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Some wacky additions to the RS- 232 serial standard



DL-232 -- A New Standard

by Dave Lyons
(CompuCenter Iowa: JoeApple; CompuServe 72177,3233)

I may never understand how the designers of the RS-232 "standard"
for serial communication managed to use 25 wires where only 3 are
really necessary. Maybe they made a deal with the companies that
make cables, connectors, and switch boxes...I just don't know.

Well, I thought of a few things that the RS-232 standard lacks,
and since there are already so many extra signals, a few more can't
hurt anybody, right? Heck, let's go for 50-pin connectors and cables
and add the following new signals. (Just to make sure this isn't
compatible with any old equipment, all OLD signals are moved up one
pin number (Carrier Detect becomes 9 instead of 8, etc., and pin 25
goes to pin 1).

Pin Name Description
--- ---- -----------
26 XCAT Should be connected to chassis of devices. Used with
the next two signals, this provides protection
against cats who haven't learned not to walk on
floppy disks or serial equipment. This signal should
supply about 2000 volts (at a VERY low current level;
wouldn't want to HURT the cute little thing, just
teach it not to walk on anything in the computer
room).
27 CATGND Cat ground. Used with pin 26. This signal should be
connected to another part of the chassis or the
tabletop.
28 CTD Cat detect.
29 SD Self-destruct. This signals causes the device to
destroy itself.
30 SDACK Self-destruct acknowledge. Acknowledges that the
device has destroyed itself.
31 VADIC This signal indicates to a computer that the device
on the other end is a modem that uses VADIC protocol.
(Note: CompuCenter Iowa users should jumper this
signal to SD and then buy a decent modem.)
32 STBIT1 Stutter bits. With pin 33, sets the number of
"stutter bits" (0 to 3 of them) to be included before
each byte transmitted. This may reduce the number of
people who feel inferior to computer equipment by
showing them that computers have problems
communicating with each other.
33 STBIT2
34 CABR Cable ready. It's not enough to know that the Data
Set is ready (DSR) and the Data Terminal is read
(DTR). We also need to know that the CABLE
connecting them is ready.
35 GRR Gremlins ready. Not everybody knows it, but there are
little green guys inside most modern computer
equipment. Most of the time they sleep, but other
times they cause trouble. The next 6 signals are for
dealing with gremlins.
36 220A Used with pin 37, supplies 220 volt power for the
gremlins' air conditioning. On hot days when
gremlins can't sleep, applying power to these pins
may solve your problems.
37 220B
38 110H 110 volts, hot side. When the 220 volt power doesn't
help and gremlin problems persist, use this with pin
39 to supply 110 volts for the gremlins' TV and video
game center.
39 110N 110 volts, neutral side.
40 MOON Indicates the phase of the moon. Sometimes solves mysterious
problems.

41 LHI Pins 41 through 45 can be used to implement the
"like" protocol when the normal RTS/CTS protocol
isn't enough. This one means "Like HI" and is used
to establish a connection.
42 LHTY2 Like HI to You Too. Acknowledges pin 41.
43 LLTT Like Listen To This. Requests permission to send
data.
44 LOK Like OK. Grants permission to transmit data.
45 LWOW Like WOW. Acknowledges receipt of data.

46 HEY Pins 46 to 50 may be used to implement the "Eighties"
protocol when RTS/CTS and "Like" protocols won't do
the job. This signal is similar to RTS (Request to
Send).
47 NP No Problem. Acknowledges HEY.
48 HUH? Signals that data was not received correctly
(possibly wrong number of stutter bits).
49 YEAH Acknowledges data received.
50 KMG365 Like YEAH, but for avid Emergency One fans.

That makes 50! Let's hear your suggestions for MORE serial signals.
Maybe we can get 100 and REALLY make the cable manufacturers happy.
 
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