[bcab] Re: Cables for the old Keynote synthesizer?

Ottawa Canada
 
Dear Ibby and list:
 
Glad to help and in addition to answering your present question,
I have probably explained the RS-232-C specification in enough
detail you won't have to ask again the next time you wish to
connect two devices using a serial cable.
 
In my experience, telephone modems generally adhere to the
RS-232-C spec much more religiously than CRT terminal, computer
or printer manufacturers do.
 
This is because in days of yore, Mother Bell was virtually the
only volume buyer of modems.  And if it wasn't completely
compliant with the Western Electric type 103, 113 (answer band),
202, 212, 208 or 209 type spec and the RS-232-C spec, Mother
didn't buy it.  No way!
 
So modem manufacturers learned not to get creative interpreting
these specs but to do exactly what Western Electric units did.
 
Over the years, they sold many modems and acoustic couplers to
Mother Bell!
 
In the world of FAX machines, there is the C. C. I. T. T. spec
which is supposed to be the definitive last word on how FAX
works.  However, some manufacturers, such as Xerox in its early
days of making FAX and many makers of very cheap FAX machines,
interpreted the spec for group III FAX somewhat differently than
the rest of the world did.
 
So some FAX cards, their software and even stand alone FAX
machines have to query the receiving or sending machine as the
case may be, for its make and model and take its weird and whacky
interpretation of the spec into account to avoid say the
receiving machine receiving 999 copies of your transmission
because it did not send the agreed upon handshake upon the
sending machine signaling it was finished sending the document!
 
I've never had 999 copies of my document received, but have had 5
or 6 which usually got me a phone call from the human FAX
operator at the receiving machine the next business day asking
why I sent so many copies of my document!
 
Sometimes a detailed answer is much better than a terse one.
 
Good luck.
 
Brian
Brian K. Lingard
e-mail: B.Lingard@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Tel: +1 (613) 247-0665
NYC Tel: +1 797-2862
FAX: +1 (613) 247-9998
Skype: ve3yiab2ji15

Other related posts: