VisorCentral.com - 12-contacts serial, why?

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VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- Visor Edge (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=25)
-- 12-contacts serial, why? (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=12744)

Posted by mad_ip_address on 03-09-2001 10:19 AM:

the serial port of the edge has 12 contacts (versus 8 on my dx), just WHY? You do not need all these pins for a serial connection, nor for charging... maybe to charge/use something different form the piggybacked springboard slot? maybe something like a piggibacked sd slot?
mmmh, seems suspicious...

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Posted by potter on 03-09-2001 03:34 PM:

I noted those twelve contacts too. Possibilities that I can think of:

These images are just mock-ups and the real Edge has the normal Visor connector with 8 contacts.
The added back the flow control lines that were removed in the Visor design from the Palm design. Palm devices' have 10 contacts, then add two more for the USB port.
Something new? Fire Wire? Ether net?

If the connector has indeed changed, this will be a bane to anyone who is upgrading and already has some accessories that use the HotSync connector. Examples: Keyboards, Serial cables to their cell phone.

Posted by MPM on 03-09-2001 08:57 PM:

Palm did it.

quote:
Originally posted by potter
<snip>...If the connector has indeed changed, this will be a bane to anyone who is upgrading and already has some accessories that use the HotSync connector. Examples: Keyboards, Serial cables to their cell phone.

Palm did this with the Palm V. Most accessory manufacturers came out with modified products that could use the new Hotsync connector. So if it is true that Edge has the new 12 pin connector, I guess that Handspring figures they can do the same thing that Palm did and again the accessory manufacturers will follow.

Posted by Bane on 03-11-2001 02:06 AM:

Keyboards etc

The real question will be weather or not HS produces an adaptor or at least pin out info so other people can make adaptors so that they can still use their existing serial port accessories .... If they dont then what is the point of upgrading ? Who is dumb enough to spend $400 so that they can spend another $100 to replace their keyboard with one that works. Handspring is not a company that relies on people who have more money than brain cells. Unless someone forgot to clue them in. Oh well maybe I should just get a platinum.

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Posted by Confused on 03-11-2001 07:08 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by potter
I noted those twelve contacts too. <snipped> If the connector has indeed changed, this will be a bane to anyone who is upgrading and already has some accessories that use the HotSync connector. Examples: Keyboards, Serial cables to their cell phone.

Had to delve into newsgroup postings to find what I was sure I had seen

===========================================

"I was told by our corporate Palm rep that the "new" machines (500/505/...)will NOT be expansion-compatible with the V/Vx line, primarily since the port on the bottom will be USB rather than serial. Some case differences, too."

My understanding was that it was a 14 pin connector with both USB and serial"

===========================================

So ... now we'll have Palm at 14 and Visor at 12 and the peripheral manufacturers wringing their hands with delight ????

No wonder I am so confused

Posted by potter on 03-12-2001 08:40 PM:

Now with the actual announcement of the Edge, I have been able to get a copy of the "Handspring Product Guide: Visor Edit Handheld" technical documentation. From this I see that there are four Pass-Through signals. In the text they are discribed as:

quote:
These pins are passed through the Cradle Interface to the Edge Connector. They are intended for future peripheral use and are presently reserved. These signals are not brought out in the Detachable Springboard Slot.

Posted by lennonhead on 03-12-2001 08:44 PM:

So what does that mean? Can existing peripherals be used with it?

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Posted by potter on 03-12-2001 09:17 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by lennonhead
So what does that mean? Can existing peripherals be used with it?

Not without some sort of adapter. Though such an adapter would be electrically trivial.

Posted by mad_ip_address on 03-13-2001 10:47 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by potter
Now with the actual announcement of the Edge, I have been able to get a copy of the "Handspring Product Guide: Visor Edit Handheld" technical documentation. From this I see that there are four Pass-Through signals. In the text they are discribed as:

really seems these extra pins are for the new "springboard2" slot exclusive use, since they do not reach the springboard-slot-in-the-sleeve (too difficult to find a name for this silly thing?

.

Well, let's do some dreamwork... the pins aren't for power, we have already the standard ones... they _can_ be for a direct usb connection with the cradle. But the other 2? bluetooth? SD? a real serial port?

mmmmmh... i hope the "old visor" form factor will not come to an end so suddently...

(btw, any news of a real-springboard to the-one-in-the-edge adapter?)

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