At 17:47 -0800 12/10/09, James Fraser wrote:
>Hello,
>
>Would someone be kind enough to briefly explain the difference between a PC-AT 
>DE-9 connector and that of the DE-9 found on the back of a Mac Plus?
>
>I'm guessing that a PC-AT mouse will not work on a Plus because pins 4,5,8, 
>and 9 on the PC mouse are different.  That is, the PC mouse has no way of 
>generating the appropriate "interrupt" line and "quadrature" line signals in 
>the first place and, secondly, the pinout doesn't allow for any way for any 
>such signals to be sent to the Plus
>
>I ask because I am looking for an alternative pointing device to use on a 
>Plus.  While I like the boxy stock mouse for nostalgia purposes, it's just 
>*excruciating* to use for a prolonged period compared to later model mice 
>(meeses?).  I would love to be able to use an old Logitech trackball I have 
>that has a PS/2-serial adapter, but I know it won't work.
>
>It's the exact "why" that still seems to elude me.  Anyone?

Macintosh Family Hardware Reference
Addison Wesley 1988 tells all.

1   GND
2   +5 V
3   GND
4   MSE.X2   Mouse X2 quadrature signal
5   MSE.X1    Mouse X1 interrupt signal
6   NC
7   MSE.SW   Mouse switch
8   MSE.Y2   Mouse Y2 quadrature signal
9   MSE.Y1   Mouse Y1 interrupt signal

There is a decent three-D picture showing the optical lamps, sensors, and 
timing on page 4-2.

It would be a real labor of love to hook up a more modern mouse that has 
counters internal to it and only transmits a pair of counts over a serial port 
when asked. The Mac Plus depends on an interrupt every time the aperture disk 
moves enough to make a photocell change state. The quadrature line is just to 
show which direction the mouse is moving when the interrupt occurs.

Perhaps remounting the internals of an old style mouse in a more pleasing 
plastic shell?
-- 

--> From the U S of A, the only socialist country that refuses to admit it. <--

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