I don't have a computer, am posting this from a PS3 (basically just the most bare-bones browser ever).

I need a mouse, but can't buy one (reasons) so I wan't to build one using my 84+ and the arrow/2nd/alpha buttons.

I have no idea how USB protocol works, yet, and think this is a good way to learn. A mouse is a relatively simple thing. Two analog axis, maybe a third, and two digital buttons.

I realize this is highly ambitious, but can anyone help me out with maybe a starting point?


P.S: Again, I'm on a PS3, so if you can, copy/paste the relevant information to your reply please. Not all websites will load, even Cemetech needs to be on the classic theme to work very well. Thanks! Smile
Okay, so far I've gotten more views than replies, so I'll just rephrase my question:

How does one go about writing directly to the USB port on the TI-84+? Tell me even just the port and pin relation, and I can figure out the rest on my own. Thanks!
We discourage double-posting, you should edit instead Smile
USB is definitely not an easy task, but here is documentation that might help you:
http://wikiti.brandonw.net/index.php?title=83Plus:OS:84_Plus_USB_Information

Have fun and good luck!

Edit: Double posting is basically replying after your own post. Its one thing if it has been a day or so, but back-to-back is frowned upon.
It's more than highly ambitious. USB involves an entire protocol which is partly implemented in hardware and partly in software. You can look at the port reference, but you'll have a ton of software to implement.

If you don't have a PC to develop from, you'll need to find a way to get Mimas onto your calculator so you at least have access to an assembler. It's possible to program directly in hex codes, but you're likely to pull out all your hair if you try anything non-trivial.

The Wiki page that Xeda linked, by the way, is outdated. The information generally isn't wrong, just incomplete; the port list is more complete.
Xeda112358 wrote:
We discourage double-posting, you should edit instead Smile
USB is definitely not an easy task, but here is documentation that might help you:
http://wikiti.brandonw.net/index.php?title=83Plus:OS:84_Plus_USB_Information

Have fun and good luck!

Edit: Double posting is basically replying after your own post. Its one thing if it has been a day or so, but back-to-back is frowned upon.


Yeah sorry, I know that, but I'm stuck on the PS3 and can't edit posts for some reason. I don't think it's the website or browser's fault, I think it's just old and editing posts must be too heavy for the poor thing to handle Sad .


Seperately, thank you all for the help! In response to DrDnar, I already have Mimas installed (on the rare occasion I have access to a PC I take the opportunity to do all the research and downloading I can, lol)

But I will definitely look into this, and once I have a mouse, I'll be able to use my Smart TV with a better browser, and won't need to double post.
* the monochrome 84+, 84+SE and the color 84+CSE use the same USB controller as the 89T, and the way it operates has been understood well enough by people such as Brandon Wilson (BrandonW) to make PS3JB and PS3JB89, as well as libticalcs' ROM dumper, and later Linky for the 89T, which has both USB HID mouse and HID keyboard capability, so it is definitely technically possible to make a 84+/84+SE/84+CSE behave as a HID mouse. I couldn't usefully help you with such a task, as I'm not a TI-Z80 programmer, but Zeda, DrDnar and others are.

* the USB controller of the 84+CE and the French 83 Premium CE (83PCE, nowadays 83PCEEP), is also well understood enough by people such as Jacob Young (jacobly), who made the second libticalcs ROM dumper, Matt Waltz (MateoConLechuga / MateoC) or John Cesarz (commandblockguy / commandz), and frameworks to ease the making of programs communicating over USB are being developed Smile
Hmm, so I wasn't expecting there to be so many ports to do with USB. I guess it was a mistake to do this without doing any research into USB at all. But I suppose it makes sense given that it utilizes a USB controller.

So here's my next question: where the heck do I start? I'm ready to tackle everything I'll have to deal with, but I always have trouble starting out. Help please?

Edit: Thankfully, the PS3 hasn't crashed this time. I'm going to first take the opportunity to apologize for the overall crappy quality of my posts thus far. I think I am used to Reddit which has completely different etiquette compared to these other type forums.

But moving on, after a headache-inducing while of research, I've come to the conclusion that the easiest way to get started on this is to use the usb8x drivers. However, due to aforementioned lack of PC, I cannot download the drivers. Although what I can do is manually copy the code onto the calc using Mimas.
Could somebody do me a favor and copy the raw code to Pastebin or something? I feel kinda silly asking this, so if it's unreasonable just let me know please... Razz
When I don't get an answer and nobody tells me that it's unreasonable or impossible I get really anxious about what other people are thinking.
It's infeasible, not impossible. Unless you want to spend the next 200 hours straight typing a character every second.
Oh, thanks. Smile I had a feeling, but I have no idea how big usb8x is.
I suggest:
  1. Read the USB 2.0 specification to have an idea of the USB protocol. In that zip file, usb_20.pdf is the most interesting. Chapter 5 there seems to cover most of the information that you need. Only that single chapter is 30 pages, though. Chapters 8 and 9 also seem to be important, and those are 80 pages in total. Chapter 10 might also be needed. You'll definitely not need e.g. "cable assembly" though.
  2. If you don't know z80 assembly yet, learn it. This step can take several months.
  3. Read all the ports > 48 on WikiTI.
usb8x is a 16K app, so really you don't want to type that in, and Mimas can't output to an app anyway. So if you want to use usb8x, your best bet is to get it the next time you can access a computer, and then read the documentation on that.

I do have to say. Either you have no idea what you're starting with, or you're crazy (not that that's a bad thing). In any case, keep me updated on any progress.
  
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