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| So USB or PS/2? |
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| MonMotha:
--- Quote from: Turnarcades on February 04, 2009, 09:12:45 pm ---When it comes to interfaces we use PS/2 wherever possible. OK we use older hardware so it's not a problem, but the main reason is the simultaneous keypress restriction. Isn't it about time there was a USB 3.0 spec that did away with the 16 simultaneous limit? Plus I hate the issues with USB ID's someone described here. Considering USB was introduced to be the 'one-for-all' connection that handled all types of powered devices, it can still suffer with power issues and many OS's still have some really random issues with USB device/port assigning. At least a PS/2 keyboard connection was identifiable as just that. --- End quote --- USB 3.0 largely redoes the spec, however I don't think it includes major updates to HID (which is what defines things like keyboards). However, it is possible to make a USB keyboard that doesn't have a keypress limitation under the existing standard. Just use variable (bitmap) data rather than array format data (or may the array length as long as the number of inputs on a keyboard encoder). Now, this doesn't comply with the boot protocol guidelines, so the device may be unable to be used during bootup as a keyboard unless it provides boot protocol support as an alternate setting, but a USB HID compliant keyboard with no keypress limitations is certainly possible. I've built such devices before, though they did not identify themselves as keyboards. USB power just plain sucks. I'll leave it at that. I've ranted enough about the USB power situations in other topics. As for PS/2 ports going away, they can have mine when they pry it from my cold, dead hands or provide a suitable "always works" replacement. USB requires a fair bit of software to talk to properly since all the "brains" are in the host stack. The PS/2 port is dead simple in both hardware and software. I've had plenty of times when my BIOS setup program or OS (Windows, Linux, BSD, you name it) wouldn't talk USB, especially during "setup", but my trusty PS/2 keyboard always let me use my command prompt or installer just fine. Now, for less critical input devices like joysticks, mice, or non-primary keyboards and for low-bandwidth peripherals like printers and scanners, USB is a decent option. The HID standard is actually pretty complete without being needlessly complex, which is nice. Just wish they would have made it peer-to-peer to begin with (like IEEE1394) rather than hacking it in later with OTG. |
| csa3d:
--- Quote from: RayB on February 04, 2009, 04:51:23 pm ---LOL If anything, people should be debating why the parallel port is still there! --- End quote --- We gotta automatically rotate our monitors some way ;) -csa |
| DeLuSioNal29:
Kruluk, Best advice... Look at the back of the computer you will be using. If there is a PS/2 port, then go with that. It allows for a dedicated port just for the I-pac. Then you can plug a PS/2 keyboard directly into the I-pac. Then you will have and extra USB port for something else. (They get used up pretty fast). If you have USB, then buy that version. To "future proof" your setup is all "caca talk". That's impossible. Going with the logic of "future proofing" would mean that you should buy the best computer out there, so that when MAME is upgraded to later versions, it will work perfectly. Like I said, impossible. Eventually, newer MAME versions will come out which will require a beefier computer to run. So a new computer will need to be purchased after all. What makes this ANY different from the I-Pac?!? Future proof? I think not. ~ DeLuSioNaL |
| RayB:
--- Quote from: RandyT on February 04, 2009, 05:11:04 pm --- --- Quote from: RayB on February 04, 2009, 04:51:23 pm ---If anything, people should be debating why the parallel port is still there! --- End quote --- Heh. Because new PC's don't come with printers and if the consumer has one that still works, he will pass up that PC which forces him to buy a new one. RandyT --- End quote --- Even printers have continually upgraded their feature sets and declined in price, making it easy and desirable to just ditch the old and move to new. Case in point, the very last parallel devices I've bought was a flatbed scanner around 1998 (and a Zip drive the year before that). Eventually I got sick of the space issue and dumped the scanner and printer for an "All in one" USB device for under $100 a few years ago. Business level users might want to keep using their big old professional printers, but those kind of users will also pay a bit more for a PC with "all the fixins". Regarding the future, it's going to lean more and more towards a "dumb terminal" model, because 90% of the users will strictly be using it for online access, and applications themselves are moving online. The success of netbooks is a great example of where things are moving for the general mass market. |
| RandyT:
--- Quote from: RayB on February 05, 2009, 01:12:20 pm ---Even printers have continually upgraded their feature sets and declined in price, making it easy and desirable to just ditch the old and move to new. Case in point, the very last parallel devices I've bought was a flatbed scanner around 1998 (and a Zip drive the year before that). Eventually I got sick of the space issue and dumped the scanner and printer for an "All in one" USB device for under $100 a few years ago. Business level users might want to keep using their big old professional printers, but those kind of users will also pay a bit more for a PC with "all the fixins". --- End quote --- No argument there. However, if the presence of a 50 cent addition to the circuit board is going to increase sales by even 10%, the company would be foolish not to include it. It's marketing, plain and simple. Also keep in mind that setting up new hardware is a walk in the park for most of the users reading this board, but Mom isn't likely to take the prospect as lightly as you might. --- Quote ---Regarding the future, it's going to lean more and more towards a "dumb terminal" model, because 90% of the users will strictly be using it for online access, and applications themselves are moving online. The success of netbooks is a great example of where things are moving for the general mass market. --- End quote --- I think your numbers are a little high. There are still plenty of "power users" and gamers out there and the cutting edge experience is still on the PC. If only 10% of the market used a PC for anything other than "dumb terminal" applications, you'd never be able to afford a high power 3D graphics card. Netbook sales are high right now because they are somewhat of a novelty, and as anyone who has attempted to use the web from a cell phone knows, they can provide a much better remote web access experience without the size penalty that a full-blown laptop would inflict. I think it would be a little naive to use their sales as an indicator that the market is running in droves toward the "cloud computing" model. That one is still a hard sell to most I have seen express an opinion regarding it. Most "netbook" users probably have a "real computer" they use at home. RandyT |
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