3 May
2012
3 May
'12
11:44 a.m.
I once connected a Votrax unit to a TRS80 model II, at
a RS "Computer
Center" (their sale depended on it.
The Votrax wanted a handshake signal on pin 12! So, I soldered one.
An awflul lot of RS232-interfced printers put the ready signal on pin 11.
Why I do not know, but I've made many cables that brign that to something
more standard (like CTS).
Nothing to do with RS232, but I once raparied a Model II or model 12 (I
forget which) in a Tandy store using a _Model 1_ printer cable. The owner
of the machine had broken off a pin on the header plug on the back that
connected to the printer cable, and the salesdroid said nothing could be
done, it would ahve to go to the service centre which would take a few
weeks. Said owner urgently needed to print his accounts. I grabbed a
screwdrier (litterally) and took the machine apart. I noticed that the
ribbon cable from said header went to a 34 pin card edge on one of the
PCBs, and that it looked to have the normal pinout. I therefore asked for
a Model 1 printer cable and conencred it straight to the PCB. Fed it out
through a gap i nthe case and the owner went away happy with a
non-original machine that printed fine. I have no idea if it was ever
repaired...
-tony