[Coco] Arduino as a Mouse/Keyboard interface?

[Mark McDougall]

On 5/07/2012 9:53 PM, Frank Swygert wrote:

> USB keyboards can be plugged into a simple adapter and plugged into a PS/2
> port, so they must have some kind of code detecting the type port, or the
> PS/2 port has some differentiating signal it sends to the keyboard and the
> keyboard switches modes. Couldn't this fact be used to implement a keyboard?
> I know USB mice act the same way, so I don't think it's in the keyboard
> circuitry...

You can only use the simple passive USB->PS/2 adapters (like those that ship 
with some Logitec keyboards) on keyboards/mice that are able to talk *both* 
USB and PS/2 protocols. These passive adapters pretty much just change the 
plug type.

You can also get active converters that convert USB to PS/2. They're more 
expensive - but still under $10 - and have an IC inside.

Either way, you'd still need to connect the keyboard via PS/2 signalling to 
the Arduino. The USB port on it would still be unused in this case.

Regards,

-- 
|              Mark McDougall                | "Electrical Engineers do it
|  <http://members.iinet.net.au/~msmcdoug>   |   with less resistance!"