Bridge keyboards and mice with classic hardware!
- Connect modern USB keyboards and mice to a classic ADB-based Macintosh, Apple IIgs, or NeXT
- Connect legacy ADB input hardware to a USB-based computer running Windows, OSX, or Linux
No special software or drivers are needed – just plug it in and go.
Now you can finally use a modern optical mouse with your vintage Macintosh, or amuse your coworkers with a retro ADB keyboard on your work machine. ADB-USB Wombat is an indispensable tool for Apple collectors and enthusiasts.
Optional accessories for your Wombat:
ADB-USB Wombat is great for breathing new life into your vintage Apple hardware collection. If you love old Macs, you know ADB keyboards are expensive and hard to find, and ADB mice are sticky and trouble-prone. With the Wombat, you can substitute modern USB input peripherals instead. Or if you swear by your old Apple Extended Keyboard, you can use it with your modern computer. Visitors are sure to smile when they see you running 1980s Apple input peripherals on your current-year machine.
- No external power source needed
- On-board power key for remote turn-on
- Upgradable firmware
- Works with your favorite mice and keyboards
The Wombat was developed by Steve Chamberlin, here at Big Mess o’ Wires. See the blog archive for technical details on its software and hardware.
Compatibility
The Wombat hardware is compatible with all Apple computers, keyboards, and mice with an ADB connector (a 4-pin mini DIN), including most early Macintosh computers and the Apple IIgs, as well as some NeXT computer models. It is also compatible with standard USB keyboards and mice with a USB-A connector. When in ADB-to-USB conversion mode, it works under Windows, OSX, Linux, Chrome OS, or any other operating system that supports USB HID input peripherals.
Security dongles, joysticks, and other less common devices are not supported. The Macintosh Plus, Mac 512K, and Mac 128K computers use an older non-ADB connector for keyboards and mice, and are not supported.
USB to ADB
Connect USB keyboards and mice to a classic ADB-based Macintosh, Apple IIgs, or NeXT computer. Requires an ADB cable (not included). Set the Wombat board’s jumper to USB input mode, as shown on the diagram. Power will be supplied from the computer. Use an ADB cable to connect the board’s ADB port to the computer’s ADB port.
A single USB peripheral can be connected directly to the Wombat board’s USB-A port at CON1, or a standard USB hub can be used to connect multiple peripherals at once. When in this mode, the Wombat supports one USB keyboard and one USB mouse, as well as any number of ADB keyboards and mice, all used simultaneously.
Standard bus-powered USB hubs are recommended. Some externally powered USB hubs (with their own independent power supply) can backfeed power into the Wombat even when it’s off, causing problems.
Right Click Behavior – Most ADB mice had only one button, so the USB mouse’s right button is handled one of two ways. Macintosh mode sends a control + click event to the host, which opens context menus in Mac OS 8 and later. NeXT mode sends a true right click event to the host. The default is Macintosh control + click mode. Toggle between the two modes by clicking the USB mouse wheel button (button 3).
Mouse Wheel Behavior – ADB mice did not have a mouse wheel. USB mouse wheel movements will send up/down arrow key events to the host. This works well for document scrolling and file dialogs. If necessary, this “mouse wheel arrow keys” behavior can be disabled using the custom key mapping tool, described below.
Beginning in firmware 0.3.9, a long press of the mouse wheel button (more than half a second) will change the Wombat’s built-in mouse movement hardware scaling. Each long press increases the scaling by a factor of 2. This is helpful when using certain USB mice whose tracking speed is too slow or too fast even after making adjustments in the host OS’s mouse control panel.
ADB Power Key
Power Key – Original ADB keyboards had a power key – a square or rectangular key with a triangle logo that could be used to turn on some later models of ADB Macintosh computers. There’s an equivalent button on the Wombat board that will function as a substitute power key, even when the computer is off.
Connections for Standby Power
Standby Power – If the Wombat is powered from an auxiliary source (optional), it can continue working even when the computer is off. In this case, the PRINT SCREEN key or F13 key on a USB keyboard will also function as the power key to turn on the computer. To use this configuration, set the board’s jumper to USB+PWR mode, as shown on the diagram (board version 1.1 or later only), and connect a standard USB charger to the board’s USB-B port at CON2. For correct operation, an auxiliary power source must always be present when the jumper is set to USB+PWR mode.
ADB to USB
Connect ADB keyboards and mice to a modern USB-based computer. Requires a USB-Mini-B cable (not included). Set the Wombat board’s jumper to ADB input mode, as shown on the diagram. Power will be supplied from the computer. Use a USB-A to USB-Mini-B cable to connect the board’s USB-B port at CON2 to the computer’s USB port. This is the same cable commonly used to connect mobile phones and other devices to a computer. In this mode, nothing should be connected to the Wombat board’s USB-A port at CON1.
A single ADB peripheral can be connected directly to the Wombat board’s ADB port, or multiple peripherals can be daisy-chained, using the ADB pass-through connector found on all Apple ADB keyboards. When in this mode, the Wombat supports one ADB keyboard and one ADB mouse, as well as any number of USB keyboards and mice, all used simultaneously.
The ADB peripherals will appear as standard HID input devices to modern Windows, OSX, and Linux computers. No special drivers or other software are needed.
Firmware Updates
The Wombat firmware can be updated to fix bugs and add new features. Download the firmware.hex file from the downloads section below, and copy the file to the top-level directory a USB flash drive. The USB drive should be formatted with the FAT32 filesystem. Most USB drives already come preformatted this way.
During the firmware update process, the Wombat board can be powered from an ADB-based computer and ADB cable attached at CON3, or from a standard USB charger and USB-B cable attached at CON2. If powering from an ADB cable, set the board’s jumper to select USB input mode. If powering from a USB-B cable, set the board’s jumper to Standby Power mode (USB+PWR).
Disconnect all power from the Wombat board. Plug the flash drive directly into the board’s USB-A port CON1 – do not use a hub. Hold the board’s power key button while you connect the power source to turn on the board. Continue to hold the button for a few seconds, until the A and B status LEDs begin blinking rapidly. The update process takes about 10 seconds. When finished, the LEDs will blink slowly together, once per second.
During a firmware update, both LEDs are used to indicate update status:
slow alternating blinks of A, then B (1 blink/sec) – bootloader is searching for a firmware file
fast alternating blinks of A, then B (8 blinks/sec) – bootloader is updating the firmware
slow synchronized blinks of A and B together (1 blink/sec) – bootloader finished successfully
If B blinks several times while A remains off, it indicates a bootloader error:
2 blinks – no valid firmware exists on chip, can’t start main Wombat program
3 blinks – no firmware files found on USB drive
4 blinks – error in firmware file (checksum mismatch or illegal data)
5 blinks – error while updating firmware in chip memory
LED Status Codes
The A and B LEDs on the Wombat board display status and error information. (The A LED is labeled RUN on some boards). During normal use, the A LED will turn on when the Wombat has a working data connection (ADB or USB) to the host computer. The B LED will blink whenever there’s keyboard or mouse activity.
Help Commands
You can interact directly with the Wombat by typing help commands on an attached ADB or USB keyboard. Open an empty text document or command prompt on your computer. The Wombat will “type” its responses to your commands, so they appear on the screen.
Control-Shift-Capslock-T – Cycles between key mapping types US-GENERIC (ANSI QWERTY), ISO-GENERIC (UK and other non-US QWERTY), ISO-FR (AZERTY), and ISO-DE (QWERTZ)
Control-Shift-Capslock-G – Shows the currently active key mapping type
Control-Shift-Capslock-V – Displays the firmware version number
Control-Shift-Capslock-I – Displays the USB vendor and product ID or ADB handler ID of the keyboard and mouse
Control-Shift-Capslock-C – Enters keydump mode. While in this mode, the USB key code is displayed for each key that you press, along with the corresponding ADB key code it’s mapped to (or vice-versa). This can be helpful for troubleshooting key mapping problems.
Control-D – Exits keydump mode.
International Keyboards
Non-US international keyboards are supported by the Wombat. These include country-specific keyboard layouts like British, Canadian French, Danish, Greek, AZERTY variants, QWERTZ, and others. You’ll need to select the appropriate keyboard type in your operating system’s keyboard control panel, in order for the key mappings to work correctly.
System 7 Keyboard Control Panel
Two specific keys on ISO keyboards may require extra attention. If the key above TAB incorrectly behaves like the key to the right of LEFT SHIFT, you can switch ISO mode on/off to correct it. See details in the Help Commands section.
ISO Keyboard Key Swap
USB-to-ADB – Best results are obtained with Apple-brand country-specific USB keyboards, or any brand US-layout USB keyboards. In many countries, the country-specific PC-type USB keyboards have a different symbol layout than Apple ADB keyboards. These PC-type USB keyboards may be used, but key mappings for some symbols will be incorrect where differences exist between the Apple and PC-type layouts.
ADB-to-USB with Mac OSX – The first time you connect the Wombat to a modern Mac, a wizard will appear and attempt to detect the keyboard type. For non-US keyboards, you should select an ISO keyboard type from the wizard. If the key above TAB incorrectly behaves like the key to the right of LEFT SHIFT, even when the Wombat is in ISO mode, you may need to delete the OSX keyboard preferences to force the wizard to run again. Set the Wombat to ISO mode, delete the file /Library/Preferences/com.apple.keyboardtype.plist, restart the computer, and follow the wizard steps when it reappears.
Windows 7 Text Services and Input Languages Control Panel
ADB-to-USB with Microsoft Windows – Under Windows, when using country-specific ADB keyboards, you’ll need to select an Apple keyboard sub-type when choosing the keyboard type in the Windows preferences. The keyboard type is selected in the Text Services and Input Languages control panel. E.g. select a keyboard type of United Kingdom (Apple), French (Apple), or German (Apple) rather than the default United Kingdom, French, or German. If you don’t see the Apple sub-types listed, you’ll need to install the Apple keyboard driver applekeyboardinstaller64.exe.
Custom Key Mappings
With firmware version 0.3.0 or later, you can create your own customized key mapping tables. Change which keys behave as Command and Option, reassign the function keys to new purposes, or design other custom mappings. See the Wombat Keymap Tool for details.
What are ADB and USB?
ADB connector
From 1986 through 1998, ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) was the standard system for connecting peripherals like keyboards and mice to Apple computers. It was used by the Apple IIgs, as well as all early Macintosh models except the Mac Plus, 512K, and 128K. The ADB connector is a round mini DIN 4-pin, and is physically identical to the S-Video connector.
USB-A connector
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is the dominant standard today for connecting keyboards, mice, and other peripherals to a computer. Nearly everyone will recognize the familiar rectangular USB-A connector that’s used to plug a device into a host machine. USB replaced a variety of earlier standards like Firewire, ADB, and PS/2. Every Apple computer since 1998 has used USB for its input peripherals.
Converting between the two systems involves more than just a physical plug adapter. ADB and USB high-level protocols are fundamentally very different, and also have different signal speeds, signal formats, and voltages. ADB and USB input peripherals have different communication behaviors too. ADB keyboards and mice use event-based reporting, and only communicate when something has changed, whereas USB keyboards and mice communicate their full current state whenever asked.
Documentation
Downloads
Older firmware versions: (try these if the latest version gives you problems)
adb-usb-wombat-0.3.8 (October 21 2022)
adb-usb-wombat-0.3.7 (September 11 2021)
adb-usb-wombat-0.3.6 (June 25 2021)
adb-usb-wombat-0.3.5 (April 8 2021)
adb-usb-wombat-0.3.4 (April 8 2020)
adb-usb-wombat-0.3.3 (September 19 2019)
adb-usb-wombat-0.3.2 (September 9 2019)
Get One Now
Check out ADB-USB Wombat at the BMOW Store.
267 comments267 Comments so far
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Thanks so much for putting the time and effort into this adapter. Finally got my hands on one. Your work is so unique, and incredibly useful/fun.
Has the existing stock of boards been updated to 1.2? I was hoping to get one, and to hook it up to my Apple A1243 keyboard, if possible.
Yes, v1.2 is shipping now for new orders.
Just got my retro USB last week. Real dumb question, but others may ask as well: using this with a IIGS, how to emulate Open Apple-Control-Esc and Open Apple-Control-Reset? Figure I must be missing something obvious.
Thanks for making awesome products for my beloved Apple IIs!
Reset = the power key, with the options described above
Open Apple = the Command key (or Windows key on Windows-centric keyboards). Older ADB keyboards used to have both the open apple and the command cloverleaf icons on the same key, like this example: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Apple_Macintosh_ADB_Keyboard.jpg
Thanks for the info! I am using a nice wireless keyboard/mouse combo with the Wombat which are approximately the same dimensions of the IIGS originals: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XHY8J7M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
They work great, just one more dumb question: 1) Which key is mapped to the Option key?
Thanks again!
If you have Windows-style keyboard, alt = option and windows key = command. It works the same as when using a Windows-style keyboard on a modern iMac or MacBook.
Hello,
I’m enjoying my USB Wombat greatly. Thanks for making this available! I’m loving the scroll wheel -> arrow keys mapping on the latest FW.
First, a note: I’ve had mixed luck with PS2->USB adapters. I have an older PS2 KVM that I’m using along with the USB Wombat. On my 1.1 board (with the added capacitor, although that didn’t make a difference) 2 out of 4 USB->PS2 adapters I found worked, while the other two did not. The nonfunctional ones work fine on a PC, but on the Wombat board the mouse and keyboard receive power (apparently) but nothing comes through.
I ordered a functioning one from Amazon with the name “SANOXY USB to PS/2 Adapter.” I would list the functioning USB IDs, but another adapter I ordered (quite different looking, I should add) has the same USB ID and strings but does not work.
Second, a request: would it be possible to alter the mapping between Alt and Windows keys on a PC keyboard so that it feels like a Mac keyboard?
Thanks!
Are you going PS2 -> KVM -> PS2 -> Adapter -> USB -> Wombat -> ADB -> Macintosh? Wow!!
I hope to provide user-defined key remapping in the future, as other people have requested something similar. The current mapping for alt/windows matches Apple’s own USB keyboards, where “alt” and “option” are printed on the same key, and I’m following the standard they set.
Yup, there’s also a USB -> PS2 adapter on the mouse before the KVM, but that’s just a pin adapter as far as I know.
Thanks for the response and thanks again for the product.
I am typing this on my Apple Extended Keyboard II, and the wombat works great!
A few things though:
1. Can we map the Power key on the ADB keyboard? Now that we have keymappings, it should be possible, but I don’t see it in the keymap generator page.
2. Is it possible to enable right modifier keys? Is it a hardware limitation or can it be enabled?
https://archive.org/stream/Guide_to_the_Macintosh_Family_Hardware_Second_Edition#page/n347/mode/2up says you need to set a register to enable this.
Thanks for this great product!
Both are theoretically possible, but not implemented due to technical difficulties.
I have the wombat and it has been a true miracle worker for me. I am ordering one of these to solve the two device issue. If it works, you may wish to consider recommending them. They’re only $10
Cute USB Mini 2-Port USB 2.0 Hub Splitter (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FJG5T4W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_u.M3zb72G7NEP
Do you have plans to support Macintosh JIS emulation?
No JIS plans at the moment, sorry. Eventually I’d like to open the firmware, so other people could pursue additions that are a bit too niche for me to justify the time required to do it myself. Specific 3rd-party trackpads, gamepads, JIS devices, maybe NeXT-specific stuff, etc.
Is it possible for the wombat to mount a usb flash drive using OS 9?
The Wombat is for HID input devices like keyboards and mice. Even if it were possible to mount external storage devices, it would be excruciatingly slow over ADB – like 1 KB per second. 🙂
Hello Steve! I want to give a huge “thank you!” for this magnificent piece of Hard-/Software! Finally a dream has come true: I can utilize optical mouses on my old Macs. I’m starting to put some money aside so I can get more of these for any Mac I own. 🙂 Again, thanks! Really!
Thanks so much for creating this little device it is amazing!
Steve, I have an old Summagraphic’s Bit Pad Plus digitizing pad that was originally used with my Mac Plus – way back when. Would there be any problem using the Wombat to connect that pad to a Mac Pro running OS X? (Fully understanding that the driver is going to be a whole ‘nother can of worms.)
A digitizing pad probably won’t work, sorry. The Wombat can translate standard mouse and keyboard events from ADB to USB, but doesn’t know about other devices like tablets, joysticks, dongles, etc.
Drats! Well another piece of ancient technology that’ll gather even more dust. But many thanks for your rapid and honest reply.
Hi Steve. Would this connect an Apple Extended Keyboard M0115 to a PC with little to no issue?
Yes, with the Wombat you could connect the AEK to any modern USB computer.
Thanks to your magical Wombat, I am typing this on a completely cherry AEK II. It was owned by a film production studio in Hollywood. Someone splashed coffee on the lower right corner. This resulted in the Num-pad \’.\’ key becoming unresponsive and the \’Enter\’ key sticking. The incident must have occurred when it was relatively new because they put it back in the plastic bag it shipped in and stuck it in a storage closet in the original cardboard box. After all this, it sat marked \”SURPLUS\” for an emergency, I guess, for like 20-26 years. I was able to completely disassemble it, washed the coffee off the keys with some sudsy dawn and disassembled the two ALPS switches, cleaning the guts.
The end result of all this was a cosmetically perfect, un-yellowed AEK II. There is not a stain or mark on this thing and it now works absolutely perfectly. The cream ALPS switches feel crisp and new!
Thank you! Typing on this takes me back to my second Mac, a IIci, back in 1990.
Got my wireless keyboard with built in trackpad working on my IIgs! Trackpad is a bit slow on the Logitech K400 I tried so I’m going to test some other keyboards as well to see if there is any difference. Thank you!
Would this work with ADB joysticks such as the Gravis MouseStick II?
Nope, sorry – it’s designed for keyboards and mice. See some of the comments above yours for more discussion of this.
I have a question. I would like to hook up a keyboard from a Macintosh II Classic to this device and then run the USB cable to a raspberry pi 3 I just wanted to know if this is doable or not? Thank you for your time.
You might need to use a powered USB hub with the RPi, because I think it can’t source as much current to USB devices as a normal computer can. Other than that it should work.
Okay that’s no problem at all 🙂 I looked at some other options this one looks the easiest and it looks the cleanest too. You really made my day. I’ll be placing an order in a few weeks. And I’ve shown my cousin your site and he’s likes some of your products for his old Mac equipment too! Thanks.
Can not get the Wombat to work fully in the ADB to USB mode. Mouse pointer moves and selects.Keyboard has no response other than B light on Wombat flashing twice on keystroke. Any suggestions?
I’ve got a rev 1.0 ‘Wombat’ and it seems a little flakey. I’ve updated its firmware to the latest and sometimes it just decides to crash; the light that usually flickers when USB input is detected just stops. Unplugging my USB hub and waiting for a few seconds before reconnecting it gets it going again. The weird thing is sometimes it’s really “crash happy” and others it’s rock solid for quite a while.
Any ideas on getting it stable (tried different hubs, peripherals and such) or modifications that are required?
Please use the “contact” link at upper-right for support email, if you have specific customer support issues. The web page comments aren’t monitored regularly and are more intended for general-interest feature-related inquiries.
@Al Unfortunately I’m not sure what more to suggest. If this is with your OS 9 machine, maybe it’s an OS configuration issue there? The hardware is covered by a 1-year warranty – use the contact link to get in touch if you suspect a hardware problem and want to do a product return. @Sarah could be power glitches, you might try running with a standby 5V power supply connected to CON2, if your ADB power supply is questionable.
Hi! I have an old Power Macintosh G3 Tower and keyboard that work well on Mac O.S. 8.6– but the ADB Mouse no longer does. The trackballs (I have three ADB mice and switch them out frequently now) stick, even with daily cleaning of the inner wheels and mousepads. So I’d like to connect an optical USB mouse (like the Macally ICEMini I use on my MacMini) to the G3 so that I can continue to operate the vintage versions of PageMaker 6, Poser 4, and Photoshop 5 that I use for personal creative projects. I’m willing to purchase the Wombat, case, and spare ADB cable if that setup will work. Please– PLEASE– reply and let me know if this is solution I need or if you know of another. Respectfully, Peter (Dr Zik).
Yes, that’s handled by the USB-to-ADB feature described above. Check out the video for a demonstration. You don’t necessarily need the case or cable accessories, but they make it more convenient to use the Wombat.
hey Steve… I ordered a Wombat on August 1 – will the device ship with 0.3.0 firmware?… thanks in advance…
The current lot of boards has 0.2.2 pre-installed. If you want the key remapping feature that was added in 0.3.0, you can update using the “Firmware Updates” process above.
Is there a way to increase the speed of the mouse movement in the Wombat? I using an Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II hooked up to my 2008 Mac Pro through an Apple Extended Keyboard and even though I have the Tracking Speed set to Fast (maximum) in the Mouse System Preferences it is still pretty slow. With my Magic Mouse I can move across the full width and height of two side by side monitors (30″ and 24″) without ever lifting my hand or the mouse off of the table, just extending my fingers. Thanks.
Mouse speed is adjusted through the operating system of whatever computer the Wombat is connected to. There’s no way to modify the speed on the Wombat hardware, sorry.
The issue was that I had both both mice connected at the same time and while the Mouse Preferences panel (which was customized for the Magic Mouse and all of its capabilities) settings affected the ADB mouse it seemed to use the same parameters (acceleration scaling, etc.) for the Magic Mouse for both mice. When I disconnected the mice and then plugged in just the ADB mouse the Mouse Preferences panel became very basic and the settings were then appropriate for the ADB mouse. The ADB mouse now works as expected. Posting this follow up in case anyone else has the same confusion.
I noticed an unusual issue. When I start my 2008 Mac Pro with the Wombat connected to a USB port, the CD tray ejects and the startup screen gives the “Prohibitory Symbol” (circle with slash through it) which, according to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204156 means that it can’t find a System Folder to boot from. My guess is that it thinks the Wombat is a USB thumb drive that I might be trying to boot from. If I unplug the Wombat it boots normally. Same thing happens whether I have a keyboard and/or mouse connected to the Wombat or not.
@Sean Manning, I have the same issue with my Mac Pro 2008. It also ejects the DVD tray but it has been doing that since I replaced the original DVD drive, so it is probably not connected.
@Sean Manning, just to clarify; I am also having the same boot issue with the Wombat and my Mac Pro 2008. In case that wasn\’t clear in my original post.
Steve,
Will the Wombat work with a Wireless Keyboard/Trackpad Combo like the Logitech K400r for instance?
Wireless keyboards and mice are OK so long as they aren’t Bluetooth.
So this won’t work on a Mac Plus? I was about to get it to use in the printer port… it looks like an ADB port 🙁 I hate the plus keyboard!!!!
The Mac Plus is not ADB – it uses a totally different type of keyboard and mouse shared with the Mac 128K and 512K.
We are looking for an adapter to connect current USB devices (keyboard, trackball) via a KVM extender to an AT keyboard input on a legacy system.
• Is ADB the same as PS/2?
• Can your WOMBAT also function on an AT-keyboard input?
• If not, do you have such a device?
I am looking forward to your (quick) reply.
No, sorry. AT and PS/2 keyboards were used with 1980’s IBM computers. ADB is a completely different standard for 1980’s and 1990’s Apple keyboards and mice.
Hi Steve,
As soon as I saw this, I couldn’t order it fast enough. ADB keyboards and mice are hard to find, and this will give me tons of options for what to use with my SE. Is there any kind of noticeable lag with keystrokes or mouse action by using the Wombat as a signal converter? I assume not but wanted to check.
There’s no perceptible delay – you can watch the videos for an example. If you measured it very accurately, the delay is probably in the 10-20 milliseconds range.
Just a High Five comment here…. Awesome device that let’s me use my AppleDesign computer with my work computer. Gets a lot of attention from my coworkers, especially those that have used Macs for years. THANKS
Sorry, That previous comment should have read: AppleDesign Keyboard
I have my Wombat and my AEK battleship running smoothly. Even have media keys mapped to function keys via Keyboard Maestro. Great product!
I’m confused about the Power key, however. The description above implies that either (a) the power key on the keyboard works or (b) the blue button on the Wombat works as a substitute. I have the Wombat in ADB mode, plugged into my AEK at Con3 and the iMac at Con2. Con1 is empty. Pressing the blue button does nothing. Am I missing something?
The power key is for early ADB-equipped Macs like the Mac II series or Power Macs. It’s a true switch that makes an electrical connection to turn on the computer, rather than being a normal keyboard key. For the Wombat, it’s only relevant when in USB-to-ADB translation mode. USB-equipped Macs like the iMac don’t work this way and the physical power key isn’t used.
Ah. Shame, that. But, hey. Cheers for the explanation!
Hi Steve.
Using a Wombat with an Apple IIgs and a USB keyboard.
I don’t seem to be able to get Control – apple – reset to reboot the computer. Control reset works (using the printscreen key as reset). But combining Control – WIndows – Reset seems to only send a plain reset (no forced warm boot). For giggles tried Control – Win – TheButtonOnTheWombat- same result. Anything I could be doing wrong?
Send me a direct mail (see Contact at the page’s upper-right) and I can help you troubleshoot. The three finger salute also requires holding down all three keys for a longer moment than normal keypresses.
Is there any reason why a Unicomp SpaceSaver M keyboard wouldn’t work with this? I’d love to hook up a “modern” USB keyboard and mouse to my IIgs.
I’m not familiar with that keyboard, sorry. If it’s a standard USB keyboard and not bluetooth or otherwise exotic, then it should work fine.
Here’s the keyboard: http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/FeaturedProducts/UB4ZPHA They don’t list power draw, but I know the old Model M the Unicomps descend from drew more current than average.
Hi Steve
Is it possible to use an ADB keyboard on an iMac (Rev a-D) running Mac OS 8-8.5? If so how? I have a Wombat but it show no activity?
Try updating to firmware 0.3.1, it has a fix for USB keyboard emulation under Mac OS 8 and 9.
Hi!
Its posible to make the power key on ADB keyboards usable in modern PCs?
I mean, can be the wombat modified to interpret the ADB power on key signal and drive it a pin header connected to the power switch header in a motherboard?
Hello,
I just received it for my Apple IIgs. fantastic product! I love it.
just small annoyance to use for Apple IIe software: I have to press ‘Caps Lock’ key to make it upper case mode everytime I powered on…
Is there anyway to set this device to ‘Caps lock’ On when it powered on ?
This devide is just perfect except this one.
lmao isnt it funny that adb is identical to s video? i was wondering why it looked familiar lol
Has anybody tested this specifically with the Dvorak keyboard layout? How about Electric Dvorak on System 6?
TIA!
Great Product, using the Wombat 1.2.3 to type this comment from IIGS ADB keyboard. Keep up the good work. Enjoy reading your blogs, good technical descriptions.
The fixes from firmware 0.3.1 targeted at Mac OS 9 seem to have positively impacted powermacs in general. The few minor issues I had during boot sequence do not show up anymore with adb->usb emulation. Boot keys do work! Thank you for this project, Mr. Steve.
I’m running OpenStep 4.2 in a virtual machine and the mouse jumps erratically. Apparently it’s because the software is designed for the NeXT mouse, which has a different “step”. Will your adapter mimic that after it turns it into USB mouse code? In other words, does it maintain the steps of the ADB mouse so that it won’t jump?
The Wombat has been tested on real NeXT and Mac hardware. If you’re running in a virtual machine on a PC, I don’t think you’ll see any difference vs using a regular USB mouse.
Thanks for the reply. Are you saying that it wouldn’t be worth it for me to try an ADB mouse with the Wombat converter because it wouldn’t look any different to the virtual machine than a regular USB mouse does?
That’s right. But I’ve never used OpenStep inside or outside a VM. A NeXT user forum could probably give you more information.
The left shift, alt, CTRL and both apple keys are not working on my AEK II. I have tried different firmwares (3 of them). Is this a known problem?
Follow-up to above comment. There is a scratch on the keyboard PCB through the trace for all of the above buttons. It isn’t anything to do with the Wombat board. Sorry for the pointless comment.
Many of the keys of my M0116 aren’t going through and some of the keystrokes are typing a “v” when the key is released. Am I doing something wrong?
Sounds like a keyboard or other hardware problem somewhere in the loop. For customer support issues, please contact me directly for 1-on-1 help, using the Contact link at upper right.
I updated from the 0.2.2 firmware to 0.3.1 and had some issues when using an Apple Extended Keyboard II with both a 2018 Mac mini and a 2014 MacBook Pro. On the Mac mini, triggering caps lock would cause the mouse cursor to freeze intermittently. On the MacBook Pro, an almost 1 second delay would occur every time I switched from CAPS LOCK to lowercase and vice versa – making the typing experience somewhat frustrating. Also, the caps lock light would not come on. I’ve downgraded the Wombat’s firmware to 0.3.0 and re-tested. The problems seem to have gone away -and the caps lock light comes on when the key is pressed. I’ll test this version of the firmware on my Mac mini and report back if anyone is interested.
Just tested 0.3.0 firmware with Mac mini and my Apple Extended Keyboard II – works just great! Caps on light works, when active. Unrelated question: Is it safe to hot-unplug the Wombat from the computer’s USB port if the Wombat is connected to an ADB keyboard? Or would I need to shut down the Mac to unplug the Wombat? I seem to recall ADB ports being finicky and requiring the Mac to be shut down before unplugging them. Thanks!
Yes, you can safely hot-plug or unplug the USB side of the Wombat.
Looks like you might be out of town for a bit, I am eager to get a Wombat and perhaps another FloppyEmu, is there an ETA for new stock? Many thanks, loving my FloppyEmu RevB
I expect to have more Wombats available in about a week. More Floppy Emus in 1-2 weeks.
Hi, does current firmware work with current Apple Keyboards?
Is there a particular keyboard you have in mind? The Wombat’s been tested with a wide variety of USB keyboards including Apple ones. It does not work with bluetooth keyboards. I don’t have any of Apple’s hybrid bluetooth/USB keyboards to try, but it should be OK as long as it behaves as a standard USB keyboard.
This is really awesome and I love how it’s dual action. Alas, there were none in stock, but I’ll check back.
I have one question to ask! I have two keyboards on my table and it is a pain on the butt. Because of space factor. Can I use my PC keyboard/mouse to share it between the PC and Apple/gs via a click of a switch? Or can I use the apple // extended keyboard for my apple/gs to be shared between the apple//gs and/or PC using this device?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Steve,
I only have the current hybrid Apple magic keyboard in mind. This is currently for sale and has a very small foot print plus very good typing quality (not like the current laptops…). I can plug it with a lightning cable to a Raspberry Pi or a Windows/Linux PC besides a Mac and it worls well in USB mode. However it must be doing something different as Wombat does not react to keystrokes. It would be great if you could debug that.
cheers,
Ruben
John – The Wombat is a USB/ADB protocol translator, not a KVM switch, so unfortunately it can’t be used in the way you proposed. Ruben – As mentioned I don’t have any of Apple’s hybrid bluetooth/USB keyboards. If I can manage to borrow one, I’ll try to find time to look at it. Raspberry Pi runs a full Linux OS with bluetooth OS support, which may be why the bluetooth/USB hybrid works there.
Two questions;
Is the ADB port on the Mac 8600 supported?
If I place a USB switch between this device and my keyboard/mouse, is there any reason I can’t use them with another PC?
Hi again Steve,
I have used satisfactorily the Hybrid Apple Magic Keyboard in Linux system without bluetooth devices and it works too. Its something going on at USB level.
Hey Steve,
Thank you for your fast reply. I have one more question to ask. I know it have nothing to do with this device, but is there a small flat surface lifter that I can put it on top of the Apple //gs and I can just place the keyboard on top of that surface? This way I can use the keyboard and mouse on top of the apple //gs without covering the ventilation hole on top of the case of the apple //gs and lift it a little bit so air circulation can enter Apple //gs on top of the case and type and use the mouse that way.
Again…please forgive me for asking an off-topic question. I thought this would have solved my keyboard problem and lack of space but it didn’t.
Firmware 0.3.2 fixes compatibility problems with the Apple Magic Keyboard model A1644.
The new firmware is great news ! Top man ! 🙂
I had the same issues as Krishna with both an Apple Extended Keyboard and two different Apple Extended Keyboard IIs. Pressing caps lock caused two USB-C MacBook Pros to lock up (running 10.12 and 10.13). I had to disconnect the Wombat to get control of my Mac back again. Downgrading to 0.3.0 fixed the issues. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help triage and test! Outside of that small issue this thing is AMAZING and very impressive!
Thanks, I confirmed this caps lock behavior. If you need to run the AEK on current MacOS, then I recommend staying with firmware 0.3.0 for now.
The ADB-to-USB mode caps lock LED and MacBook freeze problem is resolved in firmware 0.3.3.
Thanks so much! I tried it and it works great!
Nevermind my previous question, I forgot that it matters how you release the buttons as well. I guess I forgot how these work after so many years.
As an interesting follow up, with the Apple Magic Keyboard, it will automatically revert to the bluetooth once the wombat is turned off (such as turning off the IIGS) physically disconnecting the lightning/usb cord is not necessary, so it’s almost like having a built in keyboard switcher.
Hello, I am
Can I use wombat adb to usb for a mod of an ibook g3?
I think it has an adb 30 pin keyboard?
If not, is there any previous adapter to do so?
Thank you very much
im here because of gravis firebird adb mac joystick, got in goodwill for 5$…any chance this would work with joysticks?
No, sorry. Please see the “compatibility” section above. Security dongles, joysticks, and other less common devices are not supported.
I just thought I would update my last post. I gave up using the magic keyboard, as I think it was taking too much power and preventing a logitech universal receiver from also working intermittently. (To be fair, it might have been the USB 3 hub instead, or the distance between the receiver and mouse.)
In addition, it was a hassle to plug/unplug the magic keyboard (when both were powered up) to look up troubleshooting info on the other computer.
My new setup is using an old apple wired compact usb keyboard. It includes two USB ports (one either side of the keyboard), which i have the logitech universal receiver plugged into. The mouse is a logitech m585, it has a button that allows me to switch between using it with the IIGS, or bluetooth connection to another device (I am using it with my iPad Pro 10.5.) This new setup is working better.
The only tweak I had to do was to remap the switch/power key to F12, for easier apple-control-reset, as the compact keyboard doesn’t have the default reset key (printscreen or f13 I think.)
Hello. I have been using the Wombat for a while, and I have one suggestion I hope you will consider implementing. I have a Logitech M585 mouse, it works great with the wombat, except that the scroll wheel is very, very sensitive. I tend to move the scroll wheel when I don’t intent do, which causes a series of system beeps in GS/OS, when dialog boxes appear that won’d accept up/down commands..
I would love a user option to disable the scroll wheel, or at least change the keyboard key that is pressed when scrolling up/down to a “no press” option. Using the same web tool as can be used to change the key presses would be an ideal place to configure both the keyboard and mouse scrolling.
good idea.
I am still trying to troubleshoot an issue with the mouse one gsos. I get a very choppy mouse after using the wombat for awhile, but I am not sure if it is the iigs/wombat/or m585 wireless mouse.
At random (usually after my daughter is using it for an hour or so) the mouse becomes very choppy. I can fix it by shutting the aux power supply down to the wombat, and it restores normal operation (without shutting down the iigs).
At first, I swapped from a magic keyboard to an Apple usb keyboard (and eliminated a usb hub) but it is still am getting the issue. Now I swapped to a wired mouse, and will see if it reoccurs.
Just a quick update. I tried a couple of mice, but for some reason they both had lots of lag when using under GSOS.
One was an older 15 year old wired mouse, the other was a brand new HP mouse just purchased from Best Buy, both were very sluggish and lagged behind the gsos system I tried both using the mice with my apple keyboard, and using it with no keyboard attached to the wombat (mouse usb or dongle connected only, no hub.). Both mice that lagged with the wombat worked without issue when plugged into my 2017 iMac, they are on the same desk as the IIGS, so I pretty much ruled out any radio interference (and should not have effected a wired mouse anyway.).
I had to revert to using the m585 mouse with my IIGS, but have been too busy to see if the occasional choppiness I mentioned above returns or not. (I moved the dongle from the right side of the keyboard to the left side to see if there was any difference. between the two USB ports on the apple keyboard.)
What other usb (wired or wireless) mice are other wombat users using? I would like to get a known good working model mouse to rule in or out if it is something with my IIGS/Wombat/ or I just happen to have two mice that don’t play well with the wombat.
Steve, has any work been done to allow the reassigning (or elimination) of key presses for the mouse wheel? I would love to try a beta firmware should you decide to implement it in a future firmware.
I had one more idea, but I don’t know if it can be implemented easily. Cold the eject button an an Apple USB keyboard be used for a reset key? I don’t know if that button has a standard code to allow it to be remapped, so it may not be possible. Still, it would be nice to reassign that key to use as a reset, vs my current configuration of f12 if possible.
I use a Logitech wireless mouse/keyboard. Works fine with pretty much everything except for Brutal Delux programs I have tried.
Guys I have one serious question to ask. If the answer to that question is yes..then I will buy it immediately. Can I use this device to hook a normal PC keyboard to run on both on my Apple //gs and my PC?
I want to clarify it. I do not mean a KVM switch. What I mean is this…can I use this device and turn a PC keyboard to work on the Apple //gs and then I get a KVM switch and then from that switch I can hook this one keyboard to switch between PC and my Apple //gs? That is my question just to be clear.
Thanks in advance.
I’ve used a Dell wireless mouse and keyboard KM117. Also tested with many USB wired mice from Microsoft, Logitech, Dell, and no-name generics. Tested with the Dell wireless KM117 keyboard and many wired USB keyboards from Dell, Apple, Microsoft, HP, and generics.
In USB-to-ADB mode, the USB mousewheel is translated into up/down arrow keypresses, which accomplishes something similar in most software. Clicking the mousewheel (button 3) toggles control-click emulation for button 2 on/off. Some Mac software responds to control-click in a similar way to a right mouse button click in Windows.
I’m not sure I understand the question about the KVM but I think the answer is yes. In USB-to-ADB mode the Wombat is basically a black box takes USB keyboard/mouse input and generates ADB keyboard/mouse output.
Thank you. Next week I am ordering it official. I want it for my Apple //s. I have literally one keyboard and mouse on the table and I do not have space to fit more keyboard mouse. Ones I buy a KVM switcher…third party….and with this device I can then use only one keyboard and mouse for my PC, my Apple //gs, and even for my third device. Next week I am ordering it.
I will be buying this device https://youtu.be/VfA1SgG35Sg?t=64 so I have one keyboard and mouse to control my PC and my Apple //gs at the same time.
I know this was asked in the past with the answer being \”possible\” but there may be technical difficulties. Using the Wombat in ADB mode, I would like to be able to map the \”Power Key\” to something, such as an additional function key, but I don\’t see a way to do this with the mapping tool. Keycode dump simply states \”0x7F7F is not mapped\”.
Any progress on if this is possible?
There haven’t been any changes to the Wombat firmware for a while, but I’m still thinking about the power key and a few other possible items.
Steve
Thank you for the Wombat! It has worked for me flawlessly, for the last two years! I have tried many similar products, and yours works with no problem as soon as I plug it in!
Firmware 0.3.5 is now available. It adds support for remapping the Power Key for ADB-to-USB mode, adds an option to disable ‘mouse wheel arrow keys’ behavior for USB-to-ADB mode, enables separate keycodes for left/right side modifier keys for Apple Extended Keyboard II, and hopefully resolves a user-reported problem with the Appledesign keyboard (unverified).
This firmware update looks good for me. I was able to stop the wheel scrolling the mouse, which helps with inadvertent presses.
One very picky, small detail. I did the Control-Shift-Capslock-V command, while having the IIGS teach app open, to ensure the firmware update took, and it gave me
ADB+uSB ombat firmware 0.3.5
I guess there was a slight miscode with the lowercase u, and the W missing in the response?
I would love one other change, but it may not be possible. I would love to reconfigure the apple eject key as a power key, but it appears to not be recognized by the wombat at all (no response in output mode, on both a wired apple keyboard, and the magic keyboard.) Is the eject key on an apple keyboard so nonstandard that it can’t be read by the wombat?
One more thing to close out a previous post, since putting a logitech universal receiver in the left usb socket of my apple wired keyboard, I have not had any of the weird skipping issues that I had when the same dongle was in the right usb keyboard socket. Very odd, it may be my particular keyboard, or maybe something with this particular model. Hopefully it does not reoccur, but so far so good.
The missing Shift-U and ‘W’ keys you’re seeing in the firmware version string are likely due to slow keyboard polling speed of the IIGS when running GS/OS. It can’t keep up with the super-human typing speed of the phantom typist that writes out that text. Try it in built-in BASIC (not with GS/OS) and you’ll see the response is much faster.
USB key translation is provided for USB HID group 7 (standard keyboard) as shown here: http://www.freebsddiary.org/APC/usb_hid_usages.php The Wombat isn’t designed for USB consumer media controls, game controllers, or other similar input, sorry.
You are correct, I went to the basic prompt (instead of Teach on my unaccelerated IIGS) and it displayed fine.
I didn’t know that the eject key was non-standard for USB devices, I guess I am so use to apple products by now I just assumed it was a standard and not a media control.
I previously configured the f12 key as the reset/power key, so it works well enough for the open apple-control-reset command.
Being the silly person I am; I got so excited to order the Wombat and Floppy Emu that I forgot to order an ADB cable. When I came back to order the ADB cable I notice a Wombat case that is out of stock. Will there be supplies in the near future? I prefer to order the cable and wombat case together if that will be an option. Thanks
I’ll hopefully have more soon, but I don’t know exactly when. The supplier that I use is prioritizing medical orders for Covid-19 equipment and hasn’t processed my order yet.
That is fine by me. That’s a legitimate priority. I will keep an eye on the site and place an order for both when available. Thank you for the response.
Putting my freshly-delivered Wombat to use, I plugged it between the KeyboardIO M01 and my Quadra 650. The M01’s LEDs came on, but – no input on the Mac.
Reading through the keyboardio threads, I came across the distinction between USB’s Boot Protocol and Report Protocol. The story appears to be that a keyboard or mouse will start up talking (full-featured) Report Protocol, and will on demand switch back to the simpler Boot Protocol. The M01 lets you switch modes with “left fn + left shift + esc”, and once I did that, my Quadra read my typing just fine (modulo a few layout differences, which I will probably handle with a custom keyboard map on the Mac).
My question: Does the Wombat firmware attempt to switch USB HID devices to Boot Protocol (which it appears to require)? Could it grow the ability?
Sorry to hear you’re having some trouble. It looks like the KeyboardIO M01 is a DIY keyboard with customizable firmware? There are several discussion threads on the web about problems with that keyboard not working with the BIOS on a variety of computers:
https://community.keyboard.io/t/getting-the-model-01-to-work-correctly-on-a-mac-in-efi-boot-mode/2128
https://github.com/keyboardio/Kaleidoscope/issues/220
https://github.com/keyboardio/KeyboardioHID/issues/59
I think the KeyboardIO handles this somewhat differently from most other keyboards. It appears this issue may have been fixed in a later KeyboardIO firmware version, or you can compile your own firmware that defaults the keyboard to boot protocol. Or use the key combination to manually switch modes, as you’re doing now.
The Wombat’s low-level USB communications are part of the software library provided by Microchip for the PIC32 – I didn’t write them, so it’s difficult to determine exactly what they’re doing and more difficult to change them. It does support the report protocol (it reads report descriptors, rather than assuming a hard-coded report format). But it’s possible that its keyboard report descriptor parsing is buggy or limited in some way related to N-key rollover. That might explain the behavior you’re seeing. A nice overview can be found at https://deskthority.net/wiki/USB#Protocol_problem
In theory this could be addressed with a Wombat firmware change, since it’s all at the software level. But without more knowledge of the Microchip USB code and access to a KeyboardIO M01 for testing, it would be very difficult.
I just received my Wombat case in the mail today. The case is actually smaller than my wombat and the screw holes do not line-up. Has anyone else had this issue? Did the Wombat itself recently get a new smaller design? I have only had mine for a few weeks.
Some wrongly-cut cases got out recently, sorry. Please send me an email to arrange a replacement or refund.
That’s too bad. Has to be pretty annoying to you. I just sent you an email. A replacement would be great. Appreciated.
Hello Steve: A customer had a question for me, I perused through the previous enquiries above and did not see this specifically. Apologies in advance if I missed it and perhaps there is a way to set this in firware…appreciate your time. Best regards Rob Blessin Question below…
Is there a way to keep the caps lock state and keyboard light in sync with the caps lock key?
Apple Extended Keyboard M0115 to Wombat 0.3.5 to iMac 10.15 via USB-B
The light reflects the state but the key position is inverted. Unplugging etc can get it right but it gets out of sync.
Yeah, the Wombat can get confused if your keyboard has a locking caps lock key, and you boot the system with caps lock already on. I don’t have a great solution for that, but as an alternative to unplugging the keyboard you could use one of the help commands like Control-Shift-Capslock-V. This has the side-effect of changing the caps lock state.
Don\’t sweat it…
I have in the meantime udated the M01 to the latest firmware, no difference.
On the other hand, I found that my layout problems were based on a misunderstanding – the 3rd level characters printed on some keys are accessible with Fn, not opt/alt gr. So, after switching to US layout, the mapping works perfectly as-is.
Which leaves manually switching the M01 into boot mode (left Fn – shift – esc) when I start using it with the Wombat, which I can manage. 😉
Amazing little box that bridges thirty years of technological change!
This could be a new FAQ item:
Q: What should I do if the PWR LED lights dimly and the Wombat does not respond when connected to my computer via ADB?
A: Check that jumper block is set to USB. Check the ADB input voltage. Check PSU voltages. Check motherboard power capacitors.
With the input jumper block set to USB, I connected my Wombat to a PowerBook 190 and powered up. The PWR LED lit dimly, A and B LEDs stayed off, and the Mac didn’t recognize the USB mouse I was using. I wish I had checked Vcc at the Wombat then, but I didn’t. I tried setting the jumper to USB+PWR and connecting a USB charger and it worked fine, for a while. Some days later, the PB190 failed to power on. It was then that I realized the SMD electrolytics were leaking barely visible electrolyte fluid onto the board. After a swap to a motherboard without that problem, the Wombat worked perfectly off ADB without the USB charger. I’ve ordered parts to recap both boards. I’m kind of amazed the old one was working at all. While not technically a Wombat problem, with Macs of this vintage, I’m sure I’m not the only one who will have this issue.
The Wombat is amazing! I tried it the other way around with an Apple Extended Keyboard (ADB) on a USB KVM switch. Buggy nightmare on both Windows and Mac prior to the firmware update, but an absolute dream after.
I freed up some space in the PB190 by swapping the hard drive for an SSD, so I plan to remove some connectors from the Wombat (to save space) and install it plus a USB RF transceiver for my wireless optical mouse permanently inside the PB190.
I just bought this and it seems to work well with my PowerBook 5300 on system 7.6.1 and 8.1, except if I try and cycle between programs too quickly (I.e. between Netscape Navigator>Stuffit Expander>Finder] the mouse often slows down to a crawl; only remedied by restarting the 5300. I did check firmware and I’m a few revs behind (0.3.2 or 0.3.3 I think). If I update to 0.3.5 will it fix this issue? I’m also using a USB 3.0 hub, though I’ve tried a 90s USB 1.1 hub and had the same problem. Logitech mouse is M705 v1 and keyboard is a backlit Drevo Calibur. I wonder could the backlight on the KB be problematic? I’ve not yet tried powering the Wombat from the wall, maybe that might help?
Thanks.
Matt, this sounds like a possible hardware problem. Send me a direct mail (see Contact at the page’s upper-right) and I can help you troubleshoot.
I excitedly bought a Wombat in the hope that I could finally make full use of my Apple Adjustable Keyboard (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Adjustable_Keyboard). I’ve used a Griffin iMate in the past, but was always bummed out that I couldn’t use the special volume keys, and thought it would be fun to be able to make the microphone key to Siri.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like the Wombat sees any of these special keys. Is there something special about them? Anyone else know anything about it? Could it, perhaps, be fixed with a Firmware update? (I’m not 100% sure what firmware I’m running, since the Caps lock key on the Apple Adjustable Keyboard doesn’t seem to be recognized either, but I just bought it my Wombat a week ago).
Thanks!
A bit more information– I did get it to get into key dump mode, and the volume up / volume down / microphone / mute keys are absolutely not picked up at all.
Was this some sort of weird alternate ADB mode that was only ever used for the Apple Adjustable Keyboard?
Hi Greg, you can see the list of Wombat-mappable keys in its Keymap tool here: https://www.bigmessowires.com/wombat-keymap.html Key translation is provided for USB HID group 7 (standard keyboard) as defined here: http://www.freebsddiary.org/APC/usb_hid_usages.php The media keys are a separate category of USB HID input, rather than simply being additional keys on a standard keyboard. The Wombat isn’t designed for USB consumer media controls, game controllers, or other similar input, sorry.
Is it possible there’s a problem with your keyboard’s caps-lock? I’ve heard from other people with the Apple Adjustable Keyboard who did not mention any issue with caps-lock. If there’s a hardware problem, please use the Contact link at upper-right to send me the details, and we’ll sort it out.
Hello, I wanted to first thank you for your product. I’ve been using Wombat with my ADB keyboard (the original, the one that came with the Apple IIgs) with my Macbook for a year or two now and it has been fantastic.
I do want to drop a tip off to everyone here – the Caps Lock is a toggle key but it only activates when you depress it to the on position (it does not send a keycode when it is untoggled. HOWEVER! if capslock is off, and you accidentally lightly brush it with your finger, sometimes it sends the capslock on, meanwhile you haven’t actually clicked it.
So you can turn caps lock off by simply brushing your finger against it a second time. It’s hokey but it works, (until I decide to permanently desolder that pesky critter!) 😀
Now is my question.. This keyboard is phenomenal for me but there is an obvious lack of function keys. I was able to use the Macbook’s function keys when necessary since they happened to be right there, but I am moving this setup to a Windows environment where they use function keys more often. I see in a comment above a request to use the power key as a “Fn” or additional modifier key. I was wondering if there was any movement on that or if it was possible at all.
For example, Power-1 could be F1, Power-2 could be F2, .. up to F12 if you count the – and = keys on the top number row. Power-Numpad-+ and Power-Numpad– and Power-Numpad-* could be volume up/down/mute, and there’s other mappings like brightness, lock, search, printscreen, scrolllock, play/pause/forward/backward, etc etc, all those fun keys, that could be mapped to user specification.. So Option-Power-4 would for example be my Alt-F4 to close the window.
Please let me know if this is possible. Thanks again!
Caps lock is deceptively complicated. Some keyboards have a locking mechanical key – they send a keydown event when pressed and locked, and send a keyup event when pressed a second time and released. Other keyboards have a caps lock that behaves like any other key, sending keydown and keyup events every time it’s pressed, and letting the OS handle the caps toggling behavior. The Wombat tries to gracefully handle both types.
Support for mapping the ADB power key was added in firmware 0.3.5. If you want it to behave like a special modifier key, then you could use key mapping software on your computer to configure the desired behaviors for each key combo.
Hi Steve,
Do you have any indication about the expected input delay in ADB to USB mode? For typing it won’t matter much, but every now and then I like to play rhythm games where input delay does matter.
Could you let me know the expected delay in miliseconds and if this varies and if it is a (somewhat) predictable set amount of time? That way I could calibrate the settings to work with the input delay.
Cheers
I haven’t attempted to measure that, and it’s a complicated question to answer. If I had to guess, I’d say a variable delay somewhere around 1-25 milliseconds. USB keyboards operate on a polling basis – typically the computer polls the keyboard every 8-10 milliseconds, so even without a Wombat converter there won’t be a fixed interval between a USB keypress and when the computer becomes aware of the keypress.
I guess it would depend on what polling rate the Wombat functions at then right?
I think most high-end keyboards use the maximum USB polling rate of 1/1000s, cheaper ones may use 1/125s or maybe 1/250s.
Maybe I’ll just have to witness it myself, I think ADB has some delay as well (I don’t remember if it used polling, I think it does right?) so your estimate of around 1-25ms is likely close to the truth. If I’m really bored I may grab the scope and figure it out haha.
Thanks!
Hi!
When it will be available?
Just posting to subscribe for the next batch notification. This looks like it’d be an awesome addition to my old PowerMac.
Hi, I love my Wombat and how it has been improving these years. I wish there was something similar supporting PS2. Is there anybody aware of a Wombat like adapter for the PS2? I mean an adapter that can accept (non PS2 supporting) USB keyboard entry (therefore the adapter behaving as usb host) and send the PS2 signals to a PC?
@Ruben yes, those devices exist. They’re fairly expensive since they’re designed as you described. One option is the Tripp lite Minicom. I’ve seen a couple of others but can’t vouch for how well any of them work. Another option is a KVM switch that supports both PS/2 and USB. That’s a bigger, more expensive solution, but sometimes they can be obtained cheaply as old data center equipment.
To bring it back to topic, I use a type of USB KVM switcher with multiple Wombats, which allows me to not only control more than one Apple IIgs from the same keyboard, but send them commands via serial to USB HID device to remote control them from a modern PC. The only drawback is that the Wombat doesn’t seem to like the USB mouse output from the switcher, though I haven’t been able to determine why.
@adbj the USB HID report descriptor from your KVM might be in some unexpected format that confuses the Wombat. The report descriptor parser in the Wombat firmware isn’t as robust as what you’ll find in a full-fledged OS like Windows. If you dump the descriptor and send it to me, I can take a look at it. https://web.archive.org/web/20180703143648/https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard/wiki/HID-Report-Descriptor
is there any way to upgrade the firmware to be able to recognize more devices by their hardware PIN. as-well as add support for joysticks & their unique product ID # there are alot of joystick specifically for a mac ADB i would like to use.
I’ve been playing with using a YubiKey with the Wombat. My use case is authenticating against a netatalk-classic server that is configured to use the YubiKey PAM module for network shares.
I noticed that the Wombat will only use key events from the last-plugged-in USB keyboard (which the YubiKey emulates). This isn’t a huge problem — I plug in the YubuKey, press the button for auth, then unplug it after I’m done.
Being forgetful and constantly misplacing the YubiKey on the desk, though, I wonder … is it possible for the Wombat to handle key events for all attached keyboards?
@Chris maybe try a USB hub with built-in on/off switches for each USB port. That should support what you’re doing without needing to constantly unplug and replug devices. I would have to look at the firmware to see about supporting multiple USB keyboards simultaneously by the Wombat hardware. I’m not sure how the presence of multiple keyboards would be handled by classic Apple operating systems like System 7 or the Apple IIGS.
@Anonymous what do you mean by hardware PIN? Please see the “compatibility” section above. Security dongles, joysticks, and other less common devices are not supported, sorry.
Because several people have asked about joysticks, I’ll expand on this. ADB defines standard communication protocols for keyboards and mice, and support for these two ADB devices is built into the ROM of classic Macs and the Apple IIGS (and presumably ADB-equipped NeXT computers too). There’s no standard protocol for joysticks. Back in the 80s and 90s you would have installed some control panel software (essentially a driver) on your Mac for your specific brand and model of ADB joystick. This software would support a custom ADB communication protocol, as well as configuration of the joystick options. I think the Gravis Gamepad control panel also had a menu of popular contemporary games, which you could choose from in order to make the Gamepad compatible with those games. I’m not sure what that did under the hood. As far as I know, the joystick communication protocols were vendor- and model-specific, and undocumented.
In practice, most of the popular ADB joysticks were made by Gravis. They made the Gamepad, Mousestick II, and Blackhawk.
In theory, one could get samples of each of these joysticks, connect them to an old Mac, install the appropriate control panel software (if you can find it), and sniff the ADB bus with a logic analyzer. With work, it might be possible to reverse-engineer the communication protocols used.
But even if you did all that, what then? If you’re wanting to use the Wombat to connect an ADB joystick to a USB computer, where does the equivalent of the control panel software go? How would you configure the Gamepad settings? And can something like a Gamepad with its digital direction pad mimic the behavior of a USB joystick, which is normally an analog device?
Similar challenges exist if you’re wanting to use the Wombat to connect a USB joystick to an ADB computer. The Wombat would need to choose a specific brand and model of ADB joystick to mimic, and you would need to install a control panel on your Mac. The Apple IIGS and NeXT would probably have to be excluded. And then what about the driver or configuration software for the USB joystick? Where would that go? There’s no simple answer.
There may be solutions to all of this, but hopefully I’ve explained why it’s much more complex than basic keyboard and mouse conversion. At best, any joystick conversion would likely still be tied to specific vendor/model assumptions and would lack the normal configuration software. Without the configuration software, it might be awkward or impossible to set up the joystick as needed for any given game.
> \”I’m not sure how the presence of multiple keyboards would be handled by classic Apple operating systems like System 7\”
On my Mac II and SE/30 I could use two keyboards at the same time on ADB, an Apple Keyboard II and an Extended II. Worked perfectly fine. If you think over it, it has to work, as early Powerbooks had ADB, and you could use both the internal and external keyboard simultaneously (same with mice). I’m quite sure that the internal keyboards of early PowerBooks were attached via ADB internally.
Ah, and there even was an official Apple keyboard that was 2 keyboards: the Ergonomic. It consists of a main keyboard, and attached via ADB, a number/cursor pad. So Mac OS should support 2 keyboards in general.
Steve,
Does using the wombat in usb power mode effectively relieve the adb port of whatever power it would normally be providing to the device? I’m thinking of scenarios where i have split the adb port into two, with the wombat plugged into one port, and traditional adb device(s) plugged into the other.
That’s right, in that situation the Wombat will draw power from the external USB supply rather than from the computer.
And how much could the Wombat pass through? Because I have a chain like 68kMac Wombat RaspberryPi4 OTG port. And the Pi consumes up to 7W via its combined OTG and USB-C port.
(Why I do this? PiKVM. KVM in “software”, where I attached an 68k-Mac to have Audio/Keyboard/Mouse over IP)
I don’t have a spec for that. The power and ground traces are 16 mil on 1 ounce copper. 7 watts is 1.4 amps continuous, which is maybe OK for those traces but I wouldn’t want to go any higher. It’s probably better to connect your Pi to a good quality powered USB hub, and plug that into the Wombat.
Any plans for a converter for the 512k? Or does anyone make one?
Firstly – I love my Wombat!! Thank you for such an awesome project!
I\’m using my Wombat with a \”PiKVM\” (https://github.com/pikvm/pikvm) to remotely control my Mac. The Wombat currently reports itself as a \”relative\” device type, which normally what a mouse uses. PiKVM defaults to using an absolute type (like a tablet) since it makes the mouse a lot easier to use through remote control. PiKVM can be reconfigured to work in relative mode, but its pretty laggy and annoying.
What is the feasibility of adding an \”absolute\” mode to Wombat so have it emulate a tablet interface if the USB device uses absolute positioning? Is this something you would consider implementing?
I don’t think so, sorry. Both USB and ADB mice are relative position devices.
FYI The Ultimate Hacking Keyboard (uhk.io) does _not_ seem to be compatible with the Wombat at this time. I’m not sure if this is related. but may be helpful: https://github.com/UltimateHackingKeyboard/firmware/issues/70
The link mentions something about the UHK key rollover behavior, but I don’t think that should matter for the Wombat.
Any idea when the Wombat will be back in stock? Thanks!
Looking at mid to late April for Wombat restock.
This is a great product!
Wombat has been announced as temporarily out of stock, but is it late?
When it arrives, I will purchase it from Japan at the same time as Floppy Emu and Mac ROM-inator II 🙂
Thanks.
It’s been delayed, but I’m hoping to take delivery this week.
Hi There, would it be possible to get an email, when this is back in stock please? Thanks in advance
Sorry for the continued Wombat delay. I’m now expecting to have more stock available next week. I’ll send a notice to those who’ve requested it when they’re restocked.
Hi Steve,
Great Product! It was somewhat magical to see my new Logitech mouse working on a computer that is more than 30 years older than it!
Unfortunately, I have not been able to get my keyboard to work with it. 🙁 I\’ve tried a few different firmware revisions (0.3.5, 0.3.3 & 0.3.0) and both with & without a hub but had no luck so far. Both \”ON\” & \”A\” light up nicely but \”B\” refuses to light up no matter what key I press…
The keyboard in question is Feenix Autore with an ANSI layout. The system that I am trying to control is a Macintosh SE running Mac OS 7.5.3. I\’ve had no problems with it on Mac OS 9 (over USB on iMac G3) or the latest Windows/macOS versions, so I found it a bit odd that it does not respond over ADB at all.
Do you have any tips/tricks that I could try? I am happy to provide any additional information that might help solve the problem! 🙂
– Paul
I’ve heard the same from other VidHD users. It appears to be an incompatibility caused by how VidHD holds the computer in reset for a long time at power-up. A work-around is to press the Emu’s reset button after the computer starts up.
Hi Paul, for customer support problems, please use the Customer Support link to get 1-on-1 help. This sounds like a possible incompatibility with that specific model of keyboard.
Hi Steve, any updates regarding the restock? Thank you!
The ADB-USB Wombat is now back in stock at the BMOW Store.
I got mine a couple of months ago, and its such a great product. Being able to use an optical mouse on my old mac is great! The funny issue I am having with a Mac LCII is when I power on the machine the A and B lights will flash alternately at about 1second interval. It doesn’t matter rather my usb devices are plugged in or not. Unplugging the ADB and replugging it after the OS starts to boot fixes it until the computer is next powered off.
Any thoughts?
It sounds like something may be holding the power button during power-up, which triggers the bootloader described above. Please use the Customer Support link at top-right if you need help with individual issues.
Hi Steve, would it be possible for you to add the date last updated on this page next to the latest firmware version? I check back infrequently as I’m hoping one day a new version comes out that improves the power button behaviour on an AEKII (I e-mailed about inability to map it as an Fn key a while ago) but I can never remember what the last version number that came out was!
Cheers, Jake
Done! I’m currently focused on other projects. Rest assured there will be an announcement about any future firmware updates.
Jake, Wombat firmware 0.3.6 resolves the power key issue that you encountered. https://www.bigmessowires.com/2021/06/25/adb-usb-wombat-update-power-key-fix/
Steve, thank you, that’s awesome. I’ve tested it, and it works great of course. I’ve commented on the blog post my thanks to Alice as well. Outstanding after sales support from your team. 🙂
Hello Steve,
I have been using the Wombat for almost two years now (I think), and it is making my typing experience much better since I can use my favourite keyboard, the Apple M0118 with the orange Alps. However, recently I have been trying to find a way to keep dust from settling inside. Have you considered making a more permanent case solution? I started making this enclosure for myself to print, and then I thought maybe this could become a joint venture?
Please, let me know what you think. 🙂
https://imgur.com/a/26wV5Gr
Sincerely,
Kristian Möller (a.k.a. ktkm)
Looks very nice! The last time I looked, commercial 3D printing and injection molding are both still too expensive for making retail products at this sales volume, compared to laser-cut 2D acrylic. You might considering sharing the model on Thingiverse so people with a 3D printer could make one themselves. You can contact me directly (Contact link at the page’s top-right) if you want to discuss more.
Kristian, that looks like a good enclosure, it’s the perfect kind of thing to share with the community on Thingiverse.
Thingiverse sounds like a good idea. I’m definitely considering it. Thank you.
Steve, I’ll get back to you when I have a more noticeable product, and perhaps with some questions regarding external LED connections.
Hey, I\’ve managed to get everything set up and working with both a computer and an iPad Pro for the most part, with the only real exception being very specifically my ADB Mouse II not wanting to work with anything but actual ADB computers. I have an original edge-and-rectangle ADB Mouse that works fine, so I think it\’s just the ADB Mouse II. Has this ever been an issue before?
There shouldn’t be any issues with the Mouse II. I think its internal electronics are identical to the original ADB mouse, and the only difference is its shape.
Hi. I just received the ADB-USB converter with the ADB cable, and it doesn’t seem to work. I have a Macintosh SE 80mb 800k drive with the original ADB keyboard, which works fine with the ADB mouse. I tried to connect an old black usb apple pro keyboard M7803, and even a Logitech usb keyboard and I get nothing. The light on the wombat does go on when connected (I tried hitting the side switch also), and still get no keyboard input
For 1-on-1 customer support issues, please use the Customer Support link at top-right, and I’ll do my best to help you troubleshoot. You may just need to set the board’s input type jumper to USB, see instructions above.
Hey, responding to the comment you made earlier, it seems that there’s actually a few different versions of the internals for the ADB Mouse II, all with somewhat different hardware. The mouse that seems to have issues is specifically a Logitech model with an M-AL-APL4 logic board. I don’t have any other ADB II mice at the moment, so I can’t tell if it’s just some revisions. I can confirm that my Gravis Mousestick II (sort of) works as a mouse through the Wombat.
Can i use it with JP keyboard? (Maybe my keyboard is JP 108key)
I haven’t tested it with a Japanese keyboard. I think it’s the same QWERTY layout as US keyboards, so it should be OK.
Just received a unit – great device, thanks.
Worked like a charm on my 68k machines for MacOS, A/UX and Linux, but NetBSD failed to discover my M2980 keyboard. On boot, the kernel reported “mapped device” (3) not “extended keyboard” (2).
Turned out the Wombat was flashed with 0.3.2 .. so I updated to 0.3.6 and all’s well now!
Correction: my USB keyboard is an A1243; the M2980 is my ADB keyboard I used as reference.
I tried to get a keyboard running with the QMK firmware. I’ve configured it to the most compatible mode (UEFI compatible) as possible, but I don’t even get a signal on the Wombat. I wonder, if someone else has tried this, yet, and found a solution?!
Hello! Thanks to your product, I’m using aek II(m3501) well in Korea, and I recently got aek I(m0115) and connected it, but it doesn’t work as I thought.
First, I can’t use the right alt key in aek I, it doesn’t recognized.
and If I connect aek II after connecting aek I, the mapping seems to be initialized.
In order to use the Korean/English conversion in Korea, the right alt key must be available, is there any way?
If possible, it would be nice to use both aek II and aek I together.
Thank you.
Hi,
In case it helps anyone else, my observation is that a known good Razer DeathAdder Elite Gaming Mouse doesn’t seem to work from USB->ADB mode. I’ve confirmed the Wombat is working with a USB keyboard, but no luck with the mouse either through a USB hub or plugged directly.
I’ll try out a different mouse when I can get my hands on one.
I’ve confirmed that the Razer DeathAdder Elite Gaming Mouse does not work, even when directly connected as the only device. Maybe a power-draw issue because of the gaudy LCD lighting of the mouse?
My working config at the moment is K-CEVE 4 port USB Switch w/ Touch ID Magic Keyboard + Magic Trackpad. It’s a pretty nice setup that toggles a single keyboard+mouse between a modern Mac, modern gaming PC, and vintage PowerMac 6100. Love it! 😀
Hi folks: I’m interested in using the Wombat to connect an Apple Extended Keyboard ii to a M1 Macbook pro. The new laptops only have USB-c inputs. Is there any problem going from your mini-USB to USB-c? And is there anything about the new M1 machines that would cause trouble when using the Wombat? Thank you!
It works fine on an M1 Macbook Air. You’ll just need a USB-C adapter, same as for any other USB peripheral.
Do you have anything that will allow me to plug in a non-ADB mouse into a NeXT Keyboard. I need to find a mouse for my next workstation and cant find one.
Sorry, no. For NeXT-specific hardware needs I suggest you try here: https://www.blackholeinc.com/specials/blackhardware.shtml
Steve,
Is there a way to configure things for option-booting a Mac? I have a USB keyboard connected through a Wombat running 0.3.6 firmware into a Beige G3 which I need to option-boot, or to Opt-Cmd-O-F boot into OFW. The option and command key combos don’t seem to be seen at boot-time.
Hmm that’s strange. The Wombat is doing low-level ADB/USB conversion and doesn’t know or care about what operating system or bootloader is running. You could try it after rebooting the computer instead of from a cold start with the power switch. Or you could fall back to a different keyboard for times when you need to access the firmware menu.
I’ve tried assorted unpowered and powered USB arrangements without success.
No joy on warm restarts either.
Bootrom keyboard combinations are also ignored with the Wombat connected to my Quadra 650 — so it’s not a peculiarity of the G3.
I updated to firmware version 0.3.7 but no change.
The G3 is awkward in only having a single ADB port so I can’t have a second fall-back keyboard always attached.
Option-command-whatever doesn’t work with any of my Wombats with any of my m68k Macintoshes, either, so I use the PRAM-zapping feature in Tech Tool Pro when necessary.
It seems like the Wombat is waiting for some sort of a handshake from the Mac before it starts to send ABD data.
I solved the single-ADB port problem by soldering a S-video jack onto the unpopulated footprint on the Wombat. ADB devices can be daisy-chained through the Wombat just fine.
Thanks for confirming this behavior.
The daisy-chaining suggestion with an extra jack sounds most useful. And presumably a standard S-video splitter cable would work too.
Hi Steve! I have a question about hot-swapping input devices when using the Wombat to connect a USB mouse and keyboard to a classic Mac’s ADB port. Obviously ADB is not hot-swappable, but I’m wondering if the Wombat allows for hot-swapping USB devices while plugged into a running classic Mac. Specifically, I want to set up my SE/30 next to my MacBook Pro on my desk and have them both running throughout the day, swapping the keyboard’s USB port back and forth to the one I want to use. Is this possible? Would it create any issues on the ADB machine or does the Wombat account for the plug-and-play change of input? Thanks!
A KVM switch may be a cleaner solution for that situation, rather than repeatedly plugging and unplugging the keyboard. The Wombat firmware wasn’t designed for the idea of dynamically adding and removing USB devices after power-up, but I think it should still work for this example.
I have a bunch of old ADB based Macs and an IIgs. Would it be possible for me to connect my Wombat to an S-Video switch in order to have a single keyboard and mouse connected to all four machines?
I remember being told back in the day never to connect a ADB keyboard after the machine was turned on, so I assume the process to go from Mac #1 to Mac #2 might be something like:
1. Turn off Mac #1
2. Press button #2 on S-vide switch
3. Turn on Mac #2
Do you think that would work?
Although ADB cables have the same physical connector as S-Video, I don’t think an S-Video switch could be used as an ADB KVM. A proper ADB KVM would need to have an internal processor capable of handling the ADB protocol.
Steve,
Thanks for the quick feedback. I was at Walmart and saw a GE branded S-Video switch for $15 so I decided to buy one to see how if it would work. For testing, I used two V1 B&Ws as I figured I could fall back to USB if I blew out the ADB port. My configuration was as follows: Port 1: B&W, Port 2: B&W, Output: Apple Design Keyboard & Mouse. Based on limited testing, it does appear that an S-Video switch can be used to toggle between machines. However, detection is a bit spotty — sometimes the machine boots with a working keyboard and mouse and other times it doesn’t. Also, I found it a bit troubling that each B&W would turn on immediately after plugging in the S-Video cable into the machine — it makes me feel as though something isn’t 100% correct with the electrical signal.
Having established partial compatibility, I turned to the Wombat, subbing in the Apple Keyboard for a USB keyboard & mouse. This configuration always resulted in no detection. I thought perhaps the Wombat wasn’t getting sufficient power so I switched it to USB Power mode but it didn’t make any difference.
Anyway, I hope this might help someone else. Also, I read you blog about coming up with new products. Perhaps a reliable ADB switch might be worth looking into? 🙂
Best of luck,
Adam
How would one go about updating the firmware on a version 1.0 RetroUSB board? I have an early one and it seems to not work with my powermacs for USB to ADB.I see this issue is resolved in firmware 3.1. I created a FAT32 thumbdrive and copied the firmware.hex file to the USB and loaded it but nothing appears to happen when powered up. Going to buy a newer one in the meantime. Thanks
All versions of the Wombat use the same firmware update method, including the original Retro USB before it was rebranded. Make sure the firmware.hex file is in the root (top-level) directory of the USB drive, and follow the instructions in the Firmware Updates section above, making sure to hold the button for several seconds until the LEDs begin blinking rapidly.
Thanks for the reply! I figured it out. On the Retro USB you need to put it in “USB” mode to update. I had it in ADB mode. The instructions didn’t match my jumpers so I wasn’t sure. So update worked and its working with my other mac now.
Second question if you know. Is there a way to use this with a USB KVM. I found the KVM wont see and connect to the retro USB even when powered via CON2. Seems like its providing the USB connection later than the RetroUSB likes possibly. The KVM doesn’t seem to provide the KB and Mouse until it sees the USB connection. Or maybe its the way the USB devices are presented? Works great ADBtoUSB and USBtoADB directly connected. And the KVM works fine on the macs that have a USB port (sonnet tempo PCI).
If you’re using a USB KVM, then the Wombat is a USB device and ADB host, so you should set the jumpers for ADB input. There are several people using the hardware successfully with a KVM – check out some of the older comments here.
Very happy to be able to drag my Apple Extended II out of the closet and use it with my macbook. The only problem I’ve had is trying to remap the caps lock key to control. I’ve already modified the switch in the keyboard so it doesn’t lock.
First I tried remapping it in in the Keyboard preferences pane. It seemed like whenever you pressed the caps lock key, you would get a key down event, followed by a key up event. Then when you release the key you get another key down followed by key up. I also tried remapping it using the keymap on the wombat itself. However it seemed that if I map caps lock to anything other than caps lock, it doesn’t register any keypress events at all.
I’m not sure what the events actually look like at an ADB level. I suspect that the keyup + keydown behavior is being synthesized by the wombat to emulate the behavior of a non-locking caps lock key. If so is there some way to turn this behavior off?
Attempting to remap Caps Lock will lead to problems, as you’ve discovered. The Wombat uses Caps Lock internally for all of its help commands, and also synthesizes needed keyUp/keyDown events to provide expected Caps Lock behavior for USB computers. This is a baked-in firmware behavior and can’t be modified.
i need my G4 QS to turn on Via a Performa ADB keyboard. has anyone made a firmware mod to translate the power button into a discrete trigger output that i could use via a relay to close the front panel power button?
thinking i could use an arduino to sniff the usb packets and watch for the power button scan code but i figure the wombat is already configured to do just this so if it could just give me any kind of output from the board itself – i could make this work pretty easily.
thoughts?
Re: turning on a G4 remotely. I’d opt for a simpler solution. Choose “start after power delivery” (or how it’s called) in the OS X energy control panel. Then plug your G4 into a RC enabled power distribution socket for ~15€, and as soon as the G4 gets power, will switch on. Worked for me. Don’t know if it would work with Mac OS 9, too, though.
Hi Steve, thanks so much for The Wombat
It works fine with ADB Swiss French keyboards on macOS. I’ve just notice a minor issue when using commands, on the Swiss keyboards the Z and Y keys are inverted, therefore the command Control-Shift-Capslock-I returns
Mouse id FF, kezboard 04
other useful info if needed:
Console input is ISO GENERIC
ADBÙSB Wombat firmware 0.3.7
USB Wombat:
Product ID: 0x01a9
Vendor ID: 0x04d8 (Microchip Technology Inc.)
Version: 0.03
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/s
Manufacturer: Big Mess o’ Wires
Location ID: 0x02100000 / 7
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 100
Extra Operating Current (mA): 0
Hello Steve ! and thanks for the Wombat ! I love it ! I’m doing few video about the use of the Wombat ! The first one it is about connecting an ADB keyboard to a modern Mac and upgrade the wombat. I’ll then do another for USB keyboard on a IIGS 🙂
Hope you’ll like them !
The first one : https://youtu.be/AjTytP28qvw
And thanks again for this very VERY useful tool !
Best regards from France !
I just noticed that with an Apple A1243 keyboard the command/option modifiers are ignored when I press control-F13. (e.g., to reboot my Apple IIGS with control-command-reset). It acts just like I’d pressed only control-reset. The command/option keys work any other time (e.g., for menubar keyboard equivalents), just not while I’m pressing control-reset. Also, occasionally when I try to use control-command-reset with this keyboard the computer hangs for a second or two, as if I were continuing to hold down the reset key. So it seems like there’s some weirdness with sending the key-up event for the reset key in this situation.
But with a generic (e.g., Dell) USB keyboard I can press control-windows-PRtScn and it works fine to reboot. Or control-alt-windows-PrtScn to start the IIGS self test, etc. Wacky.
It was doing this on firmware 3.3.3. I upgraded to 3.3.7 (confirmed with control-shift-caps-V) and it still does it. 🤷🏻♂️
It’s not a big deal. I prefer to use the Apple keyboard (due to the built-in hub, so I can plug in the mouse) but I can just use my joystick buttons instead of the command/option keys in this situation if necessary.
I do have a very early “retroUSB 1.0” board, but I added the extra 1000µF cap to make it work with the Apple keyboard.
Hi Tim, the A1243 keyboard works fine with the IIgs in our testing. With all Apple II keyboards, you need to continue holding Control and Command (or Open Apple) for a moment after you release the Reset / Power key, or else the computer may misinterpret the key combination. If you need further help, you can contact BMOW directly using the Customer Support or Tech Support links.
Hello.
I’m using the adb-usb wombat with apple adjustable keyboard.
I updated the wombat to the latest firmware.
I’m trying to swap “Caps Lock” with “Left Control” using either the keymap tool (on your website) or apple’s system settings app, but no avail.
To be more specific, here is what happed.
System Settings: no change (default setting restored)
Keymap tool:
– caps lock -> left control
– left control -> caps lock
Then the caps lock key lost its modifier functionality and does not affect what I type, i.e., when I type “caps lock” and “a” at the same time, simply “a” is typed.
The left control key behaves as if it were “caps lock”.
How can I solve this problem?
System: Mac Studio running macOS 13.1
Wombat: Firmware 0.3.8
Keyboard: Apple Adjustable Keyboard
Thank you.
What’s the size limit for a thumb drive that can be used to upgrade the firmware / re-map keys? The smallest thumb drive I have is 16GB, and it wouldn’t work. I made sure it was formatted FAT32– I even formatted it and loaded the files on a PC to make sure MacOS wasn’t doing something wonky.
I managed to find an old 2GB SD card, plug it into a SD-to-USB reader, and that worked perfectly. I would have hated to buy a smaller thumb drive on Amazon just to do that.
Caps lock is a special case and can’t be reliably remapped, sorry. A few limitations are mentioned at the top of the Keymap Tool page. There’s no size limit for the USB drive, so probably something else was happening there. I’ve personally used 16GB and 32GB.
Hey, my wombat works fine with my Mac but even when I plug the wombat into a windows machine without the keyboard connected it goes crazy and just keeps typing out a string of characters anyone else having this issue? I updated to 3.8 as well.
THanks
Having issues with one of my Wombats.
So, I have two Wombats, one for my Mac II and the other for my Performa 636 CD. Both are connected to a Belkin SOHO KVM via USB and are currently controlled by PS/2 keyboard and mouse since it’s the only console input I can utilize.
The Mac II Wombat has firmware 0.3.2 and that works fine. Can control with PS/2 inputs flawlessly.
But, the Performa 636 CD Wombat with firmware 0.3.8, I could not get a response from it via PS/2. I tried all firmware updates on this page. None of them worked for me in this case. I did try connecting USB keyboard and mouse directly into the Wombat itself, which does work that way as intended. So, I’m pretty sure it’s not the unit itself.
So, any chance I can get firmware 0.3.2 since I believe that’s the version that works best for this case? Or any chance for a firmware update to address this? I could try another KVM, but the Belkin SOHO that I’m using is the only one that I have that works best for what I’m currently setting up.
I’ve added some older firmware versions to the download area. Please use the Customer Support link if you need additional troubleshooting help with your specific setup.
Two separate things:
The Wombat kept telling me no firmware file was found. After failing by formatting it FAT32 with MacOS disk utility, I found a freeware program at https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/ and that the stupid thing to show up.
Anyway: Currently when using it in ADB input mode on the Apple Adjustable Keyboard the Wombat doesn’t pickup the volume keys. Like nothing happens in keydump mode. Is there anything in particular that prevents it from picking those up and mapping them to Fkeys?
There’s a list of Wombat-mappable keys in the Keymap tool here: https://www.bigmessowires.com/wombat-keymap.html The Wombat isn’t designed for USB consumer media controls like volume, eject, screen brightness, or other similar inputs, sorry. Key translation is provided for USB HID group 7 (standard keyboard) as shown at http://www.freebsddiary.org/APC/usb_hid_usages.php and ADB keys as shown at https://i.stack.imgur.com/LD8pT.png
I wasn’t talking about USB media keys but OK. I’m talking about ADB media keys on an ADB keyboard. They don’t register as anything. I just though it’d be neat if they could be mapped to Fkeys when connected to a modern computer.
I am using an original “Apple Extended Keyboard II” with an uKey ADB2USB converter. This setup is connected to a KVM switch. One of the connections of the switch is then routed to the Wombat wich is connected to a Mac ADB port. Sadly the original power key (key code 0x66) is not mapped as standard and sometimes the Wombat stops working when the mac is doing stuff and i switch the input of the KVM (The wombat has USB+power jumper set). Other than that, everything works. I am happy to be able to connect the Mac to my normal setup and don’t have to use a separate monitor and keyboard.
I have a DIY USB HID keyboard that I can’t get to work. The keyboard is this one: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804352610546.html The firmware on the keyboard uses “VIA” (https://www.caniusevia.com/) as a configurator.
The keyboard works fine on a current mac and windows, but it does nothing when connected to the wombat. Is there any way I might get it to work?
Thanks, Dave
I ran the USB HID report through https://eleccelerator.com/usbdescreqparser/ and got this, if this is of any help:
0x05, 0x01, // Usage Page (Generic Desktop Ctrls)
0x09, 0x06, // Usage (Keyboard)
0xA1, 0x01, // Collection (Application)
0x05, 0x07, // Usage Page (Kbrd/Keypad)
0x19, 0xE0, // Usage Minimum (0xE0)
0x29, 0xE7, // Usage Maximum (0xE7)
0x15, 0x00, // Logical Minimum (0)
0x25, 0x01, // Logical Maximum (1)
0x95, 0x08, // Report Count (8)
0x75, 0x01, // Report Size (1)
0x81, 0x02, // Input (Data,Var,Abs,No Wrap,Linear,Preferred State,No Null Position)
0x95, 0x01, // Report Count (1)
0x75, 0x08, // Report Size (8)
0x81, 0x01, // Input (Const,Array,Abs,No Wrap,Linear,Preferred State,No Null Position)
0x05, 0x07, // Usage Page (Kbrd/Keypad)
0x19, 0x00, // Usage Minimum (0x00)
0x29, 0xFF, // Usage Maximum (0xFF)
0x15, 0x00, // Logical Minimum (0)
0x26, 0xFF, 0x00, // Logical Maximum (255)
0x95, 0x06, // Report Count (6)
0x75, 0x08, // Report Size (8)
0x81, 0x00, // Input (Data,Array,Abs,No Wrap,Linear,Preferred State,No Null Position)
0x05, 0x08, // Usage Page (LEDs)
0x19, 0x01, // Usage Minimum (Num Lock)
0x29, 0x05, // Usage Maximum (Kana)
0x95, 0x05, // Report Count (5)
0x75, 0x01, // Report Size (1)
0x91, 0x02, // Output (Data,Var,Abs,No Wrap,Linear,Preferred State,No Null Position,Non-volatile)
0x95, 0x01, // Report Count (1)
0x75, 0x03, // Report Size (3)
0x91, 0x01, // Output (Const,Array,Abs,No Wrap,Linear,Preferred State,No Null Position,Non-volatile)
0xC0, // End Collection
// 64 bytes
Just received my Wombat yesterday, and it’s working perfectly aside from a few things I’m trying to program (2 questions). (Q1) I’d like to get my function keys mapped to the same shortcuts my MBP’s built in keyboard uses. I’ve had success with mapping F10-12 (volume) with the custom keymap tool, and success with F1-4 using my Mac’s System Settings. I’d like to get F5-9 working if possible without purchasing any premium software: F5=Siri, F6=Focus, F7=Media previous track, F8=Media play/pause, F9=Media next track. Additionally, I use YouTube Music as my music player through Chrome. (Q2) Any idea if it’s possible to execute this without having to change to the music tab each time? I’ve tried a few tactics that I came across in these comments, but no dice so far.
@Dave the Wombat’s HID parser is part of the Microchip microcontroller USB library, it’s not as complex as what you’d find in a full OS like Windows, so you may need to modify your programmable keyboard to present an HID descriptor that’s more like what a standard keyboard uses. If you have another keyboard that’s working, I’d suggesting cloning its HID descriptor as a starting point.
@Eric I don’t have much experience with application-level key macro software for OS features, sorry. Maybe some other readers will have suggestions.
Thanks @Steve, I don’t have access to the source files of the firmware unfortunately. When looking at the descriptor, it seemed to be in line with what I picked up from you in other comments (namely Usage Page = 0x07) Is there anything that looks non-standard to you?
I got a Wombat a few years ago and enjoy it quite a lot. It lets me use a Kensington Turbo Mouse (really a trackball) with my modern laptop. But one thing I have been missing is an easy way to scroll. It would be really nice if holding down one of the buttons on the Turbo Mouse would make moving its trackball scroll up and down instead of moving the pointer. Is it possible to write a firmware update for the Wombat that adds that feature? The Wombat only generates events for three of the four buttons on the Turbo Mouse, so the last button has no effect right now and can be freely repurposed.
I have owned a few of the Wombat devices. I really enjoy them. Sadly many of the new mice out there present themselves either as a keyboard or as a combination of both keyboard and mice (likely to handle the multiple buttons they provide). How can I get the wombat to use these mice?
Additionally, 2.4Ghz wireless USB does not seem to be supported either (Microsoft Sculpt Keyboard) or mice with a USB dongle that connects to the mouse wirelessly. Is there something I can do to help enable these devices?
Is the firmware open sourced?
Chris Peak, if your mac is like my Mac mini (late 2014) then you’ll find that early boot option key combinations only work with the USB port nearest the power supply (in my case). This was a semi-obscure piece of knowledge. I was pulling my hair out trying to figure it out. Maybe the option key or other issues is due to the keyboard (and wombat) being connected to the “wrong” USB port.
Brielle, no .. my machine is an old 1997 Beige G3 PowerMac. No built-in USB back then, just ADB. The Wombat sits between a USB keyboard/mouse and the venerable ADB bus.
Hi Steve, I see that there is room for another connector “CON4” on the PCB but I didn’t see it mentioned in the instructions or here in the comments. Can you explain what it is for?. Can I solder on a 4-pin mini DIN and gain another ADB connection? I would like to connect a USB keyboard and a regular ADB mouse to my IIGS.
The empty ADB footprint is wired in parallel with the other ADB port. You could add an extra ADB mouse or keyboard there if you wish.
I love my Wombat so much. Great work.
I’d suggest a correction to the firmware update section of the help document here, though. I was updating firmware today and my wombat would not see the firmware file unless i formatted the USB drive as MBR rather than GUID. As GUID is the default for mac Disk Utility, people will likely have to select this manually when making a firmware update USB.
Keep up the great work!
I’ve recently started using the Wombat a bit more regularly, and I’ve noticed a peculiar thing when using it in ADB to USB mode on Windows. The computer never goes to sleep while the Wombat is plugged in. This happens on both a work laptop running Win10 and my home PC running Win11. It is the only USB device when plugged into the work laptop.
The OS can be placed into sleep manually no problem, it only affects the automatic sleep after inactivity setting. I can’t see any other issues in behaviour. I’m on the latest firmware and the device is working great. LEDs ON and A are always lit and LED B only flashes when keys are pressed.
Is this a known behaviour?
Hi all, just came across this page. The Wombat looks like such a great idea! Does anyone know if the Wombat would allow an ADB graphics tablet to work on a USB era Mac, pls? I have 2 Wacom 12″ tablets and would like to hook them up to G4 era computers.
I expect it may not support all of the functionality.
TIA.
Sorry, tablets and other peripherals besides keyboards and mice can’t be translated by the Wombat firmware.
I wanted to bump my previous comment that didn’t seem to rate a response. Most newer mice seem to register themselves as both keyboards and mice due to additional buttons and functionality. Is there a way to modify the firmware to detect these types of mice and at the very least just enable them as mice and ignore their keyboard functionality?
I’d be happy to contribute if the firmware is open source. Let me know.
The Wombat firmware is not open source, but you may want to check out the open-source TMK adapter if you’re looking for something you can tinker with. See the comments above for some of the wireless mice and keyboards that other people have used successfully. I personally have the Logitech KM117. The firmware uses the first connected USB keyboard and mouse that it finds, so if your mouse also id’s itself as a keyboard, you could try starting with only a USB keyboard and then connecting your mouse after the keyboard is recognized. Swapping the mouse and keyboard to different ports on your USB hub might also change the device enumeration order in a way that helps your use case.
Please consider an alternative to USB mini B for the secondary USB port on the Wombat. It’s by far the hardest connector type to find in brick-an-mortar stores.
Would you ever made a smaller version of this? I never bought this because how big it is and always waited to make a much smaller version for my projects. I could see you shrinking this and using switches for the jumpers instead to make it much smaller. I will buy a couple once you do.
Any timeline on when more wombat cases will be available for purchase?
The Wombat case is in stock now.
love my wombat! thank you for creating it.
trying to use it on OS9, but no dice thus far. any tips?
the particulars are a 9.2.2 on a Mini G4 (yes, there’s a bit of voodoo involved, but this Mini is happy to work with all my other USB input devices).
Hello, i wanted to ask when the Wombat Board get back in Stock? Kind regards
More Wombats are expected to be available next week.
The Wombat is back in stock now (June 21) in the BMOW Store.
WTH is with the emails im getting everytime someone comments here, the link to edit the settings dont work either
I receive the Wombat and it works fine with my Apple Design Keyboard. But isn’t it about time for an upgrade from mini USB to USB-C? Luckily I still had a cable for it.
will this work for a apple keyboard to PC?
I Meant Keyboard 2
I already have a couple of your ADB>USB active converters and am extremely pleased! Now, do you have passive adaptor for female ADB > USB C (m or F)? Is there any such thing as an ADB gender changer?
I don’t think you will find a *passive* adapter for USB-to-ADB anywhere because those two standards are completely different. But you could add a passive USB-A/B to USB-C adapter to the Wombat, if needed for your computer.
I’ve noticed that my Wombat when connected to a Windows device fails to activate the screen saver after x period of time. Its acting like there’s always activity on the Keyboard (AEKII) even when idle. Is tis a Windows issue or a issue with the Wombat?
I reported the same bug a while ago, across multiple PCs. It’s a Wombat issue for sure. Occurs even if no ADB device is plugged in.
It’s almost a feature, it acts like an undetectable mouse jiggler for work procrastinators 😛
Hi Steve, received my wombat early this week. No joy however. Apple iigs. Standard ADB keyboard works just fine on the machine. I have yet to get the wombat with an any of my keyboards (tried both wireless and wired..and not gaming keyboards, just standard logi and/or MS). After the first initial attempts, I decided to upgrade firmware to the latest from this site. Then, not having luck, tried several other versions. F/W upgrade seems to go normally. fast toggling leds, 10 seconds, slow toggling A/B leds.
ADB port on computer works, as ADB keyboard works. When the wombat powers on, I get the slow A->B->A (1/sec) toggle on the wombat leds. It looks to me like ADB comm is not working. Only thing I can think of is I bought an S-Video cable from amazon (6ft) and that is not allowing the thing to work…although I don’t see any reason why it would not. What does the power on A->B->A->B blink mean? I am not holding down the ‘power’ button when booting. Anything I can do to debug? serial port console or anything? Thanks.
For 1-on-1 troubleshooting help with your personal equipment, please use the Contact link at upper-right of the page and we will do our best to help. It’s likely that the cable is the cause of the problem.