3/27/2015 hi all, I found my old slides on the subject, checked that they still looked sane, removed all the "TBD"'s I could and replaced with very specific recommendations, and added a pinout recommendation on the DB25M end of the long cables. The patchpanel pinout and wiring diagram is defined by implication from the log cable pinout and the power supply pinout. It is left as an exercise to the reader. I think what I have here now is correct. I hope so. Best if someone else checks (Xiaowen?). I think we should move now to either buy the bulk cable or skip that step and buy the finished assemblies, with vendor buying both the cable and the connectors. (That is, unless you are planning to do the work in-house at VT? Then of course buy the bulk cable asap.) Most cable assembly vendors will be happy to use your cable or theirs. It's probably a wash on cost. I did not give particular D connector, crimp pin, & backshell partnumbers. There are *many* variations. I'd let the vendor suggest what they prefer to use and then we review the dataheets and approve it (or not). Be sure to ask that we get to approve the connector partnumbers. Substituting another cable partnumber may be ok, if requested by the vendor, but again we need to approve it (especially in regards to safety ratings). I think we should proceed at this point, and I think I am done - except that I will be very happy to review connector partnumber choices and patchpanel PCB design, if you wish. The patchpanel should be pretty simple to design (although should be done by someone with some PCB design experience or with detailed guidance available locally, I'd recommend). I think they could be soldered by student labor with some supervision - or you can get a vendor to assemble them but it will not be very cost effective since we need so few of them. Best wishes, Gerard