FOR SALE - PeST PS/2 MOUSE PCB's & kits

[exxosuk]

I hate using other peoples code for anything. Something will always go wrong, then you have to depend on a "3rd party". I look at it as like trying to take "short cuts" to get something done faster, mostly just ends up creating more work in the long run.

 

You need to look at "scaling" (IIRC) for the mouse. If you start skipping mouse packets or movement you will end up with a very bad response. That might have been a issue with other peoples code. PeST has 4 speeds, speed 1 accurately emulates (or close to) the original mouse speed. Speed 2 is twice as fast, which is the default speed. Speed 3 is top speed, speed 4 is even faster but has a lag because the ST's mouse port can't take the data fast enough. In all cases there is never a "missed packet" of movements.

 

All my work is over here http://www.exxoshost.co.uk/atari/last/ I don't have any websites up anymore that I did (long epic story) but I am working on a new website, I do all this as a hobby.

 

You site looks cool, always good to see people actually documenting stuff as they go along!

[+mytek]

So I take it you are Chris (the one mentioned in Aly's website). Nice to both meet you and to get a glimpse into what you have accomplished. That link you gave me is quite revealing, and quite a testament to the projects (products) you produced for the ST. I am very impressed.

 

 

 

You need to look at "scaling" (IIRC) for the mouse. If you start skipping mouse packets or movement you will end up with a very bad response. That might have been a issue with other peoples code. PeST has 4 speeds, speed 1 accurately emulates (or close to) the original mouse speed. Speed 2 is twice as fast, which is the default speed. Speed 3 is top speed, speed 4 is even faster but has a lag because the ST's mouse port can't take the data fast enough. In all cases there is never a "missed packet" of movements.

 

Yep missing packets is problematic in my present implementation on the TK-II, mainly because I threw in the mouse aspect as an afterthought and didn't provide IRQ support. When I create my new version I'll definitely be watchful of this, and get it right this time. On the other hand the keyboard aspect has always been solid in this regard, and I never miss a key (PS/2 interrupt routine, 15 key buffer, multi-key roll-over beyond what even the stock Atari keyboard could do). Also by breaking out the mouse into a dedicated PIC chip, there shouldn't be any conflicts between the two aspects (keyboard or mouse). The PeST scaling feature is what I proposed to do, although until you described it exactly how it was done on the PeST, and I wasn't sure specifically what it would really look like in reference to an ST mouse. I did implement such a feature on my TK-II mouse, using a simultaneous left & right button press & hold, and then by momentarily pressing the middle button would toggle through 4 possible mouse resolution settings (the 4 that were supported within the PS/2 mouse). Off the top of my head I forgot what those 4 resolution settings equate to, but perhaps it is the same as you guys did it on the PeST.

 

 

 

I hate using other peoples code for anything. Something will always go wrong, then you have to depend on a "3rd party". I look at it as like trying to take "short cuts" to get something done faster, mostly just ends up creating more work in the long run.

 

Yeah I agree. Although it would have been great to leverage your PeST code for my application, in the long run by writing my own allows me to do anything and everything I wish to for now, and into the future. And just in the time since our initial conversations, I have already been thinking of some extra features that would be cool to implement. Specifically I'm thinking of tying the two chips together via a 2-line communications interface, thereby allowing for some intriguing possibilities beyond just being a PS/2 keyboard & mouse interface. So we'll see what happens and what this eventually morphs into.

 

Take care,

Michael

[+mytek]

Update

 

I received a PeST from Wolfgang the other day (very reasonably priced and an excellent quality build). Good news is as I suspected, it works great on my 8-Bit Atari's, assuming the program was written with an ST mouse in mind. So now that I have a good example of how a PS/2 mouse to Atari ST adapter should work, I will eventually begin my own project written in FlowCode to create a combination PS/2 keyboard and mouse to work on the 8-Bit.

 

Thanks for providing the information on where I could still buy a PeST, and thank you and Aly for creating it in the first place.

 

- Michael