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Author Topic: Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help  (Read 2747 times)

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Offline vivalarevolución

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Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help
« on: Wed, 16 January 2013, 06:12:20 »
Thinking of picking up an old Apple IIgs keyboard for sentimental reasons.  Does anybody know if these things can still work on a modern Mac with the right adapter? The original connection seems to be an Apple Desktop Bus, and there seems to be a few ADB to USB adapters floating around. 

Here is a picture of the keyboard:
http://thumb.egloos.net/fastimg/http://pds2.egloos.com/pds/1/200604/20/06/c0025306_1045582.jpg
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 16 January 2013, 07:05:17 »
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Offline 1391406

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Re: Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 16 January 2013, 09:41:46 »
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Offline vivalarevolución

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Re: Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 16 January 2013, 10:00:32 »
Thanks. You can verify that these work on the current Mac operating systems?
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 16 January 2013, 10:16:55 »
Don't know about that. Works fine with Windows and Linux.

One of the many aspects of Apple's extraordinary evil is the way they orphan their own products.
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From the US Constitution, Article 1, Section 8 :

The   Congress   shall have Power
To declare War,  grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To provide for calling forth the Militia  to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

Offline 1391406

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Re: Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 16 January 2013, 11:33:29 »
One bullet item under the features list for the Belkin states "Compatible with Mac OS 8.1 or higher", however I can't personally confirm that it works with OS X.
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Offline rootwyrm

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Re: Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 16 January 2013, 13:37:10 »
Most any ADB adapter which presents ADB -> USB as a USB HID keyboard will work with any version of OS X. Or a PC if you'd rather, with a bit of tweaking.
I use the Belkins - I've had the best luck with them.
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Offline vivalarevolución

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Re: Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 16 January 2013, 15:21:42 »
Thanks for the help. I guess all I can do now is get the proper adapters and take the keyboard for a spin.
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Offline Wildcard

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Re: Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 16 January 2013, 15:47:49 »
I use a Griffin iMate (ADB to USB) adapter with my Macbook and can confirm that it works with newer versions of OSX

Source: Typing on an Apple Extended keyboard right now :)
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Offline 1391406

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Re: Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 16 January 2013, 19:16:04 »
Anyone know what switches the Apple IIGS boards use?
« Last Edit: Thu, 17 January 2013, 10:35:43 by 1391406 »
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Offline vivalarevolución

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Re: Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 16 January 2013, 20:28:09 »
Quote from: dante on Wed, 16 January 2013, 19:20:14
curious .. how would you handle home/end/pageup/pagedown on this?  I don't see a numlock key so not sure you could use the keypad...

Would you have to autohotkey shortcuts?

I was assuming the keyboard didn't have those functions, and the number pad always is functional, so it doesn't need a numlock key.

My question is the lack of function keys.  Guess I won't be using those with this keyboard.
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Offline vivalarevolución

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Re: Apple IIgs Keyboard adapter help
« Reply #11 on: Mon, 28 January 2013, 17:26:39 »
Quote from: 1391406 on Wed, 16 January 2013, 19:16:04
Anyone know what switches the Apple IIGS boards use?

I picked mine up from the post office today and it has some sort of white alps.  Not clicky.  I thought it was rubber dome, so this is a nice surprise, and it explains why I liked the keyboard so much as a youth.
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