PS/2 vs USB ports for keyboard?

[alfaniner]

I just got a new multimedia keyboard which is really slick. There is an option to plug it in using either a USB port or the dedicated keyboard port which I think is called a PS/2. Is there any advantage of using the USB over the PS/2?

I've tried it both ways and haven't noticed any difference. I have a USB hub but I've already got so much stuff plugged into it already -- as long as the dedicated PS/2 port is there I thought I'd use it as it's for the keyboard and nothing else.

 

[Frinkiak7]

The only advantage that I can think of to using a USB port would be that you can plug/unplug from the USB while the PC is running with no adverse effects. That doesn't always work with the PS/2 connector, although I've had more problems with mice than keyboards in that regard.

 

[richardm]

You're unlikely to use the PS/2 port for anything else, so you might as well plug it in there and keep a USB port free. I wouldn't imagine that you'd notice any difference whatsoever.

 

[alfaniner]

That was my thought, and I switched it to the PS/2 port. However, at one point the keyboard stopped working so I switched it back to the USB port and will leave it there. Since I have a new hub I have plenty of extra slots now.

 

[teddygrahams]

If you don't use the Ps2 mouse, you can free up an interrupt for some other needed board. Maybe that's not a problem now with interrupt sharing, but before it could help you shoehorn an extra board in a PC.