Does anyone know what sort of keyboard connection a NeXT station color made in 1991 would be using? From what I've gathered the earlier machines used a unique connector whereas the newer used ADB. My color station has two of these
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:MiniDIN-8_Diagram.svg with the letters A and B above them. Since I don't own nor have ever own an ADB keyboard I don't have either a board to test with nor the knowledge to tell by looking if it would work.
Assuming it isn't ADB is there anyway to work around this or do I need to find a NeXT keyboard? Considering I'd probably need to import it from the states I'd probably end up paying as much as I did for the color station, so I'd rather avoid getting one if I can.
Is there someway to boot the machine up without a keyboard? Since as I've understood it the power switch was integrated on the keyboard and would need to find an ADB keyboard with a similar button if it indeed is ADB connection.
Quote from: "chrols"Does anyone know what sort of keyboard connection a NeXT station color made in 1991 would be using? From what I've gathered the earlier machines used a unique connector whereas the newer used ADB. My color station has two of these http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:MiniDIN-8_Diagram.svg with the letters A and B above them. Since I don't own nor have ever own an ADB keyboard I don't have either a board to test with nor the knowledge to tell by looking if it would work.
Well, you haven't stated what, exactly, you're contemplating doing so we can't answer if it will work or not. But the 8-pin mini-dins are serial lines with most of the signaling available. They're not involved with keyboard or mouse operations.
Quote from: "chrols"
Assuming it isn't ADB is there anyway to work around this or do I need to find a NeXT keyboard? Considering I'd probably need to import it from the states I'd probably end up paying as much as I did for the color station, so I'd rather avoid getting one if I can.
Is there someway to boot the machine up without a keyboard? Since as I've understood it the power switch was integrated on the keyboard and would need to find an ADB keyboard with a similar button if it indeed is ADB connection.
This should be non-ADB. One piece you're missing is the soundbox. Station connects to the soundbox with a large cable, keyboard and mouse connect to the soundbox. These are also 8-pin minidins.
I'm a bit doubtful about keyboardless operation. I don't think we have any schematics for the non-ADB stuff. If you want to try it, try grounding each pin in turn at the keyboard socket on the soundbox. But do this at your own risk, I'm guessing that it's pull-to-ground to signal power up/down. I don't know this for certain for non-ADB stuff (true for ADB). If that works, it may still complain about being keyboardless during boot but you'll get a clear indication of that.
Once the system is up, some of the socket pins will not appreciate being grounded. So either pull the plug to power down (not good) or remember precisely which is the correct pin to ground. You may still need to pull the plug if the thing insists on keyboard confirmation to power off.
QuoteBut the 8-pin mini-dins are serial lines with most of the signaling available. They're not involved with keyboard or mouse operations.
...
This should be non-ADB. One piece you're missing is the soundbox. Station connects to the soundbox with a large cable, keyboard and mouse connect to the soundbox. These are also 8-pin minidins.
Well this certainly clarifies things for me, missing the soundbox (missing everything apart from the main computer actually) I wasn't aware it handled the keyboard and mouse. Ruling out all the other out ports I figured it had to be connected to those ports.
Such a shame I had really hoped to have a working system.
Does there exist any documentation for how this soundbox communcated with the computer, out on the net? I was thinking maybe it would be possible to emulate input with the help of another computer sending the correct input via an keyboard/mouse emulator and some custom-made wiring. Certainly would be a project atleast.
Also while we're at it: The original monitor seemed to be connected with a special cable to both the computer and soundbox. Am I naive to hope for output with a SUN monitor directly connected to the screen port?
I suppose I can always put it to ornamental use :)
Quote from: "chrols"
Does there exist any documentation for how this soundbox communcated with the computer, out on the net? I was thinking maybe it would be possible to emulate input with the help of another computer sending the correct input via an keyboard/mouse emulator and some custom-made wiring. Certainly would be a project atleast.
I've never seen it. The soundbox PCB might be reverse engineerable, I've never looked at one to know. But you'd also need the keyboard and mouse protocols which I've never seen either. Might search and see if someone ever made an adapter for non-NeXT hardware for, e.g., KVMs and such.
Quote from: "chrols"
Also while we're at it: The original monitor seemed to be connected with a special cable to both the computer and soundbox. Am I naive to hope for output with a SUN monitor directly connected to the screen port?
That is more likely. If it's particularly old, it may not like the strange video format of NeXT hardware. In which case you might have better luck with a more modern monitor. Cf: the LCD threads.
Quote from: "chrols"
Does there exist any documentation for how this soundbox communcated with the computer, out on the net? I was thinking maybe it would be possible to emulate input with the help of another computer sending the correct input via an keyboard/mouse emulator and some custom-made wiring. Certainly would be a project atleast.
http://www.68k.org/~degs/nextkeyboard.html
