brodie@fps.mcw.edu (07/12/90)
I am looking to find the exact pinout (cabling configuration) for
a printer cable from DEC's 9-pin printer port (VT220) to a standard serial
printer. The pins are indeed labelled in the manual, and I've never
had problems wiring a TERMINAL, but serial printers are such awful
beasts and I want to wire it correctly.
According to the VT220 manual, DEC sells a cable (BCC05) that does
exactly what I want to, but alas, I'm not going to shell out
40 bucks for a cable I can make myself for less than 2 dollars.
Does ANYONE know the wiring layout of the BCC05, or, have you wired
a printer from the VT220? If so, I'd like to hear what layout
for the cable you used. Adva{Thanks}nce.
------
Kent C. Brodie - Systems Manager internet: brodie@fps.mcw.edu
Faculty Physicians & Surgeons uucpnet: mcw.edu!brodie
Medical College of Wisconsin voicenet: +1 414 778 4500
faxnet: +1 414 778 6694
"When I stand straight, I'm right as rain --
but when I bend over, there's a STABBING pain!" -Underdogkellsworth@pbs.org (Video Magician) (07/13/90)
In article <3517.269c3154@fps.mcw.edu>, brodie@fps.mcw.edu writes: > I am looking to find the exact pinout (cabling configuration) for > a printer cable from DEC's 9-pin printer port (VT220) to a standard serial > printer. The pins are indeed labelled in the manual, and I've never > had problems wiring a TERMINAL, but serial printers are such awful > beasts and I want to wire it correctly. Actually, Kent, you will find that serial printers are not all that complicated: Connect terminal pin 1 to printer pin 1 " " " 2 " " " 3 " " " 3 " " " 2 " " " 7 " " " 7 (You may have to swap pins 2 and 3. Check the printer manual to be sure. If you don't have the pin-out of the printer, you can try it one way. If it doesn't work, swap those wires and try it again. It won't hurt the terminal or the printer.) Your other concern, however, is being sure to match baud rates and data characteristics (7 bit, even parity, 2 stop bits or 8 bit, no parity, 1 stop bit, etc.) If you have trouble getting things chatting, go ahead and experiment. The only thing you will lose is some paper and some time. I hope this works for you. I have wired numerous terminals to printers and had no trouble just using shielded single-pair cable. The pin that I don't connect is pin 1 (Protective ground). The 2, 3, and 7 combination always works for me, even going from a DB-9 plug, like on the VT-220, to a DB-25 connector on the printer. It is just more unused pins to ignore! > According to the VT220 manual, DEC sells a cable (BCC05) that does > exactly what I want to, but alas, I'm not going to shell out > 40 bucks for a cable I can make myself for less than 2 dollars. > Does ANYONE know the wiring layout of the BCC05, or, have you wired > a printer from the VT220? If so, I'd like to hear what layout > for the cable you used. Adva{Thanks}nce. I'm sure you would find that the BCC05 is nothing more that a standard RS-232 connection with heavy-duty molded plugs on the end. Good luck. I hope I was able to shed some light on your quandry. > ------ > Kent C. Brodie - Systems Manager internet: brodie@fps.mcw.edu > Faculty Physicians & Surgeons uucpnet: mcw.edu!brodie > Medical College of Wisconsin voicenet: +1 414 778 4500 > faxnet: +1 414 778 6694 > > "When I stand straight, I'm right as rain -- > but when I bend over, there's a STABBING pain!" -Underdog ------- Keith Ellsworth, Editor Public Broadcasting Service
brodie@fps.mcw.edu (07/14/90)
In article <9546.269dae4b@pbs.org>, kellsworth@pbs.org (Video Magician) writes: > In article <3517.269c3154@fps.mcw.edu>, brodie@fps.mcw.edu writes: >> I am looking to find the exact pinout (cabling configuration) for >> a printer cable from DEC's 9-pin printer port (VT220) to a standard serial >> printer. The pins are indeed labelled in the manual, and I've never >> had problems wiring a TERMINAL, but serial printers are such awful >> beasts and I want to wire it correctly. > > Actually, Kent, you will find that serial printers are not all that > complicated: > > Connect terminal pin 1 to printer pin 1 > " " " 2 " " " 3 > " " " 3 " " " 2 > " " " 7 " " " 7 > [stuff deleted] I *know* what a STANDARD serial cable layout is, what my query is, is what the EXACT specifications are, that DEC recommends for their DEC terminals? I'm having problems with the 2/3/7 combo, and yes, all other parameters are matched. > > Good luck. I hope I was able to shed some light on your quandry. sort of... > ------ Kent C. Brodie - Sr. Systems Manager internet: brodie@fps.mcw.edu Faculty Physicians & Surgeons uucpnet: ...uwm.edu!fps!brodie Medical College of Wisconsin voicenet: +1 414 778 4500 faxnet: +1 414 778 6694 pagernet: +1 414 778 8484 (digital) "When I stand straight, I'm right as rain -- but when I bend over, there's a STABBING pain!" -Underdog
oys_carter@%odnvms@mps.ohio-state.edu (07/17/90)
In article <3517.269c3154@fps.mcw.edu>, brodie@fps.mcw.edu writes: > I am looking to find the exact pinout (cabling configuration) for > a printer cable from DEC's 9-pin printer port (VT220) to a standard serial > printer. The pins are indeed labelled in the manual, and I've never > had problems wiring a TERMINAL, but serial printers are such awful > beasts and I want to wire it correctly. > > According to the VT220 manual, DEC sells a cable (BCC05) that does > exactly what I want to, but alas, I'm not going to shell out > 40 bucks for a cable I can make myself for less than 2 dollars. > > Does ANYONE know the wiring layout of the BCC05, or, have you wired > a printer from the VT220? If so, I'd like to hear what layout > for the cable you used. Adva{Thanks}nce. The Pinout that I've used is as follows: DB25 Pinout DB9 Pinout 1 >. . . . . . . . . . . . . . < 1 3 >. . . . . . . . . . . . . . < 2 2 >. . . . . . . . . . . . . . < 3 5 >. . . . . . . . . . . . . . < 4 6 >. . . . . . . . . . . . . . < 5 20 > . . . . . . . . . . . . . < 6 7 >. . . . . . . . . . . . . . < 7 Hope that this is of some help.