Date   : Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:30:44 +0100
From   : nicolagiacobbe@... (nicola giacobbe)
Subject: Fwd: Re: Not Exactly a BBC Question But...

It could be done, and easily, but need a little experience forehand.
I suggest to start with having a Beeb (or Master) connected like a
sort of 'intelligent keyboard'. Then, once ironed out all the
problems found, you'll have a deeper understanding of the subject
and I could send you a small ARM core to do the same using a
PS/2 or USB keyboard.
Do you need some code to move the User Port? It is just a few POKEs
in the Sheila addresses: &40-&7F



On Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:02:42 +0100, Conrad Russo <conrad.russo@...>
wrote:

> Yeah, what I'll try to do is to send some of the 40 bit serial code from
> the userport of my master to the FM77 at the proper rate and see if it
> recognizes it as keypresses. If that works, I'll move on from there. I
> might go another route though because both my beebs are in a room that is
> completely inaccessible right now due to renovations :(. I have two awesome
> beebs (and an Archie) that I haven't been able to use for a while now, it's
> upsetting! But back on topic, I have asked around on two keyboard forums to
> see if anyone can help out a bit with the practical side of things. There
> are so many people out there who have an FM77AV machine without a keyboard,
> a uC/Arduino/(C)PLD based solution could really help some people. I thought
> maybe of an Arduino Mini (the ones in a DIP formfactor) inserted into a
> small board with the appropriate connectors. I know lots of boardmaking
> houses offer a really good deal on small boards of a set size.
>
> On Thu, Jan 5, 2012@... PM, Rick Murray <rick@...> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Sorry, mental hiccup, forget the PS/2 stuff. You want *something* that the
>> FM77 thinks is a keyboard. You could try bit bashing on the user port (re.
>> my previous message, just read FM77 where I wrote PS/2...).
>>
>> Thing is to connect *anything* to the Japanese box is likely to require
>> programming (the Arduino needs to know what to do, right?). If you can get
>> the Beeb keyboard working, you're halfway there. If you can read a PS/2
>> keyboard and output FM77 on the Beeb, you'll have all the code ready to
>> port over to the not-quite-C++ language the Arduino platform uses.
>>
>>
>> Best wishes,
>>
>> Rick
>>
>> (*sent from my mobile*)
>>
>>
>> -----Original message-----
>>
>> *From: *Conrad Russo <conrad.russo@...>*
>> To: *Rick Murray <rick@...>*
>> Sent: *Fri, 06 Jan 2012, 07:36:42 CET*
>> Subject: *Re: [BBC-Micro] Fwd: Re: Not Exactly a BBC Question But...
>>
>> I think you misunderstood what I want to do, I want to hook up a PS/2
>>> keyboard to an FM77AV, not the other way around. Forgive me if you already
>>> knew that, it's just that the way you described it (keyboard to
>>> microcontroller, microcontroller to PS/2 lead) sounds like you think I want
>>> to hook up a foreign keyboard to a PS/2 port. I think such things as PS/2
>>> keyboard debouncing are well known. So all that would have to be done is
>>> read the PS/2 keyboard, convert PS/2 codes to 40-bit FM77 serial stream,
>>> send to FM77. I think it's a little bit simpler then the other way around.
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jan 5, 2012@... PM, Rick Murray <rick@...> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Arduino looks kinda cool. I might get myself one to play with (Farnell
>>> lists the Uno for ?20, but the spec is quite low, there is an ARM Olimex
>>> for ?24, or a Cortex-M3 with LCD, four buttons, serial, plus a fine spec
>>> for ?35. Not a RPi, but not a bad little mcu dev board.).
>>>
>>>
>>> But note, you still have to fiddle with hardware (keyboard to
>>> microcontroller, microcontroller to PS/2 lead) and software (scan keys,
>>> debounce, convert to PS/2, bitbash PS/2...) so for a quick fix you might as
>>> well wirea PS/2 plug to the User Port and try that first. If you can't get
>>> that going, give up on using a microcontroller, it won't be as easy to poke
>>> as BASIC!
>>>
>>> As for the keys and the Beeb's lack of them, there is always Ctrl key
>>> options.
>>>
>>>
>>> Best wishes,
>>>
>>> Rick
>>>
>>> (*sent from my mobile*)
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original message-----
>>>
>>> *From: *Conrad Russo <conrad.russo@...>*
>>> To: *"bbc-micro@..." <bbc-micro@...>*
>>> Sent: *Fri, 06 Jan 2012, 00:03:01 CET*
>>> Subject: *[BBC-Micro] Fwd: Re: Not Exactly a BBC Question But...
>>>
>>>
>>
>


-- 
Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/