Subject: 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.) 
 
-- 
