Connect an ADB keyboard to a //e

A2CPM

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Jun 27, 2013, 3:51:42 PM6/27/13

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Hi!

Looks as if a device to connect a USB keyboard to a //e is on the verge of becoming available. But I own many, many ADB keyboards, not one USB keyboard. I did a minimal Google search for something I could use but no joy.

Willi

option8

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Jun 27, 2013, 5:38:40 PM6/27/13

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I'll get to work on that...

Message has been deleted

waynej...@gmail.com

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Jun 27, 2013, 6:50:19 PM6/27/13

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You could use something like the Griffin iMate to connect an ADB keyboard to the USB adapter.

Or you could do something like I did a dozen or so years ago and rewire a IIgs keyboard to plug into a IIe.

Payton Byrd

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Jun 28, 2013, 9:09:16 PM6/28/13

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On Thursday, June 27, 2013 5:50:19 PM UTC-5, waynej...@gmail.com wrote:
> You could use something like the Griffin iMate to connect an ADB keyboard to the USB adapter.
>
>
>
> Or you could do something like I did a dozen or so years ago and rewire a IIgs keyboard to plug into a IIe.

Sounds like a job for an Arduino. Isn't ADB serial? If so, Arduino Mega is the perfect bridge to output the serial to digital lines. Once the software is worked out I'm sure someone around here has enough savvy with board design to make a product out of it.

osgeld

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Jun 29, 2013, 1:30:23 AM6/29/13

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the maker of the other current keyboard adapters is using a teensy (arduino compatible board with USB)

I have done ADB on a tiny 44, there is no reason to deal with the high pin count or large ram of a mega, my virtual serial host doesnt even use a arduino mega, fits all in a 328p

option8

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Jun 29, 2013, 2:27:11 PM6/29/13

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> I have done ADB on a tiny 44, there is no reason to deal with the high pin count or large ram of a mega, my virtual serial host doesnt even use a arduino mega, fits all in a 328p

The Teensy-based adapter I make turns the IIc or IIe *into* a USB keyboard.

The other board that connects a USB keyboard to the IIe uses an ATMega328, mostly to address the lines necessary to hook up the 26 pins on the IIe keyboard connector. The board it's mated to is the Circuits@Home USB host shield mini, which handles the USB host duties. That will be swapped out with an ADB connector, and there should be enough pins to spare on the ATMege328 to decode the serial signal, as well as turn it into keystrokes to send to the IIe.

It'll have to wait until after KFest, though...

osgeld

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Jun 29, 2013, 10:29:51 PM6/29/13

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Thats what I was getting at though, there is no reason to deal with the 50+ pins on a very high pitched pin spacing part that cost's nearly 2x as much per unit for almost all of it to be wasted.

for those not in the know, ADB is a 1 wire protocol, there are 4 in the connector 1 for the async serial, power ground and an extra which eventually got used to signal the power on circuit. What becomes a pain is in early implementations the bit cell timing is a percentage of the cpu speed, which is only really important if your making something to talk to the host computer, for the device side, just aim low or middle of the road and it will work for virtually every device ever released for the protocol

jebo...@gmail.com

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Aug 14, 2013, 4:03:27 PM8/14/13

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I am the exact oppisite can anyone help me? (USB Keyboard but no adb keyboard) I got a mac 6500/300 at a thrift store for $15.00 and i got a db15 to vga adapter but I need a usb adapter from the adb or a adb keyboard.