Path: rcfnews.cs.umass.edu!barrett From: john_freeland@freemf.wa.com (John Scott Freeland) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews Subject: REVIEW: SwitchHitter PC keyboard to Amiga adapter Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.hardware Date: 26 Jul 1995 19:46:56 GMT Organization: The Amiga Online Review Column - ed. Daniel Barrett Lines: 197 Sender: amiga-reviews@math.uh.edu (comp.sys.amiga.reviews moderator) Distribution: world Message-ID: <3v663g$oj8@kernighan.cs.umass.edu> Reply-To: john_freeland@freemf.wa.com (John Scott Freeland) NNTP-Posting-Host: astro.cs.umass.edu Keywords: hardware, keyboard, commercial Originator: barrett@astro.cs.umass.edu PRODUCT NAME SwitchHitter PC keyboard to Amiga adapter BRIEF DESCRIPTION A keyboard adapter that allows you to use IBM AT compatible keyboards on your Amiga 2000/2500/3000/4000 and CD32. (More than likely, an easy solution will be available for A500/1000s.) AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION Name: Dana Peters Address: #7 - 49 Sherway Drive Nepean, Ontario Canada K2J 2K3 Telephone: (613) 825-7031 E-mail: Dana_Peters@Mitel.COM World Wide Web: http://www.worldlink.ca/~dana LIST PRICE $45 (US), ground shipping included. SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS HARDWARE Needs a "keyboard port." I believe the A600 and A1200 machines would require some rather extensive hacking to be able to accept this adapter. SOFTWARE None. This product simply replaces the standard Amiga keyboard hardware. COPY PROTECTION None. MACHINE USED FOR TESTING A2000, A2500, A3000, A4000 and CD32. INSTALLATION Just power down the Amiga, unplug the old keyboard, plug the SwitchHitter in and the PC keyboard into the SwitchHitter and power back up. There are some DIP switches for customizing the setup, but the default is fine for a start - more on this later.. REVIEW I'm _forced_ to use a PC Clone at work. The latest thing to appear on my system there is a Microsoft Natural(c) keyboard. This is one of those 'Ergonomic' keyboards with the left-hand side of the keyboard slightly offset (approximate 10 degree angle) from the right-hand side, and the numeric keypad is more 'sculpted' to fit the fingers in the 'ten-key form' of entry. Actually, I've gotten to like this keyboard. I've only been a marginal 'touch-typist' and this keyboard has helped enforce proper practice. Besides - it looks cool! :-) So, it was time to start looking for keyboard adapters so I could use one on my A4000. During my search, Dana Peters and I got into an EMail exchange about a new gadget he was developing, the SwitchHitter. I was looking for support of the additional 'Windows' keys(at the bottom of the 'alpha' keys at approximately the same position as the 'Amiga' keys on a standard C= keyboard). Dana was very supportive and essentially did a custom design for the 'Natural'. When I received the prototype, I was pleased to see that not only was the 'Natural' support well done, but Dana had also added other features: o StickyKeys - a convenience to those who prefer to type with one hand, and/or enables users with limited manual dexterity to use the Amiga. Enabling 'Sticky Mode' is just a matter of pressing and holding the ScrollLock key. After two seconds, the 'Scroll Lock' LED flashes on to indicate sticky mode is on. Now, whenever a modifier key is pressed and released (Ctrl, Shift, Amiga or Alt) it will be automatically 'stuck' down, the 'Scroll Lock' LED lights to indicate the modifier is stuck. The stuck modifiers are automatically released after any non-modifier (or the Scroll Lock) key is typed. If a non-modifier key is typed while a modifier is being held, the modifier does not remain stuck when it's released permitting normal two-handed typing while in sticky mode. Exiting Sticky mode is like entering - press the ScrollLock for two seconds and you'll get a flash from the 'Scroll Lock' LED. o Keyboard Mouse - yes, the Amiga _does_ have that feature built- in - this is just a nicer way of taking advantage of that... When 'NumLock' is on (indicated by it's LED), the numeric keypad 8,2,4 and 6 keys are up, down, left and right respectively, the 0 and . keys are the left and right mouse buttons. In conjunction with Sticky Keys, the 'mouse buttons' in this mode can be locked on for even easier manipulation. o For those Not using the 'Natural' keyboard - there are four DIP switches for several optional keyboard mappings. One setting provides a proper 'spatial' orientation for those that prefer not having to re-learn a keyboard layout. o Almost all of the keys are mapped to do something useful: 101-Key Amiga And in addition and AT Keyboard Equivalent Most Notably :-) ----------------------------------- Microsoft Amiga PrtScr/SysRq | Help Natural KB Equivalent Delete | Del --------------------------- Insert | Alt-g (accent) Left Windows | Left Amiga Pause/Break | unused Right Windows| Right Amiga Home | Shift left arrow Menu | Left A-m End | Shift right arrow Page Up | Shift down arrow DOCUMENTATION One 8 1/2x11 two-sided page. This is all that was required for a product of this type. The DIPs were explained in a logical, easy to understand fashion. LIKES I like the complete support of the Micro*oft Natural keyboard and the 'StickyKeys' feature is quite cool DISLIKES AND SUGGESTIONS My only suggestion would be some way to 'program' the F11 and F12 keys. I had no other use for them as the MS Nat. has a place for the 'Amiga' keys. COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS The only other device like this that I've had my hands on is the PC keyboard socket in the SX1 (CD32 expansion). There are some 'keyboard buffering' problems with that one. I went back to the keyboard socket on the CD32 when the SwitchHitter freed up my A4000 keyboard. :-) BUGS None that I could find. VENDOR SUPPORT I've been quite pleased with the support so far. No need as yet to test his repair support. My only association is as a beta tester for the prototype - I now own a production unit. I have no vested interest in his company and Naturally :-) wish him the best. WARRANTY No warranty is mentioned in the simple documentation. Very little could go wrong with a discrete component like this, anyway. CONCLUSIONS I'd give this six out of six stars. A very cool gadget. I'm very happy I found this product - it's made my clone friends envious that it can make a Natural KB even better than when it's plugged into a 'native' system. John Scott Freeland (26-Jul-95) --- Daniel Barrett, Moderator, comp.sys.amiga.reviews Send reviews to: amiga-reviews-submissions@math.uh.edu Request information: amiga-reviews-requests@math.uh.edu Moderator mail: amiga-reviews@math.uh.edu Anonymous ftp site: math.uh.edu, in /pub/Amiga/comp.sys.amiga.reviews