🖱️ PS2 Mouse – Description
A PS2 mouse is a wired computer mouse that connects to a computer using a PS/2 port — a round 6-pin connector that was standard on older PCs for keyboards and mice.
🔌 Connection & Interface
Connector type: PS/2 connector — a 6-pin mini-DIN plug typically green on the cable and computer port for mice.
Interface: Uses a synchronous serial communication protocol to send signals (movement and button press data) to the computer.
Unlike modern USB mice, PS2 mice are not hot-pluggable — they should be connected before turning on the computer to work properly.
🖱️ Function
A PS2 mouse performs the same basic job as any computer mouse:
Tracks movement on a surface (left/right and up/down).
Sends data to the computer to move the cursor on the screen.
Registers clicks from left, right, and sometimes middle buttons.
🧠 Technology
PS2 mice can be mechanical (with a tracking ball) or optical like many modern mice.
They communicate with the computer’s controller using serial data signals plus a clock signal — a simpler and older method compared with USB.
📜 Legacy Status
The PS/2 standard was introduced with IBM’s Personal System/2 series in 1987 and became widely used for connecting mice and keyboards on PC-compatible systems.
By the 2000s, USB largely replaced PS/2 in most new computers, but PS2 ports and mice are still supported in some systems, especially older ones.
