Re: [NTLK] question about serial dongle

On 8/6/06, maynard@jmg.com <maynard@jmg.com> wrote:
> The interface port on the top of my 2100. I have a dongle to this
> interface which converts to din8, but it's a soft connection. That is, the
> physical connection is wearing out and so the dongle slips on and off
> easily enough to lose connectivity when the newton is moved around

One point I'd like to mention about the NIC Connector.

There were two types of NIC Connectors (male part) that were designed.
The one that most people see is the one used in the Dongle which has
two Bumps on the top side of the connector which are used for Locking
when inserted into the NIC (male) Connector on the Newton's side. I
personally have not seen any of the other type which don't have these
two Bumps as they were meant for designs such as Docking Stations or
Units because there would be no need to be locked since the dock would
hold the Newton in place.

My thought is that on some Newtons the NIC Connector on the Newton
itself has been damaged. (Possibly on yours too) The Metal Shroud can
be mis-shaped which causes a looser fit and prevents it from locking
properly. Instead of the nice straight lines and angles - it's
rounded. If this were the case on your Newton you might want to try
adjusting your Newton's shroud so that it has a tighter fit when the
Dongle is inserted.

CAUTION should be used if you attempt to try this as others have
mentioned this is a fragile item and you could damage it beyond use. I
have replacement parts but others have already pointed out that it's
pretty darn impossible to repair (solder the NIC back onto the
mainboard) though I've never heard of anyone trying to repair it with
a New part. I don't think there are anyone now on the list with the
tools or experience to repair this.

It IS usually cheaper and quicker to just replace the Mainboard - I
think the costs for the Mainboard is around $25

One other thought is to check the Bumps on the Dongle - they might be
worn out and then there is nothing you can really do about it.. (you
could get another Dongle though). Of course if you had a Docking Unit
for the Newton - the assembly which held the Dongle in place when
docked would eliminate your need to super glue your Dongle to the
Newton....

I had thought about a simple docking unit (much simpler than my
Docking Sled I had prototyped) but I don't have the time or expertise
with materials to do this and would suggest Adriano consider looking
into this as he has fabricated something in Plexiglas which is the
material of choice for my most recent brainstorming design...

Ah, I hope I haven't bored anyone with my long post...

-- 
God bless,
Sonny Hung
the Hung Family
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