Hi,
since the topic of obtaining replacement non-ADB next mice comes up from time to time, I'm thinking of designing and building a simple PS/2 to non-ADB mouse adapter. This would mostly be a simple microcontroller (something along the lines of an Atmel ATtiny 2313) with a few external components. The microcontroller firmware would then convert the PS/2 protocol into quadrature-coded X/Y signals the NeXT (resp. the Soundbox microcontroller) is able to decode.
Component prices should be below €10, an assembled, boxed, and tested version might be feasible for about €20-€25.
Unfortunately, due to the restrictions of the non-ADB mouse interface, neither a scroll wheel nor a third mouse button are going to work...
If your're interested in such an adapter, please tell me your ideas which features might be included. Unfortunately, a PS/2-to-NeXT keyboard adapter will be more complicated, since the protocol isn't fully decoded so far.
-- Michael
You may already have this information, but:
There were some commercially produced Logitech Bus Mouse to NeXT Mouse adapters made. They appear to be merely adapters with no logic. Not necessarily a help for what you want to do (which is much more useful), but there it is.
For the keyboard, there's this:
http://www.68k.org/~degs/nextkeyboard.html
I'm interested in one.
I do, too.
Hi and thanks for the hints...
Quote from: "pergamon"There were some commercially produced Logitech Bus Mouse to NeXT Mouse adapters made. They appear to be merely adapters with no logic. Not necessarily a help for what you want to do (which is much more useful), but there it is.
Yes, it's also possible to adapt Atari ST and Amiga mice using a similar adapter. In fact, I have a Logitech bus mouse working with such an adapter. However, the PS/2 adapter would also permit the use of optical mice (most Logitech models, for example, work with USB as well as PS/2, they are switched via a grounded port pin at power up IIRC).
QuoteFor the keyboard, there's this: http://www.68k.org/~degs/nextkeyboard.html
Yes, that's the information I would start with - actually, it would make more sense to build a soundbox clone (the soundbox contains some mask-programmed microcontroller for protocol conversion of kbd/mouse/sound to a NeXT-soundbox protocol) and attach regular PS/2 (or USB) input devices.
-- Michael