Why not just use a keyboard adapter?

I'm thinking hes wanting one so he can use a modern mouse just like most of use would like.

unfortunately although I have read people claiming that ISA ps/2 cards exist there extremely rare if they do. I've never seen one. I think there was a project at one point to develop one, honestly they came up with the XTIDE so I don't see why a ISA card that sported a PS/2 adapter is so hard to make, then again I'm no computer engineer.

there are PCI PS/2 port cards but the first PC's to use PCI were late model 486 machines so.....

some OEM systems had PS/2 ports built in. I had a Wang 386 machine that had built in PS/2 ports for a keyboard and mouse.

It's easier to get an OEM PC with PS/2 than to try to get PS/2 on a computer that does not have it already. Many have tried, as far as I know, all have failed.

Found information on them cards, on the net. 😜
They are called "Microsoft InPort".
And yes, they are expensive, as they are ISA cards.

brostenen wrote:

Found information on them cards, on the net. 😜
They are called "Microsoft InPort".
And yes, they are expensive, as they are ISA cards.

That is a proprietary Microsoft system and not PS/2 compatible.

There have been loads of threads about this subject before here on Vogons. I suggest you search up and read why its not that easy.

why don't you get a cheap serial>PS/2 connector? I did this with my 486DX system with no PS/2

http://tinyurl.com/loqadnt

I think those passive adapters only work with dual mode mice - the protocols are not compatible, so the mouse has to auto switch.

Back in the day, many Logitech PS/2 mice came bundled with a PS/2 to serial connector.

for me the main draw of a ps/2 port on an old machine would be to use some kind of laser mouse and not a ball mouse. There really not much difference between using a ball serial and ball ps/2 mouse. sure ps/2 mice are way more common but you can still find serial mice at thrifts for 1 or 2 dollars, there not very rare.

problem is there's not really any laser mice that work via the serial port, I don't think it supplies enough power so even with an adapter I don't think it would work. And if there are early laser mice that may work with a serial port I'm guessing there so buggy and/or rare may as well go with a ball mouse.

vetz wrote:

That is a proprietary Microsoft system and not PS/2 compatible.
There have been loads of threads about this subject before here on Vogons. I suggest you search up and read why its not that easy.

I find it hard to search for something specific on forums, must be me.
Anyway...
Did not know that it was a non-Ps/2 mouse in Ps/2 disguise.
Thanks for the information. 😀

soviet conscript wrote:

for me the main draw of a ps/2 port on an old machine would be to use some kind of laser mouse and not a ball mouse. There really not much difference between using a ball serial and ball ps/2 mouse. sure ps/2 mice are way more common but you can still find serial mice at thrifts for 1 or 2 dollars, there not very rare.

problem is there's not really any laser mice that work via the serial port, I don't think it supplies enough power so even with an adapter I don't think it would work. And if there are early laser mice that may work with a serial port I'm guessing there so buggy and/or rare may as well go with a ball mouse.

My old parents have this optical mouse, from the 80's.
Serial and Unisys branded. Only problem is, that it need this special mousepad, made from metal.
I have seen one on youtube, were (I think) it is "lazy gamer" that reviews it.
Only difference is that the one I used in my childhood, did not have pass-through, only regulair serial.
I have this Serial to Ps/2 converter, and I know those dual mode mouse's are rare.

Would something like this work in a P133, with PCI slots?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PCI-2port-USB-2-0-2po … =item4166114122
As the board have both ISA and PCI slots, I really do not need that ISA card wich do not excist anyway.

brostenen wrote:

Would something like this work in a P133, with PCI slots?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PCI-2port-USB-2-0-2po … =item4166114122
As the board have both ISA and PCI slots, I really do not need that ISA card wich do not excist anyway.

this was literaly just discussed in another thread.
Those kind of cards are USB cards with a built in USB to PS/2 converter so it will only work
in Windows 98+ unless you have USB aware BIOS

How about this little item? http://dk.mouser.com/ProductDetail/FTDI/DB9-U … tgmA/N4WlteGg==
Would that be usefull, if soldered into and replacing the com port, then using a driver (serial mouse-driver or usb-driver)

brostenen wrote:

Would something like this work in a P133, with PCI slots?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PCI-2port-USB-2-0-2po … =item4166114122
As the board have both ISA and PCI slots, I really do not need that ISA card wich do not excist anyway.

Pentium class AT boards usually have support for a PS/2 mouse, just need the header cable.

NJRoadfan wrote:

Pentium class AT boards usually have support for a PS/2 mouse, just need the header cable.

Sadly, mine does not have it. The board is a QDI P5I437P4/FMB from around 1996 or 1997.
If that serial/usb thing indeed does support a mouse driver in Dos, then it could be good.
As I recall, there was a converter, wich could convert a Ps/2 keyboard into a DIN type.
Then both mouse and keyboards would not be any issue any longer.

That serial-usb piece wouldn't do. It's a USB device, not a usb host. It's meant to be installed in devices currently using a serial port (external modems, old graphic tablets, etc.), not on the 'computer' side.

I few minutes in google should provide plenty of answers. This topic has been beaten to death.

1)
PCI PS/2 cards are really USB cards with a PS/2 converter on it. You need to install the USB drivers for this to work. It will not work out-of-the-box with DOS. You will need to figure out how to get DOS to function with it, if it is even possible.

2)
There are dual-function PS/2 and serial protocol mice. The adapter used just swaps some pins around. The mice itself must be dual-function. The ones I've seen have been trackball mice.

3)
There exist protocol converters for translating PS/2 mice signals into serial signals which should work with most, or all, PS/2 mice. Some companies make them, such as Raritan (sp?) or Vetra systems, http://www.vetra.com/327text.html , however I found the conversion quality to be rather poor, resulting in a noticeable lagging or jumpy mouse at resolutions above 640x480. They are also costly, $60+. A user here made his own protocol converter, which you will need to package on your own. See this thread, PS/2 to Serial Mouse protocol converter

4)
Some serial and PS/2 KVM switches have protocol converters built-in. Cybex Switchview is one such unit. But again, I was not pleased with the tracking quality after conversion. Or was it the Belkin Omni View SE that had a working converter? I forget which of the two units it was, but one if them did not work at all, and the other I was not happy with the conversion quality.

5)
I have not played with the Microsoft bus Mouse 8-bit ISA card. You need a proprietary Microsoft bus mouse to use that. There may be some bus mouse converters to PS/2? PS/2 mice will not work on that port directly.

6)
I prefer the approach of modifying your computer's keyboard controller to work with a PS/2 mouse. It is a bit more involved, but there is no conversion quality issues with the mouse tracking. Refer to this link, Native PS/2 mouse implementation for 386/486 boards using the keyboard controller . To-date, only AWARD-based BIOSes seem to work with this modification.

feipoa wrote:

I few minutes in google should provide plenty of answers. This topic has been beaten to death. […]
Show full quote

I few minutes in google should provide plenty of answers. This topic has been beaten to death.

1)
PCI PS/2 cards are really USB cards with a PS/2 converter on it. You need to install the USB drivers for this to work. It will not work out-of-the-box with DOS. You will need to figure out how to get DOS to function with it, if it is even possible.

2)
There are dual-function PS/2 and serial protocol mice. The adapter used just swaps some pins around. The mice itself must be dual-function. The ones I've seen have been trackball mice.

3)
There exist protocol converters for translating PS/2 mice signals into serial signals which should work with most, or all, PS/2 mice. Some companies make them, such as Raritan (sp?) or Vetra systems, http://www.vetra.com/327text.html , however I found the conversion quality to be rather poor, resulting in a noticeable lagging or jumpy mouse at resolutions above 640x480. They are also costly, $60+. A user here made his own protocol converter, which you will need to package on your own. See this thread, PS/2 to Serial Mouse protocol converter

4)
Some serial and PS/2 KVM switches have protocol converters built-in. Cybex Switchview is one such unit. But again, I was not pleased with the tracking quality after conversion. Or was it the Belkin Omni View SE that had a working converter? I forget which of the two units it was, but one if them did not work at all, and the other I was not happy with the conversion quality.

5)
I have not played with the Microsoft bus Mouse 8-bit ISA card. You need a proprietary Microsoft bus mouse to use that. There may be some bus mouse converters to PS/2? PS/2 mice will not work on that port directly.

6)
I prefer the approach of modifying your computer's keyboard controller to work with a PS/2 mouse. It is a bit more involved, but there is no conversion quality issues with the mouse tracking. Refer to this link, Native PS/2 mouse implementation for 386/486 boards using the keyboard controller . To-date, only AWARD-based BIOSes seem to work with this modification.

I know it has been beaten to death. Yet... If you read this thread, I have found that usb to db9 converter wich can be soldered directly on to the motherboard. I am now asking if that solution would be usefull.

I am thinking this: As they are talking about that product, as a cheap usb-upgrade for older pc's and products, as it contains a usb to serial converter chip, you might be able to use a usb-mouse-driver or a serial-mouse-driver, in order to make to communication between onboard serial and external usb.
Perhaps mighty mouse driver or the ohci/uhci (that symantech mouse something driver) would do the trick at getting a mouse to work.
Thereby skipping the Ps/2 portion of this issue completely, and sequring 486/early pentiums for future usage.