Questions about FUZIX's bit-banged PS/2 support (or alternatives)

[Ry]

Hi! I recently ordered an RC2014 Zed Pro kit and am expecting it to arrive in the next few days. In the mean time, I have been preparing everything for how I'd like it to work. Basically my goal is to have a "self-sufficient" Z80 computer which runs CP/M and FUZIX. "Self-sufficient" in the sense that it outputs to a display (I will be using a TMS9918A) and accepts input from a PS/2 keyboard, without needing to connect it via serial to another computer. Additionally, I'd like this to use period-correct parts (aside from the RC2014 boards and CF card of course). Meaning no modern microcontrollers, hopefully.

Anyways! Through reading the FUZIX source code and playing around with it in EtchedPixels' emulator, I have discovered that it supports bit-banged PS/2 keyboards. However I can't find any info about it outside of the source code. Do schematics for this actually exist? Or is this just fantasy hardware that is used to simplify emulation? I assume it would require a Z80 PIO chip at the very least.

Alternatively, are there any other options for keyboard input that would work well paired with the TMS9918A? If I absolutely have to use a microcontroller then I will.

[Mark T]

There is some information on hackaday, Alan puts info on most of his modules there.

https://hackaday.io/project/168500-ps2-keyboard-mouse-joystick-sound-for-rc2014

Might also be worth looking at this one

https://hackaday.io/project/184729-smart-ps2-keyboardmouse-for-rc2014

[Ry]

Perfect, that is exactly what I was looking for, thank you!

[Alan Cox]

On Sun, 27 Aug 2023 at 23:06, Ry <ryan...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Perfect, that is exactly what I was looking for, thank you!

What I have found is that whilst it's kind of OK for CP/M type usage
it eats a lot of CPU when you run anything a bit more real. I've since
switched to a smart PS/2 card I designed that uses an 82C42 PC
keyboard control chip such as the VT82C42. It also makes it rather
more practical to use the mouse.

Alan

[Ry]

Ahh alright, I'll go with the smart PS/2 option then. I found VT82C42 chips available on ebay. Thanks!

[Tom Plano]

Not sure how soon of you were hoping to be standalone, but I was planning to run off some lightly modified smart ps/2 board based on the EPPS2 design sometime in September. Just added configurable address lines, added a header for a panelmount ps2 port and consolidated the mouse and keyboard into one connector, to be used with a Y splitter. If your not is a rush, and depending on where you are, I could probably get one out to you late September early October. 

[Ry]

That sounds super cool! Though I already ordered the parts for Alan's smart PS/2 board (minus the PCB itself, I'm going to build it on a breadboard at first).