On Oct 30, 1:21*am, "Califbill" wrote:
"Karl Townsend" *wrote in message

...

On Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:32:27 -0700, Tim Wescott
wrote:





On 10/21/2010 05:08 PM, Karl Townsend wrote:

As another said this will probably be a standard ribbon cable for you..
half the conductors are simply drain/grounds/shields in between the
signal wires. IOW the usual ribbon cable for interconnecting floppys
and hard drives in you computer.

So how long do you need the cables?

Bob *AZ

You just gave me a great idea. I'll get four short ribbon cables and
make a holding bracket on the side of the computer. The I/O card plugs
the cables directly and they are a PITA to disconnect. This will get
it outside the case.

!!!! But, now I'll have to look for a male connector, surely no big
deal. *!!!!

Don't count on that, but good luck!

Yea, I've been surfing digikey for over 1/2 hour and can't find one.
maybe i don't know what to call it.

Karl

REPLY:
3M made a lot of the connectors.

I've made emergency male ribbon connectors from female ones and
wirewrap headers, but their reliability depends highly on your manual
skill level.

Separate the wires into pairs for an inch or two.
Clamp the connector in a vise with the split forks barely above the
jaws. I fill in the wire/socket 1 triangle with a fine tipped marker
or nail polish so I can still locate it
Give pair 1 and 2 a half twist.
Using two fine screwdrivers or your thumbnails, press wire 2 onto the
end fork (socket 1) and red 1 onto the adjacent socket 2 fork. This
swaps the odd and even numbered rows.
Repeat for the rest of the wire pairs. Be careful to keep the lengths
even or the cable will be too sensitive to strain.
Definitely add a strain relief bar.
Plug in a double row wirewrap header and lash it in place with
thread.

When you plug this into a standard ribbon cable the two even/odd
crossings cancel.

To quickly check the cable for continuity, make test plugs for the
ends from double row headers.
On one end attach a lead to pins 1 and 50, then wirewrap 2 to 3, 4 to
5, etc.
For the other one wrap 1 to 2, 3 to 4, etc. Bare wire is fine.
Plug in both headers and buzz between the 1 and 50 leads. If they are
open, search down the row.

Good luck with this. It's worked well for me but not so well for
anyone I've showed it to, usually the head of the assembly/rework
department. I was the designated stuckee to negotiate between them and
engineering.

jsw