what was it?

[iamdigitalman]

ok, I went to a indoor sale today, and besides a HP Laserjet 5p with mac serial connection (sorry, i'm saving up for a colour stylewriter), I came along a cable in a box. on one end it had what appeared to be a mac serial or geoport jack, the other end was a DE-9 female serial connection, and there were two barbs along the cable.

Do you think it will work with anything, or will it only work with something in particular? I did not get it, nor did I ask what it was for, though I should have I know.

If it did work with anything, that would be awesome for two reasons:

1. I could hook my dell PC to my mac

2. I could hook the serial end into the USB->serial adapter hooked into my B&W, and then use the other end to connect to whatever vintage mac gear that would need it (E.G. a newton)

any thoughts?

-digital

 

[bluekatt]

i think a picture of it would help

 

[iamdigitalman]

oops, sorry, I did not take a picture of it. Using my photographic memory, I discribed it as best i could. Sorry I can't download the pics off my memory on to the interwebs...

-digital

 

[Quadraman]

Here is a list of common devices using a DE 9 connector that I found for you. Maybe it will help.

http://pinouts.ru/connector/9_pin_D-SUB_female_connector.shtml

Now, notice the original Macintosh mouse and pre-Plus Macintosh serial connector are both on there. Also the Apple 300/1200 baud modem cable and Apple Laserwriter Appletalk connection. They have to be related to this mystery in some way. My guess without seeing it is it was the cable that was needed to connect the 5P to the Mac.

 

[iamdigitalman]

no no, the laserjet 5P had a DB-8 or whatever serial port on the back. besides, it only came with the parallel cable.

Maybe it was used on a PC to connect some mac perhiperal. I'm thinking either a quicktake, or a newton. The cable was white, so I doubt it was a apple manufactured cable.

If they have the sale again tommarow, I may go back and ask them. You never know...

-digital

 

[oldappleguy]

Where was this sale?

 

[bluekatt]

or maybe just pick up the cable

 

[Charlieman]

Probably a serial cable converter from the Mac Plus era. Lots of people acquired converters so that they could connect peripherals from the 128 or 512 (9 pin male D connectors) to a Mac Plus (mini DIN).

 

[MacMan]

I have a cable like that, only the 9 pin end is male. I'm pretty sure they are for seriel modems, so that the cable can be exchanged easily for Mac / PC use. However, I've never actually seen a modem with that kind of connector, so don't take my word for it.

 

[Scott Baret]

My guess is an Imagewriter I cable for a Plus that adapts to the cable normally used for a 128K/512K. I have one much shorter than this for that purpose.