8-bit acorn hardware • Re: Usb keyboard for a beeb

Just sat in the garden enjoying a beer in this lovely warm weather, and got to thinking....
Would it be possible to use an Arduino or a pico to interface between a USB keyboard and the Beeb & masters keyboard connectors. ( Given that they are different of course)

In the recent video about Chris's ULA for the Electron, there was a PS/2 adapter board for the Electron featured, plugging into the keyboard connector. I guess it is that kind of thing you're after.

The clever thing about that PS/2 adapter, but also the odd thing, was that it uses the hole in the case that the RF modulator uses, requiring the modulator to be removed. The use-case mentioned was that you would have an Electron without a keyboard (or maybe without a working keyboard).

But then I wonder how likely it is that you still have the whole case and need to feed the keyboard connection out of a hole in the side to a separate keyboard, but don't actually have a keyboard. Without a keyboard, there's room right there for... a keyboard. Maybe the idea is that you have a broken but cosmetically intact keyboard for show, or you don't want to use the perfectly decent keyboard and instead use a modern keyboard with a different layout for added confusion.

I did the Electron one in Lee's video - done a number over the years, Acorn and otherwise, for my own use really, but given there's interest I'm starting to put them up on Github here. As many are it's based on C64Keyboard by Robert VanHazinga, so Nano/ATmega328 (PS/2) or XIAO (USB) with an MT8816 switch chip. And so.... also did ones for the BBC B with PS/2 and USB, so as asked about above, though haven't got round to a "slim" surface mount one for PS/2 yet for the B like the Electron one. Can do if there's interest, though I'm not sure it's necessary as there's reasonable space. Anyway, photos on the Github so you get an idea. They just plug into the keyboard header.

Also did one for PS/2 for the Master - I'll get that finished and uploaded at some point - guess I'll do USB at some point for that too.

Could do with more blurb on the Github about them. I'll add to it in time. You may find bugs as I don't use them extensively, but the code/keymapping is up there also if you find any. I won't be making them for others myself, but feel free to do so - gerbers etc are up there.

Ian

Statistics: Posted by grandoldian — Mon Jul 01, 2024 12:07 am

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