Wireless Keyboard to PS/2 DOS

[DwayneJones]

Hello !
I'm new !
Nice to know there are people finding unique ways to communicate with computers.

I rebuild a small CNC machine typically used for separating PCBA boards.
The machine is 25 years old, solidly built.
I (we) fully support it, improving it with new technology.

We have been using a ADESSO ACK-573PB which employs an IR connection to a receiver that plugs into PS/2 and looks like a standard Keyboard.
Adesso quit making it !

Does anyone know of a Wireless Keyboard that can plug into PS/2 of a legacy DOS PC ?

[Bret]

PS2 keyboards of any sort (at least new ones) simply aren't that common any more, and even when they were common I don't remember seeing very many wireless ones. Wireless USB keyboards are VERY common, but that won't help in your situation. I think you're going to have a hard time finding anything new, but might be able to find something used.

Another area to research might be to look for dual-mode keyboards (that support both USB and PS2). When USB first came out several manufacturers made mice and keyboards that supported both the USB and PS2 protocols and they had a little adapter to change plug types. The adapter was just a "dumb" physical wiring adapter, and the actual electronics inside the mice and keyboard are what supported both PS2 and USB. AFAIK, nobody makes the dual-mode mice and keyboards any more. But you might be able to search for wireless USB keyboards and accidentally find one that will also work with PS2.

[DwayneJones]

Thank you Bret !

I was hoping for an off the shelf USB Wireless Keyboard
plugged into a USB to PS/2 converter.

But I don't know how DOS would do the Pairing.
That would have to be done 'automatically' within the Converter.
And would the PS/2 output from the Converter look like a Keyboard ?

I'm hoping that I would need several (6) of them for future machines.

Am I missing some link in the chain ?

[Bret]

I don't thing you're going to find such a device anywhere. USB is a master-slave (host-device) arrangement with the computer (normally) being the master and the various other devices (including keyboards) being the slaves. A host is supposed to be able handle dozens of devices all sharing the same bus, but in your case you would only want one (a keyboard). What you're wanting is a USB host inside a small device that only supports one external device (a keyboard) and outputs a virtual PS2 keyboard (a relatively simple serial connection) on the PS2 port. I seriously doubt anybody is going to produce such an item off-the-shelf since there simply is no market for such things. It's conceivable somebody has made such a device as a "hobby" project, but it would have just been an experiment simply to prove it could be done with no hope of commercialization.

I think you're only hope is to find used wireless PS2 keyboards somewhere, go wired, create something yourself, or figure out a way to add USB capabilities to the computers.

[DwayneJones]

Thank you again Bret !
for sharing your insight into this mysterious (to me) world.

I understand your wisdom and understanding of this technical world and the market.
I may pursue finding that one obsessed hobbyist on one of these ...
https://www.instructables.com/Bluetooth ... e-Adapter/
https://www.quora.com/How-can-I-connect ... iring-PS-2
https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=50187

I think VOGONS is where I got introduced to you, from a post 2016.
Not quite, Jorpho. If your card is UHCI compliant, here are some pretty nifty drivers that work with anything from flash drives to joysticks to keyboards and mice. They even support hotswapping.

I may be resigned to a wired Keyboard

Thanks again Bret !!!