Re: Imagewriter cables vs. switch box cables

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <4urtuf$eqq@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, krinibar@aol.com (Krinibar)
wrote:

>I keep buying Imagewriter cables (minidin8 I think their called) to use
>with a switch box.  The trouble is they work with an individual printer,
>but not on the switchbox.

Let me guess: you are trying to use a IIgs-to-ImageWriter cable (or
Mac-to-ImageWriter) between the computer and the switchbox, and another
one between the switchbox and the printer?

If so, the problem is likely to be that the switchbox is passing the
signals straight through (instead of swapping the signal pairs), and you
need a straight-through cable on one side of the box (to the printer,
assuming you want to share a single printer between multiple computers).

The standard ImageWriter II cable swaps the various signal pairs, because
all Apple-compatible devices with Mini-Din-8 serial ports (with the
exception of some switch boxes) use the same pinout.

If you cannot locate a straight-through cable, you might be able to get an
extender cable (female to male) and a Mini-Din-8 male-to-male gender
changer, though I've never seen either of these items available locally.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail Mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand