I'm currently working on a PS2- to- DEC mouse converter. This is based upon an open source project I wound online.

https://hackaday.io/project/19576-dec-mouse-adapter

My goal is to use a common PS2 mouse with a VaxStation and VAX-2000. Staring with the code referenced above I have developed a pretty responsive and stable PS2-to-DEC mouse solution using an Arduino Mega 2560.

Since the Arduino Mega 2560 has several hardware serial UARTS I'm thinking about extending the design to include PS2 keyboard-to-DEC keyboard support. The hardware interfaces would be implemented on an Arduino Mega Shield. This boils down to a couple of PS2 connectors, couple a bi-directional serial-to-ttl level converter, and some DEC specific adapter cables. MINI-DIN7 and MMJ modular.

There is an E-BAY listing for something like I have in mind.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184857154983

This device has a selling price of $350. Internally it may just be an Arduino, but I really don't know.

Once I have an Arduino Mega Shield manufactured with the needed hardware I would most likely sell the shield as a cheap ($50 or so) way to interface PS2 mice and keyboards with a VAX.

Is there any interest in such a shield?

Joe

On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 9:20:02 AM UTC-8, flo...@gmail.com wrote:

(snip)

> There is an E-BAY listing for something like I have in mind.
>
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/184857154983

and three already sold! (For $350 each.)

I believe I have a keyboard/mouse adapter for Sun, that is older than Arduino,
though there were other processors around earlier.

There would have been more use for these some years ago, when the systems
were still somewhat popular. It is especially useful with a KVM switch, so you
can switch one keyboard/mouse between different systems.

On 1/31/2022 5:20 PM, Joseph Floyd wrote:
> I'm currently working on a PS2- to- DEC mouse converter. This is based upon an open source project I wound online.
>
> https://hackaday.io/project/19576-dec-mouse-adapter
>
> My goal is to use a common PS2 mouse with a VaxStation and VAX-2000. Staring with the code referenced above I have developed a pretty responsive and stable PS2-to-DEC mouse solution using an Arduino Mega 2560.

Here is a similar project, for Next keyboard. The code seems available
on github, but I have not looked at it, only read the story. There may
be something in here that will help you, if only to get ideas from the
story.

https://journal.spencerwnelson.com/entries/nextkb.html

[snip]

--
Johann | email: invalid -> com | www.myrkraverk.com/blog/
I'm not from the Internet, I just work there. | twitter: @myrkraverk

On Monday, January 31, 2022 at 9:20:02 AM UTC-8, flo...@gmail.com wrote:
> I'm currently working on a PS2- to- DEC mouse converter. This is based upon an open source project I wound online.

There used to be a commercially available PS/2 to Sun adapter.
(Keyboard, mouse, and video)

https://www.startech.com/en-us/server-management/sv125

I think they made other adapters too, now discontinued, but I don't
know about DEC or NeXT. They sometimes come up on eBay, and
usually for not all that much. (Actually, I only have one.)

gah4 wrote:

> There used to be a commercially available PS/2 to Sun adapter.
> (Keyboard, mouse, and video)
>
> https://www.startech.com/en-us/server-management/sv125

Possibly look for second-hand KVMs that supported Sun etc, Rose Electronics is
probably a good manufacturer to look out for.

> Here is a similar project, for Next keyboard. The code seems available
> on github, but I have not looked at it, only read the story. There may
> be something in here that will help you, if only to get ideas from the
> story.

Anyone deciding they'd like to try to build something of this sort might
like to know that the hacking community have developed a number of open
source firmware packages for doing keyboards. Some of them are listed
here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/wiki/firmware/

De

On 2/8/2022 3:33 PM, Dennis Boone wrote:
> > Here is a similar project, for Next keyboard. The code seems available
> > on github, but I have not looked at it, only read the story. There may
> > be something in here that will help you, if only to get ideas from the
> > story.
>
> Anyone deciding they'd like to try to build something of this sort might
> like to know that the hacking community have developed a number of open
> source firmware packages for doing keyboards. Some of them are listed
> here:
>
> https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/wiki/firmware/
>
> De

Hmm, I have a DEC hockey puck mouse. I should have a look...