Mobolazer G-Scan/Keypad Cable Help

[MTWallet]

I recently picked up an ancient G-Scan & Keypad but it was missing the 6-pin cable to connect them. Anybody have an idea about what the pinout for that cable was? I have tried making one straight through and reversed. One way gives me a led on the keypad and the other doesn't, but neither have any effect on the gyrations of the head. The head does start correctly with the scrolling text and then goes to Mode 1, at least I think that is correct. Thanks for any pointers!

[djeric68]

I recently picked up an ancient G-Scan & Keypad but it was missing the 6-pin cable to connect them. Anybody have an idea about what the pinout for that cable was? I have tried making one straight through and reversed. One way gives me a led on the keypad and the other doesn't, but neither have any effect on the gyrations of the head. The head does start correctly with the scrolling text and then goes to Mode 1, at least I think that is correct. Thanks for any pointers!

It is a regular 6 pin RJ-12 phone cable (two phone lines in one cable), which is a 6 pin version of the common 4 pin RJ-11 phone cable. Should be "straight through" pin 1 to pin 1, 2 to 2 etc. IF you have or can find a 6 pin RJ-12 to 6 pin RJ-12 phone cable (just run to radio shack ) you should be able to get it to run. If not, there is something wrong with the serial port on the G-Scan controller or the serial port on the handheld controller.

There are 8 modes if I remember correctly. Modes are things like circles, squares, auto, and Mode 8 is scrolling text. I have the user manual somewhere. I'll post it here if I can find it.

I have attached the pinout to make a RJ-12 to DB-9 serial cable which the G-SOFT software uses to control the g-scan head with a laptop rather than the handheld controller with the microwave oven type keyboard.


Hope this helps.

[MTWallet]

Hope this helps.

That is of immense help, thank you! At least now I know how the cable is supposed to be and if the straight through doesn't work, I will open up the keypad and/or control box and make sure everything at least connects through to the circuit boards or whatever is inside. The jack on the control head had come loose from its adhesive, so it is possible something inside was pulled loose as well.

I have a manual for the G-Scan already, so no need to hunt one down, but thanks for the offer, and thanks for the other files as well, I will look into them shortly.

[djeric68]

Were you able to get it running?

Let's see the pictures!!!!

[MTWallet]

Were you able to get it running?

Let's see the pictures!!!!

I was not able to get it working with just the telco cord. I kludged together an adapter cable for the DB9 to telco and used the software as a test without the keypad and that did work, but as it was a kludge using exposed pins on the computer side of the DB9, I didn't mess with it other than the initial test. Haven't had time to get back at it to make up a proper cable that won't risk shorting something out. I will post something after I get a chance to mess with it some more.