Re: Second Sight and ZIP on ROM01?!?

[iigs@wam.umd.edu (Geoff Weiss - The Doctor)]

Soenke Behrens <Sbehrens@contech.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>here's a puzzler for the hardware gurus (or even Jawaid, if he's 
>listening :):

I'm not a hardware guru, but...
>
>- Where do I get a longer cable for my ZIP so it can go in slot 4? Or 

I went to a local electronics store and got a foot of ribbon cable (they
wouldn't sell me anything smaller.

>can I stuff it into slot 2 by bending the cable round? If I recall 
>correctly, the connector used on the cable is non-standard, i.e. using 
>a standard (European?) molex connector and crimping my own cable won't 
>work.

I don't know about this being a European standard.  I used the existing 
connector on the DIP end from my old cable.   The end to attach to the 
board was an in-stock item.  One thing to note here:

Use a crimp to attach this kind of connector (the molex-like connector--
can't think of the proper name).  If you use pliers to attach this
connector, you will break (or my case, severely bend--I was using
big pliers--I was too impatient to find a crimp) the connector.

>- Assuming I got myself a cable (somehow), will I not suffer from noise 
>problems? The shorter cable was not introduced without a reason. And 
>yes, the ROM01 is one of those with the ugly capacitor at the sound 
>GLU, so it really is one of the early noise-riddled systems.

I made the ribbon cable about 6 inches--I can put the Zip in slot 7
if I wanted too.  I have a ROM 1 and have experienced no problems
relating this (I just need more current).  My Zip is a 9/32.

The reason why I had to replace the cable in the first place was I
damaged the original ribbon cable.  I was trying to follow Nathan's
advice to reverse the connectors and put the Zip in slot 1.  I ended
up shorting the ribbon cable while trying to pry off connectors.

Geoff
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