What part of UNIVERSAL Serial Bus don't you understand?!

[ManekiNeko]

I'm still trying to figure out why Sony bothered to include a USB port in its Playstation 2. As far as I can tell, its uses are limited at best, which makes me wonder why they even bothered to include it in the first place. The USB standard is supposed to be extremely versatile, accepting a wide variety of peripherals and accessories, yet the PS2 is only compatible with a small handful of USB products. With this in mind, it makes me wonder why Sony didn't make the ports on the PS2 entirely proprietary... I have a nasty feeling that people are going to try to plug USB devices into their PS2s that just don't belong, and they'll be very unhappy with the results.

JR

[YoshiM]

While the USB is supposed to be this neat universal thing where everything has the same connector and it just plugs in. That's where "universal" pretty much ends. Yes you can plug a USB device into any USB port but the computer still needs drivers to know how to use the thing. If I'm not mistaken, the idea behind USB devices was that the drivers were going to be built into the device so that there was no worries if it would work or not. However, changing states of operating systems, platforms, and the battle to have the cheapest price probably had manufacturers change their tune and just have the plug but then have a driver disk for your machine. Hence why many USB devices don't work with the PS2 unless the manufacturer puts more work in to make it work universally.

Believe me, I'd like true "universal" devices too.

[Shadysmurf]

I use it to use my Sharkport to backup saves, and xfer saves into my memory card...

[Starcade]

A few months ago when I played EQOA, I found the USB port to be vital, as I plugged in a keyboard, which, playing any MMORPG without talking or having the ability to type is like trying to run with no legs. :/

[Sylentwulf]

I can charge my Gameboy Advance SP off the USB port on my PS2. Hows THAT for ironic? ;)

[Starcade]

How does that work man, does the SP come with a USB charging adaptor?

[maxlords]

Hmmmm....I just ride the Universal Short Bus........

And the Trance Vibrator is USB :D And the Guncom 2 uses it, but irritatingly still requires the Video AV input as well.

[Sylentwulf]

How does that work man, does the SP come with a USB charging adaptor?

No, I sell them at my ebay store, and I usually keep one of everything I sell ;) Really handy for international travel since it'll work in any USB port anywhere in the world, I HATE stepdown converters.