The PS/2 connector is a plug and socket system for connecting keyboards and mice to PCs. It has been replaced by USB connectors, but adapters can still be used. The PS/2 connector has six round pins and one flat pin, with color coding for keyboards (purple) and mice (green). USB connectors are preferred due to convenience and better power delivery. The PS/2 connector is named after IBM’s failed PS/2 line of computers. It should not be confused with Sony’s Playstation 2 console.
A PS/2 connector is a plug and socket system used to connect keyboards and mice to PC computers. It has largely been replaced by Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectors, but is still used on some machines. Relatively inexpensive adapters can allow an input device with a PS/2 connector to work on a computer that only has USB jacks.
The PS/2 connector system consists of a plug with six round pins and one flat pin, arranged roughly in a circle. While the physical design of the plug and socket is the same for both keyboards and mice, the commands sent to the computer mean that plugs and sockets are not necessarily interchangeable. To avoid conflicts, both sockets and plugs are color-coded: green for mice and purple for keyboards. This color scheme was introduced several years after the connectors debuted, as a response to customer confusion. It was part of the same color coding system by which analog monitors are connected with a blue plug and socket.
There are several inherent problems with the PS/2 connector system. One is that, at least on older machines, users who have hotswapped devices, by unplugging one device and replacing it with another, can wreak havoc on the computer. The design of the device also meant that it was relatively easy to damage the connector by inadvertently bending a pin. Another problem is that sockets are relatively large, meaning that as computers became more portable and therefore smaller, there often wasn’t enough room to have one or even two PS/2 sockets.
USB connectors have become the preferred connection system for keyboards and mice for several reasons. The main reason was simply convenience: using USB means you don’t have to specifically slot a keyboard and mouse into each machine. Another plus is that USB probably does a better job of carrying power to input devices, which is important with features like optical mice that require a light-emitting diode.
The PS/2 connector takes its name from the IBM PS/2 line of computers, released in 1987. This line was a failed attempt by IBM to maintain dominant control of the PC market: its failure led to the current system in which there are dozens, if not hundreds, of different PC manufacturers. Despite this failure, IBM’s market position at the time was strong enough that the PS/2 connector became the then-standard way to connect input devices to PCs. The PS/2 line also established a few other standard formats that have since become obsolete, most notably the 3.5-inch (about 89 millimeters) floppy drive.
The PS/2 connector is not to be confused with Sony’s Playstation 2 console, commonly known as PS/2. This console has a variety of console-specific connectors. These include controllers used for gaming, slots for external memory cards, and a special audio-visual socket that can connect to televisions through a series of patch cords using adapters.
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