Serial RS232 Mice with Modern Windows via USB? \ VOGONS

Serial RS232 Mice with Modern Windows via USB?

Topic actions

First post, by Hamby

Posted on 2021-12-26, 10:15

Hamby Offline

Rank Oldbie

Rank: Oldbie
Posts: 507
Joined: 2018-01-20, 11:12

A week or two ago I picked up a USB <-> RS232 cable; it was 2-headed, so I could attach 2 serial devices to it.
Not sure I'd need it, but with the two-plug arrangement, and the price, I thought wth.

Now I'm curious... is it possible to connect a vintage RS232 serial mouse to a modern computer via USB, and use it with Windows 7 or recent versions of Linux?
(there are a couple of vintage mice I have that I'd like to try using with modern PCs).

Reply 1 of 1, by BitWrangler

Posted on 2021-12-26, 14:35

BitWrangler Offline

Rank l33t++

Rank: l33t++
Posts: 8315
Joined: 2017-10-11, 00:55
Location: Ontario

Nothing bad will happen if you plug it in... but whether anything good happens is up to the OS... might need some nudging, i.e. serial port configured... then telling it there's a mouse on Com1 etc.

Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.

Go to top of page Go to top of page

Back to General Old Hardware