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Author Topic: Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter  (Read 2313 times)

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Offline N8N

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Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter
« on: Wed, 25 December 2019, 09:15:01 »
Good morning and Merry Christmas everyone.

I haven't visited these forums in ages mostly because I actually managed to collect some really good keyboards back when I was active and have had no need to replace any of them.

I just got a new laptop for work and the "Thunderbolt Dock G2" that it uses no longer supports PS/2.  D'oh!  At work I was using a Filco Majestouch 2 that I'd modded back in the day with Cherry Clears and some cool Imsto dye sub PBT keycaps.  Was running it in PS/2 mode but that one works fine over USB.

At home I've been running a rotation of keyboards, currently an IBM Model M.

So here's the problem.  I got a second dock and power supply for home use, hooked it up, and no keyboard.  This is with the same Belkin converter that I've been using for my personal laptop for ages.  I assumed it was something with the dock and/or laptop (keyboard is actually running through the USB hub built into one of my HP monitors, but that's another issue... at some point I need to find a good USB 3.0 USB hub because the number of ports on the TB Dock are totally inadequate.) but that is not the case.  The ONLY keyboard I could get to work was an old IBM Model F running through a Soarer's converter, but I can't use that for work because of the non standard F key layout; I've been using AutoCAD for going on 30 years now and I cannot unlearn that muscle memory.

Today I went to hook up a KB to my personal laptop and no go.  Come to find out that only one of the ports on my Belkin converter is working, and I of course picked the wrong one when I went to hook up the M to my new work setup.  So now I'm typing this to you on the M on my work machine through the one working (for now, I assume) port on the Belkin converter, and the F is back on my personal laptop because that desk is very small and I don't need F-keys there.  So far so good.

However it appears that that Belkin converter that was one of the few 10 years ago or so that would 100% work with a Model M is discontinued and is only available used on eBay.  So what should I do?  Buy one of those?  Is there another affordable option out there?  Or should I just suck it up and pay the $35 for another Soarer's converter from "tinkerboy.xyz"?  I really don't need all the features of that converter, I was just trying to use the Model F I've had in my junk box for ages and it seemed to be the only decent XT to USB converter available, but all my other good boards are native PS/2 (Model M, Wyse, and SGI Granite)

Thanks for any advice you can offer.  I would like to get something soon as I suspect if one channel has failed on this converter the other is likely to follow and my only other option is to buy a new KB that speaks USB natively.  Recommendations for a good USB 3.0 hub would be appreciated as well, as I remember a few years back going through some garbage USB 2.0 hubs before finding that the Targus ones were the only ones that would actually work reliably - the cheap one I tried first off Amazon literally smoked within minutes of hooking it up.
« Last Edit: Wed, 25 December 2019, 13:25:57 by N8N »
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Filco Majestouch-2 with Cherry Corp. doubleshot keys - Leopold Tenkeyless Tactile Force with Wyse doubleshots - Silicon Graphics 9500900 - WASD V1 - IBM Model M 52G9658 - Noppoo Choc Pro with Cherry lasered PBT keycaps - Wyse 900866-01 - Cherry G80-8200LPBUS/07 - Dell AT101W - several Cherry G81s (future doubleshot donors) (order of current preference) (dang I have too many keyboards, I really only need two)

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 25 December 2019, 11:33:56 »
Contact Orihalcon directly for one of his cables without any middleman markups.

"AT-to-PS/2" passive adapters (or vice versa - aka DIN to mini-DIN or some variation) should still work with whatever you want to throw at it.

I have been using a powered 4-port SIIG USB 3.0 hub for a few years now and it has performed flawlessly.
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"The Trump campaign announced in a letter that Republican candidates and committees are now expected to pay “a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC” for using his “name, image, and likeness in fundraising solicitations.”
“Any split that is higher than 5%,” the letter states, “will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trump's campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations.”"

Offline N8N

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Re: Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 25 December 2019, 11:45:47 »
it appears user orihalcon and eBay seller tinkerboy.xyz are the same person yes?

and yes I already ordered a pair of the passive AT/XT to PS/2 adapters off the 'bay in case this was the road I was going to have to go down because what's her face is having surgery in less than three weeks so the ability to work from home is going to be very important
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Filco Majestouch-2 with Cherry Corp. doubleshot keys - Leopold Tenkeyless Tactile Force with Wyse doubleshots - Silicon Graphics 9500900 - WASD V1 - IBM Model M 52G9658 - Noppoo Choc Pro with Cherry lasered PBT keycaps - Wyse 900866-01 - Cherry G80-8200LPBUS/07 - Dell AT101W - several Cherry G81s (future doubleshot donors) (order of current preference) (dang I have too many keyboards, I really only need two)

Offline N8N

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Re: Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 25 December 2019, 11:54:43 »
I just reread your post and that reminds me I am missing a box of keyboards that I can't find after I moved... there's at least a Choc Pro, the original box for my Filco and a Leopold, and a very early WASD that I'm missing... and there might be a SIIG keyboard in there as well that I bought in the very early days of my attempts to find a mechanical keyboard that I liked for typing.  Guess I need to get up in the attic, as it wasn't in my storage locker.
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Filco Majestouch-2 with Cherry Corp. doubleshot keys - Leopold Tenkeyless Tactile Force with Wyse doubleshots - Silicon Graphics 9500900 - WASD V1 - IBM Model M 52G9658 - Noppoo Choc Pro with Cherry lasered PBT keycaps - Wyse 900866-01 - Cherry G80-8200LPBUS/07 - Dell AT101W - several Cherry G81s (future doubleshot donors) (order of current preference) (dang I have too many keyboards, I really only need two)

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 25 December 2019, 12:47:45 »
I have never heard of tinkerboy but that might be Orihalcon, I suppose.

My 4-way converter box is cheap but you have to build it yourself and order parts off of ebay.

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=58941.msg2547545#msg2547545
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"The Trump campaign announced in a letter that Republican candidates and committees are now expected to pay “a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC” for using his “name, image, and likeness in fundraising solicitations.”
“Any split that is higher than 5%,” the letter states, “will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trump's campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations.”"

Offline N8N

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Re: Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 25 December 2019, 13:25:25 »
Cool stuff, but I kind of want an off the shelf solution as I have way too many projects already.  My kitchen stereo died and apparently all the "working when shelved" units apparently have developed issues just from sitting...  of course this is all while I'm trying to clean up before WHF's daughter gets here (tomorrow) and reorganize all my tools...
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Filco Majestouch-2 with Cherry Corp. doubleshot keys - Leopold Tenkeyless Tactile Force with Wyse doubleshots - Silicon Graphics 9500900 - WASD V1 - IBM Model M 52G9658 - Noppoo Choc Pro with Cherry lasered PBT keycaps - Wyse 900866-01 - Cherry G80-8200LPBUS/07 - Dell AT101W - several Cherry G81s (future doubleshot donors) (order of current preference) (dang I have too many keyboards, I really only need two)

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 25 December 2019, 17:47:17 »
Quote from: N8N on Wed, 25 December 2019, 13:25:25

all the "working when shelved" units apparently have developed issues just from sitting ....   


One word: DeOxit
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"The Trump campaign announced in a letter that Republican candidates and committees are now expected to pay “a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC” for using his “name, image, and likeness in fundraising solicitations.”
“Any split that is higher than 5%,” the letter states, “will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trump's campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations.”"

Offline N8N

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Re: Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 25 December 2019, 18:49:03 »
Oh yes well the primary backup is a H/K 330b and yes deoxit was the cure the tape monitor switch was flaky.  Need to investigate why the H/K 725 preamp is only passing one channel.  Suspect muting relay but I've got no time to look into it.  So the previous kitchen stereo (Sansui 2000A) is shelved until I can look at it but I still need to look into the 725 and also the Dynaco PAT-5 which just has a mean hum riding on it.  I just want to listen to the radio while I'm cooking breakfast!
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Filco Majestouch-2 with Cherry Corp. doubleshot keys - Leopold Tenkeyless Tactile Force with Wyse doubleshots - Silicon Graphics 9500900 - WASD V1 - IBM Model M 52G9658 - Noppoo Choc Pro with Cherry lasered PBT keycaps - Wyse 900866-01 - Cherry G80-8200LPBUS/07 - Dell AT101W - several Cherry G81s (future doubleshot donors) (order of current preference) (dang I have too many keyboards, I really only need two)

Offline N8N

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Re: Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 28 December 2019, 12:24:41 »
So I received in the mail today the PS/2 F to AT M adapters I'd ordered... as expected both keyboards I tried worked perfectly but not unexpectedly I had to unplug and replug the Soarer's converter to get it to recognize a different keyboard.  Works perfectly.  In fact, I was even able to log in to Bitlocker using a Model M.

I also found my junk box that had some old adapters in it, one ZioTek and two more Belkin F5U119-E.

For whatever reason the keyboard will work on both ports of the ZioTek adapter but will ONLY work on the "keyboard" port of a Belkin that I just took out of its original packaging.  I actually found an ancient PS/2 mouse in my junk box as well.  That works on the "mouse" port of the Belkin adapter but not on the "keyboard" port.  My entire life I thought that a PS/2 port was a PS/2 port but in the case of this specific adapter I guess that is not so!  I probably have just been always plugging the keyboard into the purple port just out of habit but this time I did not, and that cost me several days of frustration.

Now I just tried to reboot my machine and I was able to log into Bitlocker using the Model M with a Belkin adapter.  The only difference between how I'm testing it now and how I was using it when set up for work is I am not using the Thunderbolt Dock but just have the adapter plugged into a USB port on the side of the machine.  So what that tells me is that the BIOS will in fact recognize a USB keyboard but it isn't recognizing the Thunderbolt Dock so this is really an HP problem not an adapter problem.  I will have to test later when I have access to my work desk but I suspect that no matter what converter I use I will not be able to log into Bitlocker with an external keyboard.  FWIW at work I am running a Filco Majestouch 2 in obviously USB mode and still have the same problem with Bitlocker; haven't been able to test more thoroughly though as I cannot find my other USB keyboards!  (that's a problem you guys are probably not going to be able to help me with I am assuming.)

I hope this is a solvable problem; many of my coworkers don't even open their laptops at work but use three or more external screens connected to their docking stations.  I will call HP back on Monday and see if there is a BIOS setting to fix this.  (This is the nice thing about having your company pay 2x what you as a consumer would pay for a laptop of similar performance; they do actually take your phone calls and help you after a hold measured in seconds not minutes to hours.)

So, I guess, sorry to waste your time, this wasn't a keyboard problem at all but a combination of a quirk with the Belkin adapter I've been using for years and a problem presumably between my new laptop and its dock.  Figured you'd at least like a follow up to know what I found however.
« Last Edit: Sat, 28 December 2019, 13:22:22 by N8N »
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Filco Majestouch-2 with Cherry Corp. doubleshot keys - Leopold Tenkeyless Tactile Force with Wyse doubleshots - Silicon Graphics 9500900 - WASD V1 - IBM Model M 52G9658 - Noppoo Choc Pro with Cherry lasered PBT keycaps - Wyse 900866-01 - Cherry G80-8200LPBUS/07 - Dell AT101W - several Cherry G81s (future doubleshot donors) (order of current preference) (dang I have too many keyboards, I really only need two)

Offline wmcbrine

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Re: Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 28 December 2019, 18:53:20 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Wed, 25 December 2019, 12:47:45
I have never heard of tinkerboy but that might be Orihalcon, I suppose.

I believe Tinkerboy is user supermario802.1 here.
« Last Edit: Sun, 29 December 2019, 11:27:39 by wmcbrine »
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 29 December 2019, 08:31:05 »
Quote from: N8N on Sat, 28 December 2019, 12:24:41

I thought that a PS/2 port was a PS/2 port


Pretty sure that a keyboard uses 4 wires but a mouse has only 3.

With a mini-DIN6 cable there are unused connectors when used for PS/2, sometimes all the pins and wires are still there but not used, other times wires and even pins are not even present at all.
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"The Trump campaign announced in a letter that Republican candidates and committees are now expected to pay “a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC” for using his “name, image, and likeness in fundraising solicitations.”
“Any split that is higher than 5%,” the letter states, “will be seen favorably by the RNC and President Trump's campaign and is routinely reported to the highest levels of leadership within both organizations.”"

Offline N8N

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Re: Need current recommendations for a PS/2 to USB adapter
« Reply #11 on: Mon, 30 December 2019, 15:15:21 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Sun, 29 December 2019, 08:31:05
Quote from: N8N on Sat, 28 December 2019, 12:24:41

I thought that a PS/2 port was a PS/2 port


Pretty sure that a keyboard uses 4 wires but a mouse has only 3.

With a mini-DIN6 cable there are unused connectors when used for PS/2, sometimes all the pins and wires are still there but not used, other times wires and even pins are not even present at all.


Well, clearly there is a difference and in some implementations of a PS/2 controller a port may be used as either and clearly in others they are not interchangeable.  So I learned something.

Final resolution on the issue: the fix for the keyboard not working until Windows started up was to go into the BIOS and change the "Thunderbolt Security Level".  Of course that triggered something to do with BitLocker so I had to call my IT people to get a BitLocker recovery key.  Good times good times.  It's great being a guinea pig especially when you're not really a super IT guy...
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Filco Majestouch-2 with Cherry Corp. doubleshot keys - Leopold Tenkeyless Tactile Force with Wyse doubleshots - Silicon Graphics 9500900 - WASD V1 - IBM Model M 52G9658 - Noppoo Choc Pro with Cherry lasered PBT keycaps - Wyse 900866-01 - Cherry G80-8200LPBUS/07 - Dell AT101W - several Cherry G81s (future doubleshot donors) (order of current preference) (dang I have too many keyboards, I really only need two)
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