From Old to New

Author's Rating:

Pros: Easy to use, works without any issues, makes PS/2 devices hot-swappable.

Cons: None

The Bottom Line: 
It is a must-have for any techie.

Author's Review
With new computers doing away with legacy ports, PS/2 keyboards and mice ports are going away with serial and parallel ports. Buying a new USB keyboard or mouse isn't a big deal, since they are pretty cheap. So what would anyone need a USB to PS/2 adapter for?

Consider these 3 scenarios:

1) You are in love with your current keyboard and mouse, and they don't make a USB version. Sounds far fetch, but in reality, keyboards and mice are a personal thing. I've used an old 80s IBM PS/2 (not just the port name but the name of the old IBM PCs!) keyboard for the longest time because I love the old-timey clickity-clack feedback. Only just recently did I switch over to a more common quiet keyboard by HP. Even so, it's a PS/2 keyboard.

2) You have a KVM switch that only support computers with PS/2 ports. If that's the case, it'll be cheaper to purchase a PS/2 to USB adapter to allow you to use your current KVM switch with your USB-only PC. It will also make your KVM switch more universal.

3) Already have a PS/2 mouse and keyboard and would like only one connector to worry about when taking your laptop with you or putting it back on your desktop.

Personally, I use it for reason #1 (since my current rig have PS/2 ports still). I repair PCs, and sometimes I get clients who have computers that did away with PS/2s. I have a little workstation that have a PS/2 keyboard and mouse along with a monitor. I use the KVM switch work with my home server as well as client's PC. The KVM switch is only for PS/2 input devices, and outputs the same. So having a PS/2 to USB adapter allows me to make my KVM switch more versatile by allowing me to work with USB-only computers.

The Belkin PS/2 to USB Adapter, then, seem to fit the bill.

In the Box
Quite simply, it's just the adapter and nothing else. The back of the package have the description of what it is and what it does. The instructions for using it is only a few lines long,.

Installation and Use
You basically plug in your PS/2 keyboard and mouse to the color-coded connectors of the adapter. If your keyboard and mouse don't have colored connectors or color-coded differently (I see orange connectors for keyboards sometimes), the purple jack on the adapter is for the keyboard, while the green jack is for the mouse.

If you have a KVM switch, it's the same thing. Coming from the switch, you should plug in the corresponding emulated device to the correct connector (keyboard and mouse, of course).

Once that is done, you can connect the USB connector of the adapter to a free USB port on your laptop or desktop PC.

This also works with thin client terminals. We had no problems with using it with Wyse Winterms and a MacBook Pro. For all intents and purposes, your PS/2 keyboard and mouse is recognized as a standard USB keyboard and mouse. This mean that any OS you're running that recognizes USB keyboards and mice should work fine with this adapter.

I did not experience any quirks with the keyboard or mouse tracking, so that is good news. Keep in mind that there is active circuitry in the small box of the adapter (the box that is about the size of a mini Post-it notepad). It makes your computer device think there is a USB keyboard and mouse even though there is nothing connected to the ends of the PS/2 connectors. That is actually a benefit since PS/2 devices usually require a reboot for your PC to recognize them - that means you can't just plug in a mouse or keyboard while the PC is on. With this adapter, you can switch your mouse or keyboard without having to turn off your PC. The adapter will instantly reinitialize and translate any PS/2 mice or keyboard as they are plugged in. It basically turns PS/2 keyboards and mice hot-swappable.

Conclusion
Such a simple device makes life much easier, especially if you are heavily involved with repairing computers and computer-related products. It is a must-have for your techie tool box.