PS/2 cable in AT keyboard?

[TapewormAdmiral]

Hi everyone,

I want to use my Dell AT101 PS/2 cable in my NTC KB-6152 and AFAIK PS/2 cables are basically AT cables with one extra thread, which basically serves for null (I apologize if my English sounds really bad here). Here are some photos: https://imgur.com/a/C0oqeOh

Is there any way I could use a PS/2 cable in an AT keyboard, and basically..."nullify" it in my AT keyboard?

Also, I am not sure - are these pins in those cables standard? I want to avoid that since Linux kinda interferes with that, and when I reboot, I must re-insert the keyboard every time :\

Thanks for whatever support there is.

[consideringquiet]

I've actually been thinking about doing this with a board of mine. Not sure if it's possible though

[mike52787]

the protocol is the same, and the pins voltages and signals are 1:1. There are plenty of pinouts for both connectors on google images.

[Darkshado]

Hot plugging PS/2 isn't the best idea.
The Mini-DIN connector for PS/2 and the larger DIN one for the AT are standardised.

What's inside connecting the cable to the keyboard's PCB isn't. You might get "standard" 0.1 inch pitch pin connectors which are fairly easy to deal with, or something else altogether.

Use a multimeter plus pinout information and you'll be able to sort it out.

Tip: If it's 0.1 inch pitch pins, you could also use a ribbon cable and connect a Pro Micro or Teensy internally to convert to USB, it's what I did that with my Model F boards.

[consideringquiet]

Hot plugging PS/2 isn't the best idea.
The Mini-DIN connector for PS/2 and the larger DIN one for the AT are standardised.

What's inside connecting the cable to the keyboard's PCB isn't. You might get "standard" 0.1 inch pitch pin connectors which are fairly easy to deal with, or something else altogether.

Use a multimeter plus pinout information and you'll be able to sort it out.

Tip: If it's 0.1 inch pitch pins, you could also use a ribbon cable and connect a Pro Micro or Teensy internally to convert to USB, it's what I did that with my Model F boards.

So I'm guessing hot swapping could cause damage?

If I don't have a multimeter are we just out of luck? I found a dead thread that was discussing it with the 4950 but it didn't get to any conclusions.

vendors-f52/wts-white-space-invaders-ad ... t8659.html

[Darkshado]

So I'm guessing hot swapping could cause damage?

Yes. PS/2 wasn't designed for hot swapping, some have gotten away with it, others have fried keyboard controllers or motherboards doing it.

If I don't have a multimeter are we just out of luck?

Also yes. A multimeter is cheap enough and has tons of uses.

Now, if you just need to convert that one keyboard: you could get an AT to PS/2 (DIN to Mini-Din) adapter for 3 to 5$ online and use its existing cable. Add a PS/2 to USB active adapter (e.g. the "blue cube" ones) and you'll be able to hot swap as well.