I have two PS2 keyboard adapters for the Apple 1, but I can't get either to work. I'm suspecting it is my PS2 keyboard. Is this typical? When I power up the Apple 1 the LEDs on the keyboard flash ever so slightly (I have to look close to see it) and then nothing works. The Mike Willegal adapter will not clear the screen or reset. The Novichok adapter will clear the screen (via the onboard button) but will not reset the Apple 1.
So, are these adapters particular about the PS2 keyboard? The keyboard I have works otherwise for PS2 devices.
Have you tried shorting the pins in the keyboard connector on you Apple-1? ClearScreen (12 and 16), Reset (1 and 9).
Have you tried another PS/2 keyboard?
I can't say anything about the Mike Willegal adapter, but the Novichok should be fine. I sold 30 or so units while I was on eBay and believe me I have no reason to send a package to the other side of the world without verifying that it works. You could also buy it directly from the author, but it's the same situation with him.
Thanks. Shorting pins 1 and 9 did reset the Apple 1, but still no response from the keyboard from the Novichok.
Would you (or anyone) have a PS2 keyboard from Amazon that you have verified works with the Novichok?
On your Novichok Reset is Ctl-Alt-Del, newer ones have a separate button. Mike Willegal's project was 15 years ago, Novichok a little less, hard to say why they don't work with a modern keyboard from Amazon... Try the most common office keyboard from the 90's or 00's, I've tried everything. Maybe they have different controllers.
And I need to know if your keyboard Part Number is anything like that, I'll put it on the list of unsupported devices.
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The "Mike Willegal" adapter was built from design files I released, not by me.
I encountered problems with powering a PS/2 keyboard from the DIP socket and through a longish ribbon cable. To overcome these, I had to keep the ribbon cable reasonably short (say 18" or less) and program the fuses on the AVR microcontroller very carefully, particularly the brownout/ reset fuses. If whomever built this adapter didn't follow my design guidelines, the adapter may fail to initialize the keyboard correctly.
While I was actively selling these, I never encountered a PS/2 keyboard that it would not work with, provided the ribbon cable was kept reasonably short.
One other thing, plugging the ribbon cable in backward, will most likely fry the adapter, just like it would fry most actual keyboards.
Mike Willegal
Thanks for the info Mike. I have two PS2 keyboards, one is a recent purchase from Amazon (literally the cheapest one they had) and the other is a 90s Microsoft "wave" keyboard. Neither seems to work with either adapter, and I'm fairly certiain I never installed them backwards, because I just got my Apple 1 working.
I will try reprogramming the AVR microcontroller myself and see if that doesn't fix it.
Do you know if the firmware for this is available? I'd like to try uploading the latest and see if it makes a difference.
I do not have the firmware, it is not my project, I bought them assembled from the author. Everything I sold I tested on my replica before shipping. The author sold a certain amount himself, but I'm sure he checked them too. What Mike wrote is also true for Novichok, if you turn the adapter upside down and insert it will die.
I bought the Novichok a few years ago, and I know it was shipped from Russia. I just read the PIC16 on my XGecu programmer and it shows no data. But then maybe that's normal. I've never tried reading a PIC16 before.
If the shipment was from Moscow - you bought it from the author, from Samara - from me. The data on the PIC is protected from being read.
I bought them both about the time I bought a Briel Replica 1 Plus. I probably plugged them into that at the time, but now I realize that was meant for an Apple II keyboard, not a true Apple 1 serial keyboard. Perhaps that's what killed these.
Thanks for the help!
Apple 1 keyboards aren't serial, but they don't have the same pinout as an Apple ][ keyboard either. You need an adapter.
I bought an ATTINY and programmed it with with Mike Willegal's version 3.0 firmware. Everything is working great with that adapter now.