Hi,
I have a 50 pin ribbon cable that is carrying a large number of
signals from various hardware components in a medical device I am
trying to test. I'm looking for a device/connector that would allow
me to gain direct access to any one of the wires/pins in the cable, so
I could set the voltage on any pin. Furthermore, this ideal device/
connector would allow me to disconnect any of the wires in the cable
whenever I wanted. Does anyone know if such a device exists and who
makes it?


Thanks,

Jason Mazzotta

jasonM wrote:

> Hi,
> I have a 50 pin ribbon cable that is carrying a large number of
> signals from various hardware components in a medical device I am
> trying to test. I'm looking for a device/connector that would allow
> me to gain direct access to any one of the wires/pins in the cable, so
> I could set the voltage on any pin. Furthermore, this ideal device/
> connector would allow me to disconnect any of the wires in the cable
> whenever I wanted. Does anyone know if such a device exists and who
> makes it?

You need a 'breakout box'. Try googling.

Graham

"Eeyore" <rabbitsfriendsandrelations@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:46C0BCA6.C3F52E21@hotmail.com...
>
>
> jasonM wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>> I have a 50 pin ribbon cable that is carrying a large number of
>> signals from various hardware components in a medical device I am
>> trying to test. I'm looking for a device/connector that would allow
>> me to gain direct access to any one of the wires/pins in the cable, so
>> I could set the voltage on any pin. Furthermore, this ideal device/
>> connector would allow me to disconnect any of the wires in the cable
>> whenever I wanted. Does anyone know if such a device exists and who
>> makes it?
>
> You need a 'breakout box'. Try googling.
>
> Graham
>

I'm not into "breakout boxes" - never had a need for one or shopped for one
to know of any differences in size, style, hook up, etc.... I "did" end up
with one from a Computer repair business buy out - which is in a small hard
shell case - has some jumpers with it, etc. Uses either AAs or a 9 vdc
battery I believe. Been looking to sell it off - for a reasonable offer -
plus shipping.

Lou

"jasonM" <jazzdman@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1187035391.489827.327660@b79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> I have a 50 pin ribbon cable that is carrying a large number of
> signals from various hardware components in a medical device I am
> trying to test. I'm looking for a device/connector that would allow
> me to gain direct access to any one of the wires/pins in the cable, so
> I could set the voltage on any pin. Furthermore, this ideal device/
> connector would allow me to disconnect any of the wires in the cable
> whenever I wanted. Does anyone know if such a device exists and who
> makes it?

3M makes something that will accomplish this: One was just a male to female
connector, about an inch long, available in the common pin counts (26, 40, 50,
etc.) with dual-row 0.1"-spaced pins. Each circuit had a little slide switch
which connected or disconnected the signal. The other thing they made was a
very short (~1/4") male to female connector with another male header sticking
out of the side, 90 degrees to the main body. This allowed you to either hook
up a scrobe probe or multimeter to measure voltages, or connect voltages

Ah, here they are: http://dkc3.digikey.com/PDF/T072/P0442.pdf -- 3M
"Intra-Connector" and "Intra-Switch."

---Joel