420E DIY cable

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 11:16 pm

Maybe I am just too tired, or maybe its the gabapentin kicking in, but I can't seem to remember or find where the instructions are for making the 420E download cable, with pin outs, from Radio Shack parts.

Can anyone drop in a link for where that helpful post might be?

Thanks!!!

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 11:27 pm

Snork,
You must be very tired, the rule of thumb around here is "when in doubt, do a search for posts from rested gal, with the relevant term".

I used it.
Here's you link.

rested gal - if you ever feel taken for granted, just think of how grateful people are each time they use your links - even if we don't always tell you how grateful we are.

I remember your posts from way before I even started posting - you make me think of Winston Churchill and the British airforce - never have so many, etc.

O.

WillSucceed · Post by **WillSucceed** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 6:03 am

rested gal - if you ever feel taken for granted, just think of how grateful people are each time they use your links - even if we don't always tell you how grateful we are.

Amen to this! Could not agree more.

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 9:10 am

Rested Gal is one amazing gal! That is for sure.

I must of been out to lunch or just missing something. That was the link I was looking for but for reasons unknown, I just couldn't find the rested gal reference.

Thanks!

BP · Post by BP » Fri Sep 09, 2005 9:39 am

Ditto on everything said about rested gal, she's the best.

One thing to be aware of when you're making this cable, or trying to extend the cable with phone cord. I found out the hard way that not all phone cables are the same. Many phone cables only have one pair of wires in them. These cables would only be suitable for a one line phone. They are also not suitable for communicating with the 420e. You must use phone cable that has two pairs of wire. These are suitable for tool line phones, and also for the 420e. You may already be aware of this but I just wanted to let you know.

-BP

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 7:20 pm

Good point about making sure you pick up a FOUR wire "telephone cable".

Has anyone actually used the idea of using a (EXTREMELY PRICEY) serial to USB converter cable to hook the 420E to a computer? My laptop doesn't even support serial plugs anymore....Sure is nice to see CPAP is so cutting edge...
I can hook to my desktop computer but it sure would be nice to have portability.

I am working on putting together a cable, thanks to the pin-out info.

One easy shortcut (theoretical so far) is to use a modem/telephone cable that you already have lying around left over from some obsolete something or another, and just clip and strip one end of that. (make sure its a 4 wire!)
This saves you from having to invest in the tooling to make a nice tight "phone plug end". The only trick would seem to be to make sure you map the colors and locations. that might be off.

Then of course hook to the d-sub making sure the pin to pin hookups match the pin out list from the link.

Of course I also discovered my local Radio Shack has gone out of business, so I need to find another Radio Shack to pick up a cheap D-sub...always something.

snoozeandlose · Post by **snoozeandlose** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 8:25 pm

Oh no!!! I just got the Silverlining software and ordered a usb converter for $28 from Radio Shack for my lap top and you said that lap tops don't support a serial cable. I don't have a desk top. What can I do?

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 9:59 pm

Maybe find a really cheap or give-away old PC with monitor and use it just for your cpap data? Got a relative with a discarded computer stuck away in a closet or something?

BP · Post by BP » Fri Sep 09, 2005 10:20 pm

snoozeandlose, if you bought a serial to usb converter you should be fine. snork1 was saying his or her (sorry) laptop doesn't have a serial connection. That is very common these days, serial connections went the way of the dinosaurs during the,...hmm Triassic period I think. If you bought a converter, it's role is to convert your serial connector to a usb connector. Then you can plug it directly into your laptops usb port, which it should have. I haven't personnaly tried this but it should work fine. snork1 just wants to avoid spending the $28 dollars. Didn't mean to speak for you snork1, just didn't want snoozeandlose to panic. Makes for a tense weekend.

Enjoy,
BP

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 10:28 pm

snoozeandlose wrote:Oh no!!! I just got the Silverlining software and ordered a usb converter for $28 from Radio Shack for my lap top and you said that lap tops don't support a serial cable. I don't have a desk top. What can I do?

I am ASKING IF the serial to USB converter works. No need to panic YET.
I have heard people suggest using the Serial to USB converter, but I just can't remember if I heard anyone ACTUALLY using it.

An older laptop will support the 9-pin serial connector directly.

But Macs phased out serial a long time ago and I was suprised to discover...today...that my new Compaq laptop no longer sports a 9 pin serial.

Anybody actually use the extra adapter cable for USB?

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 11:26 pm

I'm using one, on an IBM laptop (win2k at this point), and it works just fine.

The coverter able comes with a driver that lets you define the com port no. you're converting the USB to. You tell Silverlining once which com port it will find the machine on, and it's smooth sailing after that -

O.

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:35 am

<dizzy> wrote:
4-conductor RJ-11 modular plug end, tab facing UP, going Left->Right:
yellow=4, white=3, green=5, red=2, cable rib up.

DB-9 (Female) Pinout:
1=NC
2=Red
3=White
4=Yellow
5=Green
6=NC
7=NC
8=NC
9=NC

4-wire modular cable, only 4 wires are used total, no crossovers.
*******************************

Dang...always SOME detail with cables....

Is that "left to right" figured from facing the contacts or facing the wire side or the RJ11 with the tab up? (my cable has no rib)
I have a one in two chance of getting it right, and would prefer not to take the chance of frying something.
Does anyone know the answer?
Otherwise I have materials and am all ready to make a $5 cable using a leftover 4 wire modem cable.
Thanks much!

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:06 pm

snork, you may have already taken your 50/50 chance, or found out from someone else what you were asking about.

This is what I heard:

"those pinouts are from the cable end of the connector--
not the contact end."

Hope that helps.

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 10:38 pm

rested gal wrote:snork, you may have already taken your 50/50 chance, or found out from someone else what you were asking about.

This is what I heard:

"those pinouts are from the cable end of the connector--
not the contact end."

Hope that helps.

I sure am glad I waited! Yes, thats the final bit of info that allows me to make a high quality 420E cable with a "scrap pile" 4-wire modem cable, a 2 dollar 9 pin D-sub connector and $3 backshell from Radio Shack with no more complicated tools than a soldering iron and screwdriver.

cooool!
And many thanks!

Someone confirmed this by posting a photo of the 420E connector elsewhere too.

How DO people survive without these forums!

420E DIY cable

420E DIY cable

serial to D-sub?