Hello,
Very good eyes. That little plastic spacer is where you can install a
SER-001 card for a full-sized serial port. There is an amazing range of
devices that can use that port. But due to miniaturization, the connecter
has to be made as small as possible. Then enters the dongle! :)
You can get them here
http://members.tripod.com/mrpcbman/
He is currently sold out.
Below is a little excerpt about the NIC.
Here is the url:
http://archive.dstc.edu.au/AU/staff/david-arnold/newton/interconnect.html
David
Interconnect Port Specifications
The Newton MessagePad 2000 and eMate 300 models introduced a new external
connector. Previous models, from the original MessagePad to the MessagePad
130 used a standard Macintosh Mini DIN 8 port for Appletalk and serial I/O.
Well - not quite standard, since the Newton PrintPack used a combination of
a special pin and byte sequence to trigger the OS to upload the print driver
package when first plugged in. Anyone with information on how this works
should feel free to contact me ... ;-)
The new Interconnect port provides access to the serial/Appletalk port,
audio in and out, DC power and auto-sensing of docking.
It is physically a 26 pin, dual-sided flat connector with a metal, D-shaped
housing (presumably earthed). The MessagePad 2000 has a recessed male
connector behind small door on one end of the device.
The following was (almost) anonomously posted to comp.os.newton.programmer
in June 1997. It appears to be a copy of the Apple documentation.
Newton Interconnect Port
Hardware Specification for the MessagePad
Draft Preliminary, Confidential. ©1997 Apple Computer, Inc. 5/23/97
This document describes the Newton Interconnect Port. This port was designed
to connect the MessagePad to a a variety of peripherals and devices, such
as: a simple AppleTalk serial cable connection, a wireless communications
device connection port, and a complex docking port for a desktop dock that
provides audio I/O capabilities.
Because of the wide array of devices that may be connected to the
MessagePad, the Newton Interconnect Port has been designed with the
flexibility needed to accommodate the majority of such devices. There is no
minimum set of required signals: a device could, for example, use only audio
out to provide a connection to a set of amplified speakers.
The Newton Interconnect Port contains the following groups of pins:
* 7-pin AppleTalk/Local Talk interface with handshaking signals, using
the Serial Communications Controller Channel 0. This channel is interfaced
through an LTC1323 line driver, and supports both standard RS-422 serial and
AppleTalk ports. The interface provides differential-pair data signals and
buffered versions of the handshaking signals. A detailed description of the
LTC1323 line driver is available on Linear Technology's Web site
(www.linear.com). Specifics of the RS-422 standard can be found by searching
for "RS-422."
* Serial Communications Controller Channel 3 with full control signals,
ring indicator, and enable.
* Power Adapter pins that power the MessagePad and recharge the
batteries through the Newton Interconnect Port.
* Auxiliary audio input.
* Line-level auxiliary audio output.
* An auxiliary +5V power source that can be turned on or off under
software control.
* A control input that allows an external peripheral to wake the
MessagePad system if it is in the Sleep state (i.e., all clocks are disabled
and all subsystems are shut down, with the exception of the Digital
Controller's Real Time Clock). This input can also be used to alert the
MessagePad to perform AutoDocking functions (if a dock or cable has been
inserted in the Newton Interconnect Port).
>
> On Tue, 2001-10-16 at 18:34, Christopher Dean wrote:
>>
>> Adam,
>>
>> You require the Serial Dongle.
>>
>> The Australian part number is;
>>
>> 922-2971 Cable adaptor to Din 9 $30.00 (Australian)
>>
>> You need to visit your local Authorised Apple Service Centre to obtain one
>> of these as they are only listed in Apples "spare part" catalogue.
>>
>> Last time I checked Apple Australia still had 8 in stock (a couple of weeks
>> ago at most).
>
> Thanks for the information Christopher and David (and the emailed info
> as well Christopher). It doesn't sound like they will too difficult to
> obtain.
>
> Your support is great :-)
>
> I have issues with the comment David that "The NIC (where the dongle
> plugs in) is a good design if not a little fragile. Just imagine how
> silly (and how much larger) the Newton would have to be if all of the
> connectors were located on the Newton itself." Apple managed to fit a
> serial port into the smaller MP130. Plus there appears to be space for a
> serial port under the lift-up flap (on the RHS looking from the top)
> that has been filled in with a piece of plastic.
>
> Regards,
> Adam
>
>
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