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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: aGGreSSor on May 18, 2015, 06:38:25 PM
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I adapted modern optical mouse for standard Amiga port. The author of this idea StarCat from amiga.org.ru forum. He described it verbally, but I decided to solder in reality. The advantages of optics to mechanics obvious. It doesn't require any adapter, plug'n'play ;)
You can watch a short video on You Tube (https://youtu.be/YGdl0oy7Vi4) (including English subtitles).
If you are (non)interested in this topic - let me know.
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Interested in making some money? I'd like one. Make it for me and name a price.
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Amazing!
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I remember an Amiga optical mouse back in 91 that needed a special mouse pad with a grid pattern to work.
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I adapted modern optical mouse for standard Amiga port. The author of this idea StarCat from amiga.org.ru forum. He described it verbally, but I decided to solder in reality. The advantages of optics to mechanics obvious. If you are (non)interested in this topic - let me know.
Well, you can only convert a couple of older optical mice with a sensor chip that has quadrature output pins. There are a couple of older Logitech mice for which this works. Basically, one has to remove the microcontroller and connect the quadrature pins of the sensor chip directly with the Amiga mice.
Yes, I've done this a while ago with an old Logitech mouse, works fine given that you have the right type of vintage mouse. Here is the link to the relevant thread to the a1k forum. This is in German, though: http://www.a1k.org/forum/showthread.php?t=43613&highlight=Optische+M%E4use
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Interested in making some money? I'd like one. Make it for me and name a price.
Interested, but not this time. ;) Modification is extremely easy.
You don't need programming PIC. Only required accuracy.
Amazing!
I'm photographed the entire process and will describe it "step-by-step" in his blog.
My article is written in Russian language. I didn't know how to write in English.
It gives me great difficulty. At the same time I'm well read English texts.
I would like to find someone who would be able to translate into English and publish
this simple thing for everyone. This may be material for amazing Amiga magazine. =)
(http://savepic.su/5693632.jpg)
I remember an Amiga optical mouse back in 91 that needed a special mouse pad with a grid pattern to work.
I like mouse pads, but for this mouse doesn't need.
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Well, you can only convert a couple of older optical mice with a sensor chip that has quadrature output pins. There are a couple of older Logitech mice for which this works. Basically, one has to remove the microcontroller and connect the quadrature pins of the sensor chip directly with the Amiga mice.
Yes, I've done this a while ago with an old Logitech mouse, works fine given that you have the right type of vintage mouse.
You are absolutely right. But I never read about it.
It works on a large number of mouses. It's necessary to specifically look for the mouse with the right sensors. For example PAW3602DH, PAN3201H, etc
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It works on a large number of mouses. It's necessary to specifically look for the mouse with the right sensors.
Sure. But if you just buy an average optical mouse today, it comes with an all-integrated sensor chip that includes the USB interface. Only older models used two separate chips, which is a more expensive design and is nowadays no more available due to its cost factor. Thus, if you find a probably ten year old mouse in your house (an electronic one, not the biological cheese-loving creatures), chances are quite good. Everything younger uses likely a single-chip design that is unsuitable for a modification.
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quadrature pins of the sensor chip directly with the Amiga mice.
I read your link. I think so, no one working? This is possible, but it is wrong. It should look a bit different.
(http://savepic.su/5690563.jpg)
Sure. But if you just buy an average optical mouse today, it comes with an all-integrated sensor chip that includes the USB interface.
Most of today are designed such mice. I'm redid Logitech M-BJ58 with USB interface (2008 year). Logitech M-BJ69 (2012 year) also nice. I'm even find them on sale, not only in museums. :lol:
Only older models used two separate chips, which is a more expensive design and is nowadays no more available due to its cost factor.
Of course I am always inclined to plunder museums. In fact, the sensor is licensed "know-how". His only produced in different versions, with different power and strapping. The same sensor can be operated with different 400-2000 cpi. Artificial lock. Some sensors have a CPI pin for select. Often in a mouse for gamers and office is the same sensor .. =)
Thus, if you find a probably ten year old mouse in your house (an electronic one, not the biological cheese-loving creatures), chances are quite good. Everything younger uses likely a single-chip design that is unsuitable for a modification.
The Chinese produce sensors including quadrature outputs. I bought a USB-mouse year ago in Finland, some Trustex and found in it a chip HM-bla-bla with quadrature outputs. They do it. ;) The presence of the interface chip allows use USB -> PS/2 adapter. It's more compatible mouse. There is no guarantee that chinese sensor will approach us. Required a list of compatibility.
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Just going out on a limb here, but I would imagine that what to THoR is a "museum piece", is a much more common piece of tech in St. Petersburg, Russia, perhaps? LOL. Great hack, anyway! Funny thing, I just bought another Cocolino (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=88) today, but if I were more inclined (and less happy with how well the Cocolino works) I might be willing to try it. I've got a drawer full of old mice (not the cheese-eating kind, but there may be one or two of those in there also!) :roflmao:
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I hope this is not too far off topic.
Do track-balls still exist for the Amiga?
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Do track-balls still exist for the Amiga?
They definitely still exist. I have one. I think what you mean is "Can you still buy one?" In that case, ummm... ebay? Amibay? Maybe this mod would work on a trackball, too? :idea:
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I assume Atari Track Ball.
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I assume Atari Track Ball.
(https://spiritusettechnologiae.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/crystal_trackbal_4d77b7a451aca.jpg)
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Cool.
edit:
I hope this is not a bad question. :D
Did the Amiga have serial mice?
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I hope this is not too far off topic.
Do track-balls still exist for the Amiga?
The Kensington Optical Expert Mouse (http://www.kensington.com/us/us/4493/k64325/expert-mouse%C2%AE) (trackballs) previously used an ADNS-2051 optical sensor. Possible use now. Produced today and modified with the topic equally. Therefore Amiga have them. :)
(http://mineko.fc2web.com/box/tb-room/items/res/kensington-orbit-optical/sensorBoard.jpg)
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I remember an Amiga optical mouse back in 91 that needed a special mouse pad with a grid pattern to work.
There was the Dale Luck "Boing! Mouse" that was a 3 button Sun mouse modified to work on an Amiga, with a plastic and rubber pad set with lines in a grid; and a Golden Image mouse that used a piece of cardboard with dots on it; the Golden Image mouse shows up on eBay, but its pad was usually eaten by the family dog and showed up it the dog's poop.
Boing! Mice are hard to find and can sell for in the $70 USD range; Golden Image mice are best fed to the family dog to help clean them out from too much cardboard ingestion.
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I hope this is not too far off topic.
Do track-balls still exist for the Amiga?
Yep, flip over a mouse on its back and go for it!
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I read your link. I think so, no one working? This is possible, but it is wrong. It should look a bit different.
Not clear what you mean. I found in my Logitech mouse park two models that would allow a modification. I believe these were the BD69 and BJ69 models. I forgot which one is which, but one of the two models used a chip that has a direct quadrature output, and the other one (the one I played with) had an H2000 chip which has a switchable PS/2 - quadrature output, and with a bit of additional tweaking can be made to talk to the Amiga just fine. As said, the end result works. It's not the most elegant design I picked, rather the cheapest given the components I had. Anyhow, for more details, go to the a1k thread. Google translate will hopefully turn that into something useful. One way or another, such mice are not produced anymore to my knowledge. You can probably find the chips from some chinese vendors and build them yourself if you want to create a business. For me it was enough to get a mouse that worked. I did not aim to sell it.
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check these pages guys (alien language but worth it)
http://www.amiga-exa.cz/retro-optical-mouse/
http://www.amiga-exa.cz/new-amiga-optical-mouse/
http://www.amiga-exa.cz/part-5-new-amiga-optical-mouse/
the printed circuits looks terribly and it is next to impossible find out thin and flexible rounded cable, but the mouses work perfectly.
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I remember an Amiga optical mouse back in 91 that needed a special mouse pad with a grid pattern to work.
yes i actually have one like that ..never been the same after my pet rabbit at the time decided the cord was a chew toy..that was about 1995 i bought it...
the one i use now is also optical made by house designs ..its a 3 button mouse i got it on ebay only one optical light works but it works ok...
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rotfl (for no reason really ) :D
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Now if only we could get something like t he Logitech unified driver/adapter working on the Amiga :D
Seriously, this is cool. I bought one of the boing ball usb mice from Amigakit, anyone know if this mod would work on them?
slaapliedje
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I hope this is not too far off topic.
Do track-balls still exist for the Amiga?
I have several of the Logitech Marble Mouse (Yes, it really is a trackball. Poorly named.) with USB interface. It goes thru a USB-to-PS/2 adapter and then thru a Cocolino into my Amigas, plug-n-play (no software or drivers required). It has the tactile spring-leaf contacts. These work great. I now like them better than any mouse.
I believe these were originally available with a true PS/2 interface. Then they sold them as USB with the adapter included. Perhaps they still use an older PS/2 protocal?
I have USB Kensington Orbits to use with Macs and PCs. I'm not sure they work thru the adapters with Amigas. I'll have to try it.
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check these pages guys (alien language but worth it)
http://www.amiga-exa.cz/retro-optical-mouse/
http://www.amiga-exa.cz/new-amiga-optical-mouse/
http://www.amiga-exa.cz/part-5-new-amiga-optical-mouse/
the printed circuits looks terribly and it is next to impossible find out thin and flexible rounded cable, but the mouses work perfectly.
When finished creating a layer of wires (remember about clearance = 2.1 mm!) also visited the idea own mouse PCB... Now I see that there are three ways:
- Direct connection of the sensor to Amiga mouse port. (conditionally, deutsch version)
- Almost the same, but with harmonization (russian version)
- Wiring own board (czech version).
Surprisingly, when people didn't know each other come to the same in different ways. Thank you for your reference!
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When finished creating a layer of wires (remember about clearance = 2.1 mm!) also visited the idea own mouse PCB... Now I see that there are three ways:
- Direct connection of the sensor to Amiga mouse port. (conditionally, deutsch version)
- Almost the same, but with harmonization (russian version)
- Wiring own board (czech version).
Surprisingly, when people didn't know each other come to the same in different ways. Thank you for your reference!
It is really a matter of the chip. For the mice I had a look at - the old version - the chips were designed for TTL logic levels in mind anyhow, so the quadrature output can be connected to the Amiga TTL input directly. This is not necessarily true for all chips, some use an internal conversion to 3.3V and run on 3.3V logic levels.
I personally tried to recycle as many components as possible, so the mouse itself is the original Logitech design, the mouse cable comes from a defunct Amiga mouse and hence fits nicely. The drawback is that it lacks a wire for the middle mouse button.
The czech version is a new "design from scratch". That's of course the better solution for professional vendors, but not an option for hobbyists like me.
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It is really a matter of the chip. For the mice I had a look at - the old version - the chips were designed for TTL logic levels in mind anyhow, so the quadrature output can be connected to the Amiga TTL input directly. This is not necessarily true for all chips, some use an internal conversion to 3.3V and run on 3.3V logic levels.
Absolutely.
I personally tried to recycle as many components as possible, so the mouse itself is the original Logitech design, the mouse cable comes from a defunct Amiga mouse and hence fits nicely. The drawback is that it lacks a wire for the middle mouse button.
This is a very big problem. I used twisted pair like UTP Cat5e and it isn't sufficiently flexible. Inelastic telephone cable like 01-5402 REXANT (10 wire) too bad. Multi-colored plume is more flexible, but also no good. It's problem. :(
The czech version is a new "design from scratch". That's of course the better solution for professional vendors, but not an option for hobbyists like me.
It's completely amateur, Toner Transfer Method. It depends on the willingness to bother. Personally, I'm just lazy. ;)
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In the beginning of the topic was promised a big russian article. I'm fulfilling my promise (http://eugene-sobolev.blogspot.ru/2015/05/AmigaMouse.html)!
Perhaps it can be read in google translate (https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=ru&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Feugene-sobolev.blogspot.ru%2F2015%2F05%2FAmigaMouse.html&act=url).
:hammer:
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I adapted modern optical mouse for standard Amiga port. The author of this idea StarCat from amiga.org.ru forum. He described it verbally, but I decided to solder in reality. The advantages of optics to mechanics obvious. It doesn't require any adapter, plug'n'play ;)
You can watch a short video on You Tube (https://youtu.be/YGdl0oy7Vi4) (including English subtitles).
If you are (non)interested in this topic - let me know.
I did the same thing with the 800dpi genius optical mouse only i installed the pic in the DE9 housing, so its all self contained and no adapters needed, i used the project on aminet to program the pic chip.
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I did the same thing with the 800dpi genius optical mouse only i installed the pic in the DE9 housing, so its all self contained and no adapters needed, i used the project on aminet to program the pic chip.
It's an excellent solution. Thanks to RDC (http://ps2m.sotchenko.ru/index.html), we have it in various realizations (including industrial). But PIC scheme requires more experience and more expensive. Support mouse at the same level (PS/2 and Combo).
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I assume Atari Track Ball.
Natively the Atari trackball does not work as an Amiga mouse. But there was an article on how to modify it to work as one. I did it once. Unfortunately that trackball fell when packing for a show and I don't have it anymore. I think they called it the Atari (or Amiga) trackmouse. That might make looking for the instructions easier. Would likely have been an issue of Amazing Computing.