PC mouse to QL conversion project

[Cristian]

IF I remember correctly, Atari ST mice are compatible with QL + Sermouse.... can anyone confirm?
Anyway, I found this interesting project to convert a normal PC mouse (serial, ball-type) in order to be compatible with:

- Amiga
- Atari ST
- old, pre-ADB classic Macintosh computers
- and QL?

The process seems rather simple, if you have some basic soldering skills.
Here is the link:

http://oldcomputer.info/hacks/mouse/index.htm

[Dave]

We're including a QIMI mouse interface on the Issue 8. Our thinking is that many Amiga and ST mice can use a simple adapter to work with that port. We *might* include a little patch panel so people could choose a particular common pinout - it's just a matter of knowing suitable pinouts.

[SinclairSociety]

IF I remember correctly, Atari ST mice are compatible with QL + Sermouse.... can anyone confirm?
Anyway, I found this interesting project to convert a normal PC mouse (serial, ball-type) in order to be compatible with:

- Amiga
- Atari ST
- old, pre-ADB classic Macintosh computers
- and QL?

The process seems rather simple, if you have some basic soldering skills.
Here is the link:

http://oldcomputer.info/hacks/mouse/index.htm

I would like to know this too as I am an Atari guy and have an Atari mouse or few here. Would love to have a mouse on my future QL one day.

TJ

[mk79]

If one has got a Qimi interface (or a SQB with mouse support) then you can use an Atari mouse. Alternatively PS/2 compatible mice can be used with an adapter https://www.kilgus.net/2017/01/30/of-mi ... stly-mice/, USB compatible mice can also be used, for example using SmallyMouse2 (I have successfully used one) https://www.waitingforfriday.com/?p=827.

When no QIMI board is available then the only option are very old serial mice. It's possible that the QL has to be modified (a resistor bridged) as otherwise only 10mA is available on the serial port.

I currently don't have a mouse for my non-SQB QL's either, eventually I'd like to develop an USB->SPI translater that can be attached to the internal QL-SD modules, but that is currently on hold due to time constraints.

Marcel

[Dave]

That's why we chose to incorporate a QIMI interface on the Issue 8. Well, that and the relative positions between the 8302 and the 8049 changed, so a QIMI board would no longer fit internally and we thought it unlikely anyone would make a clone - even Tetroid, because you also have to supply the mouse to go with it.

We also included a QIMI mouse port on our SSQB (SuperSuperQBoard) but development on that stalled. I literally have four tracks to do, then it can be prototyped.

Nasta's QIMI implementation is very compact and uses a GAL to control component count.

The real problems, I think, are the scarcity of modern mice that use the old Atari/QL pinouts and the order of magnitude improvement of optical mice over aperture mice.

[Cristian]

So, I tried my Commodore Amiga mouse with QL+Sermouse, and it doesn't work. Of course! My adaptor is set for PC mouse pinout!
I don't want to make another adaptor to test the Amiga mouse. Anyway, I found that its pinout is the same as Atari, so I think it would work with QL.

[RWAP]

Just to clarify - the QIMI and Atari ST use a "BUS Mouse" rather than a serial mouse. Not sure about the Amiga.

The BUS Mouse was normally identified by having a switch on the base to select PC or MS

[RalfR]

Anyway, I found that its pinout is the same as Atari, so I think it would work with QL.

The pinout of an Amiga mouse is not the same as with an Atari mouse! See Marcels link. I remember to have to modify the Amiga mouse internally to work with the SQBmouse port. The same should be right with an QIMI.

[Cristian]

Thank you Ralf, there are so many uncorrect info or fakes in the websites

[RalfR]

Thank you Ralf, there are so many uncorrect info or fakes in the websites

It was quite horrible. When I sent my SQB in 1986 to Sandy to change it into an SuperMOUSE SQB, I got a very horrible mouse with it, Dave may know how bad it was. The mouse port was Atari mouse compatible, but not the pinout. I had to investigate but succeed. The Amiga mouse was much better to handle but had to be changed inside (digital to analogue). This was quite easy for me, simply change a few wires to another port, but unfortunately, I can't remember, what I have done, though it was very easy for me and it worked in the first try.