8bit keyboard to pc potential

[yorgle]

Ok, here's my write-up so far sans graphics and pictures.

Atari_1200XL_Keyboard2ps.pdf

[mos6507]

It seems like the easier way to do this is to have the Atari run a program that sends out keycodes in ASCII streams through SIO2PC and then writing a driver for the PC that interprets these.

[yorgle]

It seems like the easier way to do this is to have the Atari run a program that sends out keycodes in ASCII streams through SIO2PC and then writing a driver for the PC that interprets these.

 

I'm sure there are many easier and even better solutions than mine. I have an unfortunate propensity to finding the most difficult ways of doing things.

[mos6507]

It seems like the easier way to do this is to have the Atari run a program that sends out keycodes in ASCII streams through SIO2PC and then writing a driver for the PC that interprets these.

 

I'm sure there are many easier and even better solutions than mine. I have an unfortunate propensity to finding the most difficult ways of doing things.

 

I'd be really impressed with your hardware solution if you were able to also interface the Cx85 keypad.

[yorgle]

It seems like the easier way to do this is to have the Atari run a program that sends out keycodes in ASCII streams through SIO2PC and then writing a driver for the PC that interprets these.

 

I'm sure there are many easier and even better solutions than mine. I have an unfortunate propensity to finding the most difficult ways of doing things.

 

I'd be really impressed with your hardware solution if you were able to also interface the Cx85 keypad.

 

Rest assured, if I had one, it would be connected. I'm not sure if each of the keypad's matrix points can be tapped at the joystick port connector, so if not, it would require an extra cable from the keypad to the encoder. Or there may be enough unused pins on the connector so they could be used instead.

 

I'd really be impressed by a software solution. I agree that would be an ideal approach except for maybe the hastle of having to load a program everytime you switch back and forth. Once I isolate the interference problem I hope to eliminate the need for a switch altogether.

[Urchlay]

I'd really be impressed by a software solution. I agree that would be an ideal approach except for maybe the hastle of having to load a program everytime you switch back and forth. Once I isolate the interference problem I hope to eliminate the need for a switch altogether.

 

Hmm. With software, you can map the keys how you want... so what'd be the ideal key layout for using an Atari as a PC keyboard? You'd want to be able to send every keystroke the PC keyboard can... I suppose you'd use the console keys, one for Alt, and one for a modifier (e.g. pressing Select + numbers sends F-keys, Select + brackets sends curly braces). The 1200XL's F-keys should map to the PC's F1 through F4... the Atari Break key should map to the PC Pause/Break... if running on a 1200XL, the LEDs could be indicators for caps/scroll lock...

 

Something like Select + left/right/up/down (aka + * - =) could be Home/End/PageUp/PageDown. The CX-85 keys could be either arrows or numbers, with some key mapped as Numlock. The joystick could be used as a simulated PC mouse, or send arrow keys + return.

 

The coolest way to interface it would be to use an SIO2PC-like device that connects to the PC's PS/2 keyboard port (or to a PS/2 => USB adaptor), and just have the Atari speak PC keyboard protocol (which is serial, similar to RS232, but using 0 and +5V). You wouldn't even need a driver on the PC side, and it'd work with any OS (even in the BIOS menu). I'm not a hardware designer really, not entirely sure what'd be necessary... AFAIK the only reason an SIO2PC needs a max232 or 1489 chip is to convert from the Atari's 0/5V logic levels to the RS232 positive & negative voltages... does this mean you just need a cable with an SIO plug on one end and a PS/2 mini-DIN on the other end?

 

I'd say the Atari key layout should be kept (e.g. shift-2 for double-quote)...

 

Hm, it wouldn't be hard to write the Atari code for this, if I knew what'd be needed for the hardware interface. Anyone know?

[yorgle]

I'd really be impressed by a software solution. I agree that would be an ideal approach except for maybe the hastle of having to load a program everytime you switch back and forth. Once I isolate the interference problem I hope to eliminate the need for a switch altogether.

 

Hmm. With software, you can map the keys how you want... so what'd be the ideal key layout for using an Atari as a PC keyboard? You'd want to be able to send every keystroke the PC keyboard can... I suppose you'd use the console keys, one for Alt, and one for a modifier (e.g. pressing Select + numbers sends F-keys, Select + brackets sends curly braces). The 1200XL's F-keys should map to the PC's F1 through F4... the Atari Break key should map to the PC Pause/Break... if running on a 1200XL, the LEDs could be indicators for caps/scroll lock...

 

Something like Select + left/right/up/down (aka + * - =) could be Home/End/PageUp/PageDown. The CX-85 keys could be either arrows or numbers, with some key mapped as Numlock. The joystick could be used as a simulated PC mouse, or send arrow keys + return.

 

The coolest way to interface it would be to use an SIO2PC-like device that connects to the PC's PS/2 keyboard port (or to a PS/2 => USB adaptor), and just have the Atari speak PC keyboard protocol (which is serial, similar to RS232, but using 0 and +5V). You wouldn't even need a driver on the PC side, and it'd work with any OS (even in the BIOS menu). I'm not a hardware designer really, not entirely sure what'd be necessary... AFAIK the only reason an SIO2PC needs a max232 or 1489 chip is to convert from the Atari's 0/5V logic levels to the RS232 positive & negative voltages... does this mean you just need a cable with an SIO plug on one end and a PS/2 mini-DIN on the other end?

 

I'd say the Atari key layout should be kept (e.g. shift-2 for double-quote)...

 

Hm, it wouldn't be hard to write the Atari code for this, if I knew what'd be needed for the hardware interface. Anyone know?

 

This is great. Keep the ideas coming folks. Though it will suck to have all my work obsoleted by something as simple as a sio2ps/2 cable and some code, I would love to see it happen, nevertheless. It's been a learning exercise whatever the result.

 

As for functionality, I've been using my 1200xl keyboard at work on my pc for several weeks now and the only time I had to resort to the wireless ps2 backup keyboard was one occasion when I needed the \ slash mark. Of course, the bulk of my computing is word processing so the lack of a numeric keypad hasn't been an issue. Currently, I have mapped the function keys as follows: START=alt, SELECT=pageup, OPTION=pagedwn, F1-F4=cursor up,dwn,lft,rt, HELP=end, INVS=numberlock, and BREAK=ctl-alt-del.