NeXTstation boot problem! Help!

[@zip_ties_and_psi]

could find what keyboard protocol they use ps2 ect and hook up a Arduino to emulate the protocol onto the bus

[@QLvsJAGUAR]

A handy and affordable PS2 or USB keyboard signal/protocol converter for the NeXT would be very useful for many.

[@zip_ties_and_psi]

@@QLvsJAGUAR do you have an email I written a basic arduino code that should convert basic usb protocol to the neXt via serial , can the neXt boot with terminal input? From what I read it can 9600 baud 8 data bits no parity and a stop bit . So it should be able to read the serial hex and register as keyboard input 🤞

[@EvertvanIngen]

Good idea, ask ChatGBT to help you on the way I would say.

[@lenni-builder]

What's the point of booting without a keyboard? Won't you be unable to do anything with the OS anyways? Are there NeXT keyboard emulators maybe, for example in the form of a microcontroller that hooks up to the keyboard port?

[@QLvsJAGUAR]

I wanted to see if the internal SCSI drive was still OK and had a working NeXTstep installation on it. Thanks to the help of Cédric from the Musée Bolo, we were able to fix the boot parameters of the NeXTstation the other day in their reserve in Lausanne with a working combo of NeXT Soundbox, keyboard & mouse. www.museebolo.ch/en/

[@knuddelbaer82]

hello do you tried USB -> ps2 converter for keyboards? or USB -> DIN converter?

[@QLvsJAGUAR]

The point is that NeXT computers do not have a keyboard connector, their keyboard connect to the NeXT monitors or the NeXT Soundbox. There's a remake/clone of the Soundbox PCBA available at quite a price.

[@lonewolf1928]

there's no way you don't at least have grandma's keyboard from the age of dinosaurs around or something

[@HupfderFloh]

Maybe it's time to buy a new computer /s