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Pluggy McPlugface PS/2 adapter is available
Posted: 21 Oct 2018, 18:30
by walter
Hi,
The PS/2 adapter has past the prototyping phase and is ready for sale!
As seen on
https://gigatron.io/?page_id=86:
Upgrading
Our early adopters can get the “Plug McPlugface” PS/2 keyboard adapter mini-kit for €10,00 including shipment. We’ll throw in an EPROM loaded with ROM v3 as well. This version brings Tetronis, Bricks, Tic Tac Toe, Tiny BASIC v2 and WozMon.
Keep an eye on the 8-bit guy's YouTube channel
Re: Pluggy McPlugface PS/2 adapter is available
Posted: 25 Oct 2018, 12:23
by kerouanton
Thanks for the keyboard adapter kit. It's simple but very well designed and finished, with quality components!
Re: Pluggy McPlugface PS/2 adapter is available
Posted: 26 Oct 2018, 16:29
by Ammer66
Oh Wow! That's great!
I'll order one when i am back from hospital...(2 to 3 weeks)
Re: Pluggy McPlugface PS/2 adapter is available
Posted: 28 Oct 2018, 07:56
by kerouanton
I just wanted to make sure, as I can't find my old ps/2 keyboards.
Has anyone tried to plug an USB keyboard to the adapter, using this kind of converter?
Thanks for your feedback
Bruno
Re: Pluggy McPlugface PS/2 adapter is available
Posted: 28 Oct 2018, 22:56
by marcelk
kerouanton wrote: ↑28 Oct 2018, 07:56
Has anyone tried to plug an USB keyboard to the adapter, using this kind of converter?
I see no a priori reason why it
wouldn't work, even though I haven't tested such devices yet. There must be a microcontroller in that plug as well because USB and PS/2 are completely unrelated protocols. But from Pluggy's point of view that's not different from talking to the microcontroller that's inside every genuine PS/2 keyboard.
The firmware in genuine PS/2 keyboards is probably very standardised, as it is typically frozen in a mask rom. The firmware in that converter is probably stored in some embedded flash. It will be a lot more complex because it must also handle the USB side, and for that reason there
might be subtle differences in observable behaviour. But
if that's the case, and
if that even causes any issue, I would rather see if we can solve/workaround it in the ATtiny85...
Interestingly, with such a converter there will be THREE microcontrollers, working in "bucket brigade style" to inform the Gigatron of the good news of each key being hit: one in the keyboard, and one in each adapter. As long as they're all hidden from sight I suppose that's perfectly acceptable
.
In short: if the whole chain doesn't draw too much current, I expect it to work.
Re: Pluggy McPlugface PS/2 adapter is available
Posted: 29 Oct 2018, 08:12
by monsonite
I believe that those USB to PS/2 adaptors are entirely passive - and work with keyboards that were designed generate both USB and PS/2 communications protocols. The keyboard must sense if it has been plugged into USB or PS/2 and behave accordingly - and the adapter just makes sure the signal and power wires go to the correct pins.
There are also active converters - that presumably contain a microcontroller
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Active-USB-to- ... B008J56RVY
Re: Pluggy McPlugface PS/2 adapter is available
Posted: 30 Oct 2018, 17:10
by marcelk
walter wrote: ↑21 Oct 2018, 18:30
Keep an eye on the 8-bit guy's YouTube channel
Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uidtGvsk21M
- Dave2.jpg (695.38 KiB) Viewed 6894 times
Re: Pluggy McPlugface PS/2 adapter is available
Posted: 30 Oct 2018, 21:07
by kerouanton
By luck I just found a nice slim PS/2 keyboard in a second-hand shop today. Works great with the Pluggy adapter
Re: Pluggy McPlugface PS/2 adapter is available
Posted: 19 Nov 2018, 00:15
by bob.stone
kerouanton wrote: ↑28 Oct 2018, 07:56
I just wanted to make sure, as I can't find my old ps/2 keyboards.
Has anyone tried to plug an USB keyboard to the adapter, using this kind of converter?
Late to respond and I even see that circumstances overtook this request, but for anyone else with the same question, yes, this sort of adapter worked just fine for me.
Re: Pluggy McPlugface PS/2 adapter is available
Posted: 26 Nov 2018, 06:39
by jbailey
marcelk wrote: ↑28 Oct 2018, 22:56
kerouanton wrote: ↑28 Oct 2018, 07:56
Has anyone tried to plug an USB keyboard to the adapter, using this kind of converter?
I see no a priori reason why it
wouldn't work, even though I haven't tested such devices yet. There must be a microcontroller in that plug as well because USB and PS/2 are completely unrelated protocols. But from Pluggy's point of view that's not different from talking to the microcontroller that's inside every genuine PS/2 keyboard.
The firmware in genuine PS/2 keyboards is probably very standardised, as it is typically frozen in a mask rom. The firmware in that converter is probably stored in some embedded flash. It will be a lot more complex because it must also handle the USB side, and for that reason there
might be subtle differences in observable behaviour. But
if that's the case, and
if that even causes any issue, I would rather see if we can solve/workaround it in the ATtiny85...
Interestingly, with such a converter there will be THREE microcontrollers, working in "bucket brigade style" to inform the Gigatron of the good news of each key being hit: one in the keyboard, and one in each adapter. As long as they're all hidden from sight I suppose that's perfectly acceptable
.
In short: if the whole chain doesn't draw too much current, I expect it to work.
In many cases these adapters are completely passive. However a lot (but not all) USB keyboards have the electronics and programming to support BOTH the USB and PS/2 protocols even thought they typically don't list it.