I would like to use a Acorn RISC PC keyboard with a Raspberry pi but have
had no success so far.
Neither the StarTech PS/2 to USB adapter or the KVM that I bought works.
does not work. Plugging in via the StarTech adapter causes the lock
lights to flash but the keyboard is dead.
The spec for the adapter says it is meant for keyboards that were
originally shipped with a PS/2-USB converter. This obviously was not the
case for RISC PC keyboards. It suggests an alternative adapter but I am reluctant to keep on buying adapters on the off-chance.
Is there anyone here that is using a RISC PC keyboard on a modern machine
who can help?
John
In article <29d7c3115a.John@rickman.argonet.co.uk>,
John Rickman <rickman@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
I would like to use a Acorn RISC PC keyboard with a Raspberry pi but have had no success so far.
Neither the StarTech PS/2 to USB adapter or the KVM that I bought works. does not work. Plugging in via the StarTech adapter causes the lock
lights to flash but the keyboard is dead.
The spec for the adapter says it is meant for keyboards that were originally shipped with a PS/2-USB converter. This obviously was not the case for RISC PC keyboards. It suggests an alternative adapter but I am reluctant to keep on buying adapters on the off-chance.
Is there anyone here that is using a RISC PC keyboard on a modern machine who can help?
Why not just buy a USB keyboard? They aren't expensive,
The Risc PC keyboard is actually a decent quality
keyboard.
I actually prefer the HP keyboard (not particularly cheap!)
I am using to the RPC ones, primarily because the RPC ones I
have are quite noisy, plus I do need a proper windows key
from time to time.
On 3 Aug 2022 as I do recall,
Russell Hafter News wrote:
[snip]
I actually prefer the HP keyboard (not particularly cheap!) I am using
to the RPC ones, primarily because the RPC ones I have are quite
noisy, plus I do need a proper windows key from time to time.
What do windows keys do? I always assumed they were completely useless
if you didn't have Windows.
(I just tried pressing the one that is taking up space on this keyboard,
and predictably nothing happened.)
Is there anyone here that is using a RISC PC keyboard on a modern machine >>> who can help?
I have a grey 'cube' style adapter - single PS/2 socket on one face, USB
male on the opposite face. That came from CPC about 10 years ago - they don't stock it any more. Ah, here we are, the bottom one here:
https://www.fruitycables.co.uk/collections/usb-ps2
I tried one of the top design (grey box with mouse, keyboard and USB cables coming out, usually pictured in an S shape) I found worked, but they were only designed for US keyboards so keys like \| and ¬` didn't work. It's possible some of those have different electronics in them that do a better job.
Thanks Theo - that is the sort of information I was looking for. I have ordered one of the dual keyboard mouse type from Amazon and will take a chance on the non-working keys.
The reason for not going with fruitycables was the postal charges:-10
pounds for slow delivery and 35 pounds for next day delivery. Amazon was free next day delivery.
On 3 Aug 2022 as I do recall,
Russell Hafter News wrote:
[snip]
I actually prefer the HP keyboard (not particularly cheap!)
I am using to the RPC ones, primarily because the RPC ones I
have are quite noisy, plus I do need a proper windows key
from time to time.
What do windows keys do? I always assumed they were completely
useless if you didn't have Windows.
On 3 Aug 2022 as I do recall,
Russell Hafter News wrote:
[snip]
I actually prefer the HP keyboard (not particularly cheap!)
I am using to the RPC ones, primarily because the RPC ones I
have are quite noisy, plus I do need a proper windows key
from time to time.
What do windows keys do? I always assumed they were completely
useless if you didn't have Windows.
(I just tried pressing the one that is taking up space on this keyboard,
and predictably nothing happened.)
What do windows keys do? I always assumed they were completely
useless if you didn't have Windows.
In article <366f34125a.harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk>,
Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:
What do windows keys do? I always assumed they were completely useless
if you didn't have Windows.
They can be programmed to do whatever you want using a suitable utility or directly editing your PreDesktop file
On 3 Aug 2022 as I do recall,
Russell Hafter News wrote:
[snip]
I actually prefer the HP keyboard (not particularly cheap!)
I am using to the RPC ones, primarily because the RPC ones I
have are quite noisy, plus I do need a proper windows key
from time to time.
What do windows keys do? I always assumed they were completely
useless if you didn't have Windows.
Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:
What do windows keys do? I always assumed they were completely
useless if you didn't have Windows.
In Windows and many Linux desktop environments they're used as a
search function (ie press Windows and start typing the program you
want - often this is quicker than hunting through the list of apps available), and also as desktop shortcut key (eg Win + left-cursor for
move window to the left half of the screen). They come through as
another modifier key like Ctrl/Alt/Shift, which means there's a whole
new set of keystrokes Win+... that give you more posisble keyboard
shortcuts. Often Ctrl/Alt+... is used by the current app, while
Win+... is used by the desktop.
On Macs the Windows key is called the Command key, and it's used as
the main modifier key (ie Cmd-X for cut, Cmd-V for paste) rather than
Ctrl.
Or just using the Keyboard bit of Configure (on a recent[1] OS), surely?
Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:
On 3 Aug 2022 as I do recall,
Russell Hafter News wrote:
[snip]
I actually prefer the HP keyboard (not particularly cheap!) I
am using to the RPC ones, primarily because the RPC ones I have
are quite noisy, plus I do need a proper windows key from time
to time.
What do windows keys do? I always assumed they were completely
useless if you didn't have Windows.
In Windows and many Linux desktop environments they're used as a
search function (ie press Windows and start typing the program you
want - often this is quicker than hunting through the list of apps available), and also as desktop shortcut key (eg Win + left-cursor
for move window to the left half of the screen). They come through
as another modifier key like Ctrl/Alt/Shift, which means there's a
whole new set of keystrokes Win+... that give you more posisble
keyboard shortcuts. Often Ctrl/Alt+... is used by the current app,
while Win+... is used by the desktop.
Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:
On 3 Aug 2022 as I do recall, Russell Hafter News
wrote:
[snip]
I actually prefer the HP keyboard (not particularly
cheap!) I am using to the RPC ones, primarily because
the RPC ones I have are quite noisy, plus I do need a
proper windows key from time to time.
What do windows keys do? I always assumed they were
completely useless if you didn't have Windows.
In Windows and many Linux desktop environments they're
used as a search function (ie press Windows and start
typing the program you want - often this is quicker than
hunting through the list of apps available), and also as
desktop shortcut key (eg Win + left-cursor for move
window to the left half of the screen).
On Macs the Windows key is called the Command key, and
it's used as the main modifier key (ie Cmd-X for cut,
Cmd-V for paste) rather than Ctrl.
I would like to use a Acorn RISC PC keyboard with a Raspberry pi but have
had no success so far.
The exception was the Archimedes keyboard which did not work at all. I
don't think this is a problem with the adapter. It is most likely a bad connection in the coiled keyboard cable as it has come out of its entry grommet.
John Rickman <rickman@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
The exception was the Archimedes keyboard which did not work at all. I don't think this is a problem with the adapter. It is most likely a bad connection in the coiled keyboard cable as it has come out of its entry grommet.
Archimedes keyboards use their own (KATN) protocol, they don't use PS/2, so it's not surprising it doesn't work.
The first Acorn with PS/2 keyboard support was the A4 - I don't remember whether the A5000 and A4000 used PS/2 keyboards or Archimedes-compatible
ones (I think it was the latter).
We didn't get PS/2 mouse support until the A7000.
In article <TaC*e45Uy@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>, Theo <URL:mailto:theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
John Rickman <rickman@argonet.co.uk> wrote:
The exception was the Archimedes keyboard which did not work at all. I
don't think this is a problem with the adapter. It is most likely a bad
connection in the coiled keyboard cable as it has come out of its entry
grommet.
Archimedes keyboards use their own (KATN) protocol, they don't use PS/2, so >> it's not surprising it doesn't work.
The first Acorn with PS/2 keyboard support was the A4 - I don't remember
whether the A5000 and A4000 used PS/2 keyboards or Archimedes-compatible
ones (I think it was the latter).
The A5000 & A4000 use Archimedes type keyboards but with a longer cable as the input is round the back on them.
The RiscPC was the first to use a PS/2 Keyboard
We didn't get PS/2 mouse support until the A7000.
We stock a PS/2 to USB Converter/Adaptor that we have tested a RiscPC keyboard with a Pi.
Be wary of the adaptors like the one on Amazon John linked to we had some that looked almost identical but didn't work on a Pi.
We warranty ours to work.
What do windows keys do? I always assumed they were completely
useless if you didn't have Windows.
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