[NTLK] USB to Newton Interconnect cables

Matthias Melcher mm at matthiasm.com
Wed Feb 10 16:39:12 EST 2016


Sorry, again, late to the game. A few thoughts, if I may:

 * Use the "normal" port. If you use the modem port or the keyboard port, users will have to get software onto their machine to use you cable, but need your cable to get software on it. Back to the hen-and-egg problem at least for ne users.

 * If you use and FTDI, adding a differential driver is not a huge problem, and increases transmission quality greatly

 * Remember "slowdown.exe" on Windows machines? NewtonOS has a bug that misses bytes on the serial port if the timing is different from the old Mac connections. Before you order PCBs, make sure that your boards manage to get the timing right, and large packets transfer well, and you can create and restore backups (the most demanding serial port action).

Hope that helps. Much success!


PS: I'll be happy to resolder USB001 modules if anyone needs them fixed. No warranties, it's a purely private favor.

 - Matthias


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