[sdiy] Substitute for pin matrixes?

[Tim Parkhurst]

On Fri, Jan 22, 2010 at 1:32 PM, karl dalen <dalenkarl at yahoo.se> wrote:
> Any ideas around something that could be a reasonable substitute for
> matrixes? It need to be quite small, small physical space, dead cheap
> and widely easily acquired and have reasonable life time!
>

Push button switches -> microprocessor -> latches -> relays or high
voltage analog switches. If you did this right, you could even get
away with a single row and a single column of switches. An 8 x 8
matrix could be set up with 16 swtiches instead of 64. To make a
connection, you press the row switch and column switch that correspond
to the connection you want (sort of like playing "Battleship"), and
then an LED lights to show you the connection. Maybe some food for
thought for you microprocessor jockies.

Tim (You sunk my modular!) Servo
-- 
"Sire, the church of God is an anvil that has worn out many hammers."
- H.L. Hastings