EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
General => Buy/Sell/Wanted => Topic started by: legacy on January 17, 2019, 02:44:24 pm
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guys, do you know any PS/2 small-keyboard with an integrated trackball and 3 buttons?
Just to give an idea about I am looking for, the DIEBOLD 49-221669-000A REV2 keyboard looks good, but the "mouse" is a touchpad and it only has 2 buttons. I can accept the pad but I really need 3 buttons since I cannot do any software emulation for the third one. A small keyboard like this is perfect for the small space it takes since I am limited about the desk's surface where I can operate.
Cherry has something like it, but again ... only 2 buttons :palm:
Thanks in advance :D
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Hi,
I am afraid, I cannot provide you with a keyboard but you could try to use an microcontroller between you keyboard and your pc and have an additional button for the middle mouse key attached.
Maybe this is viable for you?
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Unicomp do one with a track ball - I can't quite see the number of buttons:
http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/UB404L6 (http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/UB404L6)
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Your PS/2 requirement makes this very difficult. I strongly suspect that keyboards like this are not made anymore. I remember using a small form factor keyboard with trackball and PS/2 connection that was used in our datacenter. But that one had only two mouse buttons, and i don't remember the name.
Quick googling found this:
http://www.ergogeek.com/ione-scorpius-95-ergonomic-keyboard-with-trackball-ps-2-white-color.html (http://www.ergogeek.com/ione-scorpius-95-ergonomic-keyboard-with-trackball-ps-2-white-color.html)
or this:
http://www.ergogeek.com/qtronix-ione-scorpius-35-pu-large-trackball-keyboard-ps-2-black-color.html (http://www.ergogeek.com/qtronix-ione-scorpius-35-pu-large-trackball-keyboard-ps-2-black-color.html)
but both out of stock. But maybe the model names can help.
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The Unicomp one has 4 buttons on top and 2 on the back face. The design is such that your hand fits naturally around the corner of the keyboard, with thumb on the ball and the first 2 fingers on the back buttons. I've used one, it was quite comfortable. Sadly, no 3-button option.
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IBM made these (https://deskthority.net/wiki/IBM_Space_Saving_Keyboard) Space-Saving Keyboards, very small but without any trackball.
I can have the keyboard and the trackball mounted on a support made by polycarbonate (homemade), and the assembled-result will perfectly fit both my needs of "small space" and operating on a keyboard with a 3 buttons mouse.
A good candidate for the trackball is the Radioshack Trackball: it's PS/2, small, ergonomic, with 3 buttons, and it can operate next to the keyboard.
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IBM made these (https://deskthority.net/wiki/IBM_Space_Saving_Keyboard) Space-Saving Keyboards, very small but without any trackball.
My keyboard is very similar to the IBM one - it is a FILCO FILCKTL15 similar to this one (though it is not quite the same):
https://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard/uk-filco-majestouch-2-tenkeyless-nkr-tactile-action-keyboard.asp (https://www.keyboardco.com/keyboard/uk-filco-majestouch-2-tenkeyless-nkr-tactile-action-keyboard.asp)
This is a UK one but they do US ones as well I presume. The key feature is "tenkeyless" for the compact models.
I'd recommend it if you like clacky IBM style keyboards (which I do) - they are quite pricey though.
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legacy identified the keyboard, one of the models of the IBM SpaceSaver. These will all likely be used, or new old stock if you are lucky, because they have to have been made at a point-in-time when PS2 keyboards were the standard.
This ebay listing show the model I am referring to.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-IBM-SpaceSaver-RT3200-II-PS-2-Keyboard-TrackPoint-FRU-37L0888/123599666178?epid=74133667&hash=item1cc71d3c02:g:wUwAAOSw1qhcQN4K (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-IBM-SpaceSaver-RT3200-II-PS-2-Keyboard-TrackPoint-FRU-37L0888/123599666178?epid=74133667&hash=item1cc71d3c02:g:wUwAAOSw1qhcQN4K)
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WOW, that's wonderful! Thanks!
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You may be able to use a USB to PS2 adapter if you still need to. That might give you a wider range of options.
Also, the Happy Hacking keyboard is nice although it lacks a trackball, it is a very nice feeling very small keyboard that isnt super expensive that comes in a PS2 flavor.
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USB to PS2 adapter
never seen one :-//
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I've got one right here by Microsoft but it has a little picture of a mouse on it on the PS2 side.. however I'll test it right now to see if it works with a USB keyboard
lets see..
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no, it didnt work without my rebooting
I suppose it might have if I rebooted
:(
, lets see what dmesg said..
nothing..
Oh well..
It came with my microsoft USB mouse and its intended to allow the mouse to be used on an older PC which wants a PS2 mouse, so basically Ive never needed it but I keep it in my big bag of computer adaptors. "Just in case"
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An adapter "usb device" to "ps/2" host *might* exist for some weird kind of application, but I don't expect to find it cheap due to the poor request.
Technically it requires a microcontroller with an HID stack and USB host, converting incoming packets to outcoming PS/2.
Not so complex to be done homebrewing (made it by yourself), but it requires time :-//
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Old KVMs might contain one. Thats where I would look.
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In the transition period from PS/2 to USB, many USB keyboards and mice included a simple, passive adapter to connect to PS/2. Those are very small and contain no active electronics.
They look like this:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Keyboard-USB-to-PS2-PS-2-Adapter-Converter-Purple-Color/177863076 (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Keyboard-USB-to-PS2-PS-2-Adapter-Converter-Purple-Color/177863076)
These are NOT universal! If the PS/2 device does not explicitly support it, it will not work.
They require the Device to speak the PS/2 protocol itself. If the keyboard supports this, for new (old stock) I would expect an adapter to be included.
I thought active USB (device) to PS/2 (host) adapters were more common, but my memory failed me, what is common is the other way round, USB Host to PS/2 device.
In regards to KVM switches, I never encountered one that would convert from USB Device to USB host. The other way around was more common, when servers started to omit the PS/2 ports. That way, the KVMs did not have to be replaced.
The only adapter I found is this:
https://www.blackbox.com/en-us/store/detail.aspx/USB-to-PS-2-Flashable-Converter/KVUSB (https://www.blackbox.com/en-us/store/detail.aspx/USB-to-PS-2-Flashable-Converter/KVUSB)
Way too expensive.
Now I wonder if you could do the conversion with something like an Arduino...