VOrb Adapter Wiring

Can I use a commonly available MD8 (Mac) to DB9 (PC COM port) adapter?

No. But, we really do wish you could because then we wouldn't have to get one made for you! Unfortunately, SpaceOrbs simply need more voltage than Macintosh computers output on their serial ports.

Could I make my own cable?

That depends on if you... have experience soldering are not in a hurry to start playing (hurrying when soldering is a bad thing) find building and soldering a cable relaxing enough to make up for how long it is going to take you to do it already have a decent wire stripper, cutter, and soldering iron (the thought of using a cheap $7 soldering iron makes us cringe) know where to find shielded cable, a DB9 connector, a 9v battery connector, and the very elusive MD8 connector trust yourself enough to check and double check your wiring visually, know how to use a continuity meter to do an electrical check, and understand there may be damaging consequences to your computer if you're wrong If this list hasn't discouraged you, we haven't done a very good job. Let us also warn you that if you don't have a spare disconnected MD8 receptacle to use as a heat sink or know how to draw heat off the individual MD8 pins when soldering, you will melt the pin holder. Even if you do know how to draw off the heat, you might want to get one or two more MD8 spares to save yourself another trip, order, and hassle. Still unabated? Even if we told you the adapter we sell has a smidgen of electronics not described below? Then it probably won't matter to you that the adapter described below needs to be disconnected from the controller when not in use. Otherwise your 9v batteries wont last as long. And, it also wont matter to you that the VOrb driver wont be able to auto detect your SpaceOrb(s) and that you'll need to use a resource editor to edit the "VOrb Preferences" file to indicate the correct serial port you have the adapter and SpaceOrb plugged into.

Despite all those concerns I really do want to make my own adapter.

Great! Seriously. You'll need: a male "MD8" cable connector (preferably one with solder pots and not solder pins) a male "DB9" cable connector with solder pots and a shielded hood 6 inches or more of shielded 6-conductor cable (3 conductor would work but there's not enough substance for the MD8 strain relief to be useful). AWG 24 stranded wire is fine. a 9v transistor battery "snap" a 9v transistor battery Below is the wiring information. If a pin isn't listed, it isn't connected. We've double checked the information but don't hold us responsible if there is a typographical error. Macintosh signal name MD8 pin wire (colors given are the ones we use -- you could be creative) signal direction DB9 pin COM signal name chassis ground shield shield <--> shield (screw to strain relief that is against hood) chassis ground TxD- 3 brown ---> 3 Tx Gnd 4 green <--> 5 Gnd battery black <--> 5 Gnd RxD- 5 white <--- 2 Rx battery red ---> 4 DTR battery red ---> 7 RTS