[Tenacious Dyl]

Hey everyone.... I am just proposing an idea, and wondering if anyone had any info about this.

The basic idea of the project is to use a Serial (Commonly Printer) Switch
(Example: http://www.autdirect.co.uk/acatalog/...nterswitch.jpg)

To instead "switch" input / selection of DVI. I have a 6800GT card (Two dual-link DVI ports). With one port, it will go straight to my Apple Cinema (20") The other port will go to the Printer Switch. The printer switch will then have on one option, my other Apple Cinema (20") and on the other option, my Apple G5 Composite/S-Video Adapter to my TV. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...lance&n=172282)

My issues:
1) The "DVI" ports that I would like to switch between have 29 connectors. The serial printer ports have 25 connectors.
2) I do not know the exact pin-outs of the Apple G5 Video Adapter / Cinema Display.

Ex... If I know that the Cinema Display only uses... say... 23 wires. And the TV adapter uses only 20, then this will work fine. I just need to know which are which, and how to connect them to a switch.

The whole idea, is that this box is connected, screwed underneath my desk, and with a simple turn of the switch, it is as though I crawled under my desk, unplugged my ACD, plugged in the Tv, and crawled back out.

Other useful info: The switch mechanism inside is a MESS. It is all 75 wires, soldered onto a spool, in a clump. Absolute hell. However, whether they are functional or not, I am not sure... but there are another good 7 rows, of 4 connections open.

Has anyone done this, these printer switches are very modable... just a headache!

[mduell]

Since you're only using single-link DVI-I, you only need 23 pins (or 19 if you're using DVI-D... I'm not sure how your TV adapter works). See wikipedia for the pinout.

[Tenacious Dyl]

Little update... the ACD needs less than 25, and the TV adapter has only 23 pins. How many of those 23 pins in the male part it actually uses... I am unsure. I seriously doubt all 23. Needless to say the project is set up.

Bought some more solder, got some patience, etc. Just need three DVI female ports to replace the serial ones with, and start soldering! I have at least 10 DVI cables laying around, and ALL of them have MALE ends on both sides. Sigh....
eBay here I come....

[edit] Apparently buying something simple like 3 DVI-female plug-ends is impossible. Everything for sale is cables and adapters. Not just simple parts. Is my best bet / cost / etc going to be having to buy 3 bloody Male-to-Female DVI cables? And then have to hack off each female end, and divy-out the wires... ?

[Waragainstsleep]

Try digikey for female DVI ports. Failing that, talk to pacific cables.
If the TV adaptor is analogue, it should use alot less than 23 pins. The pins in the cross-shaped bit of the plug are used for analogue data. Thats why DVI-D doesn't have them.

http://www.pinouts.ru

A multimeter should tell you the pinouts of your TV adaptor.

[Tenacious Dyl]

Thanks for that link! Good retailer / parts seller
Hope to order, and start soldering soon!