Calling all owners of rare ADB devices!

[tashtari]

I did this once before, but it's been about a year, so I figured it's time to shake the tree again...

I love weird ADB devices, and one of my background projects is to make as complete a list of ADB devices (and their device type and handler IDs) as I can. The results up to now are posted on TashNotes for all to see: https://github.com/lampmerchant/tashnotes/blob/main/macintosh/adb/device_list.md

Do you, dear reader, own or have access to any ADB devices that aren't on the list?

If you do, I'd love to add them, and you can help thusly:

• Download and run ADB Parser on a mac with the device plugged in
• Identify the device on the list
  • Your ADB keyboard and mouse should be the devices at addresses 2 and 3, and the host should be at 0, so the ADB device under test should be whatever's left over if there are no other devices plugged into your ADB ports
• Click the device in the list and note the "Original Address", "Original Handler", "Current Handler", and "Current Address"
• Click "Talk" on the radio buttons in the left panel and enter "1" for the register, then click "Send Command" and note the data received below (if any)
• Do the same with "2" for the register
• Post to this thread with the results!

Thanks in advance to anyone who participates!

Oh, and a general word of warning, don't hotplug your ADB devices - even though this works sometimes, it's not safe to do and might require logic board surgery if you're unlucky. Everyone probably knows this already but just in case...

 

[Phipli]

I've gained an "FX3000" joystick from SunCom since last time you asked. Have a couple of graphics tablets, nothing special.

 

[tashtari]

I've gained an "FX3000" joystick from SunCom since last time you asked. Have a couple of graphics tablets, nothing special.

I'd be glad to add them!

 

[tashtari]

Additional notes:

If you can fill in any of the '?' fields in the keyboard model number column, I'd be most appreciative of that, too.

I'm particularly on the lookout for the Global Village A400 (not A300) ADB fax modem... if anyone's got one of those and is willing to let me borrow it for a bit so I can do some sniffing of the protocol, I'll be your best friennndddd...~

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

I'll go ahead and run this on my Kensington ADB Number pad at some point soon.

 

[joshc]

@demik loves weird ADB stuff

 

[ArmorAlley]

I'll update the online list over the weekend.
I've made a quick inventory of my non-Apple ADB peripherals and this is what I've found.
• Kensington Turbo Mouse #64100 2-button ADB Trackball
• Macally Keyboard MK-105x
• Umax Keyboard
• Quark Dongle 102078
• Quark Dongle 102079
• HASP Dongle MacHASP-M
• Kensington Mouse•in•a•Box USB/ADB #64475
• CH-Products Flightstick Pro
• Wacom ArtPad II
• Gravis Blackhawk
• Kurta IS/ADB 12x17 Graphics Tablet

 

[demik]

@demik loves weird ADB stuff

Mostly pointing devices tho. Will add that to the todo list !

 

[LaPorta]

Did you get the FM Radio sorted out from last time?

 

[tashtari]

Did you get the FM Radio sorted out from last time?

I did, happily, thanks to @demik - my writeup on the protocol is here: https://github.com/lampmerchant/tashnotes/blob/main/macintosh/adb/other/lacie_fm_radio.md

 

[ArmorAlley]

Do you, dear reader, own or have access to any ADB devices that aren't on the list?

PM sent.

 

[Antoine Vignau]

Hi,
ADB Parser is on macgui.com and david has closed the downloaded permanently. Where could I get it, please?

Thanks for your work on LaCie's FM Radio. I want to make it run on my Apple IIgs. Talk commands are OK. For instance, I get the 67 79 for Talk to register 3. Listen 2 through 41 00 25 (byte 1 to byte 3 for a frequency of 107.7 MHz) does not do anything. By chance, do you have a couple of frequency examples and their hex string equivalent I could test, please?

Thank you,
Antoine

 

[tashtari]

ADB Parser is on macgui.com and david has closed the downloaded permanently. Where could I get it, please?

Found it on Macintosh Garden here: https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/adb-parser

Listen 2 through 41 00 25 (byte 1 to byte 3 for a frequency of 107.7 MHz) does not do anything.

By my calculations, 107.7 MHz should be 41 25 00, not 41 00 25, give that a try and see if it works.

 

[KennyPowers]

Not technically an ADB device, but is this thing sufficiently "weird"?



Tried to open it to see how it's wired, but couldn't figure out how without breaking it. No screws or anything under the sticker :/

 

[tashtari]

Not technically an ADB device, but is this thing sufficiently "weird"?

Certainly is weird... I wonder what use case the vendor had in mind that wouldn't be served by plugging all three devices into the ADB at once. In any case, unless it actually responds to ADB commands, not much I can do with it. Thanks anyway!

 

[Antoine Vignau]

Found it on Macintosh Garden here: https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/adb-parser


By my calculations, 107.7 MHz should be 41 25 00, not 41 00 25, give that a try and see if it works.

Thanks, I had also tried that but with no luck. I wanted to test the device again on my Classic II but... the HDD is now dead. Bad timing. I will sleep over it. And I will try with 21 18 for 95.2 MHz (Radio Neo, a great radio available in a couple of French cities)

Congrats for what you did, I've always wanted to listen to the radio from the Apple IIgs, I even contacted the h/w and s/w authors of the FM Radio but everything is long gone from their minds.

 

[tashtari]

Thanks, I had also tried that but with no luck.

Have you tried setting the volume? It might default to being muted or otherwise inaudible...

 

[Antoine Vignau]

Have you tried setting the volume? It might default to being muted or otherwise inaudible...

Yes, I tried Listen Register 1 with FF 33 00 (max volume, some treble and bass, no mute) - I will mute/unmute and see.

 

[LaPorta]

Yes, I tried Listen Register 1 with FF 33 00 (max volume, some treble and bass, no mute) - I will mute/unmute and see.

Does it work fine on a Mac? Just seeing if there could be hardware issues.

 

[Antoine Vignau]

Does it work fine on a Mac? Just seeing if there could be hardware issues.

Yes, it did... until the Mac Classic II HDD decided to stop working a few hours ago. Ahem...