Any tips/hints to building XE1541 cable

Good link here http://ist.uwaterloo...ers/xm1541.html

There's another around somewhere that has exact lengths to cut the diodes.

The XM cable type is actually better than the XE one - I've built one for someone else and have the parts to build another for myself.

I used an old 25 pin RS-232 port from early Pentium type computer, if you get the right sort, the molded shell is just the right size to be able to contain all the components you solder onto the plug.

At the other end I use a female DIN plug. IMO it's best to just make the interface with a short cable, then plug your normal Commodore serial cable into it rather than plugging your interface into the drive.

Be sure to get the right diodes, IIRC the instructions I used actually specified a BAT54 (?) type but the linked instructions above use a 1N5819 (chances are they are the exact same rating/function)

There's more advanced X interfaces around, e.g. the parallel ones, but they involve modifying your disk drive. The way I see it, unless you're planning on doing dozens of transfers every day you're just better off sticking to the easier to make serial ones.

Another hint or two:

- when soldering the wires/components to the plugs, especially the DIN type, it can be real helpful to plug something into it to act as a heatsink so you don't melt the plastic. With the DIN types, the plastic will soften real quick once you've applied heat to a pin for more than a few seconds.

Edited by Rybags, Thu Nov 24, 2011 4:41 AM.