[Coco] MC-11 Status Update

Salvador Garcia ssalvadorgarcia at netscape.net
Tue Jul 28 20:41:23 EDT 2015


And in the US, if you are near a Fry's or Microcenter you might also find a good deal.


Salvador




-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Coulbourne <bear at bears.org>
To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Sent: Tue, Jul 28, 2015 3:44 pm
Subject: Re: [Coco] MC-11 Status Update



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
>>    
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>>
>>
>>     --
>>     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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