Can I use my Amiga2000 Keyboard with a modern PC

Question

As the title asks, is it possible to use an Amiga 2000 keyboard with a modern computer.

The keyboard in question uses an old plug (A2000 if I remember correctly), not PS/2, or USB. I currently do not have an adapter to convert it to PS/2 or USB, and wanted to ask if the keyboard would work before I purchased said adapter.

Answer 1

Possibly. But not without some effort.

Look at the discussion on this mechanical keyboard thread here as well as this discussion on this Arduino forum here.

It basically boils down to creating an adapter that would convert the output of the 5-pin DIN connector on the Amiga keyboard a a modern USB connector.

This page describes using the Cypress EZ-USB (AN2131) with Amiga keyboard specific firmware (EzHID Amiga Keyboard Firmware) to convert the input. But as described in this mechanical keyboard thread:

That is a protocol converter-firmware for the AN2131 serial-to-USB chip, used as an adapter for an external A2000/A3000 keyboard. A compiled file is available in the archive that you can download from EzHID's web page. The problems seem to be getting hold of a device with that chip and programming it ... Not exactly a ready-made solution.

And this thread on this Arduino forum explains how to convert an Arduino Leonardo into an Amiga 500/1000/2000 keyboard interface:

this turns your Arduino Leonardo into an AMIGA 500/1000/2000 Keyboard Interface which means that you can use your Amiga Keyboard as an HID Keyboard on your PC/Mac/PS3/Raspberry Pi or whatever. (like keyrah) All you need is the Amiga Keyboard and the Arduino without any shield or additional hardware. It does not work with Amiga 600/1200 Keyboards since they have no serial interface. It's also possible to hook up 2 digital joysticks (e.g. competition pro) with db9 connector.

That said, it seems—again based on the discussion on that mechanical keyboard forum—a Teensy USB development board might be a more supported option for general keyboard input translation development:

The Teensy USB Development Board by PJRC is a line of small inexpensive circuit boards with a microcontroller that offers a plethora of I/O pins and a USB interface.

The Teensy version 2.0 has become popular for many enthusiast keyboard projects, either as a keyboard controller or a protocol converter. It sports a AVR ATMEGA32U4 8-bit microcontroller ("µC"), 16 MHz clock (16 MIPS), 25 I/O lines and a USB client port. There is also a larger variant: the Teensy++ 2.0 with a AT90USB1286 chip that has more I/O lines.

The Teensy 3.0, Teensy 3.1 and Teensy LC have microcontrollers based on ARM Cortex M-series. These have so far not reached much popularity because of lack of available firmware. The LC model is a "low cost" variant that is (mostly) pin-compatible with the Teensy 3.1.

Answer 2

Based on your description, it sound like it might be a DIN Connector? If that is the case, then yes it will work if you can find a DIN to PS/2 adapter. I'm using an old IBM "clicky" keyboard right now with that setup (DIN keyboard plugged into a PS/2 port via adapter).

Answer 3

Not easily, and not without a specially designed adaptor.

Lets start with the fact that no PC has used a DIN connector for a keyboard in roughly 30 years - and there is no support for either the physical connectors or electrical protocol

According to pinouts.ru The A2000 keyboard seems to use a standard PC pinout but according to this forum post, the protocols are different. That is to say, unless your adaptor is specifically designed to do amiga 2000 flavoured DIN -> modern keyboard ports, it is unlikely to work