DECmate II -> VR201 cable?

[Tony Duell]

> > Accordign to my VR201 schematic, the pins used are :
> > 
> > 4,5,6 Ground (and shield of the coax)
> > 7,8 +12V (power for the monitor and keyboard)
> > 12 : Composite video
> > 13 : Ground
> > 14 : Data from keyboard
> > 15 : Data to keyboard
> > 
> > 
> > Keyboard data is at RS232-ish levels, the power is fused inside the
> > monitor at 2.5A, but the keyboard is fed on the CPU side of this fuse. So
> > make sure you use think enough wire!
> > 
> 
> This looks like I'm going to have to tack at least 3 types of cables together?
> 1. Regular 3-core (perhaps 26 to 28 gauge?) for the data (14,15) and ground (13)
> 2. Coax for video (12) and ground (4/5/6) and shield
> 3. Thicker core for power (7,8) and ground (4/5/6)

I would get a reasonably thick 7 or 8 core cable and use it to link the 
power, ground, and data pins. Get a seprate coax for the video, shield to 
pin 13. 

There are some very useful cables available in the UK, sold for making 
SCART interconnection leads. You can get one that contains 6 75 ohm 
coaxes (with individual jackets over the sheild), a 4 way overall-screen 
audio cable, and several separate wires, all with an overall screen and 
jacket. There are simpler ones (I remember one that's 2 75 ohm coaxes, 
the 4-core audio, and a couple of wires, for example). I am pretty sure I 
used something liok that to make my universal Rainbow video cable.


> 
> And probably sheath the entire conflagaration in shrink tubing?

Or that spiral-wrap stuff, or a cable tie every 4 inches, or...

-tony