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D.8080
Joined: 03 Apr 2006
Posts: 1474
Location: Italy
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 Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 4:56 pm Post subject: Old ports adapters question |
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Hello!
I'm a little tired of using old mice with old pcs (186, 286, 386).
Is there an adapter from serial to usb to make my life easier with usb mice?
It's funny until the ball starts to behave erratically.
Thanks!! |
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Neology
Joined: 25 May 2011
Posts: 2412
Location: VIC, AU
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cuttingedgecs
Joined: 08 Oct 2017
Posts: 1764
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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| You can't adapt an old, slow serial interface to make it support USB devices. The best you could do is buy a serial optical mouse (they are uncommon but do exist) or use a new USB optical mouse that had built in support for PS/2 (via a passive adapter) and then plug that into a KVM that supported PS/2 to serial conversion on its output (with a passive adapter) |
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cuttingedgecs
Joined: 08 Oct 2017
Posts: 1764
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 6:52 pm Post subject: Re: Old ports adapters question |
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Chaining these adapters won't work. They are passive, and only work when the mouse itself supports both protocols. Most don't, and I've never seen a mouse that supports all 3. You might get lucky if you buy a bunch of old PS/2 optical mice and find one supports a passive serial adapter. None come to mind though. Optical mice in their current form appeared around the same time as USB, so most of the early ones supported PS/2 & USB not PS/2 & Serial. |
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debs3759
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 9477
Location: Northampton, Divided Kingdom
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| Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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I must be very lucky then, as I never had a PS/2 mouse that didn't work on a Serial port with a passive adapter. Admittedly I never used many optical mice on legacy systems though.
_________________
My graphics card database can be found at http://www.gpuzoo.com.
I can resist anything except temptation.
Debs |
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D.8080
Joined: 03 Apr 2006
Posts: 1474
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 4:03 am Post subject: |
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Thanks everybody so far.
I'll try using an optical mouse with passive adapter, hoping it works.
Maybe a ps/2 isa card could do the trick, if any such card exists.
Now I understand the full extent of "balled and chained"  |
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max1024
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Posts: 636
Location: Belarus
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 4:15 am Post subject: |
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| For similar purposes, I use a PCi card with 2xUSB ports on an ALI M5273 A1 chip. In one port I plug in a USB-ball mouse, in the second flash drive. On the 486th boards that I use this method is always efficient. It is also possible to look for an adapter on an OPTI chip, but for 286-386 without PCI I don’t even know what to offer. Do not use boards on VIA and other modern chips, they will not work. |
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D.8080
Joined: 03 Apr 2006
Posts: 1474
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 6:10 am Post subject: |
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| max1024 wrote: | | For similar purposes, I use a PCi card with 2xUSB ports on an ALI M5273 A1 chip. In one port I plug in a USB-ball mouse, in the second flash drive. On the 486th boards that I use this method is always efficient. It is also possible to look for an adapter on an OPTI chip, but for 286-386 without PCI I don’t even know what to offer. Do not use boards on VIA and other modern chips, they will not work. |
1) my problems start with a m/b that only has ISA slots: this kills any upgrade path as I personally never saw a ISA-to-USB card (unless it exists but costs a bomb like some Siemens cables)
2) I have to get used to the idea that some legacy hardware only works with legacy peripherals as it's really a no go for industry to revive production of dead tech (outside industrial standards).
3) I need to find a 386 motherboard with PCI, which I don't know if it exists
4) buy an ISA-to-PCI card and see what happens
This is getting interesting. |
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cvandijk
Joined: 21 Jul 2016
Posts: 3589
Location: Netherlands
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max1024
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Posts: 636
Location: Belarus
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 6:33 am Post subject: |
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| D.8080 wrote: |
3) I need to find a 386 motherboard with PCI, which I don't know if it exists |
There are no exists. Even the first 486s were without PCI.
| D.8080 wrote: | | This is getting interesting. |
Oh yeah =) |
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D.8080
Joined: 03 Apr 2006
Posts: 1474
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 7:31 am Post subject: |
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This is pretty very much interesting and may be my headache ender |
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max1024
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Posts: 636
Location: Belarus
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D.8080
Joined: 03 Apr 2006
Posts: 1474
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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Having many AT keyboards I didn't worry too much but this looks handy.
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max1024
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Posts: 636
Location: Belarus
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D.8080
Joined: 03 Apr 2006
Posts: 1474
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2020 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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When you facepalm yourself and ask "why haven't I thought about that".
I do have some but they are PCI. Guess I have more stuff to buy.
BTW none of my mice worked with a passive adapter but a friend had a few brand new (back in '92) RS232 mice I can keep as long as I need.
Vogons is a very nice place. |
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