http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0528390857

This is a cheap keyboard for those of you who want something small for the 6502.

I had to get one! It was only $4US dollars, and I've been looking into interfacing a PS2 keyboard with my PWA project. Doesn't seem too difficult, maybe a serial to parallel converter and a couple logic gates, then a lookup table to match data to ascii...

Thanks for posting that Chuck!

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65Org16:https://github.com/ElEctric-EyE/verilog-6502

How the devil are you supposed to type on something that small? You guys have any idea how big my front feet are?

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x86?  We ain't got no x86.  We don't NEED no stinking x86!

It does look like the width of the keys would have to be slightly sub-standard. The keyboard on my HP-71 handheld computer shown below is about 60% of standard size, and I was able to type on it at about 30wpm, almost 60% of what I can do on a full-sized keyboard. My fingers are pretty slim though.

I typed a lot of notes in meetings, typed memos, letters, etc.. I decided I better quit typing on it so much when they discontinued it. I figured that if I ever wore it out, that's it baby.

It's a little more complicated than that. However, it can be done.

Both Lee Davison and I have published code to decode a PS2 keyboard. I have two versions, one uses two ports of a 6522 and the 6502 to convert the codes and the other uses an AVR to do the processing.

Mine are here:
http://sbc.rictor.org/io/pckb6522.html

http://sbc.rictor.org/io/pckbavr.html

and Lee's is here:
http://members.multimania.co.uk/leeedav ... index.html

Hope this helps. Please let us know how that keyboard works out. I might invest in one too!

Daryl

I used my thumbs to type on my LG env3 cell phone before it got ran over by a car. They're functional and a small child might be able to type on one of them but if you were to price a keyboard for a PDA or Xbox 360 then the price goes way up. This is a bargain.

Daryl,
I haven't looked into Lee's interface yet, but I have checked yours out. It looks awesomely simple using 1 20 pin AVR ATTiny 26, but my programmer doesn't do those. Seems to only handle the 14 pin AVR's. Could an ATTiny 24, or 44 be made to work?

This website: http://www.beyondlogic.org/keyboard/keybrd.htm ,explains the basic protocols half way down...
I was thinking along the lines of a serial to parallel shift register, but I would rather not spend time developing it if I don't have to...

Thanks for your help,

EE

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65Org16:https://github.com/ElEctric-EyE/verilog-6502

Yes, the ATtiny24 should work and it had just enough I/O ( 2 for keyboard, 8 for the data bus, and two for handshaking). You will need to buffer the data - either through a 6522 or 74 series buffer.

The AtTiny26 code uses 778 bytes of flash and only uses RAM for subroutine return-address stack storage. (it uses the registers for data storage).

I have the decoder running in an ATM8 on my SBC-3 and it's pulling double duty by also providing an RS-232 channel as well. It is accessed via the 65SPI controller.

Daryl

I've not had time to research, but do all the ATTiny series have common opcodes? Can I use the same driver or would I have to experiment?

Got the keyboard in today, so I thought I'd share. It's not as small as the ebay link made it out to be.

Nothing works yet but it looks cool, eh?

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65Org16:https://github.com/ElEctric-EyE/verilog-6502

If I recall correctly, they all share a common opcode list. However, the onboard resources will be different. My quick look at the ATTiny24 led me to think you should be able to use my ATTiny26 code as-is.

If you end up with errors, let me know I I can help you work throught them.

Daryl

if you don`t mind me asking, I`m curious as to Why your using the PS2/USB adapter and not just plugging it in directly to a USB socket?
very few of these adpters are Active devices and are merely pass-through, with D+/D- going directly to Clk and Data, GND/+5V remain the same.
a simple beep test with a continuity meter will confirn this easily, and removes the bulky sticky-outy thing with one less segway for error.

also, if anyone`s interested I`ll post the source code I use on NINA-6502 for the USB keyboard interface that uses a PIC Chip, then there`ll be 3 ways to do it

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Also on Twitter as "YT2095".

Wow, this was a long time ago...
And thanks for your offer!
What I wound up doing for the PS2 interface was to use a controller core from opencores.org and put it in the FPGA.
Regarding interfacing a project to a PC through USB, several of us have used ICs, that come with free drivers for Windows. I'm sure they have Linux by now...

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65Org16:https://github.com/ElEctric-EyE/verilog-6502

I have a USB keyboard for my SBC, and i have to use the green USB to PS/2 adapter. PS/2 is simple, and mouse as well.

yeah, SBC to PC is pretty easy with the FTDI chips (about £2 on ebay), or even the PIC 18f22k50, 18f2550/4550.
the s/ware I did was the other way around, where it parses a USB Keyboards data into Parallel and Serial output for the SBC to use.

as for the green adapters I`v no idea if they`re different at all, but it would be worth checking with a continuity tester to see if it is just a simple pass-through type.

on the off chance that it May help someone in the future doing a search for such a thing, my code is here:

;Chip Settings
#chip 18F4685,20
#config OSC=HS, PWRT=ON, WDT=OFF

;Defines (Constants)
#define PS2Clock PORTB.1 'to D+ on USB socket
#define PS2Data PORTB.0 'to D- on USB socket
#define SerOutPort PORTB.7
#define SendAHigh Set SerOutPort Off
#define SendALow Set SerOutPort On

dir portc out
DIR PS2Clock IN
DIR PS2Data IN
Dir SerOutPort Out
InitSer 1, r9600, 1 + WaitForStart, 8, 1, None, Invert
Main:
KeyIn = INKEY
if KeyIn = 0 then
goto Main
end if
portc = KeyIn
SerSend 1, KeyIn
wait 1 ms
goto Main


all you need is to download GCBasic (it`s free and quite small), hook up a PIC 18F4685 with a 20MHz crystal to a PicKit2 and go to `Compile an download with PicKit2` in the pulldown menu and it`s done!
this will do both USB and/or PS2 directly with or without the use of adapters.

it hardly even deserves to be called "Code"

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Also on Twitter as "YT2095".

It is a pass thru type and I ohmed out the adapter I have. The pin numbers for PS2 and the USB are referenced to wikipedia, although they were mirrored in my case. I think I have it right:

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65Org16:https://github.com/ElEctric-EyE/verilog-6502