Good sir. The solder terminals were not designed to be pre tinned. The idea is to put the wire as deep into the hole as possible before flooding it with solder. This creates a more solid connection (mechanical and electrical) flux helps too.
Info like this would have been great in the 90s when I accidentally wrecked a 9/15 pin cable for a monitor I had, and couldn't find anyone who knew anything about cables like that or how to get a replacement.
When I had my first job into computers. Not only was making cables still a thing. We was the only shop around that still did it. Funny on how people had to drive 18 miles to a small town to get a cable mfg. Though this was mid 90's. Thus, the stuff was left over from later 80's when more popular and most computer shops that showed up was new and just interested in selling and not other things. One more cool thing we had was a cable tester. Yea, we had a serial break out box. But we had some other boxes that would show crosses and such via lights. Exactly like the cheap cat 5 cable testers. Great for finding special 9 pin cable wiring.
I like using Silicone Finger protectors/thimbles when making up cables. I so often touch a metal pin before it cools otherwise. They aren't heat proof, but give protection to prevent burns that would happen in less than a second otherwise. There are worse helping hands out there, I wouldn't give mine up. If I am concerned wires may short over time, or when put into a casing, I use a bit of Liquid Electrical tape. It is generally not pretty when using it, but it has been quite useful to me over the years and stays unseen inside the shell.
6:40 - "Pin 5 will always be pin 5..." When I was making power and serial cables for my IIc, I actually ran into issues because the DIN connectors were numbered the way DIN connectors are (a 5 pin DIN has pins 1,2,3 in the same locations as a 3 pin DIN, but pins 4 and 5 are stuffed in between) but the pinout reference was actually numbered just clockwise around the connector. I think it's a discrepancy that goes all the way back to the original tech reference manual for the machine, somebody just didn't like the DIN numbering and wanted to use a scheme that made more sense to them, I guess... Also, funnily enough, I had a Commodore 1084 back in the 80s of course, and for a little while thought I might get an Amiga to go with it, but never did. The monitor probably got sold off cheap when I got rid of my C128, but the cable for connecting it to an Amiga wound up in an assortment of Commodore stuff we did keep, and when I finally got an Amiga a few years ago, I found the cable, and now I use it. Not with a 1084, don't have one - but since it goes DB-23 (an old, expensive connector) to DIN (a common, cheap connector), it was easy to make an adapter that would connect that DIN to the Apple IIgs monitor.
Oh man, well that sucks. I haven't encountered a situation yet where the pinout I was using didn't conform to the standard. I will keep that in mind if I make any cables for my //c though :) Hah nice, you did the opposite of me. I've been on the look-out for a decent Apple color RGB display but so far I've only managed to score a composite monochrome one.
@@retrobitstv Yeah I picked up the Apple RGB display at Deerfield. The seller actually had two of 'em but I wasn't sure at first if I wanted them (I'd developed a bit of a hate-boner for the IIgs, mostly in response to 8bit guy's video about how Apple should have put its resources into promoting the IIgs instead of the Macintosh, which always struck me as just clearly wrong: Macintosh carried Apple through the 90s, I can't imagine IIgs or any hypothetical descendent of it accomplishing that.) But after tooling around the fairgrounds for a while trying to get some decent mobile internet reception I was able to confirm that the display should work with my Amiga, so I got one. Before that I was using an RGB-to-component adapter I'd made to display on my Trinitron TV... But the Trinitron seemingly can't do 50Hz, while the Apple monitor can. It's also just nice for the Amiga to have its own monitor and some dedicated desk space
I had an Amiga. There is a 5 volt pin on the printer port of the Amiga. Because I had a PC printer cable, I broke the pin in the plug. so I could use the DB25 minus 1 pin connector on the Amiga.
Great video. Thank you for sharing! When you were talking about the D-Sub 9 connector it sounded like you said DE-9. If you did I thank you :) So many people call them DB-9 even though the standards spec sheets state that size of housing is called DE. :D
Good video. I always wondered how to decipher the pinouts, so it's good to know that pin numbers are consistent based on the gender of a given connector and if from the face or back. That is to say pin 1 on a male is pin 1 on a female, it's just their physical position is mirrored, also that the face of one gender is the same as the back of another, which is obvious if you think about it.
That was the most important thing I was trying to get across and something that I overlooked for a long time. I was always trying to figure out from what perspective the pinout diagrams were drawn and then working back from there when it never mattered in the first place. In the early days, I wired many things up backwards it's kind of a miracle I didn't fry something!
It is my understanding that VGA monitors normally expect TTL (0-5V) sync levels and SCART *normally* carries composite video for sync (1Vpp). I say normally because different devices output RGB sync differently and there are a lot of console cables for sale out there, some better than others. At the very least, you shouldn't have to worry about frying anything on your VGA monitor as long as you don't accidentally wire up the SCART's +12V line to something. Since it supports RGBs it sounds like you won't need a sync stripper.
I forgot to mention, another option to go from SCART to HD15 (and others) is the SyncSlayer II that can convert csync to hvsync, reduce TTL voltages, and has a nice breakout header. www.tindie.com/products/chipnetics/syncslayer-ii-scart-to-vga-adapter/
I tried to make a cable for my c64 using a donor VGA cable. But the wires are so thin that they kept breaking before I could wire up everything. Any tricks?
Hrm, that doesn't sound normal. Is it possible that you cut into the wires while stripping the insulation? It could also be just a really cheap VGA cable that has super thin wires - you saw how chunky the wires in mine were. Maybe have a go with a different cable...
Good sir. The solder terminals were not designed to be pre tinned. The idea is to put the wire as deep into the hole as possible before flooding it with solder. This creates a more solid connection (mechanical and electrical) flux helps too.
Huh, I never realized that. I will have to try it. Thanks for the tip!
YES!!!!!!!!! THE NETWORK MAGICIAN! Bring your network to its knees!!!!!
Bil Herd signature on your C128! 👍
Info like this would have been great in the 90s when I accidentally wrecked a 9/15 pin cable for a monitor I had, and couldn't find anyone who knew anything about cables like that or how to get a replacement.
Nice dive into cables.
When I had my first job into computers. Not only was making cables still a thing. We was the only shop around that still did it. Funny on how people had to drive 18 miles to a small town to get a cable mfg. Though this was mid 90's. Thus, the stuff was left over from later 80's when more popular and most computer shops that showed up was new and just interested in selling and not other things. One more cool thing we had was a cable tester. Yea, we had a serial break out box. But we had some other boxes that would show crosses and such via lights. Exactly like the cheap cat 5 cable testers. Great for finding special 9 pin cable wiring.
I like using Silicone Finger protectors/thimbles when making up cables. I so often touch a metal pin before it cools otherwise. They aren't heat proof, but give protection to prevent burns that would happen in less than a second otherwise. There are worse helping hands out there, I wouldn't give mine up. If I am concerned wires may short over time, or when put into a casing, I use a bit of Liquid Electrical tape. It is generally not pretty when using it, but it has been quite useful to me over the years and stays unseen inside the shell.
Cool, thanks for sharing your tips!
6:40 - "Pin 5 will always be pin 5..."
When I was making power and serial cables for my IIc, I actually ran into issues because the DIN connectors were numbered the way DIN connectors are (a 5 pin DIN has pins 1,2,3 in the same locations as a 3 pin DIN, but pins 4 and 5 are stuffed in between) but the pinout reference was actually numbered just clockwise around the connector. I think it's a discrepancy that goes all the way back to the original tech reference manual for the machine, somebody just didn't like the DIN numbering and wanted to use a scheme that made more sense to them, I guess...
Also, funnily enough, I had a Commodore 1084 back in the 80s of course, and for a little while thought I might get an Amiga to go with it, but never did. The monitor probably got sold off cheap when I got rid of my C128, but the cable for connecting it to an Amiga wound up in an assortment of Commodore stuff we did keep, and when I finally got an Amiga a few years ago, I found the cable, and now I use it. Not with a 1084, don't have one - but since it goes DB-23 (an old, expensive connector) to DIN (a common, cheap connector), it was easy to make an adapter that would connect that DIN to the Apple IIgs monitor.
Oh man, well that sucks. I haven't encountered a situation yet where the pinout I was using didn't conform to the standard. I will keep that in mind if I make any cables for my //c though :)
Hah nice, you did the opposite of me. I've been on the look-out for a decent Apple color RGB display but so far I've only managed to score a composite monochrome one.
@@retrobitstv Yeah I picked up the Apple RGB display at Deerfield. The seller actually had two of 'em but I wasn't sure at first if I wanted them (I'd developed a bit of a hate-boner for the IIgs, mostly in response to 8bit guy's video about how Apple should have put its resources into promoting the IIgs instead of the Macintosh, which always struck me as just clearly wrong: Macintosh carried Apple through the 90s, I can't imagine IIgs or any hypothetical descendent of it accomplishing that.) But after tooling around the fairgrounds for a while trying to get some decent mobile internet reception I was able to confirm that the display should work with my Amiga, so I got one. Before that I was using an RGB-to-component adapter I'd made to display on my Trinitron TV... But the Trinitron seemingly can't do 50Hz, while the Apple monitor can. It's also just nice for the Amiga to have its own monitor and some dedicated desk space
Hi - Pretty good
Should have show a simple serial null wire set up for beginners
connect Gnd/pin 5, cross connect pins 2-3/3-2.
Excellent tutorial, thank you very much!
Well done!
I had an Amiga. There is a 5 volt pin on the printer port of the Amiga. Because I had a PC printer cable, I broke the pin in the plug. so I could use the DB25 minus 1 pin connector on the Amiga.
Great video.
Thank you for sharing!
When you were talking about the D-Sub 9 connector it sounded like you said DE-9. If you did I thank you :)
So many people call them DB-9 even though the standards spec sheets state that size of housing is called DE. :D
Will confirm - do NOT skimp when it comes to buying a crimper for molex connectors. You'll save yourself a lot of grief.
Just so you know everyone wants a vid on the NETWORK MAGICIAN ! 😀
Good video. I always wondered how to decipher the pinouts, so it's good to know that pin numbers are consistent based on the gender of a given connector and if from the face or back. That is to say pin 1 on a male is pin 1 on a female, it's just their physical position is mirrored, also that the face of one gender is the same as the back of another, which is obvious if you think about it.
That was the most important thing I was trying to get across and something that I overlooked for a long time. I was always trying to figure out from what perspective the pinout diagrams were drawn and then working back from there when it never mattered in the first place. In the early days, I wired many things up backwards it's kind of a miracle I didn't fry something!
I remember having to make cables for my CoCo 2 and 3 since it had the weird bit banger port and I wanted to use modems.
Just the other day I made a MISTer N64 SNAC connector actually, since they are not too available yet and the ones that are are expensive
My first UltraSatan came with a hack-about cable because the correct ends weren't available. Things were difficult before 3D printing.
110 Outlet to RJ45??!?! Wow.
@0x0fffff as long as you’re running your electric lawn mower over Ethernet, sure.
@@YarmouthHoops Well, the lawn mower uses wireless ethernet so I need to feed the power into my router
rj-45 or cat5+
If I want to make a cable from SCART to a VGA port that supports RGBs, do I need to worry about funky SCART voltages? TV and console are both NTSC.
It is my understanding that VGA monitors normally expect TTL (0-5V) sync levels and SCART *normally* carries composite video for sync (1Vpp). I say normally because different devices output RGB sync differently and there are a lot of console cables for sale out there, some better than others. At the very least, you shouldn't have to worry about frying anything on your VGA monitor as long as you don't accidentally wire up the SCART's +12V line to something. Since it supports RGBs it sounds like you won't need a sync stripper.
I forgot to mention, another option to go from SCART to HD15 (and others) is the SyncSlayer II that can convert csync to hvsync, reduce TTL voltages, and has a nice breakout header. www.tindie.com/products/chipnetics/syncslayer-ii-scart-to-vga-adapter/
I tried to make a cable for my c64 using a donor VGA cable. But the wires are so thin that they kept breaking before I could wire up everything. Any tricks?
Hrm, that doesn't sound normal. Is it possible that you cut into the wires while stripping the insulation? It could also be just a really cheap VGA cable that has super thin wires - you saw how chunky the wires in mine were. Maybe have a go with a different cable...
Honestly getting leaded solder in the UK is such a pita nowadays. :/
I switched to silver/Ag type solder. A bit expensive, but as it makes far less troubles, a roll of 0.5mm will last quite a while.
Don't tell me what I can do
😂