Scott K wrote:
>
> hello all... I was wondering if anyone here on this list patched up and
> created their own $5 or $10 calculator to pc cable, for the TI85. I need to
> get that PC link, and if i can create one for myself for just $5, then i
> would be more than happy, but I looked at that page with the schematics for
> building that $5 link, and I was totally baffled. I couldn't understand what
> he was trying to explain. He had some pictures drawn on the page, and that
> part was logical, but as for the rest, he didn't supply enough detailed
> information.
>
> So, that's why i'm asking for someone's help in this.
> 1st) How do you attach the different parts of the 2.5mm plug to the printer
> port or printer cable?
> 2nd) He had some pictures of a anode/cathode tube, and my question is, how
> are you supposed to use that?
> 3rd) I'm pretty sure he meant that you had to disect a 25pin serial printer
> cable in order for you to attach the linker; so how much did that put into
> the cost of building the cable?
> 4th) How long and how hard was it to build the linker?
>
> Well, any help here would be greatly appreciated... again...
> I don't really want to dump $50 bucks down the drain and buy the official
> link, and I'll try to build my own for as little as possible first, but.. oh
> well...
> thanks anyhow... : )
I found a few pages with the same diagram on it, so I'll assume you
looked at that diagram. They say that the parallel link is easier than
the serial link. It's probably true, but I wouldn't know because I know
nothing about electronics.
I gave those diagrams to my friend. He knows much about electronics
and offered to build one for each of us. He had no trouble building the
serial link.
First, whether you're building the parallel link or serial link, do not
use a 2.5 mm plug. It would be better if you cut your calc-to-calc link
cable and used one end of it as the plug. You can always buy another
from Texas Instruments for less than $7 total. My friend made the link
using half of that cable, and put the other half as an extension to the
link, so it could be used with a computer or another calculator.
That cord was the only thing he cut. He had a soldering iron and
solder. The rest of the parts did not even cost him $5, and the serial
link is supposed to cost more than the parallel link. He got all the
parts he needed from an electronics store. (I think it was Radio
Shack.) Since he's familiar with electronics, it was easy (and fun) for
him to build it.
About the cathode/anode in the diagram: I attached the image that I've
seen on the web. I found it at
"http://www.inf.tu-dresden.de/~aw4/link85xp.gif". Is it the same one
you've seen? Anyway, what he meant was that you need two "silicon
switching diodes".
Here is one place with the directions for building the parallel link:
"http://www.inf.tu-dresden.de/~aw4/ti85". Here is what he said:
I put one plug of the TI-to-TI link cable in an insulating tube. The
tube is sticked through by
3 wires. The tube is very tight - I warmed it with a candle. Some 2.5
mm stereo jacks lose the
touch or will never get in touch to the TI-85. So look carefully at the
original TI jack before
buying one.
It is important to initialize the printer port before connecting with
the TI (just start the link
program on the PC). Otherwise the TI will slow down (you cannot enter
anything). The second
important thing is, that you have to rename *.85p and *.85s files to
*.85g. Do not rename backup
files. (Like the original link85x, link85xp only supports backup files
*.85b and grouped files
*.85g.)
The anode and cathode are the ends of the diode. Compare the diode with
the one pictured on the page and you will see which is the cathode and
which is the anode.
My friend would recommend that you build the serial link. Many people
connect their printer to the parallel port, but they have a serial port
free.
Good luck. I hope this helped.
--
******************************************
24 hours in a day...24 beers in a case...coincidence?
******************************************
8-)
Jawaad Ahmad
jia103@juno.com jia103@psu.edu
http://www.personal.psu.edu/jia103