CD32 Mouse Options

[UHATEIT]

Hello, I have an NTSC Cd32 and a tv that won't work with PAL. Almost all of the games I have try to boot in PAL. There is a way to fix this by plugging in an Amiga Mouse to port 2 and holding both buttons down when you boot up, which goes to a menu to choose NTSC or PAL for booting. 

 

Finding an Amiga Mouse is hard, I ended up buying the adapter below and tried that but it didn't work. I'm assuming because my mice are too new and likely don't support ps/2 protocol and they are laser and usb mice. 

 

How can I find out if a mouse supports ps/2 protocol of that's the issue or if a specific mice would be needed to use this adapter. Otherwise has anyone else used an adapter like this and had it workm what kind of mouse did you use?

 

[Daedalus2097]

I've used a couple of different adaptors specifically designed for PS/2 mice which have worked very well, and you can still buy PS/2 mice for buttons. The Cocolino worked well for me for many years directly with a basic Logitech optical mouse, though it had issues with my KVM. Switching to a Micromys solved the KVM issue so I can still use that same Logitech mouse with all my machines.

 

If you need to use a USB mouse, the Rys Mk. 2 adaptor has proper HID mouse support so it should work with mice supporting the standard protocol. I believe it lacks support for the scroll wheel though, which may or may not matter to you, but for me that's an unfortunate oversight.

[UHATEIT]

So I'm guessing this adapter isn't the issue then right it's that my mouse probably doesn't support the ps2 protocol right?

 

On the clock wheel thing I definitely just need it for the double hold down thing to swap to NTSC.

 

My crt won't recognize PAL, but my plasma has an AV to HDMI adapter that I tried with the CD32 that will boot it to NTSC so things work in color except for some games that show black and white only (Alien Breed, Roadkill, KID Chaos, Super Stardust) which I'm assuming noatter what I do won't work in color in NTSC

[str0m]

I have this one for my PAL CD32 and it works perfectly to access the boot menu etc, see if you can find similar or if he will ship to the US. He sells the adapters by themselves as well.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Commodore-Amiga-NEW-Optical-Mouse-ALL-Amiga-Models-CD32-Compatible/133052953889?hash=item1efa92f521:g:Os0AAOSweDFc5FP2

[UHATEIT]

3 hours ago, str0m said:

I have this one for my PAL CD32 and it works perfectly to access the boot menu etc, see if you can find similar or if he will ship to the US. He sells the adapters by themselves as well.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Commodore-Amiga-NEW-Optical-Mouse-ALL-Amiga-Models-CD32-Compatible/133052953889?hash=item1efa92f521:g:Os0AAOSweDFc5FP2

Does it sound like the mouse is the issue or the adapter I bought? I wasn't sure if there was any special wiring or whatever in the adapter chip he makes that goes from usb to db9. Or if the one I showed above would be fine and just need a mouse that can handle the ps/2 protocol

[str0m]

Not sure to be honest. I know when you use keyboards in a Kipper riser adapter which uses a PS2 connector they say that a lot of USB ones will work with a USB-->PS2 adapter but only if they support the old PS2 standards so it's possible it's the same for mice plugged in via an adapter to one of the 9 pin ports.

 

Was that adapter specifically listed as an Amiga one as it may be for other machines with 9 pin ports but they could use a different pin out to the Amiga. I would say the older/more basic the mouse the more likely it is to work. The one I have (same as in my link) is a basic Microsoft one.

 

Just looked at the sellers link to just his adapter and he also mentions the PS2 protocol requirements so I would say it has to  be your mouse, look for one of the cheap Microsoft ones https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Commodore-Amiga-USB-9-pin-Mouse-Adapter-A500-A600-A1200-A4000-CD32/133497761784?hash=item1f15162ff8:g:iaEAAOSw339ee1wc

 

Here is one on US ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Microsoft-Basic-Optical-Mouse-v2-0-USB/174235472570?hash=item28913e52ba:g:eJMAAOSwh3xegdO0

[UHATEIT]

3 hours ago, str0m said:

Not sure to be honest. I know when you use keyboards in a Kipper riser adapter which uses a PS2 connector they say that a lot of USB ones will work with a USB-->PS2 adapter but only if they support the old PS2 standards so it's possible it's the same for mice plugged in via an adapter to one of the 9 pin ports.

 

Was that adapter specifically listed as an Amiga one as it may be for other machines with 9 pin ports but they could use a different pin out to the Amiga. I would say the older/more basic the mouse the more likely it is to work. The one I have (same as in my link) is a basic Microsoft one.

 

Just looked at the sellers link to just his adapter and he also mentions the PS2 protocol requirements so I would say it has to  be your mouse, look for one of the cheap Microsoft ones https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Commodore-Amiga-USB-9-pin-Mouse-Adapter-A500-A600-A1200-A4000-CD32/133497761784?hash=item1f15162ff8:g:iaEAAOSw339ee1wc

 

Here is one on US ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Microsoft-Basic-Optical-Mouse-v2-0-USB/174235472570?hash=item28913e52ba:g:eJMAAOSwh3xegdO0

Sweet! Yeah I ordered the basic USB to DB9 adapter from the first post (a cable) adapter form ebay and when it arrived it wouldnt work, but both the 2 mice I have are newer and on the bottom do not say PS/2 compatible as some mice on ebay show. I even have a basic as heck Logitech that cost maybe $8 from Amazon and it won;t work. but again doesnt say PS/2 compatible.

 

It sounds safe to bet that its the mouse itself, so I'll order a USB and PS/2 compatible mouse and then use it with that adapter from my original post and see if it works. I had been worried that perhaps there is special wiring in the adapter itself that makes it so it works with the Amiga since the adapter I got it a basic USb to DB9 adapter but doesnt specifically say for an Amiga. 

Edited January 4, 2021 by UHATEIT

[amiman99]

Which exact USB adapter did you get? Link?

I would say that you should get Amiga specific adapter, or Amiga compatible one.

 

I have PS2 Mouse to Amiga adapter, and this one works fine.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-PS-2-to-Amiga-500-600-1200-2000-3000-4000-Mouse-Adapter-Converter-PS2/274486074808

 

[UHATEIT]

Alright I've got an update and still have help needed on this issue. I ordered the custom made USB to Amiga adapter from Greece back in January and it finally arrived (USPS kindly lost it in the New York Customs Office for over 2 months then it finally arrived).

 

I have this USB to Amiga Adapter now (USB to DB9) and also bought a working PS/2 protocol mouse. The mouse works when I plug it into my regular laptop (laser lights up on the bottom) however when I plug the USB-Amiga adapter into port #2 on the CD32 to try and do the double button hold down trick to try and get to the menu to boot my console into NTSC the mouse doesnt light up at all and the system just starts as normal as if I'm doing nothing at all. 

 

I am trying to do this to get games that are forcing the system to boot into PAL to instead get to the menu where I can force NTSC so the screen will not flicker and so I can play the games in color vs black/white for those that boot into or force PAL.

 

Would you say something is wrong with the adapter itself then?

 

I have attached pics of everything below to show what I am working with. It is a NTSC TV in the USA, with an NTSC Amiga CD32, a PS/2 protocol mouse and the Greek USB to DB9 adapter that is supposed to make a PS/2 protocol mouse work on an Amifa CD32. Here is a picture of the adapter, the Am
iga CD32 with the adapter plugged in and the mouse plugged in (doesnt light up or do anything) the TV showing the flicker which is what happens with the 50/60hz refresh rate difference on Pal vs NTSC, and then a picture of the same mouse plugged into my laptop and is lit up showing it works just fine. 

[amiman99]

Get a Volt meter and check if there is 5V on USB port. There are 4 pins on USB, the outside pins are the Volt +/- pins.

 

 

[UHATEIT]

The adapter is brand new and came from a reputable seller it appears on eBay and came recommended.  Figure the personally made it right as it looks like they've made and sold many. It's just a USB to db9 instead of a ps2 to db9 but even the ad says: 

Works in all Amiga modes including the Boot Menu when holding both mouse buttons on startup.
No drivers required just plug and play.

Warning, your usb mouse must support the PS / 2 protocol.

[amiman99]

Did you check in both joystick ports? It's possible that your CD32 5V is not working in joystick port.

[UHATEIT]

I plugged it into port 1 and 2 and ot doesn't light the mouse up in either port. The controller works tho when plugged in but the mouse with adapter doesn't. If getting a real Amiga mouse wasn't so hard I'd have grabbed one of those and avoided all this adapter business. 

 

Since I'm  in the USA and have an ntsc cd32 and my TV only does ntsc when a game forces it to boot to PAL it does the screen flicker for the 50hz PAL on the 60hz ntsc TV. I can see the game but it flickers up and down so much I can't play the game. 

[amiman99]

I used to do a mouse conversion from PC Bus Mouse to Amiga/Atari ST. I have to cut the connector and install DB9 connector. I still have some mice left, these mice are not the best, but work, if you like I can convert one for you.

I need to test if it works on CD32.

I'm not sure how much I charge for them. 

$14 plus shipping

 

Edited April 8, 2021 by amiman99

[UHATEIT]

On 4/7/2021 at 7:03 PM, amiman99 said:

Get a Volt meter and check if there is 5V on USB port. There are 4 pins on USB, the outside pins are the Volt +/- pins.

 

 

So I tried a voltmeter  on the 2 outside pins inside of the USB plug in with the console on and didn't get any volts from it. It flickered -5 once tho. The seller was telling me to check the pins on the port#2 of the console itself vs the adapter. 

[amiman99]

10 hours ago, UHATEIT said:

So I tried a voltmeter  on the 2 outside pins inside of the USB plug in with the console on and didn't get any volts from it. It flickered -5 once tho. The seller was telling me to check the pins on the port#2 of the console itself vs the adapter. 

-5V is because the meter leads are reversed, which is fine.

It's possible that you have 5V, just your hands are not steady, or leads don't make a good connection.