[NTLK] Replacing the NIE port with a more-useful connector. (was: Re: MP2100 serial connector)

Norman Palardy wrote:
> On Oct 26, 2006, at 1:27 PM, Sonny Hung wrote:
>
>> On 10/26/06, Martin Joseph <NT@stillnewt.org> wrote:
>>> it's the connectors that are hard to find.
>> Hi Marty and all,
>>
>> This is not too hard to find.
>> To my knowledge there are some still available but the price is around
>> $35 per piece plus shipping last time I spoke to David. He still has
>> some loose. Please check with him regarding the actual selling price
>> as I'm only quoting what I was told by him the last time I asked... it
>> may have changed...
>
> Even if that connector could be "easily" removed and swapped out for
> one that is more readily available would be useful in some degree
>

I've actually done some research into this, and my proposed replacement
would definitely have to be the 30-pin dock connector manufactured by
JAE Electronics. You can get the PCB-side connector for $3.22 each in
single quantities from Mouser, a U.S. based electronics supplier.

This is exactly the same dock connector which Apple uses for their iPod,
  except it is keyed differently. The Apple-keyed version must be
licensed from Apple, and no distributor or JAE will sell them to you
(theoretically) unless you have signed Apple's iPod Accessory NDA, etc
etc. But this version is the same connector, with widespread
availability, and is relatively inexpensive, for a 30-pin connector.

http://www.mouser.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=DD1R030HA1R1300

You can read more about the JAE connector at
http://ipodlinux.org/Dock_Connector

The only real downside is the connector is a tad bit wider than the
plastic cutout on the MP2x00 series, but this could be fixed with a
dremel ;-) Yes, it's 30 pin instead of 24/25, but those might come in handy

-- 
This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all inquiries
Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/
WikiWikiNewt for all kinds of articles: http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/