Will USB function as a game port

[Jo L]

I have an old Jump Music keyboard new in the box. Jump Music has long
gone out of business. To my surprise, the "learn to play" software did
install on my current laptop running XP-Pro. The keyboard (requiring
no separate power supply) is supposed to connect to the PC through a
"game port" with the fifteen-pin cable supplied. The problem is that
my Dell laptop does not have a fifteen-pin port to accept the male end
of the cable. If I am able to purchase a cable to connect the keyboard
to the USB port, do any of you have an opinion on whether the USB will
operate the same way as a game port?

 

[philo]

I have an old Jump Music keyboard new in the box. Jump Music has long
gone out of business. To my surprise, the "learn to play" software did
install on my current laptop running XP-Pro. The keyboard (requiring
no separate power supply) is supposed to connect to the PC through a
"game port" with the fifteen-pin cable supplied. The problem is that
my Dell laptop does not have a fifteen-pin port to accept the male end
of the cable. If I am able to purchase a cable to connect the keyboard
to the USB port, do any of you have an opinion on whether the USB will
operate the same way as a game port?

In theory, something like this should work

http://www.usbgear.com/computer_cable_details.cfm?sku=ijoy1&cats=106&catid=626

But without trying it, it's hard to say for sure

 

[Leonard Grey]

It won't.

 

[Anteaus]

Other option is to look for a Soundblaster PCI card on Ebay. Many of them
have a game port.

 

[philo]

Other option is to look for a Soundblaster PCI card on Ebay. Many of them
have a game port.

OP said he has a laptop

 

[Dick D.]

OP said he has a laptop

That makes a difference? <snork>

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have an old Jump Music keyboard new in the box. Jump Music has
long gone out of business. To my surprise, the "learn to play"
software did install on my current laptop running XP-Pro. The
keyboard (requiring no separate power supply) is supposed to
connect to the PC through a "game port" with the fifteen-pin cable
supplied. The problem is that my Dell laptop does not have a
fifteen-pin port to accept the male end of the cable. If I am able
to purchase a cable to connect the keyboard to the USB port, do any
of you have an opinion on whether the USB will operate the same way
as a game port?

Other option is to look for a Soundblaster PCI card on Ebay. Many
of them have a game port.

OP said he has a laptop

That makes a difference? <snork>

Although, there are laptop *docks* that have PCI slots, I would venture to
state that most laptops do not have PCI slots that would work with the
suggested solution.

So, yes - the fact that the OP has a laptop and has not provided information
as to whether or not a docking solution is involved, much less one with an
available PCI slot would make a difference whether or not the solution given
("... look for a Soundblaster PCI card on Ebay ...") is a viable one or just
a shot in the dark.

Now - one could expand on that solution with suggestions for
PC/PCMCIA/USB/etc solutions - something the OP could come back and provide
available specs for said laptop and a viable solution just might be located.
Then again - might not. Although I would bet there is some "USB-to-xxxx"
device out there. hah

 

[Jo L]

Although, there are laptop *docks* that have PCI slots, I would venture to
state that most laptops do not have PCI slots that would work with the
suggested solution.

So, yes - the fact that the OP has a laptop and has not provided information
as to whether or not a docking solution is involved, much less one with an
available PCI slot would make a difference whether or not the solution given
("... look for a Soundblaster PCI card on Ebay ...") is a viable one or just
a shot in the dark.

Now - one could expand on that solution with suggestions for
PC/PCMCIA/USB/etc solutions - something the OP could come back and provide
available specs for said laptop and a viable solution just might be located.
Then again - might not. Although I would bet there is some "USB-to-xxxx"
device out there. hah

From OP: This Dell Inspiron 8100 laptop has two USB slots and two
PCMCIA slots and typical ports for external monitor, keyboard and
mouse - but no way to connect a PCI Soundblaster card or the existing
15-pin cable. I have a docking station but have never had cause to use
it. In looking at the dock, it has the same ports as the laptop but
not the game port.

When I first bought the subject piano keyboard, I connected it to a
very old Dell Latitude LM laptop (which I no longer have) running
Windows 95 using a matching docking station that did have the
necessary female 15-pin game port.

In searching Ebay and PC zone, PCMCIA and USB notebook Soundblaster
devices do not appear to be available with the 15-pin port. Those
with cables provide accommodation for parallel and serial connections.

I will look further into a PCMCIA solution and will let you all know
if I find one. Otherwise, I might have to try and purchase a PCI card
with 15-pin accommodation and see if I can get the keyboard working
with a desktop PC...or just forget about the piano and maybe take up
the accordian or bagpipes - ya think?

Jo

 

[Richard in AZ]

| On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 18:08:16 -0600, "Shenan Stanley"
|
| >Jo L wrote:
| >> I have an old Jump Music keyboard new in the box. Jump Music has
| >> long gone out of business. To my surprise, the "learn to play"
| >> software did install on my current laptop running XP-Pro. The
| >> keyboard (requiring no separate power supply) is supposed to
| >> connect to the PC through a "game port" with the fifteen-pin cable
| >> supplied. The problem is that my Dell laptop does not have a
| >> fifteen-pin port to accept the male end of the cable. If I am able
| >> to purchase a cable to connect the keyboard to the USB port, do any
| >> of you have an opinion on whether the USB will operate the same way
| >> as a game port?
| >
| >Anteaus wrote:
| >> Other option is to look for a Soundblaster PCI card on Ebay. Many
| >> of them have a game port.
| >
| >philo wrote:
| >> OP said he has a laptop
| >
| >Dick D. wrote:
| >> That makes a difference? <snork>
| >
| >Although, there are laptop *docks* that have PCI slots, I would venture to
| >state that most laptops do not have PCI slots that would work with the
| >suggested solution.
| >
| >So, yes - the fact that the OP has a laptop and has not provided information
| >as to whether or not a docking solution is involved, much less one with an
| >available PCI slot would make a difference whether or not the solution given
| >("... look for a Soundblaster PCI card on Ebay ...") is a viable one or just
| >a shot in the dark.
| >
| >Now - one could expand on that solution with suggestions for
| >PC/PCMCIA/USB/etc solutions - something the OP could come back and provide
| >available specs for said laptop and a viable solution just might be located.
| >Then again - might not. Although I would bet there is some "USB-to-xxxx"
| >device out there. hah
| >
| >--
| >Shenan Stanley
| > MS-MVP
|
|
|
| From OP: This Dell Inspiron 8100 laptop has two USB slots and two
| PCMCIA slots and typical ports for external monitor, keyboard and
| mouse - but no way to connect a PCI Soundblaster card or the existing
| 15-pin cable. I have a docking station but have never had cause to use
| it. In looking at the dock, it has the same ports as the laptop but
| not the game port.
|
| When I first bought the subject piano keyboard, I connected it to a
| very old Dell Latitude LM laptop (which I no longer have) running
| Windows 95 using a matching docking station that did have the
| necessary female 15-pin game port.
|
| In searching Ebay and PC zone, PCMCIA and USB notebook Soundblaster
| devices do not appear to be available with the 15-pin port. Those
| with cables provide accommodation for parallel and serial connections.
|
| I will look further into a PCMCIA solution and will let you all know
| if I find one. Otherwise, I might have to try and purchase a PCI card
| with 15-pin accommodation and see if I can get the keyboard working
| with a desktop PC...or just forget about the piano and maybe take up
| the accordian or bagpipes - ya think?
|
| Jo

Google for "usb to game port" and you will find a lot of adapters.