Quack: Bluetooth & ADB Mouse "Dongle" for the Macintosh 128/512/Plus or Apple Lisa

[demik]

Hello everyone,

Told @Stephen I would post that here. This is the result of me being bored during the pandemic wanting to pair a Space Gray Magic Mouse with my 512ke (... which does look like a tiny CRT !)

What is it
It allow you to use the Magic Mouse with pre-ADB Macs (128/512/Plus). It has also been reported to work with the Apple Lisa as well as with many other mouses.

While working on it, @Kai Robinson was working with the Mac SE ADB which led me to a few prototypes on my own. What's worked resulted in a lightweight ADB Manager which only support ADB mouses (but is hotplug). This prototype was merged to the Quack adapter.

Here is the result

You can do the following "conversions" :
- ADB mouse to Macintosh 128/512/Plus or Apple Lisa
- Bluetooth mouse to Macintosh 128/512/Plus or Apple Lisa

In a unsupported way, you can also use an ADB Mouse with a Bluetooth computer for improved Basilisk II experience (Only Windows 10 works for now)

The project is OpenSource, and is designed to use the 1593K case from Hammond Manufacturing with standard straight DB9 serial cables.
Everything is OpenSource and already available here on my Github

The project has been tested by a few people and everything should work fine is your Bluetooth mouse support the HID BOOT protocol. You can find know working ones on the Wiki

Here it is working with my compact:

I will be happy to answer any questions you might have. Assembled kits will be sold in a few weeks from now in EU.
If you want to build them and sell them on your own outside EU, I don't mind, but just let me know so I can redirect interested people to you.

Happy Tinkering !

 

[fehervaria]

Amazing!

Provocative question: is it mouse only or will it work with keyboards (ADB or Bluetooth)? ... ... ... or is it a plan for the next generation?

 

[demik]

Amazing!

Provocative question: is it mouse only or will it work with keyboards (ADB or Bluetooth)? ... ... ... or is it a plan for the next generation?

Thanks !

Mouse only for now. Keyboard will need another PCB revision, because of the needed connectivity to the keyboard port.
It's something low on the todo list, but I've switched to other projects for now.

There is a nice tinkerBOY PS/2 to USB adapter if you need it (tindie link)

 

[Genjoke]

I want that!!! I'd love to use a magic mouse with my Plus only for the fun of it!

I'd buy a kit, but I tremble in fear just looking at those tiny surface mounted components!!!

 

[demik]

Don't worry I can't weld SMT to save my life either

I designed the board so the SMT parts could be assembled by your preferred PCB manufacturer. There is P&P and BOM files for JLCPCB on GitHub
The hard part of this project is actually to flash the ESP32.

I've a few assembled+flashed kits in stock, but shipping from EU is going to be expensive (28€). The board themselves are sold for 40€ / 45$, 50% for boards with cosmetic issues. Assembling the board yourself is the cheapest way from the other side of the big lake.

I would be happy to help you go through that process.