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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: benis on Thu, 23 June 2011, 15:23:12

Title: I need help converting a serial numpad to PS/2, or better yet USB!
Post by: benis on Thu, 23 June 2011, 15:23:12
Ok guys, I'm in a dilly of a pickle here. I bought this serial alps numpad (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002RXCP4C?ie=UTF8&seller=A2AKQ57L87E7EO&sn=Zcalob (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002RXCP4C?ie=UTF8&seller=A2AKQ57L87E7EO&sn=Zcalob)) and I need to convert it to ps/2. I have a ps/2 cable and a serial cable, but i'm not sure how to go about splicing to two. The cable has to be male ps/2 to male serial. any tips would be greatly appreciated.

sub thought: would I need drivers if I were to successfully splice? or would it be plug(reboot) and play like ps/2?

thanks guys!!
Title: I need help converting a serial numpad to PS/2, or better yet USB!
Post by: Pylon on Thu, 23 June 2011, 18:11:19
You could always sacrifice a rubber dome and use the controller as I did with my SMK-22.  (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:13753) However, it's very labor intensive, as you're looking at slicing a bunch of PCB traces, figuring out the matrices on the rubber dome controller, and doing a ton of spaghetti wiring. The controller might also not even fit in the device, so you could be left with a big ugly protrustion.
Title: I need help converting a serial numpad to PS/2, or better yet USB!
Post by: theferenc on Thu, 23 June 2011, 18:34:26
I actually have had good luck with several of the older serial to USB adapters. I believe griffin made (makes?) one that worked a treat for many different serial devices, among them a gamepad and a floppy drive.

Oops, it was Keyspan, not griffin -- I just dug it out. I guess there are some advantages to having a small apartment at the moment.
Title: I need help converting a serial numpad to PS/2, or better yet USB!
Post by: theferenc on Thu, 23 June 2011, 18:37:23
Also, search Amazon, there appears to be a lot of inexpensive options.
Title: I need help converting a serial numpad to PS/2, or better yet USB!
Post by: benis on Thu, 23 June 2011, 18:46:18
would this work?
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/serial-rs232-to-usb-adapter-707