Permenent Coders cable?

NightHammer · Post by **NightHammer** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 1:09 pm

I'm not sure witch forum this belongs in, so move it if you feel it needs to be, but is there a way to 'make' a coders cabe by sodering a cable to the inside of a DC? Or even sodering a serial port plug into the DC and mounting it? Just though maybe a cheaper alternative....

Later!
NightHammer

Mask of Destiny · Post by **Mask of Destiny** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 1:11 pm

You could solder the cable directly to the solder pads on the DC motherboard. You still need the level-converter chip though.

NightHammer · Post by **NightHammer** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 1:14 pm

You still need the level-converter chip though.

?!? I thought all you needed was the cable....

Later!
NightHammer

Mask of Destiny · Post by **Mask of Destiny** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 1:28 pm

The DC serial port runs at 3.3V, the PC serial port runs at 12V. Obviously this is a bit of a problem. The MAX(some # goes here) chip is the solution.

NightHammer · Post by **NightHammer** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 1:31 pm

Couldn't you just use resistors? That should do it too, right?

Later!
NightHammer

Mask of Destiny · Post by **Mask of Destiny** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 1:40 pm

It would only work in one direction. You can get 12V down to 3 using resistors, but you can't get 3V up to 12 that way. I doubt a PC serial port would actually be able to use a 3.3V signal; it would probably just detect it all as zeros, but then again I'm not sure what the threshold is. I know you can get away with this on a parallel port, but that only operates at 5V (and some operate at 3.3) not 12.

NightHammer · Post by **NightHammer** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 2:57 pm

Okay, That kinda make sense, I just thought that resitors would do the job....

Later!
NightHammer

NightHammer · Post by **NightHammer** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 10:53 am

Has anyone tried this idea before? I've got an extra DC (all I need is a freaking 2-pin controller board) and I'd like to start deving, thought it'd be nice to have a dedicated DC.

Later!
NightHammer

Peet · Post by **Peet** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 1:14 pm

These might interest you (first one especially):

http://niga.sytes.net/game/dcrip.html
http://niga.sytes.net/game/dcser.html

Apparently the first one deals with installing a RS-232 PC-style serial port in the DC, and the other with using an external modem.

The pictures seem fairly self-explanatory. Otherwise, and unless you know Japanese, you could always try babelfish.

NightHammer · Post by **NightHammer** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 2:20 pm

Anyone know if this will work in place of a coder's cable? Here's the translation:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfis ... _en&tt=url

PLEASE le me know!

Later!
NightHammer

Mask of Destiny · Post by **Mask of Destiny** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 3:05 pm

That is, in essence, a coders cable. The only real difference is that the hardware was mounted inside the DC instead of the cable. You will notice he uses a MAX232 level converter chip (note he should have used the MAX3222 since the DC serial port is supposed to run at 3.3V not 5, but I guess he managed to get away with it).

So it will work, but you still need the level-converter chip.

GPF · Post by **GPF** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 9:22 pm

I saw on this site http://www.ele.uva.es/~jesus/dream/

it has plans for a TWO TRANSISTOR RS232 TO DREAMCAST CONVERTER

it says "A simple circuit to connect the Dreamcast console to PC. No MAXxxx IC required. Only a few discrete components. This circuit is a direct replica of the daVinci cradle schematic: "

I don't know if this works or not, but it sounds good

GPF

Mask of Destiny · Post by **Mask of Destiny** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 9:42 pm

Yeah it should work. The question is can you get 2 transistors, 2 diodes, a 3.3V zener diode, a 10uf cap and 5 resistors for less than a MAX3222(or equivalent) chip.

GPF · Post by **GPF** » Thu Mar 27, 2003 12:40 pm

LOL good point

NightHammer · Post by **NightHammer** » Sat Mar 29, 2003 4:04 pm

Let me get this right....

That last one will work EXACTLY like a coders cable? Oh, and what exactly are all those CTS, RXD, and TXD and DTR and etc? I know what GND is. What pins are those on the DC/PC serial? Any help would be nice.

Later!
NightHammer

Peet · Post by **Peet** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 4:07 am

GND = ground
CTS = clear to send
RXD = receive data
TXD = transfer data
DTR = data terminal ready

something like that