Strange and Possibly Wonderful Cable

From: Russ Blakeman <rhblakeman_at_kih.net>
Date: Mon Jan 7 22:35:03 2002

Actually IDC or "insulation displacement is not crimp on always - punch
block points on telephone blocks are IDC, as are many RJ45 blocks and
Schotclocks - it simply means any connection that does not need to be
stripped prior to making or attaching - many crimps need to be bare wire
first. They displace the insulation upon installation to make the
connection. There are screw terminals in many telephone network interface
boxes now that are made with a sharp ridge that when you screw them down
they cut through the insulation but too hard cuts the wire as well.

Most insul displ contact pooints are best done with solid wire although many
ribbon cable IDC's are the guiding type that cut into the insulation on
stranded wires of the ribbon cable.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
[mailto:owner-classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Tothwolf
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2002 2:53 PM
To: classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
Subject: Re: Strange and Possibly Wonderful Cable


On Sat, 5 Jan 2002, Fred Cisin (XenoSoft) wrote:

> > > Model 2 and 100 used a dual row header, and of course, the PC clones
used
> > > an "RS-232 connector" :-)
> > Right, the model 2 typically used a ribbon cable with IDC connectors. I
> > have one of these with its DWP printer out in storage :)
>
> Not to be picky (well, OK, I do tend to be :-), "IDC" stands/stood for
> "Insulation Displacement Conector", which meant virtually ANY crimp-on
> connector, INCLUDING the card edge connector on drive cables for 5.25, and
> the computer end of model 1,3,4 printer cables when they used ribbon
> cable.

I know that ;)
Both connectors on that cable are IDC connectors.

> Since the "centronics" connector (Amphenol Blue Ribbon 36
> pin) wasn't very available in IDC, those cables were kinda hoky, with
> either a non ribbon "centronics" soldered to ribbon cable, or a card edge
> crimped onto spread out non-ribbon cable.

Well, my model 2 printer cable uses one of these, as does quite a number
of my Apple II machines. I have tons of brand new 36 pin connectors in a
box somewhere that I got as part of a bulk deal. They seem to be very
common for printer cables for Tandy and Apply computers made around
1983-1988. (I don't remember if the box I have is full of male or female
36 pin connectors, however.)

> The one model 2 cable that I remember using (20 yrs ago) did NOT have IDC
> connector. It was a round cable (I don't know whether it was shielded),
> with a 20 pin dual row header sloppily put onto the end.

Well, I'm speaking based on the one I currently own, which certainly does
have IDC connectors on each end of the ribbon cable.

-Toth
Received on Mon Jan 07 2002 - 22:35:03 GMT