[NTLK] USB to Newton Interconnect cables

[Andrei Chichak]

> On 2016-February-04, at 5:51 PM, David Arnold <davida at pobox.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> I’ve been investigating the possibility of making a batch of USB (type A) to Newton Interconnect cables, with an embedded FTDI USB-RS232 convertor.
> 
> These would support direct, dongle-less connection of an MP2000, MP2100 or an eMate300 to a modern Mac or PC.  With recent versions of OSX and Windows (and almost any version of Linux) the FTDI serial adaptor drivers are built in, but they’re also freely available from FTDI.
> 
> Pricing is still TBD, but it’s looking like it won’t be as cheap as I’d like: the Interconnect plugs are being quoted at about USD20 each, so a cable will likely cost at least USD30 to make, plus shipping and a share of the fixed costs.  I’m still trying to bring that price down, but for now let’s say USD35 each.

At one point I investigated doing exactly this same thing, to the point of buying 300 interconnect plugs (still in a box above my work bench) and getting some boards made.

I suspect that software people shouldn’t lay out circuit boards without a hardware person peering over their shoulder, I managed to get both the USB B connector and the interconnect connector onto the wrong side of the board. DOH!

As Jake can attest (if he feels like it) I have a bunch of the interconnect plugs sitting around doing nothing, and they can be made available to the proper project.


I have some concerns, you say you are looking at using USB A connectors. Those are the ones that you have on your PC. These are for Host side devices, you will be making a device and should be using a B.

Andrei