What was (is) this cable used for?

[Ken Vaughn]

I found this cable in the electronics area at a local thrift shop. It was marked $1.50, so I bought it even though I have no idea what it is. The markings on the cable read:

E119932 AWM 2725 80C 30V VW-1
LL84201 CSA AWM I/IIA 80C 30V FT1 COPARTNER

The cable is 6' long and has a PS/2 (male) connector on one end. The other end has two connectors, a standard USB (male) and also a DB9 (female). Here is a photo:

http://home.comcast.net/~kvaughn65c/whatzit.jpg

There was a PS/2 (female) to 5 pin DIN (male) keyboard adapter connected to the PS/2 (male) end of the cable. This was a different color and manufacturer and I seriously doubt if it belongs on the cable.

Any idea what this cable might have or could be used for?

 

[Old Thrashbarg]

It's probably for a barcode scanner, or something along those lines. I'm not sure on that, but it'd be the most likely bet.

Have you checked how it's wired? The way it's made, I would logically assume the USB connector is probably just for power, and that piece slots into the top of a base unit, with a handheld device plugging into the DE9.

 

[Ken Vaughn]

It's probably for a barcode scanner, or something along those lines. I'm not sure on that, but it'd be the most likely bet.

Have you checked how it's wired?

No, I haven't checked how any of the pins are connected -- and I'm not sure what that would tell me.

I assume that the USB or the DB9 serial connector (one or the other) is connected to a computer and the PS/2 (male) connector to some external device. I guess the USB could be used to supply power and the DB9 to connect to a serial port.

I did a google search on the markings and found a thread on some forum which suggests that the cable might have been connected to a "TASCAM US-122". Another search on that tells me that a US-122 was some sort of audio (mic) controller device.

http://www.tascam.com/products/us-122.html

 

[NathanAllan]

I have that exact cable (maybe, what pins are present on the PS2 end?). It is from my old digital camera. The reason for the USB/232 end is so you can hook it to wither port on your computer. The camera was an IXLA something, kicking around here somewhere.

 

[Ken Vaughn]

I have that exact cable (maybe, what pins are present on the PS2 end?). It is from my old digital camera. The reason for the USB/232 end is so you can hook it to wither port on your computer. The camera was an IXLA something, kicking around here somewhere.

Could very well be a camera xfer cable. After reading your reply I looked at my old Kodak digital camera and it has a female connector which will accept the 6 pin male "PS/2 type" connector on the mystery cable. Never thought of that -- I have always just removed the CF or SD memory cards from my digital cameras and put them into the card reader which is common on most desktops today. I will have to locate the cable which came with my Kodak and check the pins to see if they are the same.

 

[NathanAllan]

Could very well be a camera xfer cable. After reading your reply I looked at my old Kodak digital camera and it has a female connector which will accept the 6 pin male "PS/2 type" connector on the mystery cable. Never thought of that -- I have always just removed the CF or SD memory cards from my digital cameras and put them into the card reader which is common on most desktops today. I will have to locate the cable which came with my Kodak and check the pins to see if they are the same.

That old Ixla served me well, but I got a newer one and it uses a plain vanilla USB xfer cable. I prefer cables to removing that card all the time. The Ixla didn't have a card, only onboard memory.

 

[james69]

Hi Ken,

I can tell you exactly what that cable is
its for a Polaroid fun! 620 digital camera

I actualy was given this camera but i dont have the cable and i tried to wire up an old ps/2 plug to a db9 serial end but without any pinouts or schematics i just cant seem to get it to work

I have the driver installed and when i try and poll the device, it does send a tx to the tx pin on com1

Im not sure if that cable has a ttl signal converter inside it or if theres a specific wiring sequence (pins shorted together, etc) so basicly the pics on the camera will prob never see the light of day im guessing

if anyone reading this: if you know of a shematic or pinout for this cable/camera, it would be much apreciated

 

[NathanAllan]

a quick image search revealed that (surprise!) the Ixla was a rebranded Polaroid 620 Heck I think it even had the same model number of 620.

I have no pinout, sorry, but I could dig it up and ohm it out; those close pins would pose a problem for a DIY solution.