GeekPort Projects

AmigaControl 0.3
© 1996,1997 - Arve Hjønnevåg

Introduction

AmigaControl is a small application that allows you to share your BeBox keyboard and monitor with an Amiga computer. The application uses the geekport to control a monitor switch and to send keycodes to the Amiga.

Hardware

The settings file let you specify which pins you connect, but if you don't change anything, use the following hardware:

Keyboard connection

Geekport to Amiga

Monitor switch

Use MS to control switch

MS=5v => Amiga output is selected.
MS=0v or open => BeBox is output selected.

My setup

        2 5v relays.
        1 hex inverter. (7404)


        12-1   14 - VCC        MS - resistor (around 1k1Ž2)
          /2   13 - MS          G -/
          \3   12 \-1
    Relay2-4   11 /
           5   10 \
           6   9  /
         G-7   8  - Relay1


    Relay:
                   Monitor (R G B HS VS)
        VCC   -\   |  ....
                 -------
        Relayx-/   |\ ....
               Amiga Bebox  (R G B HS VS)

Setup contributed by Amin Shehata Gif schemantics

If you plan to use a TV or radio close to your computers, you may want to try this switch instead of relays.

Software

Installation

Edit AmigaControl_settings if needed and move it to:
/boot/system/settings/AmigaControl_settings

If you use the hardware described here you should leave the first fields in the settings file unchanged. You may, however, want to change the keymap (ResetKeyMask, KeyMap and ModKeyMap).

Edit system keymap (optional)

Remove the entry for the key you use to toggle the monitor.

Setting file

PollInterval
Leave at default
PortName
Digital port to use (DigitalA or DigitalB for the geekport)
MonitorBitMask
Bits of digital port that control the monitor switch
DataBitMask
Bits of digital port connected to Amiga keyboard data
ClockBitMask
Bits of digital port connected to Amiga keyboard clock
ResetKeyMask
Set the bits for each key that you must be pressed to reset the Amiga. You can use FontChart to find this mask. The included file is mapped to lCtrl-lAlt-rAlt.
KeyMap
Each entry maps a Be keycode to an Amiga keycode or to a special function. The Be keycode mapped is the same as the Entry's position in the map.

A positive entry in this keymap maps to an Amiga keycode. Negative entries maps to some other functions.
- -1: no action,
- -2: toggles the monitor switch.
- -3: toggles the monitor switch on both down and up events and shows and hides window when rshift is pressed. (useful for capslock, numlock, scroll lock and pause keys)
- -4: sets monitor switch to state of key
ModKeyMap
Each entry, if non-null, specifies a Amiga-key to be held down in addition to the key in KeyMap

History

0.1:
- First release.
0.2:
- Bug fix:
  Reset now works even if Amiga does not respond.
- Bug fix:
  Monitor was not switched back to the BeBox if workspace changed.
- New:
  Keyboard communication is now done in a realtime thread.
- New:
  Added ResetKeyMask setting.
0.3:
- New:
  Added ModKeyMap setting.
- Change:
  Changed default setting file to map PageUp/Down to Shift-Up/Down, Home/End to Alt-Left/Right and Pause to monitor-toggle.

Future

Mouse support.

Send questions and bug reports to <arve@cs.ucsb.edu>

Arve Hjønnevåg
--------------------------------------------------------
775 Camino Del Sur Apt. C7   |  Nordre Knappen 91
Isla Vista, CA 93117         |  5355 Knarrevik
USA                          |  NORWAY
(valid until july97)         |
--------------------------------------------------------

Questions? Comments? Contact Andrew Lampert (webmaster at bebox dot nu).