[sudo-discuss] null modem adaptor needed

[Jake]

i feel ridiculous asking for a null-modem adaptor...

and certainly one can be made with a bit of soldering on a regular cable 
(which we have extras of)

but if anyone has a null-modem adaptor laying around, i think we need it 
for the robot.  A DE-9 to DE-9 (male to female) would be ideal, although a 
DB-25 one would work too.  Even if it goes from 25 to 9 pins that would be 
fine.  We have lots of regular serial cables.

This is to hook the 3d-printing desktop computer up to the robot, so we 
can make it do more stuff.  I am not sure a null-modem adaptor is needed, 
but it doesn't seem to say anything at all without one so i'm guessing 
that's the problem.  Normally a disk drive (which we have) plugs into this 
port on the robot, so to connect the robot to a computer would suggest 
DTE-DTE which would require a null-modem adaptor.

-jake

* there is no such thing as a DB-9 connector:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-subminiature#mediaviewer/File:DSubminiatures.svg

DCE/DTE and null-modem adaptors:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_terminal_equipment