On Monday 05 May 2008 15:55, Tony Duell wrote:
As I think most of you know, I have a fairly diverse
collection of
classic computers (I suspect some others do too).
Quite often I need to transfer data between 2 machines. Maybe to
download a file from this PC, which I've in turn downloaded from a web
site, to run on one of the classics. Maybe to print out some listing from
a classic. Whatever.
My machines vary in size from the pocket computers up to machines that
it's not practical to move. They're scattered throughout a house. They
are, alas, not in a machine room. Most of the machines (and all the ones
I want to consider for this) have an RS232 port, either built-in or as an
option (which I have). Most of the machines run kermit. Or I can simply
print to the RS232 port on one machine and capture the incoming
characters on the other
So, I think the problem reduces to 'how to interconnect RS232 ports'. let
me add some constraints :
Must work over a distance longer than the RS232 spec allows (i.e. the
answer is probably not 'A long RS232 cable' :-)).
What does the spec say about length with regard to that? I was of the
impression that you could get by with lower baud rates if you were using
longer cables.
Prefereably no cables at all. One solution I've
come up with is to use a
couple of line drivers and a long cable between them. A long cable that
my parents, or the cat, will get tangled up in :-(
Even as a temporary measure? I've got a couple of long wires running around
here...
No line-of-sight between the machines
Must work at 300 and 1200 baud. 110 and 9600 baud would be a bonus
At those (relatively) slow rates you should be able to do something fairly
easily, I'd think.
(Snip)
--
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space, ?a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed. ?--Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James
M Dakin