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USB => PS/2 => KVM => PS/2 => USB => Serial conversion

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First post, by Emil85

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Hi,

I currently have a ~1995 era DOS/Win95 PC with Intel Advanced ZP motherboard offering only an RS232 port and a 5-pin din port for keyboard and mouse. I'm using a Logitech Pilot USB/PS/2 mouse with it, plugged to a Raspberry Pi running a USB => Serial conversion program. The pi is then connected with the PC with an USB => Serial cable. This works fine.

(see setup1.jpg below)

Now I'm getting another PC from ~1999 era, with 2 PS/2 ports for keyboard and mouse. I want to share the same peripherals between the old and the new pc using a Lindy KVM Switch Pro supporting two PS2 ports. I initially wanted to use a 2xPS/2 PCI card for the old PC to add the PS/2 ports, but as discussed in other threads it's not an option for this setup. Therefore I came up with this setup:
1. connect the USB mouse to the PS/2 port on KVM via the USB=>PS/2 adapter provided with the mouse
2. connect the KVM's PS/2 plug with the Raspberry Pi via a PS/2 => USB adapter (something like this: https://www.ebay.de/itm/200941374398)
3. run the USB => Serial conversion on RPi and connect it with the old computer via the USB => Serial cable as before

(see setup2.jpg)

However, I'm wondering if doing so many conversions will actually work. If I understand correctly the mouse has to understand which standard to output based on to what kind of port it's plugged into. Does anyone have experience with this kind of a setup?

Reply 1 of 2, by bertrammatrix

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It should work fine. I do essentially the same thing setup wise with a Kvm and an active ps2/serial adapter purchased off Ebay, it's my understanding it also uses a Pi to achieve this, my goodness these things have gotten so small. As long as the mouse supports usb AND ps2 all should work fine

I've heard some mention that this may introduce latency to the mouse- I'm sure that by design there is some, however it's so small I can't notice anything on FPS games, at least not with the adapter I'm using. I previously used one built by Serdashop, also no latency worth noting, however somehow I managed to burn that one out (static?).

Reply 2 of 2, by Disruptor

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I'm just wondering how the PS/2->USB adapter will work.
It must be some active component that has to be supported by the RPi too, then it may work.

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