Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
and green for wired mouse connections. Figure 4.20 shows a PS/2 port on a computer, and
Figure 4.21 shows the corresponding connector on a cable.
FIGURE 4.20
A PS/2 port
FIGURE 4.21
A PS/2 cable connector
Legacy Serial Port
Serial ports aren't used for many consumer devices anymore, having mostly been replaced
by USB. They're now referred to as
legacy serial
, with
legacy
being a polite word for
outdated.
A legacy serial connector was a 9-pin (or, even older, 25-pin) connector, similar to a
VGA connector but with only two rows of pins. It was an inexpensive connector used with
devices that didn't require high data throughput, but it was replaced almost a decade ago
by USB. Figure 4.22 shows a DB9M serial port on a computer. (Remember, DB means it
has a D-shaped ring around it, 9 is the number of pins, and M means there are pins rather
than holes.) Another name for this type of connection is RS232.
FIGURE 4.22
A serial connector
