Re: DS15 systems have arrived

From: Fred Kleinsorge (my-last-name_at_stardotzko.dec.com)
Date: 10/07/03 

Date: Tue, 07 Oct 2003 15:11:43 GMT

The new LK463 has a USB connector by default. The dongle provides a PS2
interface, and comes with the KB.

In reality most keyboards being built these days are being built to go both
ways. There are PS2->USB dongles and USB->PS2 dongles. All they do is tell
the KB which interface they need to deal with, and provide the connection
(there isn't any real logic inside) - the KB then senses the personality it
needs to use. And I don't know that they are "universal" across KB makers.

The MS wireless KB I just got for my wife has PS2 connections, and comes
with a USB dongle.

There is a company called PI that sells a true converter called a Y-mouse
that will take "standard" PS2 keyboards and mice, and will convert them to a
USB connection. It has real logic inside it. It won't handle "custom"
keyboards like the LK411 correctly - but they will gladly do a custom OEM
version for you.

"Rik Steenwinkel" <rsteenw@xs4all.nl> wrote in message
news:Ysd2q9KROUC1-pn2-n1U1UE1zdpPb@news.xs4all.nl...
> On Tue, 7 Oct 2003 03:56:30 UTC, healyzh@aracnet.com wrote:
>
> } OK, I'm not sure how to take this, does the adapter convert USB-to-PS2,
or
> } PS2-to-USB?
>
> With most, if not all, current keyboards and mice that come with a
> USB-to-PS2 converter (keyboard/mouse cable ends in USB plug, a small
> USB-socket-to-PS2-plug allows it to plug into a PS2 machine), the
> converter itself is pretty dumb, and the logic inside the kbd or mouse
> is dual-protocol, detecting whether it's connected to USB or to PS2
> via the adapter thingie. The adapter is useless for any device but
> that keyboard or mouse.
>
> Going the other way, from a PS2 keyboard and mouse to a system having
> only USB you'll need a converter like
> http://startech.com/ststore/itemdetail.cfm?ProductID=USB2PS2&topbar=to
> pbaruf.htm . There are also USB hubs that offer this, and often a
> serial and parallel port as well.
>
> } I've seen a PS2-to-USB converter and have been thinking very seriously
about
> } getting one to try on my PowerMac (I want a decent logitech 3-button
mouse).
> } I'm already using an ADB-to-USB converter so that I can have a decent
> } keyboard on the system.
>
> Why would you want a PS2-to-USB converter when almost all Logitech
> mice are already USB, and could plug into the ADB-to-USB converter
> (don't you mean USB-to-ADB?), by way of an USB hub if necessary?
>
> I'd also try putting a USB interface card into the machine, of course
> when supported by the OS version you're running.
>
> --
> // Rik Steenwinkel # VMS mercenary # Enschede, Netherlands
> // 1024D/CDBAE5C1