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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: kcsaff on Sat, 10 April 2010, 14:33:04

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: kcsaff on Sat, 10 April 2010, 14:33:04

I don't know anything particular about the seller or product, but for less than $2 with free shipping this is worth trying:

Brand New USB To PS/2 Cable Adapter For Mouse Keyboard (http://cgi.ebay.com/Brand-New-USB-To-PS-2-Cable-Adapter-For-Mouse-Keyboard_W0QQitemZ270561342705QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3efeb674f1)

Looks good, probably auto-detects mouse or keyboard like this zio-tek I have does so you could plug in two PS/2 keyboards if you want.  I don't know how they ship something worldwide from Hong Kong for less than $2 and still make a profit, but my guess is it will take some time to reach you wherever you are.

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: J888www on Sat, 10 April 2010, 14:43:07

No idea how they can sell at such a cheap price. I purchased a 120mm Case Fan filter from HK and it arrived 5 Days after payment received, quality was same if not better than products puchased in UK, but at less than half the price.

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: kishy on Sat, 10 April 2010, 15:06:44

Once again, these are more correctly referred to as USB to PS/2 because you are providing PS/2 emulation over USB - not converting the keyboard to become USB.

Assuming these are the variety that I've received at similar cost in the past, they'll be pretty decent for most things, but some people report strange issues with them. I have yet to find such issues though.

Mine that I got at that price were Vendor ID 13ba, device ID 0017. Let us know what you end up with here in this thread (can determine using USBdeview (http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html)).

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: Input Nirvana on Sat, 10 April 2010, 15:59:28

Quote from: ripster;171244

Never in the history of Mankind has so much effort been put into a dongle.

The electronic kind I mean.

Ripster, you were funny the first time you noted the cheapest dongle quest/fascination, and it gets funnier each time (to me at least) :)

As of this lastest posting, I'm wondering why someone hasn't proposed building their own Blue Cube and save even more moola? I'm sure somehow it can be replicated for less than the whopping $7 retail cost (maybe $6.66, or sub-$4.00, who knows?). Perhaps a Geekhack Challenge? Obviously there is a pent up demand...

I, for one, am looking forward to seeing a better, cheaper, sexier Blue Cube replacement. OPEN THE FLOODGATES!!

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: EverythingIBM on Sat, 10 April 2010, 21:33:42

I thought AT to USB cables were the fad:
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=9045&stc=1&d=1270953204)

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: Input Nirvana on Sat, 10 April 2010, 21:43:43

heh heh

AT - USB  wouldn't that need a converter chip in it like a Blue Cube?

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: EverythingIBM on Sat, 10 April 2010, 21:58:08

Quote from: input nirvana;171322

heh heh

AT - USB  wouldn't that need a converter chip in it like a Blue Cube?

No different than PS/2 to USB.

XT to USB would be cool though.

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: kcsaff on Sat, 10 April 2010, 22:10:17

Quote from: input nirvana;171322

heh heh

AT - USB  wouldn't that need a converter chip in it like a Blue Cube?

Only if the keyboard controller wasn't USB aware.  There were some Bogus 2000 keyboards made in 1992-1994 which had an XT-USB switch, if I recall incorrectly.  They could use such a cable.

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: Input Nirvana on Sat, 10 April 2010, 22:21:27

So it's mostly a controller board issue, that's what the chip is for. Otherwise you can use the little 2" long metal/plastic adapters, or the same things with a foot or so of cable...right?  

Is the Blue Cube the only game in town?

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: Input Nirvana on Sat, 10 April 2010, 22:33:40

:)

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: kcsaff on Sat, 10 April 2010, 22:35:49

Quote from: input nirvana;171328

So it's mostly a controller board issue, that's what the chip is for. Otherwise you can use the little 2" long metal/plastic adapters, or the same things with a foot or so of cable...right?

Yes.

Quote

Is the Blue Cube the only game in town?

No.   See, for example, the first post in this thread (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=9480).

(People do seem to like the Blue Cube, but you're going to need something that can handle mouse too if you want to hook up your M13.)

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: Input Nirvana on Sat, 10 April 2010, 22:47:26

What info on the Ebay ad specifically indicates the the item "has the magic chip" or performs in that fashion?
-USB HID spec? or....?

Thanks for this info.

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: Input Nirvana on Sat, 10 April 2010, 23:22:25

I ask because I'm using Ripsters mod as a guideline on removing the Blue Cube PCB and wire it into the Kinesis Contoured project I'm working on. I wanted to know if there are several sources for these.

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: sethstorm on Sun, 11 April 2010, 01:41:04

Quote from: J888www;171234

No idea how they can sell at such a cheap price. I purchased a 120mm Case Fan filter from HK and it arrived 5 Days after payment received, quality was same if not better than products puchased in UK, but at less than half the price.

Given the lack of a proper manufacturing sector - anything could be made to look better than the UK (or to a limited amount, the US).   All I can say to that end is a lot of politics and a ton of work practices(e.g. company towns) that have been abandoned in the UK & US decades ago.

Wouldn't mind if there was a converter that worked fully w/ terminal boards (given us Model F users have no USB controller swap option).

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: kcsaff on Sun, 11 April 2010, 13:41:45

Quote from: sethstorm;171353

Wouldn't mind if there was a converter that worked fully w/ terminal boards (given us Model F users have no USB controller swap option).

Me too.  Actually the reason I'm so interested in these "dongles" at the moment is I'm hoping to build one that can auto detect XT/AT/3179/PS2 devices and connect to either a USB or PS2 port on a computer.  Sort of a universal translator for IBM 'boards.

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: ch_123 on Sun, 11 April 2010, 13:50:11

Quote from: kcsaff;171326

Only if the keyboard controller wasn't USB aware.  There were some Bogus 2000 keyboards made in 1992-1994 which had an XT-USB switch, if I recall incorrectly.  They could use such a cable.

A USB aware keyboard in 1992?

(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb214/chrisrooR/LOL-WUT-IT.gif)

Quote

Show Image

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=9045&stc=1&d=1270953204)

And the prize for adapter doomed to failure goes to...

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: kcsaff on Sun, 11 April 2010, 13:50:51

Quote from: input nirvana;171346

I ask because I'm using Ripsters mod as a guideline on removing the Blue Cube PCB and wire it into the Kinesis Contoured project I'm working on. I wanted to know if there are several sources for these.

Nirvana, you may be able to find the information you're looking for in the PS2-to-USB (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=PS2-to-USB+adapters) wiki page.  What I would do is find an adaptor that works for you first, whether that be the $7 blue cube or the $2 dongle in this thread.  Once you're satisfied that you've found one that works, you should be able to do Ripster's mod as long as you've got a minimum of electronics common sense.   But since you're trying to mod such a nice board there's no reason to skimp here.  $7 is by no means too much to pay to make sure you don't end up with a broken Kinesis.

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: Input Nirvana on Sun, 11 April 2010, 13:57:15

Thanks you for info.
Of course you are correct, but you are aware of the nature of just pure impractical and irrational curiosity?
Let's not discuss what it did to the cat!  :)

You Geekhackers have a lot of fun info....

Title: PS/2 -> USB converter: $1.89 shipped!
Post by: kcsaff on Sun, 11 April 2010, 14:17:23

Quote from: ripster;171341

I have a Ziotek for my M13s and trackballs and so far it's worked flawlessly.

Interesting that it can be used for two keyboards, haven't tried that one.

It's a little finicky, but it works.  If you've looked at the PS2 protocol at all, it's really easy to tell the difference between a connected keyboard or mouse.  Basically the Ziotek just pretends you've got one big keyboard, so the lock lights are synchronized, and you can hold down shift on one keyboard and hit a key on the other to get a capital, etc.  Hmmm, I wonder if it can handle two mice as well...

Yep.  You sometimes need to unplug it on the USB end to get it to recognize the device.  It is understandably easily confused by hot-swapping, something PS2 was never intended to do.