I need to do some testing on my Stern sound board. (SB-100) I find it difficult to work inside the backbox. I need a long set of cables (36 inches). I thought about making a set of cables with connectors on both ends but the thought of making 64 crimp connectors kills that idea. I have found 16 conductor ribbon cable but I can’t find the end connectors. Anyone have an idea who supplies 16 pin female single row connectors?
Thanks
Bob
Quoted from oldschoolbob:I need to do some testing on my Stern sound board. (SB-100) I find it difficult to work inside the backbox. I need a long set of cables (36 inches). I thought about making a set of cables with connectors on both ends but the thought of making 64 crimp connectors kills that idea. I have found 16 conductor ribbon cable but I can’t find the end connectors. Anyone have an idea who supplies 16 pin female single row connectors?
Thanks
Bob
Amazon has them.
Quoted from oldschoolbob:I thought about making a set of cables with connectors on both ends but the thought of making 64 crimp connectors kills that idea.
Hi, I've made many of these cables as the originals are always flakey and can stop the CPU starting. It takes less than an hour to make them, so no big deal.
Make ribbon cables all the time. Not for the classic Stern, but whenever I work on a WPC or newer game, heck yeah. Ribbon cable, IDC connections. 
Quoted from oldschoolbob:I thought about making a set of cables with connectors on both ends but the thought of making 64 crimp connectors kills that idea.
I did this for a couple stern machines. Made up all the wires first then did all the insertions. Used 2 different length connectors and swapped them on the other end IIRC and wire tied the wiring to keep it neat. It helped that I had a Knepx wire stripper though, that made short work of prepping the wires.
Reminded me of the crazy stuff we used to do when I was into building PCs, even though I didn't have a windowed case I still split the ribbon cables and 'stacked' them so they 'looked' nice.
What a waste of time and money!
I think the ribbon cable is the way to go - fast and easy. It's not permanent - just for testing.
Coyote, I found 16 conductor ribbon cable but I can't find 16 pin single row female connectors. Where do you get your connectors?
Thanks
Bob
I used to make sets for WPC games before they were readily available. I think you need a “crimping” tool that basically bites down on the female connection. Then there’s another tool that cuts your spool of cable down to size that drops in a box cutter razor blade so you can replace when it gets dull.
It’s been YEARS since I’ve done this so I can’t recall sources for tools or parts.
I made lots of ribbon cables when I worked in the computer industry. Always IDC and always dual row. There are tools available to make them. The press that pushes the cable onto connector and different sized jigs to hold connectors. Also a test rig available.
Not sure if the pins match up, but because they're not keyed, you may be able dual row cable even though the male ends are single row.
Quoted from oldschoolbob:I think the ribbon cable is the way to go - fast and easy. It's not permanent - just for testing.
Coyote, I found 16 conductor ribbon cable but I can't find 16 pin single row female connectors. Where do you get your connectors?
Thanks
Bob
I've never done single-row like this before.
As hacky as it sounds, if I HAD to, I would use 32-conductor ribbon cable, use a two-row connector, and when plugging in just plug it into the top row of the 16-pin connector. As far as I know, IDC flex-ribbon cable sockets were never made for .100" single row.
Sounds familiar:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/sb-100-no-sound#post-3966386
You could maybe try something like this, just think of a way to lock the single pins together. You can buy long female Dupont style housings if you want to change the single housings to say two 16 pin long ones without re-crimping (the crimp terminals on these cables are Dupont 2.54mm style)
Hitachi makes the cable:
https://www.hca.hitachi-cable.com/products/hca/products/ribbon/wide-pitch/0.100-pvc-stranded-wide-pitch-ribbon-cable.php
I have yet to find anybody that makes the IDC plugs for 0.1" pitch without buying them a thousand at a time. Widest I have found available is about 20 pins wide so you will probably need to use connectors end to end - so make sure they are sized for end to end clearance.
I have 350mm (just under 14") versions of these cables. The manufacturer for my cables will make these any length you want but you need to buy 500 at a time.
I have one of these mini arbor presses. The manufacturer has different pieces available for making cables.
https://www.panavise.com/index.html?pageID=1&id1=9&startat=1&--woSECTIONSdatarq=9
I thought about using just one row in a double row connector but the way I understand the data sheet is the rows are odd/even. Bottom row would be for conductors 1-3-5-7 etc. Top rows would be for conductors 2-4-6-8 etc.
These connectors must be available somewhere. GPE sells 16 conductor single row ribbon cables. But they are only 13 inches.
Quench, I remember that thread well. I borrowed his cables when I worked on my Magic game.
IMG_3954 (resized).JPGQuoted from G-P-E:The manufacturer for my cables will make these any length you want but you need to buy 500 at a time.
All I need then is to find 499 other people that need extra long cables.
Quoted from G-P-E:Widest I have found available is about 20 pins wide so you will probably need to use connectors end to end - so make sure they are sized for end to end clearance.
I don't mind cables end to end. Seems to be the standard anyway. Do you know where I can get the 16 pin single row connectors? I've looked everywhere.
Ed, are the cables you have dis-assemble-able? Could I just re-use the connectors on new ribbon cables?
They're not open-able without destroying the latching mechanism.
Made by Don Connex:
http://www.donnex.com.tw/EN/products-list/nodeA/1394878204000/nodeB/1395899384000/
They list an "A50" version which is advertised as 32 pin widths. Unfortunately they no longer make these and several other styles on that web page but won't take them off the website.
Seems the only one they have readily available is the A04a.
Maybe they'll send you a few sample plugs along with a couple feet of L04C cable...?
Quoted from oldschoolbob:I thought about using just one row in a double row connector
It will work provided you can find a dual row double connector long enough..
The ribbon cables are pressed into the IDC connector. If you were my neighbour I'd loan you my press
In desperate times use a hammer and a block of wood (which I have done)..
If I don't hear back from Taiwan I'll go to plan "B" - make my own from single conductor wire. I just ordered 22 and 24 gauge wire. Which size would you use?
Quoted from Quench:It will work provided you can find a dual row double connector long enough..
The way I understand the odd/even rows is I would have to seperate each conductor and insert them individually into an odd or even row.
Quoted from Quench:If you were my neighbour I'd loan you my press
In desperate times use a hammer and a block of wood (which I have done)
I've seen videos where they used a bench vice to press the wires in the connector. If that don't work maybe the next time I'm in your area I'll stop in and borrow your press.
Thanks
Bob
Quoted from oldschoolbob:The way I understand the odd/even rows is I would have to seperate each conductor and insert them individually into an odd or even row.
No. Every second wire in the cable is used on each row and when you plug in you choose to use either the odds or evens on both ends. You don't need to separate the wires, just place the ribbon over the connector and press it in.
Yes a bench vice is a great idea - use blocks of wood on each side.
Quoted from Quench:No. Every second wire in the cable is used on each row and when you plug in you choose to use either the odds or evens on both ends.
Yeah, this is what I tried to get across in my post.
Use 2-row connectors, with a .05 pitch ribbon cable. You would need a cable with 2x the conductors, since exactly half of the conductors would be unused. When plugging them in, one row of the connector (top or bottom) would not be plugged into anything. Make sure that both connectors have the same row plugged in, and you're good to go.
Quoted from Coyote:with a .05 pitch ribbon cable.
I didn't know about 0.05 pitch cable. Now it makes sense.
More research to do.
Thanks guys.
After more research I found Ribbon cable seems to be 24 to 28 AWG. I couldn’t find any 22 AWG in ribbon cable.
0.05 pitch ribbon cable is 28 AWG = 64.9 ohms per 1000 feet - 0.22 ohms for 42 inches.
22 AWG = 16.14 ohms per 1000 feet - 0.05 ohms for 42 inches.
I was concerned the smaller wire may cause too much resistance in my new 42 inch test cables. I decided to make my own cables using 22 gauge wire. It was a slow process but I now have cables to test sound cards outside the backbox.
One set has two red wires - the other set has one red wire. Maybe that will keep me from reversing them.
I haven’t put them to the test yet but I have a sound card that isn’t working. Once the game is back together I’ll let you know how they work.
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions and input.
Bob
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