Atari ST USB keyboard conversion kit

[djglish]

Does anyone have any experience with the Tynemouth Atari ST keyboard to USB kit?

I'd like to take an old Atari STFm and put a Mini PC in it.  

 

When showing it off I could start out with it running a ST emulator and then switching into Windows 10 mode.

It would be cool to have what looks like a stock ST running Windows 10.

Depending on the Mini PC I use I figure that I can do it all for $200 on up.

 

[snarkdluG]

Yup, works great. I haven't used it that much. Just for testing a fixed, once broken STfm keyboard I got cheap on eBay. Ran it under Win10. If I recall it comes up as keyboard and joystick. I never testet with mouse though, so I don't know if it works or rember if it came up as a HUD in Win. 

 

EDIT: It doesn't support mice it says on their site. 

Edited August 8, 2020 by snarkdluG
Mouse support

[djglish]

Thanks for the reply.  Unfortunately the maker is taking some time off and won't be back until the end of the year.  

There is a mini pc with a Celeron processor for about $120.00.  With the Keyboard to USB converter I should be able to get the project done for about $200.00 total.  I'm also thinking about doing the same thing with an old Atari 800XL that I have. I might even make it so that I can remove the mini pc from one and use it for the other.  Years ago, I went the other direction.  I put an Atari Mega ST in a PC tower case.  It only worked for a short period though.  The chips on the motherboard kept working loose because of the vertical mounting.

[tomster]

Hi djglish, if you don't mind soldering 4 wires you might as well

• buy an ATmega32U4 (Arduino Leonardo compatible) board for $10
• flash it with this software: https://github.com/devonshire/arduino-atari-hid-keyboard (Copyright Kevin Peat 2017)
• solder (or otherwise connect) the 5V, GND, RX and TX wires. The reset wire is optional (and does not exist on MegaST/e).

This works well not only for STF/M/E keyboards but also for MegaST/e ones.

This will however not give you joystick or mouse support.

 

I don't want to sabotage Tynemouth's great product here, but having to wait until EOY sounds a bit harsh

Edited August 11, 2020 by tomster

[djglish]

Thanks for the info.  I took a look at the site and looks like something I can do.  A much less expensive option and I won't have to wait until the EOY. I have the mini pc and a dead Atari ST.  I'll have to clean up the case,  I also want to do the same thing with an Atari 800XL.  That's going to be harder since the keyboard cable is a ribbon cable going to a non standard connector on the motherboard.  I've read an article by a person who has done it.  

[djglish]

Tomster, I took your advice and checked out the link.  I bought an Arduino Leonardo and followed the instructions on the pinouts and coding.  

It's working now and ran less than $30.00 for all of the parts.  

 

There is a lot of room in my ST case even with the mini pc in there.  Now I just have to decide exactly how I want to mount it.  I want to be able to remove it when necessary.  The mini pc runs hot so I'll have to put a fan or two inside to keep things cool.  Then I have to update the old Atari mouse to USB.  I may just replace the innards  I'll add a link when I have the project finished.