With a scroll wheel mouse interface and free software you can use a PS/2 compatible scroll wheel mouse on your Commodore Amiga Computer
ScrollWheel Drivers (2 options available – only install 1)
http://aminet.net/util/mouse/WheelBusMouse.lha
http://bax.comlab.uni-rostock.de/uploads/media/UWMouse_03.lha
FreeWheel is also required, it’s a utility to pass scroll wheel movement to applications or workbench
http://aminet.net/util/mouse/FreeWheel.lha
First connect the interface and power cable to your floppy disk drive make sure that the pins are lined up correctly, then you connect the usb cable to the side of the interface, dont use too mutch force as mini usb connectors are fragile.
Connect the usb cable to a USB 2 or USB 3 port on your PC or Laptop, it recommended to use a port on your motherboard, Note that front panel case USB ports and hubs can cause errors so it better to connect directly to the ports at the back of your PC.
Software Download
Download the software from this link – https://trumouse.com/DrawBridge.rar
The drawbridge software is open source and free to download from the developer’s website below
https://amiga.robsmithdev.co.uk/download
One downloaded, extract the .rar archive DrawBridge folder to your windows desktop
inside the Drawbridge folder, run the software “DrawBridgeWin.exe” – By Double Clicking
If the interface has been detected correctly the COM Port: window will show a com number – this shows the interface is plugged in and detected
***The disk interface is setup as a Drawbridge Plus, you can check this by using the Diagnostics test
If its not set, then you can tick the DrawBridge Config… button and tick the Drawbridge Plus Option
Disk Errors or disk’s not working
Trial and error is sometimes required to get a successful disk written, the most common errors are caused by bad floppy drives, dirty drive heads or bad / perished floppy disk, remember that most disk are now around 30 years old and the magnetic disc inside may have deteriorated, if in doubt try a different disk or clean the drive heads, also using the “Perform several track erases before write” this can also help with some deteriorated disks.
Writing protected game disks required a drive with the correct rotation speed, clean heads and a reliable disk, if you have issues changing the drive used for a different brand or trying different floppy disks can solve many issues, fully formatting the disk before writing can also increase success.
The Amiga standard drives are designed for DD or Double Density floppy disks, as these disk were discontinued before the HD High Density PC floppy disks its sometimes easier to find high density floppies in good condition, some sellers still sell sealed old stock boxes of high density disks, they may not be as reliable long term as standard double density but they can be used with the Drawbridge Controller if modified, you will need to tape over the HD hole with tape or a sticky label for the disk to work with the drawbridge controller.
Loading Amiga Floppy Disk’s directly into WinUAE Amiga Emulator
To load disk’s directly into WinUAE, you need to download the Floppybridge plugins, then copy these inside a folder called “Plugins” in the WinUAE Directory
Download link for the Plugins – https://amiga.robsmithdev.co.uk/floppybridge1.1.zip
You will need to make a new folder first called “Plugins” then copy the contents of the floppybridge zip inside the folder, this will enable the USB interface to load disk directly by selecting the “Floppy Drives” under the hardware list on the left. Then in the floppy disk window select the disk type for the drive you want eg DFO in the example below – by clicking the drop down menu showing the disk type the default will show “3.5 DD”, select this option
Click the window shown below, a drop down menu will now show option “Configure FloppyBridge” at the bottom of the list, this option allow setup of the interface as a disk drive for the emulator
WinUAE – The Windows Amiga Emulator can be downloaded from – https://www.winuae.net/download/
The PS/2 Keyboard adapter, requires no soldering or software to work, it just pushes onto the keyboard connector pins of the A500 or A500 Plus and provides a standard PS/2 PC keyboard socket
Ideal if you need an external keyboard on your Commodore Amiga or if you have installed your Amiga motherboard into a desktop or tower style case
Its recommended to use a keyboard with TWO windows keys, this then allows the Amiga soft reset combination to be used by holding down CTRL + Left Windows + Right Windows
The first widespread computer mice aimed at the home computer market in the UK in the 1985 was the AMX Mouse by Advanced Memory Systems
The mouse features 3 buttons and used mechanical rolling ball and optical sensors, for Amstrad and Sinclair machines an interface card was required the BBC Micro already had a 20 pin user port but did need the AMX mouse rom chips installed to make the mouse work
Original AMX Mouse Photo
Amstrad CPC, Acorn BBC Micro and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum
Prod Link and photos
USB flux hardware can allow any modern PC to read and write back ANY floppy disk drive regardless of protection or format, these devices can also be used to write back download disk images in a multitude of disk image formats such as adf. ipf, hfe and scp
These devices ignore the disk formatting structure of the specific system eg Amiga or Atari ST and read the raw magnetic flux data from the disk
This means that all data is captured along with the protection See Image below it shows a representation of the flux data from an Amiga game – captured from a 3.5″ Double Density Floppy Disk game
To be continued, please visit soon for further updates
Link to product
Link to instructions post
Our compact Archimedes mouse adapter allows computers that use the Round 9 Pin Mini Din type socket either on the computer or keyboard to use the majority of wired PC USB Mice, and even some modern wireless models from Logitech.
No Drivers required, just plug in you will get 3 button support the scroll wheel button acts as the middle mouse button.
Archimedes Wireless Mice – Compatible Models
The Logitech M330, Philips M200 and all Logitech Mice that use the unifying USB receiver are compatible eg MX Master Series
The TruMOUSE ST is a small adapter that lets you use modern USB mice (including some wireless models) with your Atari ST
Mouse adapter for the commodore Amiga have been available for some time, the first adapters usually used a Microcontroller that did not contain a USB interface and relied on the mouse being PS/2 mode, many shapes and sizes of adapter were available some were very large and stuck out of the rear of the socket due to using through hole components requiring a long circuit board.
The latest mouse adapters such as TruMouse were designed to be as small as possible and offer a high compatibility with most USB mice and even some wireless models.
The TruMouse got its name as it’s a True USB adapter, the dimension are 30mm in Length and only 20mm Wide!
The TruMouse adapter is covered in polyolefin heat-shrink, various color options are available, the image above shows the adapter with clear heat-shrink. The adapter is compatible with ALL Models in the Commodore Amiga range of Computers and the Amiga CD32 Console.
The TruMouse does not need any drivers or software and works when plugged in like any standard Amiga mouse, its supports 3 mouse button left click, right click and middle mouse button, this is the scroll wheel button on most PC mice
Wireless Mice on the Amiga ?
TruMouse supports most Logitech and the Philips M200 Series wireless usb mice from covering a range of budgets, starting at the Logitech M170 right up to the MX Master series wire free mice.
