Review: Sun PS/2 Keyboard Interface Converter
Vendor: Sun Microsystems
Review Date: 5/2000
Sun part number: X465A / 370-2068, "Sible" List price: $75
NOTE: As of August 2003, Sun no longer offers this adapter for sale. However, you can still obtain it from Kinesis.
The Sun product was the same box that Kinesys still sells, with a Sun logo and part number added.
Pictures:
- Top view with Sun logo and connections
- Bottom of adapter with part number info
- Bottom of adapter with DIP switches
Comments:
Basically, this is a simple piece of hardware – and it works great.
I primarily use it to connect a Logitech Trackman Marble trackball
to my home SPARC. You plug the cable leading out of the box into
the keyboard port of your SPARC machine, and then you have a PS/2
keyboard, PS/2 mouse, and a duplicate Sun keyboard/mouse port.
One word of warning though – you’ll want a 3-button ps/2 mouse.
You can use the following combinations:
- Sun keyboard, Sun mouse
- Sun keyboard, Sun mouse, PS/2 mouse
- PS/2 keyboard, Sun mouse
- PS/2 keyboard, PS/2 mouse, Sun mouse
You *CANNOT* use a PS/2 keyboard and a Sun keyboard plugged in
at the same time. Also, I’ve found that the “roller button” on some
mice (Microsoft, etc) DOES NOT work properly as a 3rd mouse button,
but I havent tested the newer Logitech stuff yet.
Final Thoughts:
Excellent piece of hardware. Sun has sold this item for a few years
now, but just recently have they become easily available (i.e., not
4-months back ordered). I first used one with a Microsoft Natural
keyboard on a SPARCstation 10 in 1996. I’ve seen the exact same
thing (minus the Sun logo) for sale (at about $175) from Kinesis;
maybe Sun just OEMs them?