SIO to Arduino to USB Keybard

[gozar]

There's been some interested in using an Atari 8-bit as a USB keyboard (not to be confused with using an USB keyboard with the Atari). After talking to Joey_z, it looks like it would be possible to hook an Arduino up to the SIO port, and then have the Atari send out each keypress through the SIO. The Arduino would then look up the key and send out the correct USB key code.

 

The console keys would be used to provide all of the key presses required, like Select and the number keys would be the F-keys. Start would ALT, and Help would be the command/windows key.

 

I'm going to start playing around with this, first stage would be to get the Atari talking over the SIO to an Arduino. First questions:

• Do I need to worry about any flow control, or can I just use the two serial lines? Data will only be going out to the Arduino.
• How would I talk to the Arduino? Load in an RS232 driver? I'd like to prototype something in Basic. :-)

Why connect over the SIO? Because joey_z brought up the great idea of being able to boot the Atari into the keyboard sending program. That way, you don't have to set up some sort of boot device (aka burning a catridge or using a flash cart).

 

Version 2 would support sending joysticks as keypresses. :-) And figure out how to encode paddle input into something that would work with an emulator.

 

It would be pretty awesome to set up an 800 on my desk at work...

 

 

[Kyle22]

Brilliant Idea

 

Edit: I see you have an 800. If you have an Incognito, it's an easy OS patch to add help key to original 800 (using the XL OS). I mapped CtrlShift? as help in mine.

Edited November 20, 2015 by Kyle22

[gozar]

Good idea, I forgot about the lack of the Help key on the 400/800.

 

 

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[+David_P]

You'll need bidirectional data to the Atari. That way, set the arduino to respond as an intelligent peripheral, and install whatever Atari keyboard driver you write as a boot file. Voila - whatever Atari the arduino gets connected to is immediately usable.

[Kyle22]

Good idea, I forgot about the lack of the Help key on the 400/800.

 

 

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Here is my thread about 800 help. Post #7 is where I found the easy solution.

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/222555-how-to-add-missing-help-key-to-800/?hl=%2B800+%2Bhelp+%2Bkey&do=findComment&comment=2937947

Edited November 20, 2015 by Kyle22

[ClausB]

Use a Teensy instead of Arduino for easy keyboard implementation:

http://www.pjrc.com/teensy/td_keyboard.html

[morelenmir]

I'm really intrigued by this idea! Anyone who is super short of space at their desk - like me - could keep the Atari out all the time and just swap input on their monitor from PC to Atari when they wanted to use the retro hardware. Obviously you would need a monitor that accepted svideo - after modding the Atari appropriately - or use my existing VBXE and some kind of line-doubler/upscaler to output via HDMI.

 

I am very tempted to give this a go as my pal recently gave me an old Arduino he never used. I just don't know if I could do all the typing I typically use on the PC with the Atari keyboard.

[yorgle]

I've been using my 1200xl and a CX85 numeric keypad as my primary keyboard on my work pc for a few years now. 99% of my work is text editing and numeric input into spreadsheets so there are plenty of keys available. I keep a wireless usb keyboard in a drawer for the few times I need special keys. I love having my Atari on my desk all the time.

Edited November 23, 2015 by yorgle