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Hardware keyboard converter

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 4:55 am
by masto
Here's something I just hacked together:



I need to call it a day, so the details are a little light now, but there's not much magic to it. What's needed to replicate this is an Adafruit Trinket M0, a TTL to RS422 converter (I'm using an RS485 one because it's what I had lying around, but I believe https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BJJ4J64 would be a more appropriate part), and the attached firmware, which is just https://github.com/gdsports/usbhostcopr ... BDUARTUSBH with the baud rate changed to 6992. And a bunch of wires.

This was mostly out of curiosity to see if it would work. It works.

Re: Hardware keyboard converter

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 12:02 pm
by LeoBinkowski
Hey, that's another wonderful keyboard solution. I love it!

Re: Hardware keyboard converter

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 3:21 pm
by DJ Sures
That’s a nice one because it don’t use the pc! Nice option :)

Re: Hardware keyboard converter

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 7:08 am
by Kerploppus
Oh, neat! I have most of this stuff lying around. I'll give this a whack.

The "just stuff the wires in the holes" bit is the best part.

Re: Hardware keyboard converter

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 2:40 pm
by masto
When you don't have a 6-pin DIN connector lying around, you use what you can find... I did put ferrules on the wires for a better fit.

Re: Hardware keyboard converter

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2023 2:40 am
by masto
For anybody following along, I've put my modified keyboard converter firmware at https://github.com/masto/usbhostcopro/tree/nabu.

Specifically, the https://github.com/masto/usbhostcopro/b ... ket_m0.uf2 is ready to drag-and-drop onto a Trinket M0. It just does basic ASCII, so making it handle extra NABU-specific keys, joysticks, etc., could be an interesting starter project for someone who wants to fiddle around with this stuff.

Re: Hardware keyboard converter

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2023 12:46 am
by masto
Leaving this video unlisted to avoid filling my channel with too many of these work-in-progress videos, but folks here might be interested. Here's a prototype of an all-in-one keyboard converter board.


Re: Hardware keyboard converter

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2023 4:52 am
by DJ Sures
Real great!! I'm going to get a few from you when you're done for the nabu that I'm missing a keyboard for