A/B switch for ribbon cable?
Suppose I have two computers, I want to connect both of them through 20-pin ribbon cables to the same device, and I want to be able to easily swap which one is live via some kind of A/B switch. Does that exist? What's it called, so I can get one?
You can probably use a 25-pin A/B switch (super common, used for switching a printer between two PCs) and just make up cables for it. Just make sure it's the printer variety, with all pins switched -- some of the ones intended for RS-232 don't switch every single pin. Thanks, Jonathan On Fri, Jun 22, 2018 at 12:17 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Suppose I have two computers, I want to connect both of them through 20-pin ribbon cables to the same device, and I want to be able to easily swap which one is live via some kind of A/B switch.
Does that exist? What's it called, so I can get one?
On Fri, Jun 22, 2018 at 12:22 PM, systems_glitch via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
You can probably use a 25-pin A/B switch (super common, used for switching a printer between two PCs) and just make up cables for it. Just make sure it's the printer variety, with all pins switched -- some of the ones intended for RS-232 don't switch every single pin.
Right. Check all pins. Even on the "full" ones, some of them have 24-pole switches not 25-pole. -ethan
Yes, but he said he only needs 20 pins. Bill S. -----Original Message----- From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic-bounces@lists.vcfed.org] On Behalf Of Ethan Dicks via vcf-midatlantic Sent: Friday, June 22, 2018 1:57 PM To: vcf-midatlantic Cc: Ethan Dicks Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] A/B switch for ribbon cable? On Fri, Jun 22, 2018 at 12:22 PM, systems_glitch via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
You can probably use a 25-pin A/B switch (super common, used for switching a printer between two PCs) and just make up cables for it. Just make sure it's the printer variety, with all pins switched -- some of the ones intended for RS-232 don't switch every single pin.
Right. Check all pins. Even on the "full" ones, some of them have 24-pole switches not 25-pole. -ethan --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus
On Fri, Jun 22, 2018 at 2:37 PM, William Sudbrink via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Yes, but he said he only needs 20 pins.
You have to be sure to use the correct 20 out of 25 or sadness ensues. -ethan
-----Original Message----- From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic-bounces@lists.vcfed.org] On Behalf Of Ethan Dicks via vcf-midatlantic Sent: Friday, June 22, 2018 1:57 PM To: vcf-midatlantic Cc: Ethan Dicks Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] A/B switch for ribbon cable?
On Fri, Jun 22, 2018 at 12:22 PM, systems_glitch via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
You can probably use a 25-pin A/B switch (super common, used for switching a printer between two PCs) and just make up cables for it. Just make sure it's the printer variety, with all pins switched -- some of the ones intended for RS-232 don't switch every single pin.
Right. Check all pins. Even on the "full" ones, some of them have 24-pole switches not 25-pole.
-ethan
--- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus
Very true. -----Original Message----- From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic-bounces@lists.vcfed.org] On Behalf Of Ethan Dicks via vcf-midatlantic Sent: Friday, June 22, 2018 2:50 PM To: vcf-midatlantic Cc: Ethan Dicks Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] A/B switch for ribbon cable? On Fri, Jun 22, 2018 at 2:37 PM, William Sudbrink via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Yes, but he said he only needs 20 pins.
You have to be sure to use the correct 20 out of 25 or sadness ensues. -ethan
-----Original Message----- From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic-bounces@lists.vcfed.org] On Behalf Of Ethan Dicks via vcf-midatlantic Sent: Friday, June 22, 2018 1:57 PM To: vcf-midatlantic Cc: Ethan Dicks Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] A/B switch for ribbon cable?
On Fri, Jun 22, 2018 at 12:22 PM, systems_glitch via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
You can probably use a 25-pin A/B switch (super common, used for switching a printer between two PCs) and just make up cables for it. Just make sure it's the printer variety, with all pins switched -- some of the ones intended for RS-232 don't switch every single pin.
Right. Check all pins. Even on the "full" ones, some of them have 24-pole switches not 25-pole.
-ethan
--- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus
On 06/22/2018 12:17 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
Suppose I have two computers, I want to connect both of them through 20-pin ribbon cables to the same device, and I want to be able to easily swap which one is live via some kind of A/B switch.
Does that exist? What's it called, so I can get one?
They're generally called "A/B switches". What I'd do in your situation is get some crimp-on IDC DB25 connectors, crimp them onto your cables, pick up an all-pins-switched DB25 A/B switch on eBay (should be < $15) and be good to go. -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
I would "stomp on" a db-25 connector to each of the cables and use a standard serial switch box. Bill S. -----Original Message----- From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic-bounces@lists.vcfed.org] On Behalf Of Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic Sent: Friday, June 22, 2018 12:18 PM To: vcf-midatlantic Cc: Evan Koblentz Subject: [vcf-midatlantic] A/B switch for ribbon cable? Suppose I have two computers, I want to connect both of them through 20-pin ribbon cables to the same device, and I want to be able to easily swap which one is live via some kind of A/B switch. Does that exist? What's it called, so I can get one? --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus
On Fri, Jun 22, 2018 at 12:31 PM William Sudbrink via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
I would "stomp on" a db-25 connector to each of the cables and use a standard serial switch box.
Bill S.
-----Original Message----- From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic-bounces@lists.vcfed.org] On Behalf Of Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic Sent: Friday, June 22, 2018 12:18 PM To: vcf-midatlantic Cc: Evan Koblentz Subject: [vcf-midatlantic] A/B switch for ribbon cable?
Suppose I have two computers, I want to connect both of them through 20-pin ribbon cables to the same device, and I want to be able to easily swap which one is live via some kind of A/B switch.
Does that exist? What's it called, so I can get one?
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Dumb question - are you sure it's not 25 pins? What is the 20 pin cable for the Lego robot? b
Dumb question
Yes, it is. :)
are you sure it's not 25 pins?
I'm definitely not as good at math as most people in this group, but I can count to 20 in decimal.
What is the 20 pin cable for the Lego robot?
It connects the cards to the interface box. We have a (clone) Lego card for the Apple II (which I'm using with a Laser 128) and an original Lego card for the IBM PC (which I'm using with a Compaq Portable III). I will need to swap the interface box between these computers on a regular basis, so it would be nice to have a switch device rather than keep plugging/unplugging the cable.
participants (6)
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Bill Degnan -
Dave McGuire -
Ethan Dicks -
Evan Koblentz -
systems_glitch -
William Sudbrink