any advantage of USB over PS/2?

sevendevilhell · Feb 22, 2005

i have a USB mouse, and have been running it through the converter to PS/2, just to keep my USB slots free. but recently i've been wondering if there's any advantage that it offers when it's plugged into the USB port instead of the PS/2.

i'd like to know if it makes any difference. i think i can spare a USB port if it means that my mouse will perform better. as is, it performs just fine, but i haven't really understood the point of the converter besides free USB ports and backwards compatibility... if there is any other purpose to it.

Lummoxx · Feb 22, 2005

I've always run mine through the USB->PS2 converter, and I don't notice any issues.

Try it and see, let us know how it goes.

zip22 · Feb 22, 2005

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=365145&highlight=usb+ps*+mouse

namgorf · Feb 22, 2005

I had the PS/2 port die in my A7n8x which was really quite a bummer, since asus disabled legacy keyboard support in the bios by default. I ended up RMAing the system after the bios was reset, since i could no longer get into it. So, nagtive USB is always going to be superior.

Yakbak · Feb 22, 2005

I use my USB Logitech keyboard through the USB --> PS/2 converter. I noticed less problems for keyboard through PS/2, but I've always ran my mouse through USB. No problems at all with the mouse; I actually prefer USB for mice.

Aslan · Feb 22, 2005

Not much need to quote myself since zip22 already posted the thread, but...

Aslan said:
Well, the main reason for using PS/2 over USB is the higher standard polling rate, 200hz over 120hz, but you can easily hack the USB settings to use much higher refresh rates.
Keep in mind that if you raise the polling rate too high, say above 500hz, you risk frying your motherboard. I've been running at 250hz for a long time without any ill effects.

http://www.warleagues.com/viewnews.asp?view=45&page=1
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4469

zip22 · Feb 22, 2005

haha, yeah. you're post was the best, i was just too lazy to actualy do the cut and paste.

will changing the USB polling rate effect other USB devices like printers and mp3 players? i would imaging it wouldnt

Aslan · Feb 22, 2005

I've heard of instability problems once you get beyond 500hz, but not even the Diamondback can use polling rates that are 1000hz (although it's technically supposed to), so there's really no need to try anyhow.

sevendevilhell · Feb 22, 2005

hahahaha. i've never heard of overclocking the USB ports. interesting concept there.

aeiou · Feb 22, 2005

If you are gaming or maybe even using high-end graphics apps, usb will make a difference. For everyone else, ps/2 is probably just fine.

zip22 · Feb 23, 2005

usb is worse unless you do the changes linked to above. it probably wont be noticeable, but usb is not necessarily better

Gnufsh · Feb 23, 2005

USB is hot pluggable, although I'm not sure why you'd want to plug and unplug your mouse all the time.

Flamed_Chip · Feb 23, 2005

You can unplug and plug in a PS/2 mouse all day long and it should be fine also. I Don't know if its officially supported though. I've always stuck with using the PS/2 adapter where possible because of the increased refresh rate and lowered CPU usage.

It's also always handy to have as many free USB ports as you can.

TR_B · Feb 23, 2005

USB makes my mouse lag in games, or else when cpu usage is near 100%.
I guess it has to do with the crappy USB controller on my MoBo, my rather by now ancient CPU, only USB 1.1, or bad drivers (although I tried several).

Or does using USB require a lot more CPU cylces compared to using PS/2?

sevendevilhell · Feb 25, 2005

i was thinking that possibly USB would take more CPU power than the PS/2, just because it doesn't have the ability to operate on a base level like BIOS (you'll notice this if you have a USB keyboard plugged in, on some older boxes you have to have a PS/2 keyboard plugged in at the same time if you expect to be able to get any keyboard response before the OS boots and loads USB drivers). so it requires extra power either from the CPU, southbridge, or a USB controller chip, while the PS/2 would simply operate through the IRQ channels at a very basic level.

i'm not sure whether that's true, but it seems like that's how it would work.

TollhouseFrank · Feb 25, 2005

[threadjack]

why complain of lack of USB ports? GET A USB HUB!!!!!! I've got 2 on my computer! 1 is filled, and the other, i use as a way to hook in pendrives and other stuff that i don't use all the time.

[/threadjack]

sevendevilhell · Feb 25, 2005

i'm po'

Aslan · Feb 25, 2005

TR_B said:
USB makes my mouse lag in games, or else when cpu usage is near 100%.
I guess it has to do with the crappy USB controller on my MoBo, my rather by now ancient CPU, only USB 1.1, or bad drivers (although I tried several).

Or does using USB require a lot more CPU cylces compared to using PS/2?

Honestly, it depends. For me, I haven't noticed much difference so I keep it at USB, but some others have had major increases in CPU usage with USB.

Flamed_Chip said:
You can unplug and plug in a PS/2 mouse all day long and it should be fine also. I Don't know if its officially supported though. I've always stuck with using the PS/2 adapter where possible because of the increased refresh rate and lowered CPU usage.

Be very careful when you do this. There is a slight danger of frying your PS/2 Ports (or worse) if you remove a PS/2 mouse or keyboard while the computer is turned on. An old Asus motherboard of mine has a busted PS/2 mouse port because of this.

unreal · Feb 25, 2005

its all been said before here, however i do like usb simply for the faster connection speed, imoo.

TekXoID · Feb 27, 2005

Running 1000Hz with no issues, I really don't see how my motherboard could possibly fry just because I
have the driver asking for updates on mouse location more often, but if I do you can all laugh at me then.

any advantage of USB over PS/2?

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