[NTLK] Newton USB Dongle

Mon Feb 6 07:19:41 EST 2017

I have a few internal modem connectors still here. If the demand is big enough, we can have more made by JAE. The minimum order is 300. This is btw how I got mine in the first place. The external connector can no longer be ordered though.

> On Feb 6, 2017, at 5:26 AM, Sonny Hung <sonnyhung at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi Everyone,
> 
> Can I suggest someone check back into the archives.
> I know there was another user on the list who had a decent stash of the NIC
> connecters.
> They were selling them back awhile but I didn't need any myself and of
> course back then his price was a bit more than I wanted to pay per piece.
> Does anyone recall the individual? They were selling other Newton stuff
> back then. Hopefully this might help which ever direction this discussion
> is headed towards. Still lurking around. HTH
> 
> God bless,
> 
> Sonny Hung
> the Hung Family
> 
> On Sun, Feb 5, 2017 at 10:24 PM, Jeff Sheldon <jeffsheldon at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Jake,
>> 
>> Really cool about the wifi module. I'll look it over in more detail in the
>> morning.
>> 
>> In this post-wired world, it seems like network is ideal for syncs and
>> package installs.  Do we have a serial over TCP/IP solution yet?  I think
>> of socat under Linux as an example of a similar beast.
>> 
>> USB-C seems like a good solution for power and data, but I haven't looked
>> at the specs yet.
>> 
>> 
>> -Jeff
>> 
>>> On Feb 5, 2017, at 15:30, Jake Bordens <jake at allaboutjake.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Jeff, the design is open for non-commercial use..
>> http://retronewton.blogspot.com or https://github.com/jake-b/
>> Newton-Internal-WiFi
>>> 
>>> The board’s dimensions and fit are from trial and error, and probably
>> not perfect, but they work for a wifi card.. You don’t need the internal
>> screw because there aren’t any external mechanical stresses on the board.
>>> 
>>> The module I chose because of its PPPD functionality, but an ESP8266 or
>> ESP32 would probably work with a SLIP or PPPD stack (I’m not sure if
>> something like that exists, or if it would need to be written).. An ESP
>> module would be better because the ConnectOne module is under encryption
>> export protection for some reason I don’t understand.
>>> 
>>> I am not sure about USB-C either.  You’d definitely need some
>> device-side circuitry to negotiate and request the 12v power supply.  I’m
>> sure it’ll eventually be available in a commodity part.
>>> 
>>> Given the two serial channels on the internal connector, would be
>> possible to do a dual WiFi/USB card, for sure.  I also know Matthias was
>> working on something ESP8266 based too.
>>> 
>>> Jake
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 2/5/17, 4:21 PM, "newtontalk-bounces at newtontalk.net on behalf of
>> Jeff Sheldon" <newtontalk-bounces at newtontalk.net on behalf of
>> jeffsheldon at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>   Tony,
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   It’s probably pretty likely that a USB to RS422 mini-din8 doesn’t
>> exist,
>>>   but it’s likely that two compatible ends can be sourced based on a
>> quick
>>>   Amazon search.  I’ll go ahead and build one just a as a
>> proof-of-concept.
>>>   I’m happy to see many solutions for USB-to-RS232 FTDI (cut wire)
>> cables out
>>>   there presenting a variety of options.
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   One issue I recall with the SER-001 was that people said it would
>> cause
>>>   slight deformation to the case and even cracking because the PCB was
>> thick
>>>   and pressed up against the case.  I’m glad to see thinner PCBs readily
>>>   available from DIY shops like OSH Park.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   Jake,
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   I read about the WIFI board a while back, but memory escapes me—is
>> that
>>>   your design?  Very cool.  the ESP chips are so amazingly dynamic and
>> cheap
>>>   that I can easily see that being a good solution for a variety of
>> needs.
>>>   USB-C is definitely forward-thinking…I don’t have anything that can
>> talk to
>>>   it, but I think it’s worth pursuing for the long haul.
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   There was some talk on here last spring about using cheap, highly
>> flexible,
>>>   chips to expand Newton functionality in various ways (from the
>> internal
>>>   port) other than for just network or sync.  Do you recall the width
>> of the
>>>   PCB on your design and do you have some photos of the product
>> online?  Is
>>>   this a closed design?
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   Dennis, thanks for that.  Yes, “unscrupulous”. :-)
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   Does your SER-001 fit well or do you have that issue I was mentioning
>> with
>>>   case fitment and pressure being applied by the thick PCB?
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   David,
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   I’ve, too, have occasionally found the interconnect plug/sockets, but
>> yes,
>>>   it’s amazingly difficult and they tend to no longer be available.
>> I’ll
>>>   look into seeing if a new connector board can be made to sit on top
>> of the
>>>   old pads and still use the existing case footprint.  If I recall
>> correctly,
>>>   I think even the original iPod/Pad/Phone connector had some
>> compatible pins
>>>   for basic things which could be “corrected” as-needed with the minimal
>>>   circuitry.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   All,
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   I haven’t checked on this in a while, but do we have a centralized
>> wiki or
>>>   somesuch for active community projects and/or needs?  It might be
>> nice to
>>>   have a list of “must-haves” with people assigned to them (as
>> interested or
>>>   testers if nothing more) and some documentation to go with those
>> ideas.  My
>>>   frustration since 1994 has been that many of the expansion solutions
>> that
>>>   have turned up are closed and limited in availability.  I’d love to
>> have
>>>   some open projects which anyone can build and with a few alternatives
>> for
>>>   parts should one supplier disappear.  Might be nice to have a
>>>   compatibility database for PCMCIA and CF cards, a list of expansion
>> units
>>>   and software projects along with the developer(s) behind it, etc.
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   Unrelated, I’m only now just finding this nice WIRED article
>> featuring some
>>>   of our longstanding Newton heroes (and I tweeted a photo of that same
>> case
>>>   a couple weeks ago):
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   https://www.wired.com/2013/08/the-newton-lives/
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   -Jeff
>>> 
>>>>   On Sun, Feb 5, 2017 at 2:17 PM, David Arnold <davida at pobox.com>
>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Hi Jeff,
>>>> 
>>>> I’ve been trying (unsuccessfully, so far) to source the JAE interconnect
>>>> plugs and do a small run of adaptors.  I’ve got a MiniDIN8 prototype
>> which
>>>> works with the Interconnect dongle, but I was hoping to eliminate the
>> need
>>>> for the dongle.
>>>> 
>>>> Given I’ve been unable to get the Interconnect plugs as surplus, I
>>>> considered getting a batch made.  But given there seems to be perhaps a
>>>> market for about 50 such adaptors all up, the costs don’t work out.
>>>> 
>>>> I’ve got 5 Interconnect plugs (plus an un-potted Interconnect adaptor)
>>>> that Newton Inc sent me while they existed, but otherwise I guess a
>>>> MiniDIN8 would be the next best thing?
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> d
>>>> 
>>>>> On 6 Feb 2017, at 05:14, Jeff Sheldon <jeffsheldon at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> I've had problems with the Prolific chipset in many applications. IMHO,
>>>> it's a cheap product cloned the world over and the drivers aren't well
>>>> maintained. FTDI is the way to go.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Adriano is scrupulous. 11 years ago, he privately pushed me to provide
>>>> details on adapters I was creating for the community to interface with
>> iPod
>>>> devices and a homebrew keyboard using the internal port. He even wanted
>> me
>>>> to store my progress on his personal storage space. When I resisted, he
>>>> backed down and suggested I contact Daniel Padilla to help with the
>>>> software side. After some back-and-forth, Daniel stopped responding. It
>>>> seemed strange. Unexpectedly, Adriano and Daniel released new products
>>>> based on the idea, though far less capable.  It watered down the idea
>> and I
>>>> shelved my Newton, then dropped off the list for some time, also hiving
>> up
>>>> on my 2100 PCB mapping project (for the sake of creating minimized
>> designs).
>>>>> 
>>>>> If the community needs a USB solution, what would be the preference?
>>>> Internal card with port, Interconnect to USB end, or RS422 to USB? Seems
>>>> like the last--which people are talking about here--is the easiest and
>>>> cheapest solution. All three are doable, though those JAE ports are
>> hard to
>>>> find.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> -Jeff
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Feb 5, 2017, at 06:47, Jake Bordens <jake at allaboutjake.com> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I recently purchased a FDTI serial cable for use in Mac OS Sierra and
>>>> it worked without drivers.. I had a prolific-chipset cable but the
>> driver
>>>> was causing my machine to crash, so I decided to get the FDTI since it
>> was
>>>> more compatible, and apparently did not need drivers (though I do a lot
>> of
>>>> tinkering so its possible I had a driver installed for another device.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I find it suspicious that it doesn’t show up as a USB device with a
>>>> PID/VID in the profiler… that would indicate that it isn’t even showing
>> up
>>>> on the USB bus.  However silly, maybe try a different USB cable,
>> sometimes
>>>> cheap USB cables are charge-only. I’ve gotten bitten by that before.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Side note, I would like to acquire one of these “Adriano” dongles, if
>>>> anyone has a stash of them and is willing to part with one. Would make
>>>> development a little easier. My guess is that they are rare, and folks
>>>> don’t want to part with them, and for that I’d understand.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> ----------
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> http://newtontalk.net/
>>>>>> http://twitter.com/newtontalk
>>>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>> 
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>>>> 
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>>>> 
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>>>> http://twitter.com/newtontalk
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>   --
>>>   -Jeff
>>>   ------------------------------------------------------------
>> ----------
>>> 
>>>   http://newtontalk.net/
>>>   http://twitter.com/newtontalk
>>> 
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>>> 
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