Atari ST USB keyboard and mouse adapter

Moin atari st fans,

 

About 3 years ago I came across a project that makes it possible to connect a USB keyboard and mouse to an Atari ST.
The project uses a Raspberry Pi Pico with a few additional components.
Optionally, you can also connect 2 joysticks. There are two standard 9 pin Sub-D (male) connectors.

Here is the link to the Github project page: https://github.com/fieldofcows/atari-st-rpikb

Now it was unfortunately the case that the source code for the Raspi Pico was not entirely complete, i.e. there were several error messages during the compilation process.
In the meantime there was one Tip in the commentshow to solve the problem.
But at first I did not investigate this.

I stumbled across a  YouTube video .
The Youtuber has put that compiled program online for the Raspi so that you don't have to compile the code yourself.

I tried this with my experimental setup and installed the program on a Raspberry Pico. It is pretty easy by connecting the Pico via the USB cable to the computer. In my case a Mac. You have to keep the button 'Bootsel' pressed when switching on or plugging in the Pico. You can then release the button again.  
The Raspi should then mount a drive like a hard drive. 

Attention: first unpack the file atari_ikbd-firmware.zip .
To this drive, now copy the in the zip included file atari_ikbd.uf2.
After that, the drive should eject automatically. Now the program should be installed on the Raspi.

The circuit diagrams and how the whole thing is to be built up can be found on the Original page.

I tested some keyboards and mice. Almost everything is working fine, just not requiring too much power. And unfortunately, keyboards and mice do not work with the Logitech Unifying wireless dongle.
This means: Apart from gamer keyboards and mice, as well as Logitech wireless dongles, most things will probably work.

Here is my list of test devices and the result:

The following keyboards and mice worked:
- Raspberry Pi Keyboard and Mouse
- Logitech MX518 Mouse
- Kensington USB/PS2 Wired Mid-Size Mouse (M01093, K72355)
- Apple Pro Mouse (transparent / black, slow)
- Apple Mouse Model A1152, white (slow)
- Microsoft Express Mouse MSK1480
- Kensington Expert Mouse K64325
- Das Keyboard 4c Pro
- Apple Keyboard A1048
- 4-port USB-Hub (blue) + HKBD Pro Hybrid Type-S (over cable, cmd: FN-Control-0) + Raspberry Pi Mouse
- 4-port USB-Hub (blue) + Keysonic ACK-11864 (radio) + Raspberry Pi Mouse

The following keyboards and mice do not work with the Logitech Unifying wireless dongle :
- Generally keyboards with Logitech Unifying radio dongle
- SteelSeries Kinzu V3 (Gamer-Mouse)
- SteelSeries Kana V2 (Gamer-Mouse)
- Apple Keyboard (white) A1243
- Ducky One 3 SF (Gamer-Keyboard)
- Logitech TK820 with integrated TouchPad (tested without/with USB hub)
- Logitech Dinovo Edge with BT dongle (tested without/with USB hub)

It is important: If the keyboard already includes internally a USB hub, then the keyboard should not be connected via another USB hub. That doesn't work.
If the keyboard has not integrated a USB hub, you can connect both, i.e. keyboard and mouse, to a USB hub.
What does not work are active hubs, i.e. those with their own power supply. So only use passive hubs!

Btw: I forked the project, you can also find it on my Github account.

 

Here are a few pictures of my setup on a breadboard: