geekhack

geekhack Community => Input Devices => Topic started by: gator456 on Wed, 11 August 2010, 10:20:48

Title: lightweight PS2 to USB conversion circuit card
Post by: gator456 on Wed, 11 August 2010, 10:20:48

I have seen several projects where people are pulling PS2 trackpoints from old keyboards to put into geekhack projects.  I just stumbled across these on newegg.com and buy.com

(http://images17.newegg.com/is/image/newegg/15-124-046-S01?$S640W$)

This one is made by Syba and is $11.98 from newegg
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815124046&cm_re=ps2_to_usb_adapter-_-15-124-046-_-Product

This is the same thing made by StarTech  and is $12.99 from buy.com
http://www.buy.com/prod/startech-com-usb-to-ps-2-keyboard-and-mouse-expansion-slot-adapter/q/loc/101/209199321.html

Title: lightweight PS2 to USB conversion circuit card
Post by: microsoft windows on Wed, 11 August 2010, 10:21:59

That seems useful for keyboards that need more power than your PS/2 port can provide.

Title: lightweight PS2 to USB conversion circuit card
Post by: J888www on Wed, 11 August 2010, 11:45:39

Greetings MW, welcome back. Time flies with the blink of an eye.......thirty Days gone. On parole ?

Back to topic.  There are may forms of PS/2 to USB converters, what boggles my grey matter is that why manufacturers not produce more single PS/2 to USB converters like:-

This is the only one I can find on the market but it is not available because of shipping restrictions. It is possible to purchase the 2x PS/2 to USB converters then snip off the mouse connector, but it just isn't the same same and same again.

Title: lightweight PS2 to USB conversion circuit card
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 11 August 2010, 11:57:38

Quote from: J888www;211418

There are may forms of PS/2 to USB converters, what boggles my grey matter is that why manufacturers not produce more single PS/2 to USB converters

A couple of things:

• We are looking at these from a keyboard enthusiast's perspective.  We already have modern mice, but sometimes we want to use legacy keyboards.  I think this is pretty rare overall.
• Similar to the first point, I would imagine that in the majority of situations that would require these adapters, users would need both the keyboard and mouse connections.
• It's probably just as easy for manufacturers to do both as it is to make just a single connection.

I hear you, though.  It would be cleaner to have a single connector.

Title: lightweight PS2 to USB conversion circuit card
Post by: gator456 on Wed, 11 August 2010, 14:21:14

Ripster: Is there a controller chip on the other side of the circuit card?

Title: lightweight PS2 to USB conversion circuit card
Post by: Input Nirvana on Wed, 11 August 2010, 15:58:07

The Blue Cube is NOT mouse friendly, correct?
What PS/2 to USB active converter for trackpoints exist other that Gator456 has posted?



It IS fun to say...

Title: lightweight PS2 to USB conversion circuit card
Post by: Input Nirvana on Wed, 11 August 2010, 19:17:38

Quote from: ripster;211562

Yep, the Blue Cube is keyboard only.

Won't any of the dual dongles work for a Trackpoint?  Crack one open, cut off  and stick in a keyboard for Trackpoint.

Yes, you are right.

Originally I was hoping to find an actual USB trackpoint to use, or check out whatever other options there are. There is a point of diminishing returns with some of this researching. Going to the Dongle wiki.

Gator456 is about to install one of the PS/2 trackpoints we purchased into his Datahand.