[Coco] MC-11 Status Update

dave dave at davebiz.com
Tue Jul 28 17:52:21 EDT 2015


I have at least 12 brand new black PS/2 keyboards that are surplus. They 
are full-size US layout keyboards with numeric keypad. These are not 
high-end keyboards but they are brand-new in the box.  I can let them go 
for $7 each + shipping.

Dave Philipsen


On , Gary Coulbourne wrote:
> I've found that secondhand stores, Goodwill, and the like usually have 
> a
> pile of $5 PS2 keyboards.
> 
> Peace,
> Gary
>> Mark Marlette <mailto:mmarlette at frontiernet.net>
>> Tuesday, July 28, 2015 4:34 PM
>> 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
>>>     >>>
>>>     >
>>> 
>>> 
>>>     --
>>>     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
>>> 
>> 
>> lciotti at lrlc.us lciotti at lrlc.us <mailto:lciotti at lrlc.us>
>> Tuesday, July 28, 2015 4:22 PM
>> 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.)
>> 
>> 
> 
> --
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> <https://www.postbox-inc.com/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=siglink&utm_campaign=reach>


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