Atari st series computers conversion PC

[LuckyOldMan]

Don't let anybody stop you!

[joska]

Ok... Hooked up an STE keyboard and both modes are working just fine... I'm writing this on the STE keyboard in PC mode.

- ST-mode - keys are working as expected. CapsLock really is CapsLock. LED indicates CapsLock status.
- PC-mode. LED is blinking. CapsLock is AltGr, working as it should. Help is F1, Undo is Control+Z.

[joska]

About joysticks... Not sure if I actually can support these. There really is no way to distinguish between a mouse right click and a joystick button event. So a joystick button press will always generate a right click and vice versa.

[LuckyOldMan]

... - ST-mode - keys are working as expected. CapsLock really is CapsLock. LED indicates CapsLock status.

Same here

.... - PC-mode. LED is blinking. CapsLock is AltGr, working as it should. Help is F1, Undo is Control+Z.

Only partially the same here: PC-mode. LED is blinking - no reaction using the AltGr (aka CapsLock) - Help is F1, Undo is Control+Z.

Both kb gets the same result!

[joska]

Only partially the same here: PC-mode. LED is blinking - no reaction using the AltGr (aka CapsLock) - Help is F1, Undo is Control+Z.

Can you give me some details about the keyboard layout you're using on your PC?

[LuckyOldMan]

... - PC-mode. LED is blinking. CapsLock is AltGr, working as it should. Help is F1, Undo is Control+Z.

I think maybe we are talking past each other! You wrote that CapsLock becomes AltGr and indeed it does. Let me ask first: how do you get this: @ or this \?
On a PC-kb you push AltGr+Q (the second character on Q is @). I thought, on this Atari-kb I have to push AltGr+@ (the second character on Ü) but this won`t work. Right?!
So to get all these special characters Like @, \, }, ][ etc. I have to know their combination of AltGr+ ?????, right!

On my normal PC I use the QWERTZ-version.

[joska]

If @ == AltGr+Q on your PC keyboard it will be the same on the Atari keyboard. When you press AltGr+Q on your keyboard, it does not send a @ to the computer. It sends AltGr and Q... So it's up to the computer to interpret this as @.

Btw joystick is almost working now

[joska]

New version, please test.

- Improved mouse.
- Proper joystick support. But since the Teensyduino libraries only supports one joystick it only works with joysticks in port 1. Also, the fire button is shared with the right mousebutton on ST's, so fire/right click will be sent to the device that was most recently moved. So basically you have to move the joystick before the fire button will work.

qwertz.hex.zip

qwerty.hex.zip

Sources will be release later.

[LuckyOldMan]

Hi joska,

it seems you are very busy - thank you!

As we know now that I had got it wrong because I thought I´ll get the special characters by using AltGr+ then pushing the @,\, ... as printed on the Atari keys Ä, Ö, Ü (and not like the are printed on the PC keys q, ß, ...) I would like to know if it is possible to change these characters from q, ß, ... to these Atari keys Ä, Ö, Ü. I hope you understand what I mean.

Second I want to ask you a favor. As I use my Atari kb most of the time for my PC within the Atari housing the blinking led could be seen through the Atari-vents. Could you please change it like this: in atari-modus no led & constant led only when the CapsLock is pushed (like on PC kb).
In pc modus no led at all. Fixable?

I ´m gonna test the new files this afternoon.

[joska]

I would like to know if it is possible to change these characters from q, ß, ... to these Atari keys Ä, Ö, Ü. I hope you understand what I mean.

Yes. You would have to modify the keymap on the PC. Are you using Windows?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/create-your-own-keyboard-layout

Second I want to ask you a favor. As I use my Atari kb most of the time for my PC within the Atari housing the blinking led could be seen through the Atari-vents. Could you please change it like this: in atari-modus no led & constant led only when the CapsLock is pushed (like on PC kb).
In pc modus no led at all. Fixable?

The LED was just a debug feature. It is disabled in the files I uploaded last night.

[LuckyOldMan]

Yes. You would have to modify the keymap on the PC. Are you using Windows?

Yes - I am using Win10. But am I able to create my own layout? I'll find out later.

The LED was just a debug feature. It is disabled in the files I uploaded last night.

I thought so but wasn't quite sure because I haven't flashed these files yet (which I do now). .... and no blinking!

[LuckyOldMan]

Good mornimg joska,

New version, please test.

- Improved mouse.
- Proper joystick support. ....

The mouse plugged to a 1040 kb is working fine (incl. right click) but unfortunately I don´t have any joystick to test both at the same time (I´m no gamer - sorry)!

[megahz]

Hi Joska,

i just made your arduino-ST2PS2 Convertor, the Arduino tells me, there are keystrokes receiving and my logic-probe says they are send to ps2 pins.
Not testet it on a pc, but i am sure, it will work..

My plan is: putting a intel-atom mainboard into a TT-Case, using it with the TT-Keyboard.
The mainboard already has its place, it will become a 60GB SSD and it is powered by 2 6V/12Ah PB Batteries wich are charged by one of my solarpanels (180W/36V). Mainly it will boot and start aranym as default, but it can run linuxmint or XP-SP3 too.
The painting will be a fresch white, maybe with a little "effect"...
So i really like that solution with the arduino (nano in my case) and a have a great idea for it:
Many of you surely have sometimes the situation to write the same text again and again, in my case a example:
I put an ebay-auktion online and i always have to write the text " Selling it as on photos, no warranty, because of private ......"
Wouldn't it be nice to "detect" a special Keystroke-Combination say like Cntrl-Shift-Alt-F12 or so and if this Keystroke happend, the arduino sends the predefined text to the PS2? Like Macros ...
I think this would be another nice feater for all!
What do you think about it?
Could you implement something like this?

Wolfram.

[joska]

The mainboard already has its place, it will become a 60GB SSD and it is powered by 2 6V/12Ah PB Batteries wich are charged by one of my solarpanels (180W/36V).

Solar powered "TT"? That is *very* cool

Wouldn't it be nice to "detect" a special Keystroke-Combination say like Cntrl-Shift-Alt-F12 or so and if this Keystroke happend, the arduino sends the predefined text to the PS2? Like Macros ...

There are a couple of problem with this. The interface only knows about the key scancodes, but has no idea what the individual key actually does. E.g. it doesn't know that Germans has swapped Z and Y, or that those French keyboards makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. It is up to the computer to translate the scancodes to characters. So this macro would have to be generated by the host computer and uploaded to the interface as scancodes.

Which brings me to the second problem. How to write to the PS2 keyboard cleanly under Linux or Windows. I have no idea how

This is probably much better solved in pure software. E.g. by using xmacro under Linux, or Intellitype under Windows.

[megahz]

Hi,
i just could make it runnng! This Line is written with the PC USB-Keyboard...
and thhis one with a mega-st keyboard!

i still think, it should be easy to detect a spezial makrotet inside the arduino!
like this: make a scancodebuffer, say 8 bytes,
after every keycode save this keycode to the buffer, if this keycode is same as ther predefined first char, inc a counter and fill the buffer with the net keycoder. same again, if the 1. and 2. buffer same as predef chars inc counter... if the next key is an "false" key, clear the couter or if the last key was also write, output a bunch of keycodes wich have defined as macro!

BTW i have seen the mouse and joystick dont hhave any code, could you write it or did you even have done ths?

Wolfram.

[megahz]

oh sorry for some fuzzy words in my post before...
this mega-st keyboard has to be pushed really hard to work, later i will take the good-one of the TT....

Wolfram.

[megahz]

does anyone knows a usb-floppy adaptor for use with the Atari-TT HD-Floppydrive?
The Adapter should be able to use HD and DD !

Another Design Question:
I am not sure for the colour of the TT Case, what would you do? New clean white or black? or something strange?

And: does anyone uses Aranym under Linux? Runs good?

Wolfram.

[joska]

Hi,
i still think, it should be easy to detect a spezial makrotet inside the arduino!

Ok, I see, you want to record a macro "live" and then replay it again? Yes, that should not be too difficult. Not sure if I want to touch that code again though

BTW i have seen the mouse and joystick dont hhave any code, could you write it or did you even have done ths?

Well, PS/2 only supports one device. I had difficulties getting one PS/2 device to work reliably, so I'm not really considering adding a second which is required for mouse. And joystick would have to be handled completely outside of this.

If you want/need mouse and joystick support you really should use the Teensy/USB version. That is generally a much better solution, the PS/2 version is really only suitable if your system doesn't support USB. The only reason for making that version was to be able to use a proper keyboard with my Milan, which only understands PS/2.

[megahz]

>you want to record a macro "live" and then replay it again...
no, not like that, i mean to make a ring buffer, because even one keystroke with say ctrl-shift-alt-F12 (as example) makes more than one byte, or not?
So those bytes have to put into an buffer and in another 2nd buffer are those bytes for the macro.
Or is the scancode only one byte long?

I would really like it to use the ST-Mouse with PS2, can you give me your code with mouse/joystick?
You say, there can be only one PS2 Device, well how about a second PS2 Output on different Arduino Pins?

[joska]

>you want to record a macro "live" and then replay it again...
no, not like that, i mean to make a ring buffer, because even one keystroke with say ctrl-shift-alt-F12 (as example) makes more than one byte, or not?

What you describe is to record a macro

I would really like it to use the ST-Mouse with PS2, can you give me your code with mouse/joystick?

I have no code for this for the PS/2 version. I've attached the USB version.

ST_USB_keyboard.zip

You say, there can be only one PS2 Device, well how about a second PS2 Output on different Arduino Pins?

Yes, that is perfectly possible but the current code is not designed for multiple instances. I've attached the current source for the PS/2 interface, I'm afraid you have to do this yourself...

ST_PS2_keyboard.zip

To be honest I would not recommend the PS/2 version for your use. The only reason for it's existence is that I wanted to use a TT keyboard with my Milan. It's really not suited for anything else. Buying a Teensy 2.0 and using my USB keyboard source is a much better solution. It has full support for mouse and joystick as well.

[megahz]

Ok, yesterday i finished the kabels, one with PS2 Plug and one with the Western-Socket for the TT Keyboard, build it into my ATARI TT-atom
Aranym runs and everything works well with the TT Keyboard!
The Mouse will stay with USB, but i will put the electronics of an Lasemouse into the ST-Mouse.
The Joystick, (i dont know if i ever will use it) maybe will connect later to a Soundcard with Gameport, we will see....
Thanks for this great Idea to convert a ST/TT Keyboard and your Arduino Code!

[megahz]

Hi Jo,

i just tried your last uploaded st-ps2-keyboard... it works fine with the keyboard, but i wonder why the caps-lock led won't light...

[joska]

i just tried your last uploaded st-ps2-keyboard... it works fine with the keyboard, but i wonder why the caps-lock led won't light...

I'm afraid I have no idea. I haven't touched that code in years.

[LuckyOldMan]

Hi Joska & Co.,

last week I went further on getting my thin-itx-board into the 520STM housing.





In fact it did get in, but ....




... the back of the kb just touches the heatsink so you could feel the warmth coming through the kb after a while. It is unpossible to get the 100mm Sycthe 1.000rpm I planned to use in between.

Besides that the whole thing is working fine. I've got a WD-HDD 2,5" and several USB2.0 & USB3.0-Ports.

So I guess I have to change plans swapping to a 1040ST FM housing which will give me more space unless I will get new ideas to cool down the heatsink (maybe some kind of air duct from the heatsink towards the vents on the top).

I'll keep you informed (still waiting for some parts).

Cheers
Claus

[megahz]

@Claus:
you could cut a few of the heatsink parts, i did that with a D510MO Mainboard too, so it fits into a 1HE 19" Case.
Doesn't get much warmer....

@Joska:
Maybe you can look at your milan if the CapsLock LED lights up?