36 pin printer cable w/ 2 male ends

[Appalachiatools]

Under the assumption that no question is a stupid question...I'm having trouble finding a printer cable with a male connector on each end. Is this something that I will have to make or does anyone know where I can find one. Thanks!

--Rick

[snowshovelbmx]

I went to a local computer store and they had a double male end cable, although it is a 25 pin. if it is for your parrallel port than you need a 25 pin and you should be able to find it at a computer store

[CJL5585]

Originally Posted by Appalachiatools Under the assumption that no question is a stupid question...I'm having trouble finding a printer cable with a male connector on each end. Is this something that I will have to make or does anyone know where I can find one. Thanks! --Rick

Your heading which specifically mentions a 36 pin cable does not appear in the above quote.

A 36 pin cable is known as a Centronics Printer cable. The cable has 18 signal wires (almost identical to the 25 pin version) with each signal wire having it's own ground wire for a total of 36 pins. The number of wires and the type connector define it as a Centronics interface. This pre-dates the IBM DB-25 pin parallel printer cable that is used today.

On older type computers the parallel output port is a (Female) DB-25 connector. The cable end had a mating (Male) DB-25M connector with the other end of the cable having a 36 pin Centronics connector which attached to a printer.

One could most likely find one of these cables on e-bay or some computer surplus site.

The only difference "that I remember" between the two types of interfaces (Centronics & IBM) is that IBM dropped all the extra ground wires in order to use 25 pin connectors on each end.

I also noticed that you have another post relating to a CNC that you purchased. Are you needing a Centronics cable to interface the CNC to a computer?

Jerry

[CJL5585]

http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/...rinter%20cable

Here is a link to a description of the Centronics cable.

I did a search for Centronics Printer Cable and saw some old posts selling the cables for $0.99.

[Appalachiatools]

Thanks for the info. I purchased a cable thinking just a plain old style printer cable. The cable I purchased is a 25-pin DB-25 male connector that plugs into the computer and a 36-pin Centronics male connector that plugs into the printer as mentioned in the link you posted. What I need is for the cnc I purchased in the other post. I guess I need a 25 pin DB-25 male connecor on both ends of the table to plug into a board for the motor drives and limits (?parallel port?). I have been unable to find the cable at Office max, etc... I guess I need to search a little deeper. I was just wondering if this was an uncommon cable that I might have to make. Now that I know what I'm looking for, I'm sure I can find one. Thanks all!
--Rick

[vulcom1]

Rick,
I believe the cable you are looking for male and female 25 pin is a 232 cable. Let me know if you can not find one and also your location by pm. It should be easy to find as they where popular a while ago.
John

[Appalachiatools]

Thanks all, for the info. I think ignorance was the culprit. I believe the only stupid question is the one that isn't asked but perhaps I'm pushing it a bit. I'll go back to the computer store armed with all this new knowledge and I'm sure I can find what I need. Yes it is to connect the machine in the other post. I'm out of town and will be away from it for a while. I plan to upgrade the computer anyway before firing it up. Work safe!
--Rick