter, on a VESA monitor-arm, so I do not need to care for it, it is part of the workplace.

So the Apple IIe shall be as "mobile"/"movable" as possible. Wires and cases dangling from its backside is what I want to avoid.

On the left side of the back on the Apple IIe are two places for Sub-D / DB 25pin connectors. There distance for the screws match the remote-control's mounting-holes perfectly. (Has that been the reason for the sizing?)
I used 4 non-metal-screws (while looking at the PCB, metal screws would not be a problem here) with 3mm diameter and some distance-rings to mount the remote on the backside of the Apple. As there are no disks and the monitor hangs in the air on the VESA-arm, they buttons are perfectly within range.

2014-11-02 04.59.00 Kopie.jpg
2014-11-02 04.59.00 Kopie.jpg (123.74 KiB) Viewed 21705 times


No need to drill holes, the distance rings protect the solution from shortcuts (the backside is metal, after all). They also allow to use the opening for the ribbon-cable.

Quite nice.

I also found an InLine cable that extends the USB port to the backside. I ordered it and will report how that works.
In the end: the buttons are on the backside and the USB port will nicely be mounted in one of the openings.

http://www.inline-info.de/en/inline-det ... ikel/5120/

This is available for a few $ everywhere on the Internet shipping will be the more expensive part. I found one that is even matching the color of the case ;-).

With these two measures the CFFA perfectly integrates with the Apple IIe case. No need for case-modding etc. pp.


PS: Wish for any design review of the remote control: Not everybody would want to rebuild all those diodes etc. But people might want other buttons. Some option to solder in a header for other buttons might be nice. I could mount/glue the remote-control somewhere inside the Apple and mod the case e.g. with some massive arcade buttons. The remote control would in this case make sure that the buttons work nicely without side-effects (de-bounced, clear signal, etc .pp.)
koffeiniker
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 7:53 pm

Re: Mounting the remote control

Postby koffeiniker » Fri Nov 07, 2014 5:02 pm

All right!

I actually had the wrong URL for the USB cable.

I use this:
http://www.inline-info.de/en/inline-det ... ikel/5116/

You'll find the type or alike in every larger IT marketplace, Amazon, ebay, whatever.

The bad news: a guy writing some two years ago about such a cable was right: it does not fit into any mounting position on the backside of the IIe. These are made for 19pin, 9pin and 25pin Sub-D plugs.
My best guess is, the cable is designed for a 15pin slot.

The good news: the other guy had a more solid design on the plug. The "inline"-brand (or alike) plug appear to be "squeezable". The holes for the screws can be slightly "tilted" inwards towards the metal case of the USB plut itself.
I like to fantasize that this was the original idea of the design: to fit into holes for 15pin as well as for 9pin Sub-D plugs. ;-)

Here is how it works:

Use a small slot: one for 9pin plugs (size of the joystick-connector) these are numbered 5,6 or 8 and 9 on a usual IIe backside.
Before mounting the cable put the screws in that have been delivered with the cable.
Screw them in only some 3-5 mm (1-2 thenth of an inch) so more than have of the screw is out.
Now you can hook the screws from the inside into the opening where the screws shall go. The long screws now serve as a "lever" (right vocab? I am German, sorry if I messed it) so you can just squeeze them into.
Tighten them one turn at a time and switch over to the other screw after each turn, this ensures the USB plug is centered.
Yes the plug on the cable deforms a bit, but not the USB plug only the case around it gets bend in a bit.

Finally it looks quite great, you'll have to look twice to see it actually doesn't fit but as been forced in to fit!
koffeiniker
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 7:53 pm


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