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Re: PS-2 Keyboard for Aplle II ?



On 2005-12-31, Don Bruder <dakidd@sonic.net> 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!)