interface type of the keyboard

The keyboard interface type refers to the interface mode or type that the keyboard is connected to the host computer. There are two common keyboard interfaces available on the market: PS/2 interface and USB interface.
Different keyboards have different interfaces, knowing the interface of the keyboard will not find the keyboard can not be used to buy the situation. One of the PS/2 interface can be said that every motherboard is equipped with the mouse interface, is currently the most common, that is, "round" it is found in some old-fashioned motherboards, that is, at the interface mode (has been very rare). While the USB interface is relatively late than the previous two products, and the motherboard of the USB interface can not only be used to connect the mouse, but also can be connected to other USB devices, and transmission speed is higher, but also save the motherboard PS/2 port. Now the motherboard is generally equipped with PS/2 and USB two interface.

PS/2 Interface

It was first seen on IBM's PS/2, so it was named. This is a dedicated mouse and keyboard interface, is a 6-pin circular interface, but the keyboard only uses 4 of the pins to transmit data and power, the remaining 2 are empty feet. The PS/2 interface has a slightly faster transfer rate than the COM interface, and is the standard interface for ATX motherboards, and is one of the most widely used keyboard interfaces.

Keyboard and mouse can use the PS/2 interface, but according to the PC ' 99 color specification, the mouse usually occupies a light green interface, the keyboard occupies the purple interface. Although the definitions of the above pins seem to work the same, the two interfaces are still not plug-in, which is determined by their different signal definitions within the computer.

USB interface

The full name of the USB is universal Serial BUS,USB support Hot-swappable, USB cable interface inside a total of four gold fingers, of which the outside side of the two longer, their role is power supply, that is, power cord. The inside two is short, is responsible for the transmission of data, that is, the data line. When we install a USB device, due to the length of the gold finger inside the USB port is different, when the device is plugged in, the outside power cord is connected first, the device is powered, and the middle data line can be exchanged in the power state, but the data is disconnected when the device is unplugged. , and then power off the device. This ensures that both the computer system and the USB device do not have any effect during the plug-in process to achieve hot-swappable functions. Plug and Play advantages, so the USB interface has become the most important interface mode of MP3. USB has three specifications, namely USB1.1 and USB2.0, and the emerging USB3.0.

difference

PS/2 interface and USB interface keyboard is not very different in use, because the USB interface supports hot-swappable, so the USB interface keyboard may be slightly easier to use. However, the computer's underlying hardware has a better support for the PS/2 interface, so if the computer encounters some failure, keyboard compatibility with the PS/2 interface is preferable. The main keyboard has both the use of PS/2 interface and the use of USB interface, purchase needs to be selected as needed. Various keyboard interfaces can also be converted via specific adapters or adapters, such as USB to PS/2 adapters.