Re: DEC Video Connector

[Paul Koning <paulkoning%comcast.net@localhost>]

On Dec 20, 2012, at 1:36 PM, Johnny Billquist wrote:

> On 2012-12-20 19:32, emanuel stiebler wrote:
>> Hi all,
>> anybody has an idea, who made the 3pin video connectors on the DEC
>> machines (VAX & PMAX)? And, if there is a solder-able counterpart?
> 
> No idea, but others used them too. Search for 3W3 connectors.

You mean 3 mini coax connectors inside a DB style shell?  Those are pretty 
widely used.  Sun used them.  That style of design is still in use, you should 
have no trouble finding them in good electronic parts catalogs.

For example, I went to digikey.com and asked it for "3w3", it came up with lots 
of matches with a number of different pin configurations -- 
http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en/connectors-interconnects/d-sub/1442566?k=3w3
 

Ditto mouser.com: 
http://www.mouser.com/Connectors/D-Sub-Connectors/_/N-9gxxm?Keyword=3w3&FS=True

It looks like "3W3" means 3 large holes in the shell, but not necessarily coax 
-- a lot of them seem to be high power pins instead.  Mouser may be using "C" 
instead of "W" to mean coax.

Here's a nice reference: 
http://www.conec.com/catalogs/c1/ioconnector/combination-d-sub-connectors/combination-d-sub-connectors-2w2-3w3-5w5-8w8.html
 -- the "complete combination d-sub connectors" PDF download at the bottom 
right has lots of detail about many different combinations.  You'll want to be 
careful to match the exact connector style you need.

It looks like coax pins are often crimp style, but solder style also are 
mentioned in the conec catalog.  I suspect solder style is harder to find -- 
crimp is the normal style in volume production work.

        paul