Connecting A Keyboard And Mouse - Raspberry Pi User Manual

C H A P T E R 1
Assuming you're connecting the Pi to a standard HDMI display, there's very little to do at
this point . For now, it's enough to simply connect the cable .
If you're using the Pi with a DVI-D monitor via an adapter or cable, audio will not be included .
This highlights the main difference between HDMI and DVI: while HDMI can carry audio
signals, DVI cannot .
For those with DVI-D monitors, or those using the composite video output, a black 3.5 mm
audio jack located on the top edge of the Pi next to the yellow phono connector provides ana-
logue audio (see Figure 1-2) . This is the same connector used for headphones and micro-
phones on consumer audio equipment, and it's wired in exactly the same way . If you want,
you can simply connect a pair of headphones to this port for quick access to audio .
While headphones can be connected directly to the Raspberry Pi, you may find the volume a
little lacking. If possible, connect a pair of powered speakers instead. The amplifier inside will
help boost the signal to a more audible level.
If you're looking for something more permanent, you can either use standard PC speakers
that have a 3 .5 mm connector or you can buy some adapter cables . For composite video
users, a 3 .5 mm to RCA phono cable is useful . This provides the two white-and-red RCA
phono connections that sit alongside the video connection, each carrying a channel of the
stereo audio signal to the TV .
For those connecting the Pi to an amplifier or stereo system, you'll either need a 3 .5 mm to
RCA phono cable or a 3 .5 mm to 3 .5 mm cable, depending on what spare connections you
have on your system . Both cable types are readily and cheaply available at consumer elec-
tronics shops, or can be purchased even cheaper at online retailers such as Amazon .

Connecting a Keyboard and Mouse

Now that you've got your Raspberry Pi's output devices sorted, it's time to think about input .
As a bare minimum, you're going to need a keyboard, and for the majority of users, a mouse
or trackball is a necessity too .
First, some bad news: if you've got a keyboard and mouse with a PS/2 connector—a round
plug with a horseshoe-shaped array of pins—then you're going to have to go out and buy a
replacement . The old PS/2 connection has been superseded, and the Pi expects your periph-
erals to be connected over the Universal Serial Bus (USB) port .
Depending on whether you purchased the Model A or Model B, you'll have either one or two
USB ports available on the right side of the Pi (see Figure 1-4) . If you're using Model B, you
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