vogt@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Michael Vogt) (02/15/90)
Does anyone know of /or use an ADB converter device. I need to purchase a new keyboard and mouse, but would like to use it on a newer mac (if I can ever get the bucks). I've currently got a plus. Any EE's out there? How difficult would this be? What docs exists? Thanks -Mike
mjkobb@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU (Michael J Kobb) (02/15/90)
In article <35820@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> vogt@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Michael Vogt) writes: >Does anyone know of /or use an ADB converter device. I need to purchase >a new keyboard and mouse, but would like to use it on a newer mac (if >I can ever get the bucks). I've currently got a plus. I've seen an ad for this cordless mouse (I forget who makes it). Part of the text in the ad says something like "Works with a MacPlus. ADB adapter included." Anybody know any more about this? --Mike
clarson@ux.acs.umn.edu (Chaz Larson) (02/15/90)
In article <35820@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> vogt@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Michael Vogt) writes: >Does anyone know of /or use an ADB converter device. I need to purchase >a new keyboard and mouse, but would like to use it on a newer mac (if >I can ever get the bucks). I've currently got a plus. Olduvai at one time sold a product called the "ADBridge" which allowed one to use ADB mice/keyboards/graphics pads on non-ADB machines and vice versa. I have no idea if they still offer the product for sale, but that would be a starting point. <chaz> ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chaz Larson - clarson@ux.acs.umn.edu "A happy face, a thumpin' bass, for a lovin' race" - Jazzie B. -------------------------------------------------------------------------
bruce@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Bruce Burkhalter) (02/15/90)
In article <1154@ux.acs.umn.edu> clarson@ux.acs.umn.edu (Chaz Larson) writes: =In article <35820@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> vogt@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Michael Vogt) writes: =>Does anyone know of /or use an ADB converter device. I need to purchase =>a new keyboard and mouse, but would like to use it on a newer mac (if =>I can ever get the bucks). I've currently got a plus. = =Olduvai at one time sold a product called the "ADBridge" which allowed one =to use ADB mice/keyboards/graphics pads on non-ADB machines and vice versa. =I have no idea if they still offer the product for sale, but that would be =a starting point. Actually they never came out with the product, though they did announce and advertise it. I called them a couple months ago about it. They dropped it for a couple of reasons: 1. Technical problems. They produced some of them but they just didn't work that well. No details as what aspect was giving them trouble but the thing wasn't very reliable. 2. Market. Seems that there were not to many people who needed the thing. You can buy an extended keyboard, mouse, trackball, etc. for the Plus already. Apparantly not too many people would spend another $100 bucks just so they could use the Apple keyboard or other ADB devices. The number of people who wanted an ADB device so they could use it on an ADB machine when they got it was pretty small I guess. My advice to Michael (who originally asked the question) is to determine if you really are going to get an ADB. If you plan on getting one in the next 6 or so months, see if you can get by with what you have. If you are thinking maybe a year or so (depending on cash, etc.) just get a new keyboard and mouse. They will at least add some value to your system when you sell it. Bruce Burkhalter Berkeley Systems, Inc.
hodas@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Josh Hodas) (02/15/90)
In article <1154@ux.acs.umn.edu> clarson@ux.acs.umn.edu (Chaz Larson) writes: > >Olduvai at one time sold a product called the "ADBridge" which allowed one >to use ADB mice/keyboards/graphics pads on non-ADB machines and vice versa. >I have no idea if they still offer the product for sale, but that would be >a starting point. As far as I know, Olduvai never actually got this product to market. Theyt advertised for ages, but calls to them always got a "Real Soon Now" response. Eventually they withdrew plans to market it. I am not sure what the issue was, but I suspect that while they might have gotten it working for some devices, they had trouble getting it to support the full range of possible ADB class devices. Josh Hodas ------------------------- Josh Hodas (hodas@eniac.seas.upenn.edu) 4223 Pine Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 222-7112 (home) (215) 898-5423 (school office)
isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Ken Hancock) (02/16/90)
In article <1154@ux.acs.umn.edu> clarson@ux.acs.umn.edu (Chaz Larson) writes: >In article <35820@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> vogt@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Michael Vogt) writes: >>Does anyone know of /or use an ADB converter device. I need to purchase >>a new keyboard and mouse, but would like to use it on a newer mac (if >>I can ever get the bucks). I've currently got a plus. > >Olduvai at one time sold a product called the "ADBridge" which allowed one >to use ADB mice/keyboards/graphics pads on non-ADB machines and vice versa. >I have no idea if they still offer the product for sale, but that would be >a starting point. They canned the project -- it never made it to market. Supposedly they were having problems getting it to work. It was a nifty idea, though... Ken -- Ken Hancock '90 | DISCLAIMER: I'm graduating and looking for Consultant | a job, so I'll stand by my words. Computer Resource Center |============================================== Dartmouth College | EMAIL: isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu
ianf@nada.kth.se (Ian Feldman) (02/16/90)
In article <1154@ux.acs.umn.edu> clarson@ux.acs.umn.edu (Chaz Larson) writes: > In article <35820@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> vogt@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Michael Vogt) writes: >> Does anyone know of /or use an ADB converter device. I need to purchase >> a new keyboard and mouse, but would like to use it on a newer mac (if >> I can ever get the bucks). I've currently got a plus. > > Olduvai at one time sold a product called the "ADBridge" which allowed one > to use ADB mice/keyboards/graphics pads on non-ADB machines and vice versa. > I have no idea if they still offer the product for sale, but that would be > a starting point. > > <chaz> Yes, that's true, alas some time prior to MacWorld Expo in Jan., 1989 in SF they sold the technology, along with the product, to some tablet manufacturer, who was gonna incorporate it in its proprietary hardware. I know 'cause I made an attempt to buy such a device from the then, and in all probability still, President of said company. Accordingly to what he told me [and I managed to store in my non-parity bio-memory banks] there was not enough interest in the device for them to continue with the product. The undisclosed tablet manufacturer did not have any plans to release ADBridge on its own. From what I gathered there and else- where though, the device was built around some sort of a ROMmed code-table that translated both ways to and fro MacPlus to ADB. There should be ample space to recreate this kind of functionality then. --Ian Feldman / ianf@nada.kth.se || uunet!nada.kth.se!ianf / "Let's get out of this place and nuke it from orbit" -- Alien