How to hook-up a MicroSoft mouse to an Atari ST
Here's a repost of my article of wayyyy back (Feb 1989) on how to hook an Microsoft mouse to an Atari ST. No software changes are required. All it takes is creating a special cable between the mouse and the Atari.
I've been using a Microsoft mouse now for around 2 years on my 1040, with nary a glitch. It's so much better than the Atari mouse, I'd never go back. (IMHO)
Well, here is how to connect a Microsoft Mouse to an Atari ST. (520/1040) The Atari has a 9-pin D-type connector. The Microsoft Mouse has a rather strange connector on the end. To prevent having to cut the mouse cable up, I made this adaptor. If you still can't follow it, please let me know and I'll try to redescribe it. This does work for me. I've been using it for 6 or so months now [Note, it's been 2 years now!] with no problems at all. It does take some soldering skills, so if you're not so hot at soldering, find a friend to help.
As far as I know, this does not effect your Atari's warranty. However, I have not asked Atari.
Atari ST Microsoft Mouse ST expected signal
----- -- --------- ----- -- -------- ------
1 5 XB
2 3 XA
3 8 YA
4 9 YB
5 N/C N/C
6 2 Left button
7 N/C +5VDC (N/C)
8* 6 and also tie to pin 1 Ground
9 7 Right button
* = I am not sure why I have pins 6 & 1 tied together, but it does work.The Microsoft mouse connector looks like this. This is the solder side, with the leads pointing up.
---------------
| 1 |
| 2 3 4 5 |
| 6 7 8 9 10 |
| |
---------------If you can not use the connector, the pins are numbered as follows. This is the connector side from the Microsoft Mouse plug:
/------------\ This is a view at the front of the connector.
/ Blank "KEY" \ It is where the plug from the mouse would be.
/----------------\ The pin labeled 'n' is not connected.
| n 4 X 8 | The place labeled 'X' is filled, and does not
| 9 7 1 2 | have a pin.
| 5 6 |
\ /
\------------/Have fun!
For those who don't want to face wiring up a Microsoft mouse to their Atari, there is another solution. I just bought a Golden Image Mouse and I'm very pleased with it. They have an Atari ST version, so you just plug it in. The feel is similar to a Microsoft mouse, but the mouse is slightly larger.
It's made my working time with the computer much less stressful. I highly recommend it to anyone who works with their Atari a lot.
I'm not affiliated with this company in any way, I just like this mouse.
It cost me $70 Canadian, and was worth every penny. As a comparison, the standard Atari mouse costs $45 here.
--
your note prompted me to re-attempt getting my 3 button logitech to work. it's very slightly different from the microsoft. The two up/down wires must be swapped--they are backwards from the microsoft configuration. I connected the right and middle buttons--the middle and left buttons work as right and left. Logitech's "technical information" is too sketchy for me to do more than guess what's going on (a page and a half on hardware and many more pages about software stuff that's of no use to an st user.)
--
