Legacy port

A parallel port implemented as a PCI card. Users can use expansion cards to add deprecated legacy ports to newer computer systems that don't provide them.

A legacy port is a computer port or connector that is considered fully or partially superseded. The replacement ports usually provide the functionality of the legacy ports with higher speeds, more compact design, or plug and play and hot swap for greater ease of use; special USB adapters are often used to replicate the connectors for older devices. Modern motherboards utilize separate Super I/O controllers to provide legacy ports since current chipsets do not offer direct support for them. A category of computers called legacy-free PCs omits these ports, typically retaining only USB for external expansion.

Common legacy ports

• Centronics Parallel port (typical uses: printer)[1]
• External Parallel SCSI
• AT connector / DIN (typical uses: keyboard)
• Serial port / RS-232 (typical uses: console, modem, mouse)[2]
• PS/2 connector / 6 Pin mini-DIN (typical uses: keyboard, mouse)[3][4][5]
• Game port / DA-15 (typical uses: MIDI, gaming devices such as joysticks)[6]
• Apple Desktop Bus / mini-DIN (typical uses: low speed external peripherals; such as keyboard, mouse, or joystick)
• Localtalk / mini-DIN (typical uses: OldWorld Macintosh printer and LAN)
• Industry Standard Architecture / ISA bus (typical uses: connect peripheral cards to motherboard)[7]
• VGA / DE-15 (typical uses: display connector)[8]

See also

• Legacy system
• Legacy code
• Legacy encoding