HP Forums

Hello everyone,

I just received an HP48S purchased on TAS, and the package included an odd cable I've never seen before. On one end is the standard 4-pin inline serial connector for the 48 series, with an HP logo. At the other end is what I first took for a PS2 connector, but the pin arrangement is wrong. The pins are in three rows, with a 3-3-2 arrangement. The connector shell is round with keyed dimples, just as you might see in a PS2 connector. That end of the cable is marked 82209-80001, MADE IN U.S.A.

A Google search turns up exactly one hit, a three message thread where someone asks if anyone knows something about the cable, and a response saying the cable is for the HP48 pocket calculator (helpful, very helpful!)

I'm curious to know if this might have been paired with some sort of peripheral for the HP48 series calculators. Anyone have information on this?

Thanks,
~Mark

(03-26-2016 12:17 AM)mfleming Wrote: [ -> ]I'm curious to know if this might have been paired with some sort of peripheral for the HP48 series calculators. Anyone have information on this?

Does the PS/2-like cable end appear to be home-made, or at least not factory-made, with a different type of strain relief than the other end?

It could be a cable for use with a Mac - back in the day, Macs used a similar-looking connector for serial ports. I don't recall the pin-out for those cables, but it's pretty likely that's what it's for, since in the early 90's that's about all you could connect an HP-48 to, besides a PC.

Does the connector look like it will fit the HP-HIL plug shown here: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Hp_hil_adapter.jpg ? Maybe HP made some cables for connecting to HP-made workstations or non-IBM compatible PCs via HP-HIL.

(03-26-2016 12:17 AM)mfleming Wrote: [ -> ]...That end of the cable is marked 82209-80001, MADE IN U.S.A.

I've got one of those cables (exact same part number), and it's definitely an older Mac cable. I've still got several older Macs that have those serial ports, and even used that cable not long ago to load an old backup onto a 48SX. I'd say that's definitely what you've got.

Apple used those 8-pin circular connectors for serial ports on all Macs for quite a while; the first I remember was the Macintosh SE that was released in 1987, and I know they were still the primary type of serial connector Apple used when I left the company in 1996. I believe they were still using them after that as well.

Assuming you can't use it yourself, you may want to try selling it. There could still be some folks that need a spare.

Is this your cable?
http://pinouts.ru/DevicesCables/mactohp48_pinout.shtml

Quote:Is this your cable?
http://pinouts.ru/DevicesCables/mactohp48_pinout.shtml

Wow, that's the one all right. If I should ever attend one of the annual HP calculator meetings, I'll be sure to volunteer the cable as a door prize

I have almost no knowledge of the Mac - always been a three-button-mouse kind of guy...

~Mark