[Coco] MC-11 Status Update

Mark Marlette mmarlette at frontiernet.net
Tue Jul 28 16:34:07 EDT 2015 

That is correct.


That is easy. Getting the keys to the coco is harder. Especially multiple keys down at the same time.

Far from impossible. All I have to is change the driver on the front end, add the host and change the lookups via conditionals.

Done this in an development  board already. Overkill for a USB host, IMHO. Thus why I have PS/2 interface. Some have commented that the PS/2 interface is too expensive. A USB solution from me would be higher due to the host device.

YMMV.

Regards 

Mark 

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

From:"lciotti at lrlc.us lciotti at lrlc.us" <lciotti at lrlc.us>
Date:Tue, Jul 28, 2015 at 3:22 PM
Subject:Re: [Coco] MC-11 Status Update

USB would be nice, but that would require having something to act as the USB
host (this is my understanding of how USB works, someone more knowledgable thatn
me might know better.)

> 
>    On July 28, 2015 at 4:19 PM Mark Marlette <mmarlette at frontiernet.net>
> wrote:
> 
> 
>    didier
> 
> 
>    So what you are saying is that the raw keycodes coming from the keyboards
> that don't work are different than from the spec? 
> 
> 
>    USB and PS/2 have different values for the lookups.
> 
> 
>    My raw values were always correct. Hmmmm.
> 
> 
>    Regards
> 
>    Mark
> 
> 
>    Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
> 
>    From:"didier derny" <didier at aida.org>
>    Date:Tue, Jul 28, 2015 at 2:23 PM
>    Subject:Re: [Coco] MC-11 Status Update
> 
>    Hi Mark
> 
>    the problem is quite simple, most of the interface for old machines only
>    works with qwerty keyboard
>    if you buy one  from amazon.fr you will find a ps/2 azerty keyboard the
>    signs on the key does not match the result
>    if you look for a ps/2 qwerty you find some but most of the time mini
>    keyboard so small that it's hell to use
>    and most of the time badly mapped
> 
>    if you buy a normal size keyboard most of the time it's  a usb keyboard
>    with an adaptator
>    the adaptator + keyboard is just not working
> 
>    if you try to buy from amazon.com you will find a nice keyboard + extra
>    taxes + transport
>    the keyboards becomes really expensive and you have a high chance to get
>    a usb keyboard
>    with a non working adapter...  (so I don't take the risk)
> 
>    that's why I'm building my own keyboard interface. I searched for more
>    than a year for a solution
>    I found one, I'll be able to use an azerty keyboard completely localized
>    on my old machines
> 
>    I'm tired of struggling with these ps/2 keyboard and I would have
>    preferred to see a usb
>    connector on Darren's board.
> 
>    --
>    didier
> 
> 
>    On 28/07/2015 15:34, Mark Marlette wrote:
>    > What specifically was the issue? Not working in ps/2 mode?
>    >
>    >
>    > Are these dual mode keyboards? USB with maybe ps/2 support?
>    >
>    >
>    > My experience has been zero issues with ps/2 keyboards. Yes there are
>    > bad keyboards but never bought a new bad one.
>    >
>    >
>    > I agree with Aaron on usb and ps/2.
>    >
>    >
>    > Getting keys either usb or ps/2 to the coco is easy. Getting them to
>    > output any  key press is a bit harder.
>    >
>    >
>    > In the Cloud-9 PS/2 interface both RSDOS and NitrOS-9 tables are fully
>    > supported with many macro and pre canned tables as well. Programmable
>    > macros of the 12 function keys 50 keys each max.  Both keyboards can be
>    > used simultaneously if one prefers.
>    >
>    > Regards
>    >
>    > Mark
>    >
>    > Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
>    >
>    > From:"Didier Derny" <didier at aida.org>
>    > Date:Tue, Jul 28, 2015 at 8:00 AM
>    > Subject:Re: [Coco] MC-11 Status Update
>    >
>    > Frankly after having bought around 10 keyboards most of them not working
>    > in ps/2 mode
>    > I took the simplest resolution to never use a ps/2 keyboard again
>    >
>    > my apple IIe is using a usb keyboard
>    > my c64/vic20 have already been connected to a usb keyboard  (even with a
>    > national keyboard)
>    > for my coco2/coco3 it's on its way...
>    >
>    > I won't buy 10 keyboard again to find a working one (or pay a high price
>    > for the transport)
>    > the one I found several years ago [not sold anymore] (it was the
>    > parallax keyboard for the propeller)
>    >
>    > I love national keyboards :)  and my fingers are not fitted for qwerty
>    > keyboards :)
>    >
>    > the usb only allow what was programmed in the chip used for usb
>    > if you only have HID devices software you won't connect a mass storage
>    >
>    >
>    >
>    > On 28/07/2015 13:34, Aaron Wolfe wrote:
>    >> Contact a business equipment/computing supplier. In the US examples are
>    >> staples, office depot, office max, Ingram micro, CDW, etc.  You
>    >> probably
>    >> won't see PS/2 devices in a retail store because its become uncommon
>    >> for
>    >> home use, but they all sell them.  PS/2 devices are still used by many
>    >> companies for security purposes on desktops and especially on servers.
>    >> A
>    >> USB port allows many dangerous devices such as portable mass storage,
>    >> while
>    >> ps/2 connectors are pretty safe, so it is not uncommon to have usb
>    >> disabled
>    >> on company owned computers.  Amazon also carries quite a few, if they
>    >> deliver to your area.  Not expensive.
>    >>
>    >> On Tue, Jul 28, 2015, 3:33 AM Didier Derny <didier at aida.org> wrote:
>    >>
>    >>> In my country, if it is still possible to find good ps/2 mouse, qwerty
>    >>> ps/2 keyboards are not common we have to buy them overseas
>    >>> most of the keyboard are just usb with a non working usb to ps/2
>    >>> adapter
>    >>> and azerty keyboard are not properly decoded
>    >>>
>    >>> After having tried to find for my old machine some usb interface I'm
>    >>> finally building mine
>    >>>
>    >>> I would love to buy Darren's Board it looks quite nice but with ps/2
>    >>> I'm
>    >>> not so sure to buy one
>    >>> I love his  cocoSDC and I guess his new board is also very good.
>    >>>
>    >>> --
>    >>> didier
>    >>>
>    >>> On 28/07/2015 04:01, Zippster wrote:
>    >>>> Well, make that over 600.  I guess a lot of those were adapters and
>    >>> similar.
>    >>>> - Ed
>    >>>>
>    >>>>
>    >>>>> On Jul 27, 2015, at 8:53 PM, Zippster <zippster278 at gmail.com> wrote:
>    >>>>>
>    >>>>> Yeah, I think most older USB keyboards will support the adapters.
>    >>>>>
>    >>>>> But as Al was indicating, PS2 keyboards are commonplace.  A quick
>    >>>>> ebay
>    >>> query turns up
>    >>>>> over 6,000 listings with a wide variety of prices (starting at
>    >>>>> almost
>    >>> nothing) and styles.
>    >>>>> - Ed
>    >>>>>
>    >>>>>
>    >>>>>> On Jul 27, 2015, at 7:51 PM, Steve Batson via Coco <
>    >>> coco at maltedmedia.com> wrote:
>    >>>>>> I have some old keyboards around that may work then...I guess I'll
>    >>> wait and see what the end state of this thing is. I would be fun to
>    >>> use to
>    >>> build up a system.
>    >>>>>> On Jul 27, 2015, at 5:25 PM, Al Hartman <alhartman6 at optonline.net>
>    >>> wrote:
>    >>>>>>> A PS/2 to USB adapter only converts the pin assignments. The
>    >>>>>>> keyboard
>    >>> has to have the circuitry within it to detect that you have attached
>    >>> the
>    >>> adapter and switch to PS/2 mode.
>    >>>>>>> That's why these adapters don't work with every keyboard.
>    >>>>>>>
>    >>>>>>> There are active adapters that have circuitry, they will cost a
>    >>>>>>> bit
>    >>> more money. But, you can still find PS/2 keyboards if you look on
>    >>> Amazon,
>    >>> eBay, and elsewhere.
>    >>>>>>> -[ Al ]-
>    >>>>>>>
>    >>>>>>> -----Original Message----- On Mon, Jul 27, 2015 at 5:27 PM, Steve
>    >>> Batson via Coco wrote:
>    >>>>>>>> Cool so I suspect that it would work fine with a PS2 to USB
>    >>>>>>>> adapter.
>    >>>>>>>> This sounds like a great homebrew computer that you could build
>    >>>>>>>> up
>    >>> for all
>    >>>>>>>> kinds of control projects and things like that
>    >>>>>>> --
>    >>>>>>> Coco mailing list
>    >>>>>>> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>    >>>>>>> https://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco


>    >>>>>> --
>    >>>>>> Coco mailing list
>    >>>>>> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>    >>>>>> https://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>    >>> --
>    >>> Coco mailing list
>    >>> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>    >>> https://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>    >>>
>    >
> 
> 
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> 
> 
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> 

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