Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Path: news.weeg.uiowa.edu!news.uiowa.edu!hobbes.physics.uiowa.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!wupost!waikato!comp.vuw.ac.nz!actrix!dempson From: dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) Subject: Re: ImageWriter<-IIGS cable Message-ID: Organization: Actrix Information Exchange References: <2ns8dv$lsu@jadzia.csos.orst.edu> Date: Thu, 7 Apr 1994 11:41:42 GMT Lines: 80 In article <2ns8dv$lsu@jadzia.csos.orst.edu>, Yoshi wrote: > If possible, i'd like specs on how to build a ImageWriter to > IIGS printer cable; even the pinout-conversion would be good. Unless you're very good at making cables, it would probably be easier, and give a better result, if you just went out and bought one. The same cable is used to connect a Macintosh to an ImageWriter. Mini-Din-8 plugs are not easy to solder. Having said that, here are the details you'll need. You neglected to mention whether you are talking about an ImageWriter I or ImageWriter II, so I'll cover both. ImageWriter II first: Each end of the cable is a male Mini-Din-8 plug. The pinout of the IIgs and ImageWriter II are identical (the ImageWriter doesn't use pin 7, "General Purpose Input"). Looking at the socket in the IIgs or ImageWriter II, the pins are arranged as follows: 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 The pin functions are as follows: 1 Handshake Out 2 Handshake In 3 Transmit Data Minus 4 Signal Ground 5 Receive Data Minus 6 Transmit Data Plus 7 General Purpose Input (DCD input), IIgs only 8 Receive Data Plus The cable shield should be connected to the shield of both plugs - it is Frame Ground. The pin connections are basically swapped over: 1 to 2 2 to 1 3 to 5 4 to 4 5 to 3 6 to 8 8 to 6 Don't connect pin 7 at either end. The resulting cable is symmetrical. If you want to connect the IIgs to an ImageWriter I, the printer uses a male DB-25 plug, and the cable pinout is as follows: IIgs ImageWriter I 1 6 (I think) Handshake, computer to printer 2 20 Handshake, printer to computer 3 3 Data, computer to printer 4 7 Signal ground 5 2 Data, printer to computer 6 (no connection) 7 (no connection) 8 (connect to signal ground: pin 4 at the IIgs or pin 7 at the printer) Connect the shielding of the two plugs together (preferably via the cable shield), and to pin 1 (frame ground) at the printer end. I'm not sure where IIgs pin 1 should go. Pin 6 at the printer is the most likely candidate (DSR, which is an input handshake line on the printer). CTS (pin 5) is another possibility. In fact, you could connect it to both pins to be on the safe side. It is unlikely to be needed, anyway. -- David Empson dempson@actrix.gen.nz Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand