ALTAIR stuff (was Re: E-Over Pay strikes again! original Altairdisk sells for... ) - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

13 Feb 1999

I'm not sure you're right about the assertion that 37 is enough.  Maybe,
but the old drives used more signals than the later ones.  

The shielded cables using the DC37 connectors certainly were more durable
than the IDC50 types one often sees, but the cable hardware in the ALTAIR
box certainly was the cheapest available.  I doubt it was any more solid
than the IDC types.

Dick
----------
...
  From: Allison J Parent &lt;allisonp(a)world.std.com&gt;
 To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
&lt;classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu&gt;
...
  Subject: Re: ALTAIR stuff (was Re: E-Over Pay strikes
again! original Altairdisk sells for... )
...
  Date: Saturday, February 13, 1999 12:38 PM

 <What I find odd about the MITS FDD is that they used a 37-pin "D"
connecto
...
  <and cable as opposed to the 50-pin more commonly
seen on the 8" types.  I
...
  <found one among a set of enclosures I bought about
20 years ago.  While

 Standards and common connectors.  My Vt180 (uses minifloppies) also uses
 D37 on the cpu end rather than 34 or 50 pin.  Reason, higher reliability 
 connector (more costly too).  Lots of system used that as the connector 
 instead of the now common IDCs.

 FYI even for 8" disks of the 50, 25 lines are ground there are a few unused 
...
  and others that were not often used so 37 pins are
plenty.

 Allison