Mice safe to use

[zeropolis79]

I got a new Atari 1040 STFM last week with no mouse or games. Games are no matter as I still have my ST games.

 

But a lack of a mouse is an issue..

 

Is a Commodore Amiga mouse safe to use with an ST?

 

I've looked on ebay for ST mice but are very expensive..

 

Thank you.

[IainGrimm]

I got extra ram from Rupert at Atari ST Freakz, reliable and quick delivery, he has third party mice as well as official ones :

 

http://st-freakz.co.uk/page6.html

 

Send him an email (address on the home page / tab on his site) with your requirements and you can pay via Bank Transfer or Paypal which is always handy.

 

You can't use an Amiga mouse on the ST and vice versa unfortunately, there are a few models available which have a switch on the underside for use on each machine but you will pay more for them (I have a Quickshot mouse which has the switch but its attached to my Amiga and used often).

Edited April 5, 2014 by IainGrimm

[zeropolis79]

Thanks

[Zogging Hell]

You can use alternate + the cursor keys to control the pointer in an emergency. I think you would be able to use a commodore mouse if you had the skills to rewire it, I imagine it would be a case of getting pin outs for both and swapping the lines as necessary, but depends whether you have the skills (or desire as the mouse wouldn't work on the Amiga then) to do this.

[zeropolis79]

I wouldn't have the confidence to do that.. even though I can fix an Amstrad CPC, a Sega 32x, build and repair PCs & Macs and repair disc drives..

 

I have several spare Amiga mice..

 

Thank you..

[Rybags]

Amiga mouse can work, you have to rewire it, the 4 directionals have alternate assignments for each machine.

 

Probably worth the effort - neither mouse is exactly an ergonomic work of note but the Amiga one is much more bearable.

[jmetal88]

The original 1983 Microsoft Mouse will also work if you wire up an adapter.

 

 

[zeropolis79]

Amiga mouse can work, you have to rewire it, the 4 directionals have alternate assignments for each machine.

 

Probably worth the effort - neither mouse is exactly an ergonomic work of note but the Amiga one is much more bearable.

 

I find the Amiga mice quite comfortable to use..

 

Would anyone have any instructions on how it could be done - I'm sure that with instructions, I can do it.. failing that, my daughter can try (I'm still recovering from a heart attack).

[amiman99]

You could build an adapter 9female-9male with correct wiring, that way you can use the mouse on Amiga too.

I think most pins are straight through with 2 pins crossed...I need to check pinouts.

[amiman99]

You could build an adapter 9female-9male with correct wiring, that way you can use the mouse on Amiga too.

I think most pins are straight through with 2 pins crossed...I need to check pinouts.

I checked my docs: Pins 1 and 4 are reversed, rest are straight through. I'm pretty sure.

[Muzz73]

If you can't get your hands on an Atari mouse, one thing you could do would be to get an ST to Amiga adaptor. I got one off of ebay from a guy in Greece for around $7 USD plus shipping. It just crosses the two pins that are different and passes the rest through. No circuitry, no drivers, just play & play.

[pps]

I checked my docs: Pins 1 and 4 are reversed, rest are straight through. I'm pretty sure.

Yes you're right. Simply cross those two pins and let the other go right to its corresponding pin. and you get, what you want. Had my ST M3 on an Amiga back in the days with a simple adaptor like that.

[+slx]

There's an adapter called PeST that allows use of PS/2 mice on the ST. See http://pest.atari.org

[RetroStuff]

Do you have a Microsoft or Genius PC USB Mouse ?

 

One of my adapters will probably work with it.