27 Dec
2019
27 Dec
'19
5:46 p.m.
On Dec 27, 2019, at 3:10 PM, Glen Slick via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
If you mean one of these, they are just passive adapters that only
work if the USB keyboard (or mouse) is capable of supporting both USB
and PS/2 interfaces.
http://www.l-com.com/usb-usb-adapter-type-a-female-mini-din-6-male
I imagine the majority of cheap disposable keyboards manufactured now
are USB only devices, not combination USB - PS/2 compatible devices
I can get one and test it with an Apple keyboard, but that doesn't sound right. There
aren't enough wires on a USB connector to allow you to speak the PS/2 protocol. And
there are PS/2 to USB adapters (for old keyboards) that are the same size; clearly the old
keyboards don't speak USB. So I have to assume both of those devices have a bit of
logic inside. A simple USB chip easily fits, consider the FTDI USB UART devices that are
just tiny chips encapsulated in the USB connector.
paul
Supplies
of good non-USB PC keyboards are probably beginning to get harder
to find now too...
True. It could use either kind of keyboard. Also, USB to mini-DIN adapters are still
sold ($5 in the current L-Com catalog). That seems like a cheaper solution than a USB
Host shield.