Atari st series computers conversion PC

[Robson]

BeardSwitcher:
You'll have an issue with the case that's for sure. Even with using an STfm case I had to go for the low profile ram (finishes in line with the white clamps of the memory socket). You can see on the pictures here.
http://web.interware.hu/tercsiro/atari/
Might give you an idea about the space you have available.
But as you said first thing first.

Joska: I wish we could have talked about this earlier, when I built my keyboard

[wongck]

Aarrrgghhhh.... don't tempt me.....
I have a 520STFM which I do not use any more... and it worths like nothing on ebay....
A nice mini ATX is what i need.....

[AxelG]

[tempt] [tempt] [tempt]

Why not?

Just make sure you go for the low profile ram, as Robson suggested


This ST PC project makes me happy about my defect Netbook again. This thing might be 1,5 cm high.

And: It's got it's battery.
So I'll have the only PC and ST and ST PC with built in UPS.
And the only one, which runs without power cord actually attached.

[Dal]

Why not go the whole hog and strap a 15" TFT to it as well??

[AxelG]

just a 15" ?










ROFL

[BeardSwitcher]

Hi all.
Slow but steady progress on my project...
However, i miss some very crucial information here...

Schematics for the Atari ST keyboard connector J12.
I am googling around all over the place but i have big troubles actually finding the pin-layout of this connector and when i find some schematics does'nt the number of pins match... (see attached pictures/photos)

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Robson]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/old_comput ... otostream/

This is what you have and the next index picture is the one you have schematic for. Unfortunately this is low res you might want to contact that guy somehow.

[AxelG]

Hi Joska, hi Robson, hi thread,

my Arduino Nano arrived today via Royal Air Mail. The (complete) netbook seems to fit quite well into the ST's remains, finally. PSU comes from the netbook, also.
The ST's main switch/reset switch will (probably) be used.

The serial lines of the ST-keyboard is connected to the serial port on the Ardiuno (pin 0 and 1). The PS/2 clock and data lines can be connected to any other pin on the Ardunio, the code code is currently set up to use pin 2 and 3. The Arduino draws power from the PS/2 port, so does the ST keyboard. Contact me when it gets serious, and I'll come up with the schematics.

Joska, the complete and simple pinout would help immens, now!
ST keyboard connector J12? pins -> Arduino (Nano) pins -> PS/2 over USB and/or PS/2 keyboard connector pins

I'll install the Arduino IDE and get familiar with it's pinout.
How do I get the IDE to upload all required files to the Arduino?

I've attached the code (or "sketch" as it's called in Arduino-world) for the ST->PS/2 adapter. It doesn't handle mouse or joystick yet, but I can easily add a few lines of code to convert joystick movements to keyboard actions if needed.

I'll try to use some of those old joysticks. So this would be the ice on the cake!

Thanks in Advance,
AxelG

UPDATE: I got the "Blink" sample sketch up and running
Joska? Joooooooooooooooooooooooooooskaaaaaaaaaaa?

[BeardSwitcher]

hi all.
I gave up my hunt for scematics for STM. and guttered a STFM i had in the pile... RIP... (the STFM had a blown powersource)
Now i have 1. Space in the case, 2. Reliable schematics, 3. hardware

Now i soon will have some time to put everything together jaaay !

PS2 connector can we wired as the wikipedia colorguide:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_connector

Thanks alot Joska for all help.

Now I will connect everthing in some manner as scetch attached:

[joska]

How do I get the IDE to upload all required files to the Arduino?

Unpack my archive in your sketch-folder. Run the Arduino IDE. Open the sketch, and upload it.

Joska? Joooooooooooooooooooooooooooskaaaaaaaaaaa?

Easy now, I'm in the process of installing OSX on an old HP desktop and I'm running out of patience Beardswitcher's schematics is correct.

[joska]

I've attached the code (or "sketch" as it's called in Arduino-world) for the ST->PS/2 adapter. It doesn't handle mouse or joystick yet, but I can easily add a few lines of code to convert joystick movements to keyboard actions if needed.

I'll try to use some of those old joysticks. So this would be the ice on the cake!

Let me know if you want to use this. The ST keyboard has a "joystick emulating cursor keys" mode, it can be enabled by sending a command to the keyboard.

[AxelG]

Hi Joska.

Good luck with OSX on the HP. EFI?
(I could install it on my netbook, it's hardware compatible with an old Apple Intel Laptop, I guess )

Back on topic:
Maybe you remember, I'd really like to connect the Arduino Nano's USB port to the netbook.

I hoped, PS/2 over USB would do the trick. And your code (most of it?) would also work that way?

Am I wrong? Could it be made to work that way?

And yes, I'd like to use my good, old joysticks with the ST Keyboard. Which flag/parameter had to be set?

Thanks so much and good luck with the HP, Joska

Edit: Take a look at the wiring diagram above, Reset on the ST keyboard is connected to pin ??? on the Arduino?

[Dal]

It will be one of the Hackintosh 'distros' I guess ?

[joska]

It will be one of the Hackintosh 'distros' I guess ?

Correct. I'm trying various versions. iPC seems to work best so far, but without networking so it's not very useful.

[BeardSwitcher]

Edit: Take a look at the wiring diagram above, Reset on the ST keyboard is connected to pin ??? on the Arduino?

No worries... The reset code in the script i have is not implemented (i think) so i have not decided what pin to use yet
Pick any availible pin and make sure that you use the same in your code.

I will hopefully try to put everything together this friday evening and run it all ...

[Frank B]

I hope the converted ST/Amigas are broken and not working machines!

[AxelG]

Sure.

The whole point is to build a Zombie ST

There's no Zombie without a dead corpse, first

[AxelG]

Unpack my archive in your sketch-folder. Run the Arduino IDE. Open the sketch, and upload it.

Hi Joska,

I created the (inexistant) subdir "sketch" inside the Arduino IDE's dir: D:\programme\util\ide\arduino-0021\sketch

I placed your archive's content inside this dir:

TT_to_PS2 (folder)
ps2.h
ps2.pde
ps2_keyboard_commands.pde
queue.h
queue.pde
st.pde
ST_tatstur.pde

When I try to open one of the .pde (e.g. ps2.pde) files, I get this warning:

"The file "ps2.pde" needs to be inside a sketch folder named "ps2". Create this folder, move the file, and continue?

Continue opens just this one file, compile brings endless errors, upload is not possible.


OK, I do have the hardware ready, I jst wan't to get this code running as fast as possible.

So please expain in simple words (and complete) how I have to load the complete sketch into the IDE and resolve all needed dpendencies, compile and upload it. Remember, I'm a total noob an this, ok?

Thanks,
AxelG

Good news: PS/2 over USB seems to work so far.

[Frank B]

Sure.

The whole point is to build a Zombie ST

There's no Zombie without a dead corpse, first

Phew. I'd be annoyed if it was at the expense of working machines.

[Robson]

It will be one of the Hackintosh 'distros' I guess ?

Correct. I'm trying various versions. iPC seems to work best so far, but without networking so it's not very useful.

I had kalyway working on a different setup, now i dual boot clean Snow Leopard and Win7 on my Core i7 based pc.

Anyhow. Good luck with the project to anyone, I need to move on and make my stbook working 100% again. Will check the post to see the results of course.

[AxelG]

Thanks again for your support, Rob

[BeardSwitcher]

Unpack my archive in your sketch-folder. Run the Arduino IDE. Open the sketch, and upload it.

Hi Joska,

I created the (inexistant) subdir "sketch" inside the Arduino IDE's dir: D:\programme\util\ide\arduino-0021\sketch

I placed your archive's content inside this dir:

TT_to_PS2 (folder)
ps2.h
ps2.pde
ps2_keyboard_commands.pde
queue.h
queue.pde
st.pde
ST_tatstur.pde

When I try to open one of the .pde (e.g. ps2.pde) files, I get this warning:

"The file "ps2.pde" needs to be inside a sketch folder named "ps2". Create this folder, move the file, and continue?

Continue opens just this one file, compile brings endless errors, upload is not possible.


OK, I do have the hardware ready, I jst wan't to get this code running as fast as possible.

So please expain in simple words (and complete) how I have to load the complete sketch into the IDE and resolve all needed dpendencies, compile and upload it. Remember, I'm a total noob an this, ok?

Thanks,
AxelG

Good news: PS/2 over USB seems to work so far.

'


Find the file in the package that contains the main loop:
void loop(void) (it will be the ST_tastatur.pde file in this case)
Open that one, this file will include the other nessecary files as a working 'project'.
Compile.
I tried that one for some days ago when i tried to figure out how to flash this. it was accepted by the 'compiler' but was compiled with failure (i had not my arduino attached)
I will try some serious hacking this evening so i will update this when i get it to work satisfactory.

This evening will i bring out the 'hard tools' to actually fit my HW within the STFM case. (when the KB works)

More pictures will come when i have more progress.

Good luck.

[joska]

Find the file in the package that contains the main loop:
void loop(void) (it will be the ST_tastatur.pde file in this case)
Open that one, this file will include the other nessecary files as a working 'project'.
Compile.

Sorry, my fault. Rename the "TT_to_PS2"-folder to "ST_tastatur" and everything should be fine. The Arduino IDE is very picky about these things. The folder must have the same name as the actual "sketch".

When you've renamed the folder, start the Arduino IDE and select File->Sketchbook->ST_tastatur. Then press the upload-button.

[AxelG]

Find the file in the package that contains the main loop:
void loop(void) (it will be the ST_tastatur.pde file in this case)
Open that one, this file will include the other nessecary files as a working 'project'.
Compile.

Hi BeardSwitcher, hi Joska,

thanks so much for your help!

The Arduino IDE want's to create an ST_tastatur Subdir for it and I had to manually import all other files.
But it did compile and it did upload to the Arduino Nano.

Edit: I just saw Joska's post. After the rename, it would compile&upload without furter hussle.

But (although I used your schematic minus reset line/pin) it wouldn't work.
PS/2 over USB - ST keyboard led is on, no Arduino TX/RX led flashing, no further reaction. Windows finaly throws a "USB devive not recognized" message.
PS/2 on an older laptop (keyboard/mouse combo socket) throws an keyboard error during startup.

I tried that one for some days ago when i tried to figure out how to flash this. it was accepted by the 'compiler' but was compiled with failure (i had not my arduino attached)
I will try some serious hacking this evening so i will update this when i get it to work satisfactory.
This evening will i bring out the 'hard tools' to actually fit my HW within the STFM case. (when the KB works)
More pictures will come when i have more progress.

Good luck.

Hmmm,

I have (most) of my HW working by now. My living room is looking as if a bomb would've hit a stackpile of ST/PC hardware. All I'd need is a working keyboard
So I keep forward hearing from Joska and from you.

Thanks again,
AxelG

Uhmmmm,

Q #1 : Are those Arduino pins in the schematic Digital or Analog pins? I used the digital ones.
Q #2: Do have those Arduino TX/RX leds to flash, once power (from PS/2), ST-keyboard and Sketch are present?

[joska]

But (although I used your schematic minus reset line/pin) it wouldn't work.

The ST keyboard needs a reset signal to work.

PS/2 over USB - ST keyboard led is on, no Arduino TX/RX led flashing, no further reaction. Windows finaly throws a "USB devive not recognized" message.
PS/2 on an older laptop (keyboard/mouse combo socket) throws an keyboard error during startup.

You must disconnect the USB cable when not programming, and also disconnect the ST keyboard when programming. The ST keyboard and the USB FDTI are using the same serial port on the Arduino.

Q #1 : Are those Arduino pins in the schematic Digital or Analog pins? I used the digital ones.

Correct, use the digital pins. Are you sure you haven't swapped the Rx/Tx pins, or the PS/2 data/clock pins?

Q #2: Do have those Arduino TX/RX leds to flash, once power (from PS/2), ST-keyboard and Sketch are present?

My Arduinos doesn't have a Tx/Rx led, so I wouldn't know. I would expect them to flash when pressing keys on the ST keyboard though.