info-mac@uw-beaver (info-mac) (07/19/84)
From: mclure@Sri-Unix.arpa The problem of hooking up a Mac with a Vadic 3451P modem begins to seem more difficult. What is needed is a DB9/DB25 adaptor. Unfortunately, it isn't available from any of the dozen-or-so Apple dealers I called. So I called Apple, and they said the dealers could order it. But that takes time. This adaptor allows RS-232 to talk with whatever that new "standard" Apple has installed in the back of the Mac. (Aside: why can't these companies stick with standards!! And save us all these hassles!) I intend to follow another course. A company in Sunnyvale called INMAC will manufacture any particular adapter you like given the particular configuration of pins involved on both ends. You send this configuration to INMAC 130 S Wolfe Rd Sunnyvale, Ca. 94086 And hopefully, they will be able to put together something for you. Rumor has it that the Apple 1200 modem comes with a special adapter kit, but of the dealers I queried, none of them would open a package to show me the adapter. Stuart
info-mac@uw-beaver (info-mac) (07/20/84)
From: Mark H. Nodine <mnodine@BBNH.ARPA> The problem with ordering cables from Inmac (or anywhere else) is that they are likely to be quite expensive (my local Apple dealer quoted me a price of around $35). If you have access to a soldering iron, you can make your own with a little phone wire and some connectors you can get at radio shack for about $8. It takes only about half an hour. Have fun, Mark
info-mac@uw-beaver (info-mac) (07/20/84)
From: Dick Kalagher <kalagher@mitre> I made a cable to go from the MAC to an rs-232 with about $6 worth of parts that you can get from any Radio Shack. Youn need a DB-9 and db-25 male plug. Radio Shack calls them "subminiture D" plugs, I believe. I also got a roll of 4 conductor cable but you can make do with, forexample, 2 speaker wires. I would recommend the "solder type" of plugs since it is very easy to solder the connections. You should also buy the covers for the plugs so youn don't put strain on the cable. If you need the pin connections I will send them but they are on another disk which I can't load while I'm writing this. (One disadvantage of the paperless office!) By the way, I would not call the DB-9 another "standard". My ATARI also uses a DB-9 plug, but the pin connections are completely different. The 232 side however *is* standard, so it should plug into almost any modem
dbo@cosivax.UUCP (07/20/84)
Hooking a Mac up with a modem is actually very simple. The db9 connectors are readily available and if you have any skill with a soldering iron a db9 <-> db25 adapter will take about 15 minutes to put together. The connector just uses a reduced number of the rs232 signals, not a completely different interface. One of the early issues of ST.Mac had a diagram showing which pins on the mac side went to which pins on the modem side. Using this diagram I made a cable by substituting the appropriate db25 pins for the corresponding db9 signals (on the modem side). If anyone is interested I can post the specifics. The Apple modem is (as I understand from rumors) a Hayes compatible, so all it does to dial is transmit the appropriate Hayes command to dial. I have a U.S. Robotics modem that works fine with the pre-release MacTerminal. -Doug sb1!mb2c!uofm-cv!cosivax!dbo