Filed under: Retrocomputing, Programming

Keytari is a python script and FastBasic program to allow you to use your Atari 8-bit computer as a keyboard for your Linux PC. This software requires a FujiNet adapter to provide the communications channel between the Atari and the PC. Since the python script uses udev for injecting the keys it currently only supports Linux. No atempt is made at protocol security, any device on your network could inject keystrokes to your PC. The connection is not encrypted, but the FujiNet supports WPA2 should you have it enabled. This will provide roughly the same transport security as a bluetooth keyboard.

On the PC input codes are processed through a keymap file. The codes consist of two bytes, the first byte is modifiers (Shift, Control, Start, Select, etc...) and the second byte is the key. Keep in mind that the POKEY can only process one keystroke at a time, so there is no key rollover. Sorry gamers. The Atari side code is written in FastBasic and can be compiled to a convenient EXE. Please remember to substitute in your hostname into the basic file. As for latency I use this quiet often, and am known to be a fast typer, and I've never felt any latency. YMMV. In future I intend to add ST Mouse support to additionally use my Atari for both mouse and keyboard.