My NeXTStation Color won't see ADB mouse and keyboard

NeXT Computer, Inc. -> NeXT Black Hardware

Title: My NeXTStation Color won't see ADB mouse and keyboard
Post by: roach-commuter on November 28, 2020, 02:07:58 AM
Hello ,

I recently purchased an ADB Soundbox + Mouse + Keyboard to be used on my NeXTStation Turbo Color. My station had rom v71 which I swapped with a v74. I have a 4536 cable to connect all the parts. When I press the green power button on the ADB keyboard the station comes to life, the soundbox chimes. But when I get to the login screen both mouse and keyboard don't do anything. If I press the power button again it presents a dialog "Do you want to turn off your computer" and nothing else happens. The same station connnected to a non-ADB kit (Non-ADB Soundbox + non-ADB keyboard and mouse and cable 2286 works perfectly). I have excluded that it is the keyboard and mouse because I have used them separately on a mac without problems. The version of NeXTStep that I am using is v3.3 from a Previous hdd image that I found on WinworldPC (and it's running on a scsi2sd card)

Can you guys give me some tips? Is there anything I need to enable to have ADB working?

Thanks
Title: Re: My NeXTStation Color won't see ADB mouse and keyboard
Post by: capmilk on November 28, 2020, 11:53:06 AM
I can't be of help here, as I have always only had non-ADB machines.
But I want to say: Great debugging work, you have already tested everything I could think of while reading your post. 👍
Title: Re: My NeXTStation Color won't see ADB mouse and keyboard
Post by: barcher174 on November 28, 2020, 02:43:23 PM
Verify that pin 7 is connected on the cable. Next thing is to open the soundbox and check for damage.
Title: Re: My NeXTStation Color won't see ADB mouse and keyboard
Post by: roach-commuter on November 29, 2020, 01:56:49 AM
Quote from: barcher174 on November 28, 2020, 02:43:23 PMVerify that pin 7 is connected on the cable. Next thing is to open the soundbox and check for damage.

Update: I got it working just one time. My impression is that something is flaky either in the cable or in the soundbox.

When it worked, the monitor refresh changed too and the cable was coiled in a certain position. Once I moved it I could not use keyboard and mouse again, and it seems  I am having issues with the same cable with a non-ADB soundbox too.
Title: Re: My NeXTStation Color won't see ADB mouse and keyboard
Post by: roach-commuter on November 29, 2020, 01:58:52 AM
Is there somewhere where I can see the ADB Y cable schematics? I would need that if I am to check every single pin for connection, wouldn't I ?

Title: Re: My NeXTStation Color won't see ADB mouse and keyboard
Post by: rbz on November 29, 2020, 11:57:42 AM
Quote from: roach-commuter on November 29, 2020, 01:58:52 AMIs there somewhere where I can see the ADB Y cable schematics? I would need that if I am to check every single pin for connection, wouldn't I ?

@barcher174 has a pinout on his NextStation Color Custom VGA Y-Cable (http://www.asterontech.com/Asterontech/NextStation_Color_Custom%20VGA_Y_Cable.html) page.
Title: Re: My NeXTStation Color won't see ADB mouse and keyboard
Post by: roach-commuter on November 30, 2020, 02:34:27 AM
Quote from: rbz on November 29, 2020, 11:57:42 AM@barcher174 has a pinout on his NextStation Color Custom VGA Y-Cable (http://www.asterontech.com/Asterontech/NextStation_Color_Custom%20VGA_Y_Cable.html) page.

Wow that's very helpful! Thank you very very much!

Title: Re: My NeXTStation Color won't see ADB mouse and keyboard
Post by: Rob Blessin Black Hole on December 01, 2020, 04:15:19 AM
Hello : It may be the image of NeXTSTEP 3.3 does not have the ADB driver . I've had this happen where when upgrading a NeXT Rom from V71 to V74 then booting an sd image where only V71 was used previously it doesnt work. 
You can set verbose mode in parameters and see if it finds the adb peripherals when booting by using your non adb peripherals first to set them.
Here's how:
http://www.nextcomputers.org/NeXTfiles/Docs/NeXTStep/3.3/nsa/09_StartShut.htmld/index.html

Then when you reboot you should see the adb drivers load , you may also want to pull the battery to reset the rom process .

Go to top  Forum index