I'm planning to build these:
https://www.tindie.com/products/option8/retroconnector-keyboard-interface-for-apple-iie/
https://www.tindie.com/products/option8/retroconnector-joystick-interface-for-apple-ii/
I'd just buy them. But I don't think he's going to be making more any time soon. So I plan to make them. The gerber files are on github. But there's no bill of materials. And he's not responding to me.
For the keyboard interface, I can identify the three chips from the photos. And the resisters are marked on the board. The crystal is 8, 10, or 12 mhz. The problem is the transistor. Also, a later revision of the board has a cap. I can't find a value for the cap or a part number for the transistor anywhere.
For the joystick interface, there's a cap transistor also.
Also I wish I had part numbers for the switches and that pot.
Does anyone have these boards and can read the transistor and caps and let me know what they are?
thanks
There appears to be some sort of ADC Chip as well maybe on the joystick interface as well. Something from Analog Devices I can't make out the part number.
I was looking at this a couple of weeks too. I went to Github and struck the same problem. There is no parts list and I couldn't make out the transistor and the capacitor either.
It was being sold a while ago so someone must have these. It would be great if someone could share the missing details.
I am trying to use IIe sitting on a shelf while just the keyboard is on my desk (as IIe itself takes up too much desk space). A wired or even better, a wireless USB keyboard would be perfect for this.
https://knzl.at/ps2-keyboard-for-apple-ii/
I am awaiting boards from OSH to buid this. I'll let you all know how it goes. It is PS-2 and not USB, but perhaps it is some help.
Mark
I built one of those. The schematic has a PIC 16F630. I used one and it didn't work.
I noticed there are two .hex files in the file package:
ps2_to_apple2_SVN??_16F676.hex
ps2_to_apple2_SVN??_16F630_not_tested.hex
Not tested...
Thing is, I couldn't find a 16F676.
If you have more luck than I did let us know.
I tried the 16F630 with the "not tested" firmware and works fine.
IMG_7198.JPG
Hi,
After some digging around, I think I may have found some useful info.
First off, I am not an electronics engineer. My knowledge of electronic circuit is limited. So what I found is to be taken with a grain of salt.
I looked at RetroConnector site, and there was a video where the creator was displaying his products and I found a moment when the "USB - IIe keyboard adapter" was shown in close up. There, you can make out the writing on the crystal.
It says "ATS16B CTS171418". I searched the internet and it looks like this is a 16MHz crystal made by CTS. Perhaps something like this one?
https://www.digikey.co.uk/product-detail/en/cts-frequency-controls/ATS16B/CTX1085-ND/2640031
Next the component that looks like a transistor and the capacitor. They are not visible in the video close up so I had to guess what they may be.
I looked at the board design and on the board where the transistor-like component is, it says "5V 3V GND". That made me think that this is not a transistor but in fact some sort of voltage regulator. I looked at the board traces and realised that the IIe keyboard connector 5V pin is connected to the 5V pin on the volage regulator. The output of the voltage regulator is going to the USB shield 3.3V input pin. So I am guessing this is actually a voltage regulator to step down 5V from the motherboard to 3.3V for the mini USB shield. Maybe something like this below?
https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDetail/Microchip-Technology/MCP1700-3302E-TO?qs=h7tZ5KkzNMMPEB66r2rMQw%3D%3D&mgh=1&vip=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7ryBlqui7wIVHOrtCh3_PQdfEAQYASABEgLsjvD_BwE
And finally the capacitor. This was not there in the earlier version of the keyboard converter. This capacitor is connected across the voltage regulator input pin (5V) and the ground pin. What capacitance should this be? In the mouser webpage above, there is a datasheet with typical usage circuit example, and in it, with input voltage of 2.3V to 3.2V, it uses 1uF. So I am guessing we could use 5-10uF for the IIe keyboard converter with 5V input.
It looks like the same components are used for the "USB - Joystick converter" as well.
Let me know what you think.
crystal.jpg
5v-motherboard.jpg
board-front.jpg
usb-shield.jpg
Ive built a whole bunch of these and know the BOM if anyone needs any help making one. Let me know.
for anyone that wants to see more
https://youtu.be/N-vMPkogTvs
How are you getting the video from the //e to your macbook?
I'm gathering parts to build one and would like the BOM.
But more importantly, is the ATMega firmware available?
Kind regards,
Yes and Yes.
Firmware -
https://github.com/option8/RetroConnector/tree/master/IIe-USB/arduino
BOM -
(1) UHS Mini(1) 3v/5v converter - https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/microchip-technology/MCP1700-3002E-TO/651116(1) Capacitor ,22 uF - https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/epcos-tdk-electronics/B32529C1224J189/3490258(2) push buttons - 6 x 6 x 5 mm Momentary Tactile Tact Push Button Switch for Panel PCB 4 Pin DIP(1) ATMEGA328(1) 16mhz oscilator - ATS16B - https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/cts-frequency-controls/ATS16B/2640031(2) 470 OHM resistors(1) CD74HC4067(1) CD40518 - https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/texas-instruments/CD4051BE/67305(1) Male 26-Pin connector header - https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/bud-industries/BC-32677/5291571(1) Female Right Angle 26-Pin connector header - https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/sullins-connector-solutions/SFH11-PBPC-D13-RA-BK/1990099
or if you just want to buy one, I have a few already made:
https://apple2.retro6502.com/products/retroconnector-keyboard-interface-for-apple-iie
I built one of these using a PIC16F676, and it worked on the first try. I know "it works for me" isn't very helpful, but at least I can confirm that, yes, it is a working design. The developer isn't yanking people's chains. Frankly, it was a godsend: I was trying to resurrect a clone motherboard I'd gotten my hands on, but without a keyboard. Replacing the keyboard was looking like it was going to be ~$200, but for an afternoon of time and a PS/2 dumpster dive keyboard I got it working.
I like the fact that in this design the GPIO assignment for the micronctroller is set up so that you can nearly shove the PIC into the keyboard socket. There's just a couple of pins that need to be rerouted, but otherwise it can piggy-back on top of the socket plug. You barely even need a circuit board to assemble it. Very clean look when it's done.
I built one of the earlier versions of the Retroconnector Apple //e USB Keyboard Adapter, specifically rev.3 which uses a Teensy 2.0+, but I've never been able to use it because I haven't been able to get the code to compile in Arduino IDE. It fails because of dependencies on libraries and I've tried to manually installed stuff but I've never been able to get it to actually work.
I have since bought one of the newer versions of the Retroconnector board from retro6502 to get one of my //e units working (and even since then found and bought a complete old style white letter keyboard).
Does anyone know if the firmware for the newer version will work on the rev.3? Or does anyone have the firmware for rev/3? I was able to get Gerbers and PCBs made and I bought one Teensy 2.0+ (really expensive!) but I'm kinda stuck at this point as far as getting firmware onto it.
I've tried reaching out to the developer of the board but it doesn't appear they are active at all, and their Tindie store is out of stock and appears to be abandoned. The retro6502 store was the only place I found that had anything in stock.
I've been thinking that the way to build something like this today is to use a RPi Pico. It has just ennough GPIO pins, it is cheap, readily available and currently well supported by the development tools and libraries which the Teensy family doesn't seem to be. Mainly there is code with examples to take direct input from a USB keyboard which is available online. I'm thinking that it shouldn't be too hard to graft that together with code from the Retroconnector repository to drive the //e by GPIO.
A Pico is way overkill as far as CPU power for a keyboard adapter but it is so cheap, its not a big deal. In fact I think the BOM price for a device built with a Pico would be less than the version retro6502 is currently selling. You can buy Picos for under $10 even through Amazon and PCBs this size are a few bucks each if you buy in quantity. The only other parts needed are basically the IDC26 sockets and female header sockets if you don't want to solder the Pico directly to the board (which I don't usually like to do). So maybe $20 each tops as far as parts. It should also be a simple and quick solder job to assemble them.
aiieusbkybv3.jpeg
This is the one I built.
aiiepicousbkyb.jpeg
This is a prototype I've put together on a breadboard using a RPi Pico. I also started a KiCAD project. If this works and I'm able to get the code to work then I will work on laying out the board and having PCBs made.
I was wondering why the Retroconnector rev.6 is so expensive through retro6502, with tax and shipping it was close to $100. But then I started to look at the price of some of the parts on there... The USB Host module it uses is $10-$20 each on Amazon, the 74HC4067 is also about $10, and the Atmega328 is around $7. The CD4051 isn't that bad, under a buck, but you add it all up and all the parts and soldering required to assemble it, and it's no wonder. That makes the Pico look like a much better choice since it has enough GPIO that it doesn't need the multiplexer and it can drive USB without needing the Host Adapter, only a much cheaper USB A connector.
Very cool project. Does the RPi Pico have to be 'side' powered or is the 5v from the keyboard trace good enough to power it?
The Teensy board you have is for the other direction, its for taking an Apple II keyboard so you can connect it to a modern USB computer; Not for connecting a USB Keyboard to an Apple II computer. Not sure you could modify the firmware to support the otherway around, its a different level of complexity.
Interesting! I had those PCBs made so long ago I guess I forgot what it was for. But now that I look at it, you are correct, it does appear to be the "USB Keyboard Sheield //e" which makes a //e keyboard work for USB.
So does anyone have the firmware built for that? I don't know how much I'd use it, but it would be fun to at least play with it.