XT/AT/PS2/Terminal to USB Converter with NKRO

[JPG]

I appreciate you guys doing all the dirty work for me.

I have had one of these for a month but have not taken it out of the bag yet because I was not in the mood to waste a bunch of time.

If you encounter any problem just post it and I'll share my experience as best as I can! It's always a small detail that makes the difference between a succes and a failure and often the error you get tells you close to nothing!


By the way, something I did not mention is that you need to be in the folder where your .hex is when you are in the command line window. For example, by default I was in the c:\users\user directory and I had copied my .hex directly on my c drive. So a basic cd .. twice got me back on the c directly and it worked. As long as you are at the same place as the .hex it should work.

[bcg]

Hi guys... I have my AT Model F connected via Soarer's converter, its working well except I don't like how the shift keys work with the number pad... for example if I have num lock off and I do Shift+Home it outputs a 7 ... I use Shift+Home, Shift+End, and Shift+Insert all the time so this is kind of a pain... is there any easy way to remap that ?  thanks

[JPG]

Hi Soarer,

I finally soldered a basic DIN5 female connector to my pro micro that I had loaded with the hex. I plugged my XT keyboard to it and plugged it with a usb cable to my computer.

It is being detected as a soarer keyboard but nothing happens when I press a key. I started hid_listen and here's what I get when I plug the keyboard:

Listening:
wEE

remaining: FFFC


Keyboard ID: 0000
Code Set: 1
Mode: PC/XT

I tested the continuity on my female connector and it seems fine but I am new to all of this (haven't played with a multimeter for 15 years).

Whatever I press nothing happens. The keyboard has not been tested since I got it since I didn't have a converter on hand, but it was supposed to be working.

What should I do from there?

[Soarer]

Double-check that the socket isn't wired backwards.

Then the best way to test is to open the XT and test continuity for all four lines all the way from the Pro Micro to the XT's PCB. See here.

[Soarer]

Hi guys... I have my AT Model F connected via Soarer's converter, its working well except I don't like how the shift keys work with the number pad... for example if I have num lock off and I do Shift+Home it outputs a 7 ... I use Shift+Home, Shift+End, and Shift+Insert all the time so this is kind of a pain... is there any easy way to remap that ?  thanks

Which OS? (That stuff works OK for me on Windows).

I've got stuff like numpad modes and 'ways to react to lock state' on my to-do list... but also a lot else!

[bcg]

Hi guys... I have my AT Model F connected via Soarer's converter, its working well except I don't like how the shift keys work with the number pad... for example if I have num lock off and I do Shift+Home it outputs a 7 ... I use Shift+Home, Shift+End, and Shift+Insert all the time so this is kind of a pain... is there any easy way to remap that ?  thanks

Which OS? (That stuff works OK for me on Windows).

I've got stuff like numpad modes and 'ways to react to lock state' on my to-do list... but also a lot else!

Debian Linux w/ Menta desktop environment

Probably something in my X settings... I'll take a look, thanks Soarer

[JPG]

Double-check that the socket isn't wired backwards.

Then the best way to test is to open the XT and test continuity for all four lines all the way from the Pro Micro to the XT's PCB. See here.

Hi Soarer,

I tested the continuity and they were all fine. After looking once more at where I plugged each cable and seeing all was fine as far as I understand it, I plugged it again, and got the same result. Then I unplugged each cable on the breadboard on which my pro micro is and I saw one had some kind of plastic on the metal part that is plugged (the clock one). So I removed this plastic thing and then I got a signal. Here's what I get when I plug it in now:



I saw that these r something are bad, but don't know how to correct them... n00b needs help here!

[fohat.digs]

Does the converter support the Commodore Amiga A2000?

Can I just plug it in to my external Teensy box, or do I have to reset something?

Thanks!

[Soarer]

JPG - If you get one rFF for each key press and each release, that probably means that the data line isn't connected somewhere.

I'm not sure you did the continuity test quite how I meant, since you had a problem with clock still! I really meant to test from each pad on the XT's PCB, to the corresponding pin right on the Pro Micro, which would test every connection in between.

But now that clock is working, you could just pull the data wire out of the breadboard and see if you get the same behaviour

[Soarer]

Does the converter support the Commodore Amiga A2000?

Can I just plug it in to my external Teensy box, or do I have to reset something?

Thanks!

Nope. It looks quite simple - simpler than XT, in fact, with no start bit - but there's a startup and re-sync sequence to cope with before it will talk.

Nothing will blow up if you connect it; the pinout and signalling seem to be the same as XT/AT (just the protocol is different). But you'll get a lot of R05 errors!

If I get one I'll code for it, but it looks too tricky to code without the keyboard at hand.

[JPG]

JPG - If you get one rFF for each key press and each release, that probably means that the data line isn't connected somewhere.

I'm not sure you did the continuity test quite how I meant, since you had a problem with clock still! I really meant to test from each pad on the XT's PCB, to the corresponding pin right on the Pro Micro, which would test every connection in between.

But now that clock is working, you could just pull the data wire out of the breadboard and see if you get the same behaviour

Well, I get this result without pressing any key. And yea, I tested the continuity from the pcb pins to the pcb pads, will do it from pads to pro micro next time.

I will do some more testing then and see what I can get from it, but when I was pressing a key nothing happened after the initial flow of rFF. More debugging to go!

[Pacifist]

So I tried installing Arduino. I tried (but could not succeed) in installing avrdude. Tried arduino builder: what was recommended here: http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/ibm-model-m-1395764-with-curious-graphic-legends-1989-t6407.html#p135750

and nothing. The hex never got flashed over to the pro micro.

Does anyone else have other options? Apart from getting a teensy (of which two have been ordered in jdcarpes GB and are last ditch for this convertor)

[jdcarpe]

So I tried installing Arduino. I tried (but could not succeed) in installing avrdude. Tried arduino builder: what was recommended here: http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/ibm-model-m-1395764-with-curious-graphic-legends-1989-t6407.html#p135750

and nothing. The hex never got flashed over to the pro micro.

Does anyone else have other options? Apart from getting a teensy (of which two have been ordered in jdcarpes GB and are last ditch for this convertor)

Keep trying over and over again with avrdude. Short RST to GND and wait about a second, then hit enter on your avrdude programming command at the command line. Try that over and over until it finally works. Took me over 20 tries, I'm certain, before it successfully flashed to my Pro Micro clone.

[Pacifist]

So I tried installing Arduino. I tried (but could not succeed) in installing avrdude. Tried arduino builder: what was recommended here: http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/ibm-model-m-1395764-with-curious-graphic-legends-1989-t6407.html#p135750

and nothing. The hex never got flashed over to the pro micro.

Does anyone else have other options? Apart from getting a teensy (of which two have been ordered in jdcarpes GB and are last ditch for this convertor)

Keep trying over and over again with avrdude. Short RST to GND and wait about a second, then hit enter on your avrdude programming command at the command line. Try that over and over until it finally works. Took me over 20 tries, I'm certain, before it successfully flashed to my Pro Micro clone.

I will do that. After 5ish tries, I started giving up. I guess I have to brute force it.

Thanks for the help!

[Soarer]

Double-tap reset to ground, then it should stay in bootloader mode for a few seconds.

[JPG]

For everyone knowledge, here's a more complete list of steps I did to load my pro micro:





1. I installed the arduino software to get the driver and avrdude and winavr since I realised quite late that the arduino thing had it, but anyway.
2. I put the pro micro on a breadboard and plugged a usb cable in it and in my computer. It was detected as a Leonardo on COM3. I put a cable in the rst pin.
3. I copied the Soarer_at2usb_v1.12_atmega32u4.hex on my c.
4. I opened a command window and typed the following: avrdude -patmega32u4 -cavr109 -PCOM3 -Uflash:w:Soarer_at2usb_v1.12_atmega32u4.hex (Don't press enter yet and be sure you are located on the directory where the converter is, on the c drive for me, you can use cd .. to go back and other cd commands to move to the directory you use)
5. Then you need to open your device window where you see your ports and you connect a cable to the rst pin and tap the other side to the micro usb connector (I had to do it a few times to make it works).
6. When it works, you will see your Leonardo device being disconnected in your port list, and a bootloader will appear and will last for around 5 seconds. You need to first look at which port it will use.
7. Then you change the port in you command line to put the one you saw for the bootloader (PCOM6 for example).
8. Then you tap the cable again to get your bootloader and when it appears you press enter in the command line. It should start loading your hex at this point.


P.S.: Taping the cable to get the bootloader to show has not been so easy. Try different parts of the usb connector (sides worked better for me, and holes in it too, I don't know why).

[Hubbert]

Thanks again for all the great work.  Now that 1.0 is long released, is there any chance of releasing the source?

[Soarer]

I keep thinking about it, but never seem to find a good time to do it. Unless I can find a way to remove certain info from the git repo, I won't be able to simply make my repo public. In all likelihood, I'll have to start a new repo without any history, which is a pain.

[Hubbert]

Yeah, I hate to make extra non-fun work for you.  You've done such a great job of promptly maintaining the software so far that opening the source might not really speed development much.  But maybe it would help occasionally.

[vivalarevolución]

If you're on a Mac, then you want to use Terminal. It isn't a DOS prompt. May look similar, but very very different.

Edit the file with any text editor, then use the scas tool to convert it to a format that can be used directly on the Teensy (the converted file will need the extension .scb). After you convert it, use scwr to send the converted configuration to the teensy.

If you're starting from scratch (a new, blank file, that you're picking the name for), and using TextEdit, when hitting Save, select Plain Text as the file format, and have the filename include the .sc at the end.

So after a couple months of procrastination, I have got back to attempting a remap.  I am using wcass's instructions from way back on page 19, but I cannot seem to get past the first step of drag and dropping the scas.exe file.  I know of the tools in the Docs folder, but dragging and dropping scas into Terminal does not seem to do anything.  All it says is "no such file or directory" or if I just enter "scas" into terminal, it says "command not found".

So do I use this scas tool in Terminal?  And where do I find this tools folder that I need to drag and drop from?

If you're on a Mac, then you want to use Terminal. It isn't a DOS prompt. May look similar, but very very different.

Edit the file with any text editor, then use the scas tool to convert it to a format that can be used directly on the Teensy (the converted file will need the extension .scb). After you convert it, use scwr to send the converted configuration to the teensy.

If you're starting from scratch (a new, blank file, that you're picking the name for), and using TextEdit, when hitting Save, select Plain Text as the file format, and have the filename include the .sc at the end.

So after a couple months of procrastination, I have got back to attempting a remap.  I am using wcass's instructions from way back on page 19, but I cannot seem to get past the first step of drag and dropping the scas.exe file.  I know of the tools in the Docs folder, but dragging and dropping scas into Terminal does not seem to do anything.  All it says is "no such file or directory" or if I just enter "scas" into terminal, it says "command not found".

So do I use this scas tool in Terminal?  And where do I find this tools folder that I need to drag and drop from?

EDIT:  Nevermind, I found the tools in v. 1.10.  I mistakingly thought the latest version would have all the tools that I needed.

[vivalarevolución]

Alright, I figured it all out once I was able to locate that tools folder.

[Soarer]

Sorry, yeah, tacking 'update' on the end of the zip name has become a pattern, so I don't mention it every time these days! I should add 'full' to the complete ones perhaps.

[JPG]

Well I finally managed to make it work. My setup was a n00b total mess, but at least I had to connexions right.

My setup is still temporary since I removed the cable, plugged some female DuPont connector directly in the pins for the cable, thx for the test pads! The female cables are going out where the original cable goes and they are plugged directly in the pro micro.

Just sad that my 8 key is dead, but for home it's not a major issue. The stiff spacebar and the weird layout will need time getting used to until I get the guts to fully open the layer sandwich and solve these issues!

Soon it will be time to test my F122, but I am still super happy that it's working for now!!!

Thx a lot Soarer, your converter is absolutely amazing! If not for some little difficulties loading the hex and having a proper connexion, it would have been quite plug and play!

[Pacifist]

Does anybody know where to buy XT female sockets to use with this converter?

[fohat.digs]

Does anybody know where to buy XT female sockets to use with this converter?

Don't know what you are looking for. I used the first one of these for my outboard Teensy.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-pcs-Metal-shell-5-Pin-DIN-Plug-Female-socket-Connector-Cables-Soldering-DIY-/130974257924?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e7eac9304

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Studer-Revox-54-02-0310-5-Pin-Din-Socket-NOS-/121275704801?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item1c3c9865e1
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PS2-MALE-PLUG-TO-AT-FEMALE-SOCKET-KEYBOARD-ADAPTER-CABLE-/390683050301?pt=UK_VintageComputing_RL&hash=item5af686413d


http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Tube-Socket-DIN-5-Pin-Connector-Audio-signal-Female-Fits-Sherline-AT-Keyboard-/201039342046?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item2ecee0e9de

[JPG]

Does anybody know where to buy XT female sockets to use with this converter?

I found some on ebay. The XT use the DIN5 180 degree, same for AT. But the F122 use the 270 degree DIN5. I bought a DIN6 female for it and since it has the same layout but with an additional pin in the middle, it still works.

Can't say it's the best quality, but it works.

If you go back a few pages, I am pretty sure someone posted a link for a better quality female connector from mouser or something the likes, but the cost was much more.

And in fact, for my XT, for now I am not using the female at all. Instead (it should be temporary), I just plugged some female cable (the DuPont ones) directly where the cable is usually plugged and they go out from the cable hole and I plug them in my pro micro. Very artisanal and temporary, but it works for now!

BTW, I am typing this with my F122. It's so amazing! Thx Soarer again!

[JPG]

Does anybody know where to buy XT female sockets to use with this converter?

Look at this (both 1$ free shipping):


for XT/AT DIN5 180°: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/DIN-Female-Jack-Cable-Connector-adapter-5-Pin-plug-panel-mount-solder-type-/280758416755?pt=US_Audio_Cable_Plugs_Jacks&hash=item415e817573&_uhb=1


for 270° DIN5 (F122): http://www.ebay.ca/itm/140624223277?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648


I ordered the 270° one and use it with my F122 and it's doing a very ok job.

[Pacifist]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Arduino-Pro-Mini-w-Free-Headers-ATMEGA328P-16MHz-5V-ATMEGA328-Fast-USA-Ship-/161094027756?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2581f3c9ec

Anybody tried pro mini? Has a built in reset button and is atmega328

Does anybody know where to buy XT female sockets to use with this converter?

Look at this (both 1$ free shipping):


for XT/AT DIN5 180°: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/DIN-Female-Jack-Cable-Connector-adapter-5-Pin-plug-panel-mount-solder-type-/280758416755?pt=US_Audio_Cable_Plugs_Jacks&hash=item415e817573&_uhb=1


for 270° DIN5 (F122): http://www.ebay.ca/itm/140624223277?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648


I ordered the 270° one and use it with my F122 and it's doing a very ok job.

I'll grab one of those 180 degree pins

[Soarer]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Arduino-Pro-Mini-w-Free-Headers-ATMEGA328P-16MHz-5V-ATMEGA328-Fast-USA-Ship-/161094027756?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2581f3c9ec

Anybody tried pro mini? Has a built in reset button and is atmega328

'328 is not supported, it doesn't have hardware USB like the '32U4.

[JPG]

My thoughts of the day:

1. Soarer's converter is amazing and so easy to use.
2. I LOVE my F122. The layout is just perfect except that if I could find one without a numpad ... let me dream for this space unsaver!!!
3. I must admit, the XT layout is really painful. Really... so sad they are the most available of all F's.

[JBert]

I keep thinking about it, but never seem to find a good time to do it. Unless I can find a way to remove certain info from the git repo, I won't be able to simply make my repo public. In all likelihood, I'll have to start a new repo without any history, which is a pain.

Actually, git has some destructive commands to change your history: Github: Remove sensitive data. Just make sure you have enough backups of the original repo.

It mentions git-filter-branch or BFG repo-cleaner, but there's also Eric S. Raymond's reposurgeon tool which allows you to splice out commits.

Again, keep in mind that this new repo will be radically different. I don't know how well branches or tags are preserved, as the commit hashes will be changed for any retouched commit and its descendants in the chain. Did I mention making backups?

[Soarer]

Last time I looked I found git-filter-branch, but not reposurgeon, thanks! It has a couple of comands I'd need, that I couldn't quite figure out how to do properly with git-filter-branch. An effectively fresh repo, with fresh hashes, isn't a problem as long as history, branches and tags are present and dated correctly.

No matter what though, it's a big and tedious task, even just to check that the alterations/removals have been made 100% correctly, and don't remain lurking somewhere. It might be simpler to just manually create a fresh repo and push (possibly modified) snapshots of 1.0, 1.01, ... 1.11, 1.12 into it, plus branches that haven't merged back in yet. The dates would be wrong, but it would be *something*!

[JPG]

Last time I looked I found git-filter-branch, but not reposurgeon, thanks! It has a couple of comands I'd need, that I couldn't quite figure out how to do properly with git-filter-branch. An effectively fresh repo, with fresh hashes, isn't a problem as long as history, branches and tags are present and dated correctly.

No matter what though, it's a big and tedious task, even just to check that the alterations/removals have been made 100% correctly, and don't remain lurking somewhere. It might be simpler to just manually create a fresh repo and push (possibly modified) snapshots of 1.0, 1.01, ... 1.11, 1.12 into it, plus branches that haven't merged back in yet. The dates would be wrong, but it would be *something*!

It would be very nice of you!

Also, as far as I experienced yet, I need to maintain a function key down for the corresponding layer to be active. But is there an alternative option to do the likes: Press function key once = go to function layer until the same key is pressed again or until you press another function layer? My purpose is to do something in the likes: press capslock to go to function layer, use this layer (for me it's a nav layer) and once I am done I just press capslock again to go back to my original layer (the main one). Not an absolute necessity, but it could be nice I think (I have yet to try it lol).

[JBert]

I implement such layer locks using SELECT, if you can live with the fact that the "layer lock" button is different from your Fn key.

Here's a small example (note that I didn't test this one):

Code: [Select]

# Regular keyboard map
ifselect any
remapblock
layer 0
CAPS_LOCK SELECT_1
        APP FN1
endblock

# Link fn keys to layer number.
layerblock
FN1 1
endblock

remapblock
layer 1
I UP
J LEFT
K DOWN
L RIGHT
endblock

# Locked layer starts here, override default selected layer 0.
ifselect 1
remapblock
layer 0
I UP
J LEFT
K DOWN
L RIGHT
endblock

I don't know how fast the controller switches between SELECTs so I wouldn't recommend holding Caps lock.

It might also be possible to trigger the layer lock using Fn + some key, but I'll let you experiment with those yourself.

[nuclearsandwich]

I keep thinking about it, but never seem to find a good time to do it. Unless I can find a way to remove certain info from the git repo, I won't be able to simply make my repo public. In all likelihood, I'll have to start a new repo without any history, which is a pain.

I can help with scrubbing the Git repo: https://help.github.com/articles/remove-sensitive-data


Edit: read more of the thread. If repodoctor doesn't do whatcha need and you want help with git-filter-branch you can always PM me.

[ARAMP1]

It won't. Teensy 3.0 has a totally different CPU architecture for a start. But the real killer is that it runs at 3.3 volts, and can't interface directly to our 5 volt keyboards.

I'm guessing this goes from the 3.1 also.  Just read on the 3.1 vs the 3.0: 

"All digital pins are 5 volt tolerant on Teensy 3.1. However, the analog-only pins (A10-A14), AREF, Program and Reset are 3.3V only."

[Soarer]

The 5V tolerant digital pins on the 3.1 could be used to interface with PS/2 etc, since the pin is only ever required to output 0V. Pull-up resistors to the 5V USB supply would be required.

I still don't have any plans to make a port though. Other projects of mine still require a proper 5V output (the Wyse converter, and the controller firmware when used in certain modes e.g. for 5291 conversion).

[Soarer]

I keep thinking about it, but never seem to find a good time to do it. Unless I can find a way to remove certain info from the git repo, I won't be able to simply make my repo public. In all likelihood, I'll have to start a new repo without any history, which is a pain.

I can help with scrubbing the Git repo: https://help.github.com/articles/remove-sensitive-data


Edit: read more of the thread. If repodoctor doesn't do whatcha need and you want help with git-filter-branch you can always PM me.

Thanks for the offer! Thing is, no matter how much help I get, I'm still going to want to understand and verify it, whcih takes time

[Pacifist]

I want to be absolutely sure when soldering my XT board so I don't fry the controller

The backside where I will be soldering wires from socket to teensy



Are the markings on this correct for XT layout?

Thanks! Can't wait to finally use the XT

[Pacifist]

I want to be absolutely sure when soldering my XT board so I don't fry the controller

The backside where I will be soldering wires from socket to teensy

(Attachment Link)

Are the markings on this correct for XT layout?

Thanks! Can't wait to finally use the XT

soldered wires in this setup, got nothing. Are my wirings wrong and did I fry the board or does something else not work?

[fohat.digs]

I have used this and it has worked. It looks like you did the right thing. Look elsewhere.

[Pacifist]

I have used this and it has worked. It looks like you did the right thing. Look elsewhere.

Phew

Thanks for the help! I'll do some troubleshooting and see exactly what;s the problem

[JPG]

I have used this and it has worked. It looks like you did the right thing. Look elsewhere.

Phew

Thanks for the help! I'll do some troubleshooting and see exactly what;s the problem

I don't know for you, but when I first did it, since I was a TOTAL n00b, I didn't solder the pin header to the controller so it didn't work. If you get no signal, it's probably some connexion problem. Just need to find it!

[abzman]

Just completed this mod, I'm really happy with it.  Blog post http://abzman2k.wordpress.com/2014/03/17/ibm-model-m-122key/ contains links to pictures and my config file. 

[blackbox]

Just completed this mod, I'm really happy with it.  Blog post http://abzman2k.wordpress.com/2014/03/17/ibm-model-m-122key/ contains links to pictures and my config file.

Interessting build. Nice project box!

[abzman]

Yeah, as it turns out the n64's power supply is perfect for this task. 

[Pacifist]

realized why my pro micro wasn't flashing correctly.......

the mini to micro converter I bought was just for charging....so there was no data or clock wire, just vcc and gnd. Accidentally broke the thing and found out that there were only two wires.....wtf

[JPG]

realized why my pro micro wasn't flashing correctly.......

the mini to micro converter I bought was just for charging....so there was no data or clock wire, just vcc and gnd. Accidentally broke the thing and found out that there were only two wires.....wtf

If you need a micro usb cable, I got some for my converter, 10$ for a pack of 3 and they seem good quality to meé1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-FT-USB-Cable-2-0-MALE-A-to-Micro-B-5-PIN-Gold-Plated-USB-6-FT-White-Lot-of-3-/360662082010?pt=US_USB_Cables_Hubs_Adapters&hash=item53f922a1da

[blackbox]

Yeah, as it turns out the n64's power supply is perfect for this task.

Who would have thought? Certainly not nintendo.

[fohat.digs]

If you need a micro usb cable, I got some for my converter, 10$ for a pack of 3 and they seem good quality to meé1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-FT-USB-Cable-2-0-MALE-A-to-Micro-B-5-PIN-Gold-Plated-USB-6-FT-White-Lot-of-3-/360662082010?pt=US_USB_Cables_Hubs_Adapters&hash=item53f922a1da

I have bought several cables from this vendor and they have been good quality, with very fast delivery from US and not China.