Amiga Keyboards with Modern PCs

keymaster · 12 Oct 2013, 22:07

Is it possible to use an Amiga keyboard with a modern PC? Do such adapters exist? I've only seen adapters for the opposite: modern keyboards used on Amiga machines.

zhasha · 12 Oct 2013, 22:54

http://ezhid.sourceforge.net/amikbd.html

keymaster · 12 Oct 2013, 23:44

Does this only work for *nix systems?

Findecanor · 13 Oct 2013, 02:47

If you want to use an Amiga 600 or 1200 as a USB keyboard, you could take a look at Keyrah. It replaces the motherboard.

zhasha wrote:http://ezhid.sourceforge.net/amikbd.html

That is a protocol converter-firmware for the AN2131 serial-to-USB chip, used as an adapter for an external A2000/A3000 keyboard. A compiled file is available in the archive that you can download from EzHID's web page.
The problems seem to be getting hold of a device with that chip and programming it ... Not exactly a ready-made solution.

Most adapters and custom controllers that are used in this community are instead based on the Teensy, which can be easily programmed over USB.
If you know a bit of programming, then maybe you could adapt one of the existing firmwares to work with the Amiga keyboard.

Daniel Beardsmore · 13 Oct 2013, 03:00

What sort of keyboard did you have in mind? Are you interested in the layout, or the switches? You can get the Cherry MX, some Mitsumi (the buckling rubber sleeve type, at least), and NMB Hi-Tek switches in actual PC keyboards.

Muirium · 13 Oct 2013, 12:17

Sometimes it's just nostalgia for the old hardware you already have. I must admit that Keyrah looks a smart little trick indeed, thanks for the link Findecanor. I wouldn't mind doing that to a Beeb sometime…

Findecanor · 13 Oct 2013, 22:45

Good news everyone! I stumbled on this project. It is a firmware for the Arduino Leonardo boards, making it into a converter from any external Amiga keyboard (or the Amiga 500) to USB.
Supposedly, all external Amiga keyboards used the same wire protocol and only different connectors. Only the Amiga 1200 and 600 had the controller on the motherboard.

Here is a tiny, dirt-cheap board for sale that is (supposedly) Leonardo-compatible and has the pins required. (I read about it only yesterday in this thread on Geekhack, that's why I repost it)

BTW, I'll update the Amiga page on the Wiki with more findings.

mr_a500 · 14 Oct 2013, 00:14

Findecanor wrote:Good news everyone! I stumbled on this project. It is a firmware for the Arduino Leonardo boards, making it into a converter from any external Amiga keyboard (or the Amiga 500) to USB..

Nice find. I own nearly every Amiga keyboard (except A600/A1200), but the only one I'd consider worth converting is the A1000. (sadly mine smells of cat piss... probably the only reason I got it free - need to find a replacement)

webwit · 14 Oct 2013, 00:44

Have you tried the coffee mod?
http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/how- ... t6558.html

mr_a500 · 14 Oct 2013, 01:08

I would have tried that for sure, but in my haste to get rid of the cat piss smell (6 cleanings did nothing), I disassembled the A1000 keyboard and ruined 6 switches. (the only keyboard I've ever wrecked - by simply pulling off keycaps)

So I'd need a replacement anyway. Anybody have an A1000 keyboard they want to sell? (must NOT smell of cat piss)

keymaster · 14 Oct 2013, 02:59

mr_a500 wrote:
Findecanor wrote:Good news everyone! I stumbled on this project. It is a firmware for the Arduino Leonardo boards, making it into a converter from any external Amiga keyboard (or the Amiga 500) to USB..
Nice find. I own nearly every Amiga keyboard (except A600/A1200), but the only one I'd consider worth converting is the A1000. (sadly mine smells of cat piss... probably the only reason I got it free - need to find a replacement)

Don't these two have Cherry MX switches? They would be amazing to use with a modern PC.

mr_a500 · 14 Oct 2013, 04:13

That top one is not an Amiga keyboard (note the lack of Amiga keys or Help). It's Commodore PC5 or PC10.

The bottom one does indeed have Cherry switches. Still, I don't consider it anything special. (probably because I've been spoiled by beam spring... I'd love to have a beam spring A500 in metal case

)

Findecanor · 16 Oct 2013, 04:18

My Commodore PC10 keyboard does work fine with a AT-PS/2 adapter and a PS/2-USB converter. Other keyboards I have heard of talk the XT protocol, so you would need a specific converter for that. (Soarer made a converter firmware for Teensy, but it should also work with the Leonardo board I posted about earlier).

The annoying thing with the PC10 keyboard and modern computers is that it does not have arrow keys, and not all programs recognize the arrow keys on the numeric keypad as being equivalent to other arrow keys.