i recently purchased several AIOs, but do not have an adb keyboard (it's at my mom's house) , and realized that to turn one of these on you need he keyboard. i know that there is a adb to usb adapter, but is there a usb to adb adapter? if so, would it work w/ a lime green imac keyboard to turn on the mac.
PS, is there a firewire to usb adapter?
The Griffin iMate (no longer in production, but should be available on eBay) allows use of ADB devices on USB-equipped Macs. This is precisely the opposite of what you need to do. I'm not aware of an adapter that goes the other direction. I used an iMate to attach a Mac SE/30's keyboard to an aluminum iMac for a few days at work. Quite a conversation piece!
There are adapters that allow use of PS-2 devices on ADB Macs, but they tend to be pricey. I lucked out and got a 4-pack for $45 shipped, but other auctions for the same device were well over four times the price at the time (five years ago). For the record, I and a friend are using all four adapters. Great for a mixed KVM setup of PCs and beige (or Blue & White) Macs.
ADB keyboards and mice are a dime a dozen. I've got a box full of them, waiting for a Mac to interface with. The problem is shipping: It'll cost more to ship them to you than the keyboards & mice are worth. But still less pricey than the PS-2/ADB option.
Probably the quickest, easiest, least expensive method, other than purchasing an ADB keyboard and mouse, would be to get a USB card and put it in one of the open PCI slots in the all-in-one G3. If you're using Mac OS 8.5 or higher, most should work right out of the box. This would also allow you to use modern(ish) printers, scanners, cameras, etc. (presuming you can find appropriate drivers for your OS).
is there any way to turn on the aio other that the keyboard? also there is no os installed, it has no hard drive and i cant even turn it on
I've not owned a Beige G3 AIO (too damn big), so I'm going totally from memory on the two or three I've worked on. I have owned its brethren, the Beige G3 minitower and the Beige G3 desktop. Both of those had a greenish-blue power button on the front panel. Does the AIO not have the power button?
It's looking more like you *need* an ADB keyboard and mouse. Do you have a "computer recycling" warehouse within driving distance? You should be able to pick up several on the cheap.
i think i will just have to find an adb keyboard , thanks for all your help
You are thinking of the blue and white G3, which was released in 1999 and has two USB ports and 1 ADB port. The G3 mini-tower and desktop, released around 97-98 had just 1 ADB port, no built-in USB, and a gray power button.
Just to clarify, DogCow, I was in fact thinking of the Beige G3 MT and DT, not the B&W. I guess the nipple-shaped power button on these machines looked more turquoise to me than grey. But we're talking about the same machines.