Re: IIGS ADB mouse - Can it be adapted to IIe/IIc use??

[et472@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Michael Black)]

Stephen E Buggie (buggie@argo.unm.edu) writes:
>      IIGS (ADB) MOUSE --- CAN IT BE ADAPTED FOR IIE/IIC USE?
>      =======================================================
> 
> 
> QUESTION: Can the ADB-style IIgs mouse be adapted for use with the IIe / IIc? Is it merely a matter of connecting a 
> DB-9 plug?? Also, which wires should be connected between the DB-9 plug 
> color code to the color code of the IIGS ADB mouse??
> 
Given that I thought the mouses for the earlier Apples were on the level
of the original Mac mouse, no.  ADB, like serial and PS2 mouses for
the IBM world, send out serial data.  The earlier computers are looking
for a a number of discret lines, carrying such things as up/down, left/right,
and their 90 degree shifted complements, and button(s) press.  The only
way you could get a useful mouse out of an ADB mouse connector would be
to throw in a computer to do the conversion.

But, if you really want to mess the ADB mouse, likely you can find
the needed signals inside the mouse.  You'd bypass the IC in there,
and bring out the signals directly from the button swith, and the outpus
of the 4 optocouplers, plus feed some voltage in to power the optocouplers.
I once did this with an IBM type serial mouse, bringing out those
signals to make a spare mouse for my Mac Plus.

In other words, the ADB mouse is a superset of what's in a non-ADB mouse,
and if you are willing to modify it, likely you will get a working mouse.

  Michael