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USB to Atari mouse adapter


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eBay Auction -- Item Number: 3304336475331?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=330433647533&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]

 

This is located in the U.K.

 

I am tired of losing at Arkanoid II!!!! I am frustrated that my PERFECTLY clean mouse just sometimes loses it for a second and kills my game!!! It's been years now since I used a ball mouse on the PC. This makes me wonder if I couldn't use any optical LED mouse? Cordless LED mouse??

 

Anybody tried this? Does the ST joystick port supply proper power to run any optical mouse, or any cordless transceiver? This looks interesting! Those metal ears on the DB9 female look obtrusive, though.

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  • 2 months later...

I just got one of these. Here is the item description from ebay.

 

Connect any USB Mouse* to your Atari ST Computer

- You don't need any additional drivers

- Automatic Calibration

- Smooth 1000dpi

- Easy to Use

 

*Works with: Standard protocol PS/2 Mouse,Microsoft Intellimouse,· Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer· Genius NetScroll Optical

 

It works great with the Saitek notebook mouse. I was hoping the MS optical scroll mouse would work, but I guess it's not the same as the intellimouse, even though they are both just basic mice. Also, it won't work with the Logitech iFeel mouse. As I said though, it works great with the Saitek notebook mouse, I was just wanting a full size mouse. Anyone know why it would work with one and not the other?

 

Thanks

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Do you have to use an 9-female-to-9-pin-male extension cable with that adapter? It seems like there is no way it will fit into the joystick ports on the underside of a 520/1040 ST/STe. I could see where an extension cable would help; you could then then plug the adapter in where it is easily accessible.

 

Just curious - I'm interested in one of these.

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I would assume this would work with the Mouse Master?

 

Wonder how hard this would be to fit *inside* of some of the ST cases,

replacing where the existing port comes out? (Mega's, STacy's etc, I

guess would be easier because of space). Just a random thought. :)

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Do you have to use an 9-female-to-9-pin-male extension cable with that adapter? It seems like there is no way it will fit into the joystick ports on the underside of a 520/1040 ST/STe. I could see where an extension cable would help; you could then then plug the adapter in where it is easily accessible.

 

Just curious - I'm interested in one of these.

 

I was thinking the same thing before I received it. No extension cable needed, it fits fine. Mine is plugged into a 1040 with no problems. After you plug it in, you can slide the ST to the edge of your desk, hold the adapter against the bottom of the computer and plug or unplug the mouse. No lifting the ST required. The end where you plug in the mouse is still in the hollowed out area where the mouse/joy stick ports are. BTW, it's 2 1/8" long.

Edited by 499
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I have two USB optical mice that I use with my PeST interface; a Saitek M-188 and a A4tech SWOP-80PU8. I think it is the Saitek that came with a USB <-> PS/2 adapter plug and that works with the A4tech as well. However has anyone here EVER and I mean EVER, got ANY of those cheap green adapters on the net to work? I have bought a handful of different ones from various places online and none of them work with anything. Is there some extra logic chips inside the ones that work, like the one that came with my mouse?

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I was thinking the same thing before I received it. No extension cable needed, it fits fine. Mine is plugged into a 1040 with no problems. After you plug it in, you can slide the ST to the edge of your desk, hold the adapter against the bottom of the computer and plug or unplug the mouse. No lifting the ST required. The end where you plug in the mouse is still in the hollowed out area where the mouse/joy stick ports are. BTW, it's 2 1/8" long.

 

I'm surprised that both the adapter and the mouse's DB9 connector can fit in that hollowed-out area, but I'm happy really glad to hear they do.

 

Thanks for the info!

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I was thinking the same thing before I received it. No extension cable needed, it fits fine. Mine is plugged into a 1040 with no problems. After you plug it in, you can slide the ST to the edge of your desk, hold the adapter against the bottom of the computer and plug or unplug the mouse. No lifting the ST required. The end where you plug in the mouse is still in the hollowed out area where the mouse/joy stick ports are. BTW, it's 2 1/8" long.

 

I'm surprised that both the adapter and the mouse's DB9 connector can fit in that hollowed-out area, but I'm happy really glad to hear they do.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

I thought you might want to see what it looks like plugged in.

 

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I have two USB optical mice that I use with my PeST interface; a Saitek M-188 and a A4tech SWOP-80PU8. I think it is the Saitek that came with a USB <-> PS/2 adapter plug and that works with the A4tech as well. However has anyone here EVER and I mean EVER, got ANY of those cheap green adapters on the net to work? I have bought a handful of different ones from various places online and none of them work with anything. Is there some extra logic chips inside the ones that work, like the one that came with my mouse?

 

I've a green USB mouse -> PS2 converter that came with with my Logitech mouse but it only works with the Logitech mouse.

Those adapters are probably passive adapters (no electronics inside) that only work with USB mice that have a PS2 mode.

Thus the mouse must detect that it is connected to a PS2 port instead of USB and switch to PS2 mode.

 

Robert

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I have two USB optical mice that I use with my PeST interface; a Saitek M-188 and a A4tech SWOP-80PU8. I think it is the Saitek that came with a USB <-> PS/2 adapter plug and that works with the A4tech as well. However has anyone here EVER and I mean EVER, got ANY of those cheap green adapters on the net to work? I have bought a handful of different ones from various places online and none of them work with anything. Is there some extra logic chips inside the ones that work, like the one that came with my mouse?

 

Those adapters are passive. Your mouse *must* support ps/2 mode in order for them to work.

 

If the mouse didn't come with one of the adapters, it probably doesn't support ps/2 mode

 

I suspect that the same is true for these ebay adapters. I'd bet money if you slit open the heatshrink, you'll find a a plain ol' PIC programmed with Tom's code from way back, but instead of a PS/2 connector, it incorporates the USB connector (a la the "little green adapters")

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I bought those two mice in 2004 and 2005 respectively, but as you say they may be just USB mice with an adapter that can enable connection to a PS/2 interface. So if my USB mice were genuine PS/2 mice as well, any adapter would work because the adapter would merely be using a USB to DIN socket.

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Out of all my mice, the only one to work is the Saitek model #M-166. I would think my Microsoft Optical Mouse Blue would work, it is USB and PS/2 Compatible, but it does not. My beige MS optical scroll mouse also does not work even though it is PS/2 compatible. I have used my Logitech iFeel mouse with a USB to PS/2 adapter and it worked fine but will not work with this Atari adapter. I also tried another off brand mouse and all it does is flicker the optical light.

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Man, this is a bummer. I was kind of thinking this would be an end-all-be-all solution to ST mouse problems.

 

Now it looks like we need to build a list of actual models that work with this device. Perhaps our friends with Amigas are enduring similar difficulties, and we can cross-reference? We certainly should cross-post with Atari-forum on this one, except perhaps the models of mice available are totally different in Europe.

 

As the PS/2 port has all but disappeared from most computers, it seems this could be an obsolete solution.

 

As I hadn't used ST in nearly 20 years - and a ball mouse in perhaps 10 - I was convinced my ST mice were all bad. After much cussing - and always using a soft mouse pad - I tried it on the hard table. SUDDENLY ARKANOID WAS FUN AGAIN AND MY OLD ST MOUSE WAS WORKING GREAT!!! Funny this doesn't jibe with my memories, but ball mouse likes a hard surface, no?

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Man, this is a bummer. I was kind of thinking this would be an end-all-be-all solution to ST mouse problems.

 

Now it looks like we need to build a list of actual models that work with this device. Perhaps our friends with Amigas are enduring similar difficulties, and we can cross-reference? We certainly should cross-post with Atari-forum on this one, except perhaps the models of mice available are totally different in Europe.

 

As the PS/2 port has all but disappeared from most computers, it seems this could be an obsolete solution.

 

As I hadn't used ST in nearly 20 years - and a ball mouse in perhaps 10 - I was convinced my ST mice were all bad. After much cussing - and always using a soft mouse pad - I tried it on the hard table. SUDDENLY ARKANOID WAS FUN AGAIN AND MY OLD ST MOUSE WAS WORKING GREAT!!! Funny this doesn't jibe with my memories, but ball mouse likes a hard surface, no?

 

A list of all mice known to work with this is a good idea. I hate ball mice, always picking up dust and lint. Even when I clean my ST mouse, the movement is still jerky because the rollers are going bad.

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The linkedproject might be of interest to you. They plan to build the interface to the Atari directly into a modern optical mouse. If it works and doesn't cost too much, it will probably end up as the most hazzle free solution.

E.q. no adaptors where cables can be pulled loose.

 

http://dbug.kicks-ass.net/dbugforums/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1281275443

Edited by simonsunnyboy
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  • 1 month later...

Well, I'm sorry I didn't pursue this before. Now the seller mentioned previously......

 

Atari ST USB Mouse Adapter

 

Just bought one myself.

 

........that Guitarman bought from, doesn't have any for sale.

 

There is a seller.......

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 1206265578631?ff3=2&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&item=120626557863&mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]

 

.......who has them listed, this time in Ireland. They're more expensive.

 

After re-reading this thread, it seems the sensible thing to do is buy a mouse that comes with a USB-to-PS/2 adapter. That's your sign that the mouse can still work in PS/2 mode. I was in Office Depot today, and they had **ONE** such mouse.....

 

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/313200/Microsoft-Wheel-Mouse-Optical-Black/

 

This was the only one. Even the "Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse" ($15.00) does NOT offer PS/2 connectivity.

 

Before I rush and start spending money on this stuff, I just wondered if anyone has used the Ireland offering, or if you're convinced enough that it is identical to the Poland offering that Guitarman (and others) have used. I feel like I'm blindly gambling.

 

Thank you to you guys above who explained the passive nature of the USB-to-PS/2 adapter. So evidently, there's NOTHING USB AT ALL (besides the appearance of the connector) about these ST USB mouse adapters.....it's all PS/2 connectivity facilitated through a USB connector.

 

Obviously, the PeST adapter cable is the competing offering, with its PS/2 port. However, optical mice with PS/2 connectors are a rare breed, and haven't been available (new) for years. When I visit the thrift stores, I have dug through bins of PS/2 mice, finding nothing but ball mice. If I did find one, it would plug into the PeST sans adapter, and the less adapters the cleaner. However, I can't find any. The best I think I can do is get one of the [above] Microsoft ones that comes with the USB-to-PS/2 adapter, and then I'd have to use it with the PeST. Yuck. May as well just get the one that doesn't need the adapter with mice that are currently for sale, no?

 

It's a little misleading that these adapters always say "works with any* USB mouse" - even if they have the asterisk. I sure would like to use something on the order of a Logitech cordless USB notebook mouse, but I'm pretty sure that doesn't qualify, eh?

Edited by wood_jl
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I said "what the hell" and ordered the Irish offering, today. I want this before it goes off the market. I also cleaned up/combined some STM-1 (atari's brand) and they seem to work ok. I still want optical.

 

I'd like a really nice, kick-ass optical built-into the Atari mouse case. I have a fond nostalgia for the Atari mouse, but all it takes is one ball mouse skip to lose a game of Arkanoid, and I'm pissed. (not really, but it's irritating)

 

I guess I'll try one of those $20 Microsoft mice from Office Depot (linked to above).

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