• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

such a monster as an active 'reverse' usb to ps2/at adapter?

C

carangil

Experienced Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Messages
285
Location
Oakland, CA
Hello, like many of you on here I have many computers. In the house, I have a few 'usb capable' machines I run off a usb kvm. In the garage I have a 486 that uses a ps2/at keyboard and serial trackball. I want to move this old machine into the house and put on the kvm. I don't mind adding the serial trackball to my desk, it doesn't take much space. But I would rather not have 2 keyboards. Is there any bizarro device out there that will take a usb 1.1 'hid' keyboard device and retroconvert the signal into an AT/PS2 interface?

I already one of the opposites: I have a device that lets me run ancient ps/2 keyboards on usb laptops and such. I need the exact inverse of this.

My other option is use a ps/2 keyboard and buy a ps/2 kvm, but then I will need but an additional active ps/2 to usb converter for each usb-only pc on the desk.

The other-other option is to use a true ps/2 keyboard and an active ps/2 to usb converter feeding into the usb kvm. But before that, branch off the ps/2 connection through one of those old style rotary keyboard switches. Then I use the rotary switch for keyboard and kvm switch to select monitor. But this is extra clutter and complication.

What would you do?
 
You're asking if there are usb to ps2 converters? Yes. I'm not immediately aware of a usb->AT connector though. [url="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USB_to_PS2_mouse_adapter.jpg]This is what I've seen[/url] which would let you take a USB device to a ps/2 adapter. I'm not sure though how complete the wiring ends up being though, some systems that don't keep voltage active can end up with bad side effects.
 
That's not an active converter, it's just a physical adaptor. The mouse itself must support PS/2.

What I use is a Belkin Omniview Pro2. The console only has PS/2 ports, but the outputs to the computers have both USB and PS/2 ports. The KVM converts PS/2 to USB as needed. I have a PS/2 model M, and a PS/2 logitech optical mouse, so this works quite well. The only oddball is my 486 that needs a serial mouse.
 
Thanks. I didn't think such as thing existed. If someone finds one, let me know!

My 'usb keyboard' for the USB kvm is actually a ps/2 keyboard thorough a converter! At the time, it made sense, since it gave me a non-windows-key keyboard with decent keys available to all my USP capable machines. Plus, I prefer optical USB mice. It made perfect sense at the time. And now, I want to throw a random 486 into the mix. I could pre-empt the USB kvm with a small 2 port ps/2 kvm, but now its just complicated!

Like you Hatta, the 486 will be the odd man out with a serial trackball. Unless someone has an even weirder serial to ps/2 mouse protocol adapter.

Maybe its time to for me to bit-bang an avr tiny or something.
 
Thanks, but those are passive adapters. It depends on the keyboard know how to speak both usb and ps/2 protocol, or the mouse knowing how to speak both serial and ps/2 protocols. A serial mouse that doens't know ps/2 protocol, or a usb keyboard that doesn't know ps/2 protocol won't work with those. I'm looking for an active adapter, that speaks usb on one end and ps/2 on the other. I've seen (and own) ones that convert ps/2 keyboard to usb interface. I wan't usb keyboard to ps/2 interface, without the keyboard 'knowing' what ps/2 is.
 
carangil said:
Unless someone has an even weirder serial to ps/2 mouse protocol adapter.
Click to expand...

Some of the guys at VOGONs were working on a PS/2 to serial converter. It looked really easy to build, but sampling issues meant that you lost half of the resolution a real mouse could deliver. I decided I was happy juggling two mice, but you can read more here if you want.
 
Sorry to make a thread and then abandon it. Been busy. Thanks Plasma, that's pretty much exactly what I was looking for. It costs more than a cheap 2 port ps/2 kvm though, so I might go with my original idea of cascading the two with an AT keyboard at the front.

Hatta, that looks like a good PIC project. I need to get back into microcontroller stuff. Somewhat recently I started playing with electronics again, so its time to get a few microcontrollers and make some programmable circuits!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top