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Old July 17th 17, 02:46 PM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.physics,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.electronics.design
Michael A. Terrell
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Posts: 46
Default Towards the *fully* 3D-printed electric cars.

Jeff Findley wrote:
In article , says...

Jeff Findley wrote:

Bull****. The technology in a PC today is quite different than that of
a PC made in 1988. Nothing in a PC from 1988 would even "plug into" a
PC bought today, except maybe the keyboard and mouse. And the PC today
is literally orders of magnitude faster.


The original mice I first saw plugged into a special jack on a card
that plugged into the PC. I had mine on a combo card with video. The
technology to allow a mouse to run on the low power in a serial
connection came later. And serial connectors vanished around Y2K. I
don't know how the data signals in the PS2 mouse connectors compared
to the 9 pin serial connectors.

Keyboards plugged into a large DIN connection. This was gradually
replaced by the smaller PS2 connection, then again with USB
connections.

I don't know if any desktop computers still provide PS2 connectors. I
don't think so.


Some desktop computers I've seen recently still have the smaller PS2
connectors for a keyboard and mouse. All of our "professional" machines
at work have them. For example, the HP Z240 Desktop "tower" computer
has them. All you need to go from the old DIN keyboard connection to a
PS2 keyboard connector is a simple, non-active, adapter. Ought to cost
about $0.99 on eBay.



The PC/XT keyboard didn't work on the 286/AT machines because the
baud rate was different. Heath/Zenith used a baud rate that wasn't
compatible with either standard. I still have a couple keyboards with
the XT/AT switch on the bottom.


I'm still using my 1994 laser printer. It plugs into a
centronics-parallel to USB adapter. I guess similar adapters are
available for serial ports and PS2 connectors.


Not sure any active adapters do that, but some older mice would work
with either with a passive adapter. At any rate, you can buy USB to
serial port adapters. I have one. It works well.

Hmmm, come to think of it, the Centronics port was designed for the
1988 TRS-80 computer. A printer from that era would probably plug
through my adapter into any modern Windows computer. And at least the MX-80 and its clones are probably still driver-supported.



The Centronics port was to allow use f existing printers that were
built for minicomputers. There was a huge surplus market for both RS232
and Centronics used printers in the early Personal computer days.


Software drivers are tricky, but yes the USB adapter will allow the
electronics to communicate.

Jeff



--
Never **** off an Engineer!

They don't get mad.

They don't get even.

They go for over unity! ;-)