Posted on

The Spectrum Joystick Adapter – Use vintage 9 pin Joysticks

Coming Soon

Use classic 9 pin Joysticks on Retro Games The Spectrum, eg Competition Pro, ZipStick, Quickshot, etc

Use any 9 pin Atari / Kempston standard joystick on TheSpectrum console with the RetroStick adapter

Posted on

3.5″ floppy disk cleaning kit

How to clean a floppy disk drive, the easy way

Floppy cleaning disks for any 3.5″ floppy drive are now available, our cleaning disks can be used wet (with isopropyl alcohol) or dry and can clean the read write heads, recommended if you are using old floppies that have deteriorated with age

The cleaning disks are supplied on there own, if you want to use them wet just use 2 drops of 100% isopropyl alcohol to the white inner disk material, this can be purchased online or from a chemists shop in the UK, it is flammable so please read the warning label and take care when using it.

FREE Floppy Disk Cleaning software for Amiga, Atari ST and PC

Not required but you can download these free disk cleaning utilities that move the heads over the cleaning disk to ensure a thorough clean of the magnetic read/write heads

Download link below contains floppy disk head cleaning software for the Commodore Amiga, you will need to extract the archive onto a disk and run the “HeadCleaner” executable in Workbench

Amiga Floppy Drive Head Cleaning Software

Atari ST Floppy Drive Head Cleaning Utility

 

Alternatively on an Amiga, ST or Archimedes just insert the disk and wait a few seconds, eject and then repeat the drive will try to read the cleaning disk and this will clean the heads.

Posted on

Wireless Mice for Commodore Amigas

Following requests from customers to stock an affordable wireless mouse in white colour to match the popular 600 and 1200 machines, its now available for sale

The white mouse is a good match for A600, A1200 and A4000 users but can be used on ALL Amiga computer models and the CD32

No batteries, Mouse has a built in rechargeable battery and can be charged with the included USB cable

Plug and Play – No setup required – Mouse includes a compact USB to 9 pin adapter – Just plug in and use

 

Posted on

Create Amiga Disks with FluxEngine on Windows or Mac

With FluxEngine software  you can read, write and access files directly on Commodore Amiga floppy disks and is compatible with the Trumouse Greaseweazle drive kit

First download the latest version of FluxEngine from the website below, there are Windows and Apple Mac Versions

https://github.com/davidgiven/fluxengine/releases

When intstalled and run you will see the main Fluxengine menu screen shown above

 

Posted on

adb to usb adapter

ADB to USB Adapter

The TruMouse adb adapter allows you to connect an apple adb Mouse or apple adb keyboard to a a standard usb keyboard for PC, Notebook, Raspberry pi or mini pc etc

Adapter has a custom 3D printed case and has a standard USB connector and provides a 4 pin socket at the back to connect either a keyboard or mouse

Posted on

amiga usb keyboard adapter

Amiga USB Keyboard Adapter

A Key USB keyboard adapter for Commodore Amiga Computers

The AKey USB keyboard adapter for all Amiga models, use any PC keyboard with your commodore amiga computer or CD32

The A500 version fits directly onto the keyboard header pins and provides a USB port to connect a keyboard

The A600 model fits onto the keyboard controller

The A1200  model fits over the keyboard controller – USB Extension with a custom trapdoor cover is also available to provide the the Amiga 1200 with an external USB port for keyboards

Reset from Keyboard just like a real Amiga!

Ctrl + Left Windows + Right Windows  = Reset

Ctrl + Left Windows + Menu Key

Menu Key keycaps – see photo below shows the menu key’s on PC keyboards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Multiple USB Keyboard’s with your Amiga !

Using a USB hub and the A Key  adapter will allow two USB keyboards at the same time on your Amiga, ideal for example if you need a wired keyboard on your desk and a maybe a second portable wireless keyboard, you just need to use a low cost USB hub like the one shown below to provide the USB ports.

 

Posted on

atari mouse on amiga

Atari mouse on amiga

Atari ST mice do share the same design as the Commodore Amiga but are pin incompatible due to Commodore and Atari’s rivalry the pins for the mouse signals are in different positions so that they could not be shared between brands

The simplest way to use a mouse on the Atari ST or Amiga is to use a dedicated mouse or a modern USB Mouse adapter, that allows standard PC USB mice to be connected

Posted on

amiga mouse adapter

Amiga Mouse Adapter

An amiga mouse adapter converts the position and mouse button signals from a standard mouse into a form that amiga computers can use

Modern adapters use USB and allow most PC mice to be used with Amiga computers, the adapter allows mice to plug into a USB socket and also has a 9 pin D plug that connects into the amiga Mouse port (joystick port 1) on the Amiga, all amiga computer model’s use the same 9 pin D connector

Posted on

Sharp X68000 Adapters and Upgrades

Sharp X68000 Adapters and Upgrades from TruMouse

The original Sharp keyboards now command high prices  and can be difficult to find, instead with our adapter – You can now use standard PC keyboards on your Sharp Tower with the super compact TruMouse PS/2 Keyboard adapter – Full Details Linked Below

                                                     PS/2 Adapter Installed on Sharp X68000 ACE
Posted on

Gotek Rotary Encoder Install for FDD-UDD U144K / ELS34E

The U144k Gotek pcb does not havy any connections on a header like the standard board, but you can solder the correct connections directly onto the Microcontroller if you have a steady hand

The 3rd and 4th pin from the right are connected to the encoder as shown in the hi resolution photo below

 

 

Posted on

Backup Copy Protected Amiga Disks

Some amiga disks are protected against copying by using a special non standard disk format that can not be copied using standard disk copy software

Some very basic protection can be copied using copiers that have a Nibble mode, such as X Copy , Tetra Copy, Nib , Burstnibbler

During the 1990’s various companies sold copy software that could backup some protections using disk to disk copying that made an analogue type copy of the disk data products such as Cyclone, Synchro Express and Blitz used this method.

A modern way of reading and writing any disk is to use a USB hardware board to directly control a floppy drive to make a direct copy of the magnetic flux data, one of the most popular and regularly updated tools is the Greaseweazle drive controller by Keir Fraser

The hardware can be easily controlled from a windows PC to read or write disk images for a multitude of different disk formats for different systems

Posted on

USB Gamepad for Commodore Amiga and Atari ST Computers

Special Offer for Atari ST or Amiga users who want a mouse adapter and gamepad type controller, instead of a joystick

The V2 adapter is now available with a compatible new & boxed Gamepad for just £5 more

**NOTE the adapter ONLY supports the included gamepad it wont support other model game controllers from other manufacturers

Gamepad gives 4 direction D PAD and a single fire button

Free UK Delivery – Worldwide Shipping

Posted on

TruMouse V2 stylish Amiga and Atari ST mouse adapter for wired and wireless mice

TruMouse V2 3D Printed case to match your system

Use the majority of wired and some wireless mice with your classic home computer

Fully compatible with the recreated wireless Tank Mouse

Compatible with all models of Commodore Amiga and Atari ST

Worldwide Tracked Shipping  / Free Delivery in the UK

Posted on

Commodore Amiga SCART TV Adapter a high quality RGB image without a Monitor !

There is an abundance of pre-owned SCART TV’s available in the UK and Europe and these can be a great alternative to expensive and hard to find original computer monitors from Commodore or Philips

The TruMouse SCART adapter connects directly into the back of all commodore Amiga computers and converts the video port into a native RGB scart output

The adapter also features an 3.5mm Stereo Audio Input socket so a simple Phono/RCA to Jack lead can be used to send the Amiga sound through the scart if you don’t have external speakers

The adapter has an auto-switch feature and supported TV’s will automatically switch over to the SCART AV Channel when the amiga is powered on

Having an adapter instead of a lead with a set length also means that any length of SCART cable can be chosen for your specific needs

The adapter is compatible with the vintage CRT TV’s and LCD or LED modern Scart TV’s

Here is some photo’s of the monitor screen taken with a camera showing the output from an Amiga 500 running Lemmings by DMA Design

Example Image’s taken of  a 22 inch JVC LCD TV 

Posted on

Use a Wii Nunchuck controller as a one handed Joystick on your vintage computer or console

If you have a vintage computer or console that uses the 9 pin DE9 socket like the Amiga, Atari ST, Atari 2600 etc

You can now use a standard nunchuck controller as one handed joystick using the ThumbStick adapter, just connect your wii nunchuck and plug in

The nunchuck thumb stick is used for direction control and the 2 trigger buttons are mapped to Fire button 1 and Fire button 2 as independent fire buttons ideal for games that can support one or two fire buttons on classic hardwar

 

Posted on

Macintosh Mouse – USB Mouse Adapter for classic Mac – Apple Macintosh Computers

For users of the original Apple Macintosh the original  9 pin Apple M0100 mice are becoming increasingly difficult to find in good working order, even if you can find one in working condition at a sensible price you still have to regularly clean the mechanical ball and rollers that will eventually collect dirt and effect performance. You can now solve this problem with a USB mouse adapter for your classic Mac.

                                           TruMouse VMac USB Mouse Adapter

 

A simple solution is to use a standard USB mouse with your classic Macintosh with a TruMouse VMac USB mouse adapter

Compatible with the majority of wired USB mice on your classic Macintosh, True USB HID interface – no software or drivers  needed, just plug in and use

The TruMouse Mac adapter is compatible with ALL vintage Macintosh Mac computers that used the 9 Pin Mouse Connector such as Macintosh 128k, Macintosh 512k and Mac Plus

The left mouse button will be mapped to a single mouse button, the adapter supports the majority of USB optical mice and some even some wireless USB models!

Wireless USB Mice on a vintage Apple Macintosh?

Yes the TruMouse MAC adapter is also compatible with wireless Logitech mice that use the Unifying USB receiver and most Philip’s branded Wireless Mice

Posted on

Retro Mouse Mat

We have a range of custom retro computing and retro-gaming themed mouse pads, ideal for use with you vintage home micro

A mouse mat, also known as a mouse pad, is a small pad that is placed on a desk or table to provide a smooth surface for a computer mouse to move on. The use of a mouse mat can provide a number of benefits for both the mouse and the user.

One of the main benefits of using a mouse mat is that it can improve the accuracy and precision of the mouse. A smooth surface allows the mouse to move more easily and accurately, which can be especially important for tasks such as gaming or graphic design. In addition, a mouse mat can also protect the surface of a desk or table from wear and tear caused by a mouse moving across it.

Another benefit of using a mouse mat is that it can help to reduce the amount of friction between the mouse and the surface it is moving on. This can help to make the mouse feel more responsive, and can also help to reduce the amount of wear and tear on the mouse itself.

In addition to these benefits, a mouse mat can also help to improve the overall comfort of using a computer mouse. Many mouse mats are designed with a soft, padded surface that can help to reduce the strain on the hand and wrist caused by prolonged use of a mouse. This can be especially helpful for people who spend a lot of time working on a computer.

Finally, a mouse mat can also be a stylish accessory for your work setup. Many mouse mats come in a variety of designs, colors and with different materials. Some mouse mats have designs that match with the gaming setup or office setup.

In conclusion, a mouse mat is a simple but effective accessory that can provide a number of benefits for both the mouse and the user. Whether you’re a gamer, graphic designer, or simply someone who spends a lot of time working on a computer, a mouse mat can help to improve the accuracy, precision, and comfort of using a mouse. It can also protect your desk or table from wear and tear and give a stylish look to your work setup. So, it is important to choose a suitable mouse mat to match your needs.

Posted on

amiga mouse adapter

Amiga Mouse Adapter

An Amiga mouse adapter is a device that allows you to connect a standard PC mouse to an Amiga computer. This allows you to use the same mouse you use on your modern computer with your vintage Amiga, making it much easier to navigate and use the system.

The classic Amiga tank mouse has a unique and classic design but is not very ergonomic or comfortable in the hand for modern day use, the mouse also uses a mechanical ball to track movement and these need to be cleaned regularly – modern optical sensors work on the majority of surfaces and require little or no maintenance.

This is where the Amiga mouse adapter comes in. The adapter allows you to connect a standard PC mouse to your Amiga computer, so you can use the same mouse you use on your modern computer with your vintage Amiga. This makes it much easier to navigate and use the system, especially for those who are used to using a two-button mouse.

The Amiga mouse adapter is a simple device that is easy to use. Simply plug the adapter into the Amiga’s mouse port, and then connect your PC mouse to the adapter. Once connected, your PC mouse will work just like the Amiga mouse, with the added benefit of being able to use the standard two-button layout.

There are many different types of Amiga mouse adapters available on the market, the TruMouse amiga mouse adapter is compatible with the vast majority of wired PC mice and even works with most wireless mice from Logitech and Philips.

Overall, an Amiga mouse adapter is a great way to make your vintage Amiga computer more user-friendly. With the ability to connect a standard PC mouse, you can easily navigate and use your Amiga, making it a more enjoyable experience. Whether you’re a retro gaming enthusiast playing Lemmings or just using Workbench and applications, an Amiga mouse adapter is a must-have accessory for any Amiga computer owner.

Posted on

History of 16 Bit Home Computers

The 16-bit computer era began in the early 1980s, with the introduction of several new personal computers that were more powerful and capable than their 8-bit predecessors. These computers were built with 16-bit microprocessors, which allowed them to process more data and perform more complex tasks than the 8-bit computers that came before them.

One of the most significant 16-bit computers of this era was the Commodore Amiga, which was first introduced in 1985. The Amiga was known for its advanced graphics and sound capabilities, and it was popular among gamers, graphic designers, and musicians. It featured a custom chipset that provided advanced features such as sprites, blitter and a custom audio processor, that allowed it to produce high-quality graphics and sound, that was not available on other computers at the time.

Another popular 16-bit computer of the era was the Atari ST, which was introduced in 1985. The Atari ST was a direct competitor to the Amiga and it also had advanced graphics and sound capabilities. The Atari ST was primarily marketed as a business computer, but it also found a following among musicians and gamers. It featured a Motorola 68000 CPU and a custom sound chip, that allowed for high-quality audio.

In the United Kingdom, the Acorn Archimedes was a 16-bit computer that was introduced in 1987. It was developed by Acorn Computers and it was primarily used in schools and universities. The Archimedes featured a 32-bit ARM CPU and its own custom OS (RISC OS), that made it a powerful machine, especially in math and scientific calculations.

These 16-bit computers brought significant advancements in technology and they were popular among a wide range of users. They allowed users to perform complex tasks, such as graphic design, music composition, and video editing, that were previously not possible on 8-bit computers. The Amiga, Atari ST, and Acorn Archimedes were all considered to be cutting-edge technology at the time of their release and they helped pave the way for the development of more powerful computers in the years to come.

Overall, the 16-bit era of personal computers was an important time in the development of technology and it marked a significant advancement in the capabilities of personal computers. The Amiga, Atari ST, and Acorn Archimedes were all significant players in this era, and they helped to shape the future of computing by introducing new features and capabilities that were not available on previous 8-bit computers.

Posted on

History of the computer Mouse

The computer mouse is a device that is used to point, click, and select items on a computer screen. It was first invented by Douglas Engelbart in the 1960s as a way to improve the way people interact with computers.

Before the invention of the mouse, the main way to interact with a computer was through the use of a keyboard. While this was effective for typing and entering commands, it was not very efficient for navigating and selecting items on the screen. Engelbart recognized this limitation and set out to create a more intuitive and efficient way to interact with computers.

In 1963, Engelbart began working on his invention at the Stanford Research Institute. He experimented with different shapes and designs, eventually settling on the classic “ball mouse” design that is still in use today. The ball mouse used a small ball inside the device that could be rolled in any direction, which would in turn move the cursor on the screen. This design allowed for much more precise movement and control than was possible with a keyboard.

In 1968, Engelbart and his team demonstrated the mouse for the first time at a computer conference. The demonstration was a huge success, and the mouse quickly became an essential tool for computer users everywhere. In the 1970s, the mouse began to be included with personal computers, and it has since become one of the most widely used input devices in the world.

In the 1980s, the mouse underwent several improvements, including the introduction of the optical mouse. This type of mouse used a small camera to track movement rather than a ball, which made it more precise and reliable. Today, most mice use this technology, and they have become even more advanced, with features such as added buttons, wireless connectivity, and gesture recognition.

Overall, the computer mouse has played a crucial role in the development of modern computing. It has greatly improved the way we interact with computers, making them much more accessible and user-friendly. The invention of the mouse has been a significant step in the evolution of human-computer interaction and it continues to be an essential tool for many people today.

Posted on

Amiga Keyboard USB Adapter

This adapter converts original Amiga keyboard’s to become a standard PC USB keyboard, this makes it easy to install into a case if building an emulated system based on Emulation such as WinUAE, Amibian or an A500 Mini, Raspberry Pi, Mister, Android Box or a PC

The A500 Keyboard plugs directly onto the adapter and you can connect the adapter with a standard Micro USB Cable

Conversion leads are available from us for existing Amiga 2000/3000 and 4000 external keyboards or you can install your A500 or A500 Plus keyboard into an external case like the Checkmate  1500

If instead  you want to use a USB keyboard on your Amiga then please see the AKey adapter below

 

Posted on

Guide to using Greaseweazle Floppy Disk Hardware Kit

This guide shows how to install Greaseweazle software with an easy to use graphic user interface on your windows PC, first download the main Greaseweazle Host Tools archive and the GUI Menu from the links below.

Main Greaseweazle Windows Software

https://github.com/keirf/greaseweazle/releases/download/v1.18/greaseweazle-1.18-win64.zip

Greaseweazle GUI Windows Graphic User Interface

https://desertsagesolutions.com/software/greaseweazle/windows/GreaseweazleGUI-v2.121.zip

Now unzip the main Greaseweazle folder to your Windows desktop from the first download link

Then unzip the  file “GreaseweazleGUI.exe” from the second download link and copy it into the folder you just extracted

**Note (this file needs to be inside the main Greaseweazle Folder to work)

Then run “GreaseweazleGUI.exe”, by double clicking and you will see the main menu screen below

If your Greaseweazle hardware is connected it will show as a device inside the USB Serial ports window, to ensure the hardware is working reliably you first need to check the  data speed, It’s recommended to only use a direct connection to your PC motherboard USB 2 or faster ports, front panel USB ports and hubs may slow down the connection and cause problems and errors.

Now to test the connection speed, select “Measure Bandwidth” from the middle row, then click the “Select” button

You will now see a command window and it will give a speed reading, the test will tell you if your connection is too slow to be reliable, run the test a few times to get a consistent reading, if your connection is too slow try a different USB port on your computer or use different or shorter usb cable.

Once the speed test has passed successfully you are then ready to read and write floppy disc images, if you get verify errors when trying to write a disk try a different disk, many Double Density disks will now be over 30 year old and may be contaminated with dirt or dust or have degraded magnetic coating this  can cause verify read and write errors, for older disks try using the “erase disk” function first before trying to write an image to disk.

Setting DiskDefs 

To use the latest Disk image Definition’s  supplied with the greasweazle gui download,  select “Globals” – then choose “Use DiskDefs File“, then select diskdefs.cfg  – now latest disk definitions  will then be available in the the “Format” drop down box when writing disk images

Mac and Linux Greaseweazle Host Tools Software Direct Download Link

https://github.com/keirf/greaseweazle/releases/download/v1.18/greaseweazle-1.18.zip

FloppyBridge Support – Use Real Disks with WinUAE & Amiberry Emulators

You can also use your Greaseweazle to read Amiga floppy disks directly into WinUae Emulator using the the floppybridge plugin, see guide linked below

https://trumouse.com/use-real-floppy-disks-on-winuae-amiga-emulator-with-floppybridge/

The main Greaseweazle Github Page is https://github.com/keirf/greaseweazle

 

 

Posted on

USE Real floppy disks in WinUAE with FloppyBridge or GreaseWeazle

Floppybridge is a plugin by Rob Smith that allows owners of a Drawbridge, Greaseweazle or Supercard Pro USB disk controller’s to use real amiga floppy disks on a PC

First download the floppybridge.zip – https://amiga.robsmithdev.co.uk/floppybridge1.4.zip

Then extract/unzip the contents into a new folder and name this folder “plugins”, then copy this folder into your WinUAE install folder, this location is usually “C:\Program Files\WinUAE\”

Now run WinUAE emulator

 

Connect your drive hardware and make sure its detected in windows either a Greaseweazle, Drawbridge or supercard

Select Floppy Drives under the Hardware section in the menu above, then for the first selected drive DF0, click option (3.5″ DD), this will open a drop down menu, now select the last option (Configure FloppyBridge)

You will now see the “Floppybridge profile manager” window, now click create

You can now create a disk for your specific hardware,  – as shown below

You can give the profile a name, then select the hardware with the Driver option, Drawbridge, Greaseweazle or SuperCard and the COM port of your specific hardware

Once you have set each option to match your hardware and preference, click ok – your profile will now appear in the floppy drive section as your chosen drive, you can now use real Amiga floppy disks directly with WinUAE amiga emulator

Posted on

Commodore Amiga 500 External Keyboard

The simple to install adapter is an easy solution for Amiga users who have installed there A500 or A500 Plus mainboard into a desktop or tower style case

The adapter is fully compatible with fits the popular Checkmate Amiga Case’s  https://checkmate1500plus.com/

Installation is easy, Just connect Pin1 on the PCB to Pin1 on the A500 keyboard pins with the included connecting cable

Compatible with the majority of PS/2 PC keyboards, no driver required just plug in and use, you can also still do a soft reset from keyboard with the key combination of

Left  Ctrl + Both Left & Right  Windows Keys (Recommended to get a keyboard with two windows keys)

For different region keyboards just change the keymap to match your keyboard layout in Workbench

Posted on Leave a comment

Retro 9 pin Joystick adapter to USB for A500 mini – C64 mini – PC

Gamers of the 80’s and 90’s used Joystick’s with a 9 pin D connector this was referred to as the Kempston or Atari interface standard the Sinclair Spectrum, Commodore 64, Atari 8 Bit home computers and the 16 bit Atari ST and Commodore Amiga also used this type of joystick

The Competition Pro and Zip Stick stand out as the better-quality options for these models were available with microswitches instead of the cheaper metal contact switches, although lower cost models from Quickshot, Cheetah, Sinclair, Commodore were very common in any gamer’s setup

For the true retro experience, you can now connect a vintage 9 pin joystick to your A500 mini, c64 mini or PC via the J2USB retro joystick adapter

 

 

Posted on Leave a comment

amiga joystick pinout

Amiga Joystick Pinout

Amiga 9 pin D Sub Mouse and Joystick Port pinout

  • Pin 1  = Up (Also acts as mouse direction)
  • Pin 2 = Down (Also acts as mouse direction)
  • Pin 3 = Left (Also acts as mouse direction)
  • Pin 4 = Right (Also acts as mouse direction)
  • Pin 5  = Not Connected on Joysticks (Middle Mouse Button)
  • Pin 6 = Fire Button 1 (Acts as mouse button)
  • Pin 7 = 5 Volts DC- Power Supply from computer
  • Pin 8 = Ground
  • Pin 9 = Fire Button 2 (Acts as mouse button)

All Commodore Amiga computers have two 9 pin D-SUB type connectors with male pins, Port 1 is usually used for connecting a mice, but for two player gaming the mouse can be unplugged and two joysticks or other game controllers can be connected at the same time.

The controller needs to be compatible with the Atari standard such as Competition Pro, ZipStick, QuickShot, Atari, Cheetah etc are compatible

For two player games with two controllers you will have to unplug the mouse, unless you use a joystick switcher box like the once shown below

Amiga mouse adapters are now available than allow standard USB mice to be used with the amiga 9 pin mouse port, below if a mouse upgrade kit that includes a modern optical mouse and an adapter

 

Posted on Leave a comment

How to use the Logitech Unifying Receiver

The Logitech “Unifying” wireless USB receiver allows one receiver to work with multiple Logitech mice upto 6 devices can be added

First you need to download the unifying software from the link below

https://download01.logi.com/web/ftp/pub/techsupport/unifying/unifying252.exe

Install and run the unifying  software then follow the instructions to add your Logitech devices one at a time, once the software has been run and added the devices – you can now use all devices added with just one receiver

*Note devices used must be compatible with Unifying Receiver

Posted on Leave a comment

Amiga Scroll Wheel Mice

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

 

 

Posted on Leave a comment

Amiga Drawbridge Guide how to Read and Write Floppy Disks

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://amiga.robsmithdev.co.uk/DrawBridge2.8.8.zip

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.

Using High Density Disks 

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.

Convert a HD floppy disk to detect as a DD

How to Configure the FloppyBridge Plugin in WinUAE to use real floppy disks

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

FloppyBridge Download link – https://amiga.robsmithdev.co.uk/floppybridge1.3.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 fromhttps://www.winuae.net/download/

 

Posted on Leave a comment

Amiga 500 PC Keyboard Interface

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

For Amiga users who want to install there mainboard into a desktop PC style case we now offer an internal PS/2 keyboard adapter

Fully compatible with the popular Checkmate cases like the 1500 https://checkmate1500plus.com

Posted on Leave a comment

AMX Mouse Adapter – Using Modern Mice on Vintage Computers

One of the first widespread computer mice aimed at the home computer market in the UK in 1985 was the AMX Mouse by Advanced Memory Systems

The mouse features 3 buttons and used mechanical rolling ball and optical sensors, available for Amstrad, Sinclair Spectrum and the Acorn BBC Micro these mice used an interface, the BBC Micro version used the 20 pin “user port” and also requires the AMX rom chip to be installed.

Posted on Leave a comment

Copy floppy disk from ANY computer with your PC (USB Flux Hardware)

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

 

Posted on Leave a comment

Acorn Archimedes USB Mouse Adapter

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 & Philips

No Drivers or software required, just plug in you will get 3 button support the scroll wheel button acts as the middle mouse button.

Archimedes Wireless Mice

The Logitech M330, Philips M200 and all Logitech Mice that use or include the unifying USB receiver are compatible eg MX

Modern optical mouse connected to Archimedes keyboard

 

ArcMouse USB Mouse adapter from TruMouse connected to the A3000 Mouse Port
Logitech MX master connected to Acorn Archimedes A310 Keyboard
Posted on Leave a comment

Atari ST Mouse Adapter

The TruMOUSE ST is a small adapter that lets you use modern USB mice (including some wireless models) with your Atari ST

  • TruMOUSE is compatible with the vast majority of wired USB mice, it works with all models of Atari ST, STF, STFM, STE, TT, Mega and Falcon
  • Wireless Option – TruMOUSE ST is also compatible with Logitech and Philips Wireless Mice that use a USB Receiver
  • No Driver or Software is needed, just plug in and use
Posted on Leave a comment

Amiga Mouse Adapter

 

Mouse adapter’s 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 from philips and Logitech

The TruMouse got its name as it’s a True USB adapter the dimension are just 30mm in Length and only 20mm Wide, its really tiny and fits ALL Amiga Models including the tightly spaced ports on the Amiga 600

              TruMouse Amiga USB Mouse Adapter

 

The TruMouse adapter is heat-shrinked to protect against static, various colour options are available, the image above shows the adapter with transparent shrink. The adapter is compatible with ALL Models of Commodore Amiga 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

Checkout the Demonstration Video of the TruMouse Mouse Adapter from the Amiga Retro Cast on YouTube Channel

The TruMouse adapter is also available for ALL models of the Atari ST and Falcon 030