Hagstrom's XT to USB adapter

[1391406]

http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/ke_xtusb.html

Has anyone here used it? If so, how well does it work?

[SmallFry]

Most people on GeekHack use the Soarer-verters. I've never used one personally.

[1391406]

Most people on GeekHack use the Soarer-verters.

Yes, true, however I'd gladly pay for a pre-built adapter that works than build one myself. Not to mention the Hagstrom adapter is already encased.

[fohat.digs]

I have had one, before they upgraded it to be like an iMate.

It costs double what the Teensy costs and it has far less capability, probably will not work with something like a terminal board.

You can buy the soldering iron with the money you save, and STILL have money left.

Before I had ever even heard of Geekhack, the infamous Ripster found my unit (I was selling it along with an XT on ebay, before it came in a pre-fab enclosure) and called it "ghetto" when he posted it here for ridicule. I found the post a couple of months later and got a laugh.

If you do buy it, ordering used to be tricky - as I recall - it took a phone call to a warm body to actually get what I needed, the online listing skirted the proper item. Maybe they have gotten it straight by now. It does look like they have gotten serious.

I still have the manual, so if anybody wants it, you can have it for the cost of postage.

[jcrouse]

Hagstron  wow, ain't heard that name in a while. They made a little pcb that I used for the sound cards in the MAME (arcade) cabinets I used to build like 10 years ago. Was a nice guy, responded quickly and concerned about his customers.

John

[1391406]

I have had one, before they upgraded it to be like an iMate.

It costs double what the Teensy costs and it has far less capability, probably will not work with something like a terminal board.

You can buy the soldering iron with the money you save, and STILL have money left.

Before I had ever even heard of Geekhack, the infamous Ripster found my unit (I was selling it along with an XT on ebay, before it came in a pre-fab enclosure) and called it "ghetto" when he posted it here for ridicule. I found the post a couple of months later and got a laugh.

If you do buy it, ordering used to be tricky - as I recall - it took a phone call to a warm body to actually get what I needed, the online listing skirted the proper item. Maybe they have gotten it straight by now. It does look like they have gotten serious.

I still have the manual, so if anybody wants it, you can have it for the cost of postage.

I figure if the thing actually works, it's worth $50 bucks given the time it'll save me tinkering with and figuring out how to assemble a Teensy. It's the same unit Clickykeyboards is recommending / selling(and also where I found the link). Personally, I have about as much interest in figuring out how to solder and assemble a Teensy as I do watching paint peel.

[mkawa]

the teensy is already assembled -- that's kind of the beauty of the thing.

[1391406]

the teensy is already assembled -- that's kind of the beauty of the thing.

So it's pre-built, has a case, and is USB ready? All I have to do is plug it in and go?

[mkawa]

yes, no, yes. see soarer's fantastic thread in MST.

[1391406]

yes, no, yes. see soarer's fantastic thread in MST.

There appears to be wiring involved.

[fohat.digs]

You have to connect 4 wires.

That probably involves figuring out where they came from.

You will get a vastly superior and more flexible and useful component with the Teensy, at less than half the price, and a feeling of accomplishment that:

"Hey, I did it!"

[mkawa]

yes, all you have to do is connect a teensy to your connector of choice, and load the teensy with soarer's excellent firmware. this can be done with a solderless breadboard, and any manner of encasement can be used if you're picky about that sort of thing (corrugated? DONE)

[1391406]

You have to connect 4 wires.

I'm sure Soarer's adapter is superior in every way, but I have about as much interest in wading through the documentation to ensure I connect the wires and load the firmware correctly as I do pre-assembling a car battery or PS2 adapter. I'm not concerned about spending $50 bucks if the Hagstrom unit works. I was just curious whether anyone here's actually tried the one listed on Clickykeyboards site.

[fohat.digs]

I bought one directly from Hagstrom about 2 years ago when it was a naked board, but with 2 female sockets "ready wired" out of the box.

Plug and play, instant. No muss, no fuss.

This one should be just as quick, and looking like a proper closed unit to boot.

But make sure that you order exactly the right one.

[IvanIvanovich]

I wish there was a premade all singing all dancing converter box. Like one that you could use for XT, AT or PS/2, ADB, SUN, insert whatever else here, then just have a X way selector switch on top to select the active interface and it outputs to USB.

[1391406]

I bought one directly from Hagstrom about 2 years ago when it was a naked board, but with 2 female sockets "ready wired" out of the box.

Plug and play, instant. No muss, no fuss.

This one should be just as quick, and looking like a proper closed unit to boot.

But make sure that you order exactly the right one.

Thanks, fohat.

[Donut]

I wish there was a premade all singing all dancing converter box. Like one that you could use for XT, AT or PS/2, ADB, SUN, insert whatever else here, then just have a X way selector switch on top to select the active interface and it outputs to USB.

There isn't one that works for XT keyboards as far as I know, but some older NTI KVM switches can accept ADB, PS/2 and Sun keyboards. Sun keyboards plug straight in, you need adaptor cables for ADB and PS/2 (simple pin-to-pin passive cables). Output is PS/2 so you could combine that with a PS/2-to-USB converter.

[SmallFry]

I wish there was a premade all singing all dancing converter box. Like one that you could use for XT, AT or PS/2, ADB, SUN, insert whatever else here, then just have a X way selector switch on top to select the active interface and it outputs to USB.

Don't Soarer-verters do that or did I miss the /sarcasm?

[IvanIvanovich]

Missing that all important I pull it out of a box and it's all assembled and working factor. I haven't seen anyone make one with selectable multiple types of input connector either.

[SmallFry]

Missing that all important I pull it out of a box and it's all assembled and working factor. I haven't seen anyone make one with selectable multiple types of input connector either.

Ah, wonder of it is possible to have multiple plugged in and type on all at the same time. Hm.

[fohat.digs]

Even if you built a large box with all the possible input sockets (which would be large 240 degree DIN, old-style AT, PS2, and whatever the ethernet-like connector some terminals use, maybe more) in order to have multiple keyboards plugged in, using probably a rotary switch to select, you would probably have to unplug and hot plug the Teensy in order to get it recognized in the new configuration.

It has been my experience that unplugging and re-plugging the USB cable from the Teensy to the motherboard is often the easiest way to troubleshoot.

But my knowledge of electrical engineering is limited. Somebody else will know better.