To use A2CLOUD, you need various things. Here’s a video to show you what goes where, followed by your shopping list. (Don’t pay much attention to 2:00 through 6:00, as it’s now much simpler to set up A2CLOUD than when I made the video.)
Places to purchase are linked:
- for virtual drives, any Apple II model with Applesoft
- for internet, an Apple IIc, IIgs, or 128K Apple IIe enhanced (though Apple II Plus and unenhanced IIe might work)
- any Raspberry Pi, B/B+ models recommended (buy direct from distributor, or at Amazon: Pi 2 model B, Pi 1 model B+, Pi 1 model B, Pi 1 model A+)
- a 4 GB or larger SD card (8 GB or larger recommended)
- a good power supply with a micro-USB plug that provides at least 1A of current
- an ethernet cable attached to your router, or a Wi-Fi adapter (more complex)
- a null modem Apple II serial cable (or: roll your own)
- a USB-to-serial adapter
- a Super Serial Card, if you have an Apple IIe (see note below)
If you want simultaneous virtual drives and internet access from your Apple II:
- another null modem Apple II serial cable (or: roll your own)
- another USB-to-serial adapter
- another Super Serial Card, if you have an Apple IIe (see note below)
Optional items:
- an SD card reader to prepare the SD card, if your computer doesn’t have one
- a USB keyboard and possibly mouse (or: you can control the Pi from another computer)
- a powered USB hub (if you don’t have a free port for a USB-to-serial adapter)
- an Apple II Pi card, or another Super Serial Card with a Raspberry Pi Console cable, if you want to use Apple II Pi
If you have a straight-through serial cable rather than a null modem serial cable, and you are using a IIgs or IIc (no Super Serial Card), you can use a DE-9 (aka DB-9) male-to-female null modem adapter.
If you have a Super Serial Card, its jumper block needs to point towards “Modem” if you have a null modem cable, or “Terminal” if you have a straight-through cable. (Or, if you are using it with a Raspberry Pi console cable, that acts as a null modem cable, so reverse the jumper positions described here.)
(A note about the USB-to-serial adapter: there are lots of different brands and models of these. The only ones I have ever tested, including the TRENDnet model linked above, are those based on the Prolific PL2303 chipset. Other models based on other chipsets such as FTDI may also work; I just haven’t tried them.)