On 15/09/2010 07:54, Lobster wrote:

What does an intelligent one do? I have what I'm sure must be a 'dumb'
converter (99p off ebay) to use an old PS/2 keyboard with my laptop or
my son's Playstation, and it works fine?

There's USB compatible intelligence inside your modern keyboard, the 99p
dumb adaptor merely sorts the interwiring out.

Older PS/2 mice, keyboards and KVMs don't have this so need the external
USB smarts.

--
Adrian C