[NTLK] NewtonTalk Digest, Vol 26, Issue 6

Mark Crutch mark.crutch at gmail.com
Sat Feb 6 04:43:07 EST 2016


>
> > I have some concerns, you say you are looking at using USB A connectors.
> Those are the ones that you have on your PC. These are for Host side
> devices, you will be making a device and should be using a B.
>
> My plan, thus far at least, is to make a cable that will have a USB 2.0
> (?) type A male connector on one end (suitable for plugging into a PC, Mac,
> Raspberry Pi, standard USB hub, etc), and FTDI USB-serial bridge in the
> middle, and the Newton Interconnect port on the other end.
>
> My understanding is that if it was to be a ?dongle?, that the upstream
> port on the dongle should be a type B, but that since the cable is embedded
> in the device (well, the device is embedded in the cable, really) that a
> type A is the right choice.
>


How about making it a short cable that stops at the USB-serial bridge,
terminating with a USB type B socket? That way users could source their own
type A to type B cable (I'll bet that most of us have one or two kicking
around from old printers), letting them choose a length that's appropriate
for their setup.

One other idea might be to break it down entirely into two detachable leads
and an FTDI dongle in the middle. Have USB type B on one side of the
dongle, and an Apple Serial mini-DIN on the other. That way the
interconnect leads could be used to connect to a third-party USB-to-Apple
Serial adaptor, or the dongle could be used with an Apple Serial lead to
connect other Newtons to a modern machine. Of course this assumes that the
serial signal from the interconnect port is electrically compatible with
Apple Serial ports. Anyone wanting an all-in-one cable can fix the leads in
place with a bit of glue or electrical tape ;)


Mark



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