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Old 2009.04.14, 04:15 AM   #1
dabinn
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 41
[DIY]MINI-Z ASF/ADBAND/dNaNo I.C.S Cable

The I.C.S. cable sold by Kyosho, part no 82080, is 6825 yen in list price...


▲The original ICS calbe is too expensive. But you have to get one if you want to setup your ASF/Ad band/dNaNo PCBs.

Though this generation of ICS cable is changed, it uses USB interface.But in fact it is the same with the older RS232 version -- It only added RS232 to USB circuit. So If you want to make this cable by your self, just make a RS232 version like the older one. And if you have no RS232 on your computer, just buy a RS232 to USB adaptor , connect to the RS232 ICS cable, and it will work like the original USB ICS cable.


At first, Let's see the ciruit inside the ICS calbe.
(This circuit is provided by "CORN", but too bad he didn't come this forum.)


There are only two transistors, few resistances and diodes inside. These may take no more than 1 dollar. And this circuit is not very special,too. It only convert the voltage of RS232 signal to the voltage of MINI-Z.


The materials.

.1/4w resistances: 1KΩ*1+10KΩ*2+39KΩ*2
.diodes: 1N4148*1
.transistors: 2N3904*2, or 2SC1815*2.
I have no 2N3904 in hand, so I replaced it with 2SC1815. Both of these transistors are OK.


We need a RS232 9pin female connector for computer.

.RS232 female connector
.RS232 case

Take a cable which has at least 3 lines. I use a PC CD-ROM calbe.



I didn't have the connectors for MINI-Z/dNaNo while I took this photos, so we got no photos here. These are standard male connectors(JST ZH series) with 1.5mm pitch. Ad band uses a 3pin connector, and ASF/dNaNo uses a 4pin one.You may find them on a "electronic store"(??don't know how to said that), or buy on the net.



We'll try not using a PCB, just wire the components and place it into RS232 case directly. Let's see the 2 most complex components: the transistors.

▲This seems OK, not too big.。


▲It would be better to make some drawing before we really start to wire.



▲The simplest way to judge the pin assignment of transistors: use a an electric meter. (Or you can search from internet.)


▲Wire the componets and prepare to solder.
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Last edited by dabinn; 2009.04.14 at 11:06 AM.
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