2 keyboards to one computer. How?

Factual Questions
1

Does anybody have any ideas how I can connect two keyboards to one computer for under $20?

I see these PS/2 splitters for laptops that allow the user to connect a PS/2 mouse and a PS/2 keyboard to a single PS/2 port, but will those work for two keyboards?

I know Belkin makes a splitter, but it’s around $50 or so. I’d really like to do this for about $20 if possible.

2

You can purchase a USB keyboard at any computer store which would plug into a USB port while you keep the original keyboard in the PS2 port.

Whether the OS2 will support 2 keyboards without IRQ or other conflicts, I’m not sure. What would be the purpose of having two keyboards? Two people typing at once would not be a good idea IMHO.

3

Thanks, I wasn’t sure if a USB keyboard would work in conjunction with a PS/2.

If it makes any difference (to satisfy curiosity at the least) I need two keyboards for gaming.

I am making my own video arcade machine, using a PC to run games. I have altered the PCB of a keyboard to connect the different signal wires to the buttons (“fire 1”, “fire 2”, “punch”, “duck” are mapped to “Alt”, “Ctrl”, “A” and “D” for example). However, I want to run a second keyboard for other functions (when I’m, not playing games) like startup, shutdown, etc.

So, both keyboards do not need to have input at the same time, but I’d like to be able to switch back and forth easily and quickly (automatically if possible).

4

Thanks, I wasn’t sure if a USB keyboard would work in conjunction with a PS/2. Would the computer (Win 98) know how to handle two keyboards like that?

If it makes any difference (to satisfy curiosity at the least) I need two keyboards for gaming.

I am making my own video arcade machine, using a PC to run games. I have altered the PCB of a keyboard to connect the different signal wires to the buttons (“fire 1”, “fire 2”, “punch”, “duck” are mapped to “Alt”, “Ctrl”, “A” and “D” for example). However, I want to run a second keyboard for other functions (when I’m, not playing games) like startup, shutdown, etc.

So, both keyboards do not need to have input at the same time, but I’d like to be able to switch back and forth easily and quickly (automatically if possible).

5

Two USB keyboards or one USB and one PS2 will work fine together. To minimize driver issues it would probably be best if they were were not the same brand, and one was a fairly minimalist non-feature laden kind.