[HELP NEEDED] Changing the long mini DB8 cable to connect from Mac to IW II printer

[retr01]

So, I am not sure if I want the new AirTalk thingy by Cheesestraws over at 68kmla because of the reported slow throughput and slow printing than normal. A LocalTalk card for the Imagewriter II printer is insanely priced off eBay. And I don't want to go to the LocalTalk route, anyway. I'd rather my IW II printer have the memory buffer card I picked up for just $5 off eBay.

I will get a 25 feet long mini DB8 serial cable. I realize that one end needs to be adjusted so that the TX and RX are switched appropriately to connect a Mac to the IW II printer. I noticed that @joethezombie mentioned chopping off one end and attaching a new mini DB8 connector with changes to the pin-out:

Printer cable for 128K or 512K Mac (DE9 to MiniDIN8)

I would like to get My ImageWriter II working with my Mac. I don't have the cable, though. I have a 25' MiniDIN8 cable I found at a surplus store. If I chop it, and put DE9 connector on the end, what is the pinout? Is it just a null-modem cable as detailed on the ADTPro website? I would...

68kmla.org

I have trouble understanding how exactly it is done. Can someone please show me pictures or videos of how it is done? Thank you.

 

[Crutch]

Are people actually claiming AirTalk results in slow printing? Cheesestraws indeed stated that AirTalk is slower than wired LocalTalk, but if you’re printing to an ImageWriter II the print speed ends up being like 1000x slower than the speed for network traffic so I would be surprised if print speed was impacted in any human-noticeable way at all.

 

[retr01]

Are people actually claiming AirTalk results in slow printing?

Ah. No. I see that my words didn't come out right. Sorry. Thank you for pointing that out.

Cheesestraws indeed stated that AirTalk is slower than wired LocalTalk, but if you’re printing to an ImageWriter II the print speed ends up being like 1000x slower than the speed for network traffic so I would be surprised if print speed was impacted in any human-noticeable way at all.

Correct.

 

[retr01]

Let me clarify.

I want to do this the old-fashioned way via a serial cable, but I need 25 feet because six feet will not work for my setup. That is why I want to understand better the process of rewiring one end to the correct pinout.

I can get a 25' mini DB8 serial cable cheaply, but it needs modification at one end for proper connection from the Mac to the IW II printer.

• What do I need to get to replace the connector at one end?
• After I strip off the end and spread out the wires, what method is to attach to the new connection according to the correct pinout?

Pictures or videos will help me better understand what is needed. Was there a book that explained that already? Did Larry Pina explain that? Another author? Someone else? Who?

 

[Volvo242GT]

Just grab a couple of these and connect your Apple MD-8 cable to them.

Brand New MD8 MINI DIN8 MiniDin8 Cable Male to Female Extension 10FT | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Brand New MD8 MINI DIN8 MiniDin8 Cable Male to Female Extension 10FT at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

26 feet.

There's also this 20 foot male-male MD-8 cable, made by Belkin...

Apple Printer Serial 8-pin Cable Cord for Macintosh # 590-0552-A 20ft. | eBay

20 ft, Belkin cable made for apple/mac serial connectors. Good for printer or midi interface connection for old macs.

www.ebay.com

 

[retr01]

Just grab a couple of these and connect your Apple MD-8 cable to them.

Brand New MD8 MINI DIN8 MiniDin8 Cable Male to Female Extension 10FT | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Brand New MD8 MINI DIN8 MiniDin8 Cable Male to Female Extension 10FT at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

26 feet.

Is this going to mess up communication between the Mac and IW II? Is the pinout the same as the printer serial MD-8 cable?

There's also this 20 foot male-male MD-8 cable, made by Belkin...

Apple Printer Serial 8-pin Cable Cord for Macintosh # 590-0552-A 20ft. | eBay

20 ft, Belkin cable made for apple/mac serial connectors. Good for printer or midi interface connection for old macs.

www.ebay.com

Ah, it might be too short. Thank you for finding this.

 

[Volvo242GT]

Apple uses only one Mini-8 DIN cable for both printer and modem functions, so no rewiring necessary. As long as you aren't planning to use the setup with a Super Serial card, you won't need anything but the Belkin cable and one of the extension cables from the other auction.

 

[retr01]

Thank you, @Volvo242GT.

There are two main types of serial cables, a null modem and a straight through. Hence, the concern about the correct pin-outs. IIRC, the IW, IW II, and other Apple printers using serial MD-8 cables need the null modem type to flip the TX and RX pins rather than straight through to support the required handshaking. That is why I was concerned and wanted to be technically specific.

 

[retr01]

Now I understand why I was confused.

I got an MD-8 serial A/B switch box months ago, so two Apple computers could share the IW II. I had to get a straight-through cable from the box to the IW II printer and connect the regular null modem cables from the computers to the box.

I still have not set up the box because now I have the Mac SE, SE/30, IIci, and Apple IIGS. So, I changed my plans. I had to place the printer in another area and needed a longer cable. I plan to hook up my SE/30 to the printer, and the SE/30 will become the print server on the LAN.

The null modem MD-8 serial cable is the "regular" MD-8 serial cable required by Apple for printers, modems, etc., while the straight-through cable is for direct connections like the computer to computer serial connection or between the printer and switch box.

Now, @Volvo242GT, you showed a page that listed different part numbers for the MD-8 serial cable depending on which Apple computer. Is that because the cables are different with the pin-out for the Apple II (using a Super-Serial card), Apple IIc, Apple IIGS, and the Macintosh computers?

 

[Volvo242GT]

Now I understand why I was confused.

I got an MD-8 serial A/B switch box months ago, so two Apple computers could share the IW II. I had to get a straight-through cable from the box to the IW II printer and connect the regular null modem cables from the computers to the box.

I still have not set up the box because now I have the Mac SE, SE/30, IIci, and Apple IIGS. So, I changed my plans. I had to place the printer in another area and needed a longer cable. I plan to hook up my SE/30 to the printer, and the SE/30 will become the print server on the LAN.

The null modem MD-8 serial cable is the "regular" MD-8 serial cable required by Apple for printers, modems, etc., while the straight-through cable is for direct connections like the computer to computer serial connection or between the printer and switch box.

Now, @Volvo242GT, you showed a page that listed different part numbers for the MD-8 serial cable depending on which Apple computer. Is that because the cables are different with the pin-out for the Apple II (using a Super-Serial card), Apple IIc, Apple IIGS, and the Macintosh computers?

With respect to the different cables, the ones used with the Super Serial card are different, since one is meant for the Apple Personal Modem (or for hooking up a non-Apple modem to a Mac or IIgs), and the other is meant for printers, like the IWII and the StyleWriters, etc. The DB9 to MD8 cable is like the regular MD8 to MD8 cable, in that it can be used with either peripheral, or can be used to connect a Mac Plus (or later) or IIgs to a 1st generation IW.