---
title: "DIY Keyboards for the ZX81 and TS 1000"
id: 36479
type: "post"
slug: "diy-keyboards-for-the-zx81-and-ts-1000"
url: "http://localhost/hardware/keyboard/diy-keyboards-for-the-zx81-and-ts-1000/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/hardware/keyboard/diy-keyboards-for-the-zx81-and-ts-1000.md"
published_at: "2021-05-16T19:32:28+00:00"
modified_at: "2023-01-18T17:32:58+00:00"
author: "David Anderson"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/TS1500-w-keyboard-a.jpg"
excerpt: "The Sinclair ZX81/TS1000 keyboard was widely acknowledged as one of the more challenging aspects of using the computer. As a result, many commercial keyboard replacements were available in the UK and US. A number of the replacements available in the US were imported from the UK, like the dk'Tronics keyboard. The E-Z Key and Suntronics…"
category:
  - name: "Blog"
    slug: "blog"
    taxonomy: "category"
    url: "http://localhost/category/blog/"
  - name: "Keyboard"
    slug: "keyboard"
    taxonomy: "category"
    url: "http://localhost/category/hardware/keyboard/"
post_tag:
  - name: "TS 1000"
    slug: "ts1000"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/ts1000/"
---

# DIY Keyboards for the ZX81 and TS 1000

The Sinclair ZX81/TS1000 keyboard was widely acknowledged as one of the more challenging aspects of using the computer. As a result, many commercial keyboard replacements were available in the UK and US. A number of the replacements available in the US were imported from the UK, like the [dk’Tronics](http://localhost/company/dktronics/) keyboard.

The [E-Z Key](http://localhost/company/e-z-key/) and [Suntronics](http://localhost/company/suntronics/) keyboards were two notable US-based replacements.

And then there were the many do-it-yourself solutions. Because the computer, and its keyboard, were so simple, it was easy to adapt many other keyboards to work with the ZX81/TS1000. The [TI 99/4A keyboard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Instruments_TI-99/4A), which was available at Radio Shack, was very popular because it was similar in size and had exposed solder pins. Radio Shack also sold an [Oric Atmos keyboard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oric) for a brief time, which at least one enterprising user stuffed in the TS 1050 carrying case.

- ![Image](http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/TS1500-w-keyboard-b-1024x682.jpg)TS 1500 with TI 99/4A keyboard
- ![Image](http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/TS1500-w-keyboard-a-941x1024.jpg)
- ![Image](http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/TS1500-w-keyboard-c-854x1024.jpg)
- ![Image](http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/TS-1000-with-custom-keyboard-b-1024x768.jpg)
- ![Image](http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/TS-1000-with-custom-keyboard-a-768x1024.jpg)
- ![Image](http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/TS-1050-with-keyboard.jpg)TS 1050 with Oric keyboard