USB to ADB?

[Arkas]

my apple mouse is at its end. Is there a relatively inexpensive way to use USB mice on my powermac?

TIA!

 

[MJ313]

ADB Busboy

https://68kmla.org/forums/index.php?/topic/28745-adb-busboy-adapter-for-usb-peripherals-over-adb/

 

[Arkas]

It's not yet available.

 

[ArmorAlley]

If your PowerMac has PCI slots in it, then a simple USB card should be sufficient. As for which one, I think that NEC chipsets are supported, but do look through the posts on this site for more info. I use a Sonnet USB-FW card in my PM7200.

If you have one of the first 3 PowerMacs (6100, 7100, 8100), then you are out of luck, until the BusBoy is up and running. The Kensington Mouse-in-a-box (64475) is a good mouse that'll work on both ADB and USB but it doesn't come cheap - a used one on Amazon will set you back $40. Personally, I prefer the Kensington ADB Turbo Mouse. They are roller balls and move nicely.

 

[beachycove]

You have opened up the mouse and cleaned the rollers?

 

[Arkas]

Thanks.

I have a Quadra 800 and a 8100/100.

I guess I'll have to resort to buying new/old mice.

 

[waynestewart]

There's the Geethree PS/2 to adb adapters. I've added a USB adapter to that and used a USB optical mouse.

Not all optical mice do work with it

 

[Arkas]

There's the Geethree PS/2 to adb adapters. I've added a USB adapter to that and used a USB optical mouse.

Not all optical mice do work with it

That's a great solution, I wouldn't have thought of it, thank you!

 

[Gorgonops]

I've added a USB adapter to that and used a USB optical mouse.

Not all optical mice do work with it

Just a quick note about those USB-to-PS/2 adapters, the little cheap ones that shipped with many (most?) keyboards and mice up to, I dunno, a little less than a decade ago? They don't actually convert USB to PS/2. Many older USB peripherals for PCs also support PS/2 natively, and that little adapter has just enough inside (I think it's just a resistor) to signal the device to switch modes when it's plugged in. (when running like this the mouse is literally speaking PS/2 protocol over the USB wire) That's why they don't work with some mice, particularly newer ones.

(It's also not a sure thing that an adapter that shipped with a mouse/keyboard from company X will work with company Y's products, but it seems like they're mostly standardized in practice.)

 

[sigtau]

USB to PS/2 is definitely passive but adb to ps2 would have to be some kind of active adapter with circuitry for converting the signals.

I would think, anyway.

 

[ArmorAlley]

In the meantime, BMOW has produced the USB Wombat. This will solve your problems.

It is available here: https://www.bigmessowires.com/usb-wombat/