Does anyone know the SIO port physical dimensions?

[Redb3ard]

I'd like to know how far apart the pins are, center to center. Also, how deep they are from top of pin to plastic, and the shape of the trapezoid (height, width, angle of sides, and radius of the corners).

 

If anyone has these measurements, or can make them, I'd appreciate it. I would do it myself, but Urchlay is apparently butchering my 600XL. You didn't tell me you were taking the keyboard, Urch.

[Rybags]

7/8ths of an inch from the first to last pin on the long row. So, divide that by 6 to get the gap between pin centres.

 

23/32 first to last pin on the short row.

 

1/8th inch between rows.

 

About 5/32ths between rows and top/bottom of shell.

 

The actual shell doesn't conform to the same angle that the 2 rows of pins has.

 

Dimensions of the inner part of the shell are 1 1/8th and 1 inch (lengths) and 15/32 (height).

 

Pins 7/16ths long.

 

 

Gap between the long row and bottom of shell seems slightly larger than the short row/top of shell (5/32 vs about 3/16ths).

 

That was measured on the SIO male socket on my 130XE.

Edited June 5, 2007 by Rybags

[Redb3ard]

7/8ths of an inch from the first to last pin on the long row. So, divide that by 6 to get the gap between pin centres.

 

23/32 first to last pin on the short row.

 

1/8th inch between rows.

 

About 5/32ths between rows and top/bottom of shell.

 

The actual shell doesn't conform to the same angle that the 2 rows of pins has.

 

Dimensions of the inner part of the shell are 1 1/8th and 1 inch (lengths) and 15/32 (height).

 

Pins 7/16ths long.

 

 

Gap between the long row and bottom of shell seems slightly larger than the short row/top of shell (5/32 vs about 3/16ths).

 

That was measured on the SIO male socket on my 130XE.

 

Thanks. I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that the pins are centered on 1/8th inch. That's what your first measurement says, and the distance between the rows... even really close on the short row measurement... 1/8th would be 24/32. Wonder if 7/16ths is the length of a standard db25 pin... doesn't seem like it, remember the SIO seeming deeper.

 

I'll draw something up in inkscape later, that looks more blueprintish, and let people complain that it's wrong, until we have a consensus. I was thinking of submitting it for a quote to places that make connectors, and see what kind of price/quantity they'd give us, for both male and female. (female as standard plugs ready to attach to cables, male as right-angle pcb mounted plugs). Would also be curious if anyone would want some, besides myself.

 

Thanks again, rybags.

[Rybags]

7/8ths doesn't translate down to 1/8th between pins.

 

Remember, there's only 6 steps since pin 1 is at distance 0.

 

Definately deeper than other standard plugs. But probably very necessary due to the kinda clunky design of the SIO female cable plugs.

 

 

Rather than making connectors, we need a new standard. There is an oldish thread somewhere else that discusses it.

 

Problem is, all the nice network and phone type cables don't quite have enough wires.

[Urchlay]

If anyone has these measurements, or can make them, I'd appreciate it. I would do it myself, but Urchlay is apparently butchering my 600XL. You didn't tell me you were taking the keyboard, Urch.

 

Well, I won't take the keyboard then. Didn't think it would bother you, sorry.

[Redb3ard]

If anyone has these measurements, or can make them, I'd appreciate it. I would do it myself, but Urchlay is apparently butchering my 600XL. You didn't tell me you were taking the keyboard, Urch.

 

Well, I won't take the keyboard then. Didn't think it would bother you, sorry.

 

 

 

Christ, don't be so sensitive. Haha. It's yours, I gave it to ya. I have too many old junky computers as it is. But you're obligated to part it out the rest of the way, help other people restore theirs, if there's something they can use off of it.

[Redb3ard]

7/8ths doesn't translate down to 1/8th between pins.

 

Remember, there's only 6 steps since pin 1 is at distance 0.

 

Definately deeper than other standard plugs. But probably very necessary due to the kinda clunky design of the SIO female cable plugs.

 

 

Rather than making connectors, we need a new standard. There is an oldish thread somewhere else that discusses it.

 

Problem is, all the nice network and phone type cables don't quite have enough wires.

 

Duh. I shouldn't do math in the morning.

[potatohead]

If there is interest, I'll model this in CAD this evening. Would do it right now, but calipers are at work.

[Shawn Jefferson]

I was thinking of submitting it for a quote to places that make connectors, and see what kind of price/quantity they'd give us, for both male and female. (female as standard plugs ready to attach to cables, male as right-angle pcb mounted plugs). Would also be curious if anyone would want some, besides myself.

 

There was a message somewhere, I think here on Atariage, with a link to a site that was selling new SIO connectors. Anyone remember it?

[mimo]

originally posted by Curt Vandel http://www.connectworld.net/cgi-bin/iec/fu...ZndUfrS;AT13F;6

[Urchlay]

originally posted by Curt Vandel http://www.connectworld.net/cgi-bin/iec/fu...ZndUfrS;AT13F;6

 

I remember that... unfortunately Redb3ard's looking for the male version (the one that goes on the computer), and that place only has the female one

[Redb3ard]

There was a message somewhere, I think here on Atariage, with a link to a site that was selling new SIO connectors. Anyone remember it?

 

Someone in #atari/newnet linked me to a site selling old stock. For my purposes, these might not be suitable... the plastic shield around the pins adds height that might not fit. I was thinking of a modern design, similar to a pcb-mount dsub connector. The pins (and shield) would jut out beyond the board. And, by using a crimped-on metal shield, it would be able to sit a sleight amount lower, and not be quite as tall. Besides just looking cool. I only want a few dozen myself, but if someone were to make a couple thousand of them, I was hoping there might be enough interest that we could pool some money and place an order. Hell, provided that we're talking hundreds of dollars, and not many thousands, I might just place the damn order myself anyway, and sell them piecemeal as people ask for them.

 

We can't keep using old stock forever, it's going to run out someday.

[Redb3ard]

If there is interest, I'll model this in CAD this evening. Would do it right now, but calipers are at work.

 

I speak only for myself, but I'd definitely appreciate having a diagram of the thing. I appreciate Rybags help, but I suspect that his measurements were only so accurate. I would expect (ignoring he staggering) the distance between the pins to be constant across both rows, and the same distance to seperate the two rows. It's somewhere around the ~0.143" he said to be sure, but the more accuracy the better.

[Redb3ard]

Preliminary drawings for a new port. Missing the measurements, Urchlay said he'd have a go at a real one for me with calipers. I'd ppreciate any criticisms, once I have some numbers with it, I'd be submitting it to a few companies that said they'd give estimates.

 

sioport.pdf

 

Shamelessly copied from http://www.ecsconn.com/Catalog/CatalogPDF/...ght%20Angle.pdf of course, and done up in inkscape. My concept is to have the port extend past the pcb, with a metal shield like with a serial port, of course. The metal is thinner than the plastic shroud on the old plugs, and the port would be slightly shorter (especially if the can have it flush with the top of the pcb, unlike with a dsub port where it raises up about a 1/6th of an inch). Holes for hex nuts would be there, but could go unused. Urchlay thinks they might interfere with a regular cable, but they could of course be space widely to not interfere.

 

On another note, if we were to get female plugs made, for making cables, do you guys prefer solder-cup style plugs, or crimp type plugs?

[potatohead]

Missed this reply.

 

I'll get the calipers, cable and CAD together and do it next week.