Vyper DIY interface - where to get connectors?

Ive just bought a vyper and going to build the DIY interface (delayed as
maplin didnt have any of the transistors or zener diode in stock...) but
looking at the connections on the bottom of the unit i cant see any standard
connector fitting.

The question is, has anyone built one of these things and if so what did
they use to make a connector and where did they get it from?

Here is everything I have collected...

http://www.geocities.com/scubadiver_roli/english.html
http://www.markus-fritze.de/suunto/
http://www.dcordes.freeuk.com/suunto.htm
http://www.athenshomesolutions.com/id14.html

I have not built any of them, I bought mine ready to go.

Good luck.

"Richard Whitcombe" <Richard.Whitcombe@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:bidne0$8fs41$1@ID-32032.news.uni-berlin.de...
> Ive just bought a vyper and going to build the DIY interface (delayed as
> maplin didnt have any of the transistors or zener diode in stock...) but
> looking at the connections on the bottom of the unit i cant see any
standard
> connector fitting.
>
> The question is, has anyone built one of these things and if so what did
> they use to make a connector and where did they get it from?
>
>

> The question is, has anyone built one of these things and if so what did
> they use to make a connector and where did they get it from?

I made my own too. Couldn't find any useful connectors, so made my own -
its just a little chunk of scrap black plastic, probably only 1cm cube, cut
to the size and shape of the hole (ie a bit of a rectangle with a groove in
the middle of one side) and then a couple of holes drilled through and metal
pins inserted - there are springs on the underside, held in by the thing
screwed onto a large case which contains the rest of the electronics (and a
lot of empty space). I know thats probably not a very good description, but
basically if you get a little bit of plastic, measure the size of the hole
for the connector, cut/sand/grind the plastic to the right shape and size,
and then put a couple of pins in, and its possible to make something thats a
very good fit. The websites given in the other post should give good
measurements for all this - mine was made without even having the computer
present until after it was complete.
I can get you a few more accurate measurements of mine if you want, but it
should all be available on the websites given in Occupant's post anyway.

David

Thanks for both replies, the web sites tend to have pictures but i was
wondering if someone had found an off the shelf connector that fitted. It
seems not.

Ive got the computer here (did first dives on it this weekend) so
measurements arent a problem. I'll see if i can find some metal pins or
thin springs (maybe better) to fit the contacts and just superglue to
something plastic i think. My electronic skills are OK but my DIY/physical
hardware skills are virtually nil so it'll be fun to see what a mess i can
make of this!

Ordering the components online tonight as i cant buy from Maplin so should
be in a position to try it towards the end of the week.

"Richard Whitcombe" <Richard.Whitcombe@btinternet.com> wrote:

>The question is, has anyone built one of these things and if so what did
>they use to make a connector and where did they get it from?

There is no ready made connector available. Buy some concave spring
loaded contacts (Farnell has them, RS will probably have them too).

If you can't find them, try the spring loaded pins that hold a watch's
wristband in place.

Take a piece of plastic stock, drill two small holes for the pins and
cut a grove into the plastic with a fine metal saw and fiddle till it
fits the computer.

Steven
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"Richard Whitcombe" <Richard.Whitcombe@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:bie794$8bj2g$1@ID-32032.news.uni-berlin.de...
> Thanks for both replies, the web sites tend to have pictures but i was
> wondering if someone had found an off the shelf connector that fitted. It
> seems not.
>
> Ive got the computer here (did first dives on it this weekend) so
> measurements arent a problem. I'll see if i can find some metal pins or
> thin springs (maybe better) to fit the contacts and just superglue to
> something plastic i think. My electronic skills are OK but my
DIY/physical
> hardware skills are virtually nil so it'll be fun to see what a mess i can
> make of this!
>
> Ordering the components online tonight as i cant buy from Maplin so should
> be in a position to try it towards the end of the week.

use 5 pin molex connector (male) remove the middle pin and file a grove in
the middle
good luck I tried two different circuits and neither of them worked could
get as far as getting the pc to recognise it but no further

"Occupant" <benner@bogus.personainternet.com> wrote in message
news:vkku5a2apgvo49@corp.supernews.com...
> Here is everything I have collected...
>
> http://www.geocities.com/scubadiver_roli/english.html
> http://www.markus-fritze.de/suunto/
> http://www.dcordes.freeuk.com/suunto.htm
> http://www.athenshomesolutions.com/id14.html
>
> I have not built any of them, I bought mine ready to go.
>
> Good luck.
>

Also http://www.inva-systems.fsnet.co.uk/scuba has details of my attempts to
build one...

I used a big old plug from inside an exploded telly and shaped it to fit,
using a couple of bits of spring for the contacts.

Needless to say, it works just great!

CAS

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