Re: PS-2 Keyboard for Aplle II ?

On 2005-12-31, Don Bruder <dakidd@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I'm thinking that's not possible - At least, not to interface with
> existing hardware/software. PS/2 keyboards are a flavor of serial. The
> II/II+ both operated on a switch matrix that the MB talked to
> more-or-less directly.

That depends. Just what does an Apple ][ keyboard look like to software?

It's fairly easy to talk to a PS/2 keyboard with a programmable
microcontroller such as the Atmel AVR series. (The PICs have a hardware
design deficiency that makes it much harder to do properly, since you can't
cleanly switch from input to output: you'll glitch the line.) It would not
be that difficult to build up an adapter with an AVR, serial on one side
talking to the PS/2 keyboard, whatever bits the Apple wants on the other.
--
Jay Maynard, K5ZC http://www.conmicro.cx
http://www.hercules-390.org http://www.tronguy.net
http://jmaynard.livejournal.com (Yes, that's me!)
.