This is my first real electronics project, so please do let me know if I’m doing something stupid here. :)
I’m wiring up an old set of organ pedals to a Teensy LC for use as a MIDI controller, so I’m planning for each of the 32 pedals to have an individual magnetic reed switch, and then to connect all 32 switches to a keyboard scan matrix (12 wires, either 6×6 or 8×4). Ideally I’d like to use something like this construction, where the switches are on a separate board beneath the pedals (edit: and the Teensy will probably be in an enclosure on top of the unit). In order not to have lots of loose wires running all over the place, I’m thinking that I should use a cable to connect the board with switches to the Teensy.
But...what kind of cable? The page I linked to mentioned a Centronics connector, but that seems like overkill if I only need 12 pins. For the moment, I’m leaning toward a DE-15 connector, since it’s the same as used for VGA, so I won’t have to make my own cable. Or maybe a DA-15, for which I could use IDCs and ribbon cable... but ribbon cable is unshielded, right? So would it be appropriate to use it outside of an enclosure?
Or am I going about this engineering process all wrong?
I think I’m looking for something that satisfies the following criteria:
- At least 12 pins.
- Connectors readily available.
- Connectors rated for a reasonable number of mating cycles.
- Cables readily available (e.g. VGA) or easy to make cheaply (e.g. ribbon/IDC).
- Cables suitable for use outside an enclosure.
Any of these are up for debate. :)
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