25th November 2008, 06:14 pm
From time to time I have to make serial connector adapters to get from DB9 to RJ45. Many devices (cisco, lantronix, etc.) use RJ45 connections for serial ports, many others use DB9 connections. This simple pinout works with an RJ45/DB9 connector to make the connection, these connectors are available at any decent electronics shop for about $3, you just have to push the pins into the right holes. The sweet thing about this is you can pick straight or null-modem by using either a straight cable or a telco-roll cable (not ethernet roll, telco-roll reverses all the conductors and usually is used with flat satin cable, just flip the cable over before putting on the rj45 head so on one end blue is on the left, on the other end white is on the left).
DB9 Pin -> Color -> Signal
1 -> Orange -> DCD
2 -> Black -> RX
3 -> Yellow -> TX
4 -> Brown -> DTR
5 -> Red -> SGND
6 -> no connection
7 -> White -> RTS
8 -> Blue -> CTS
9 -> no connection
- -> Green -> no connection
19th November 2008, 08:15 pm
The latest from the state a California, in a budget mess and chronically budget-challenged, now wants to raise money by selling advertising space on highway message signs.
These signs, most of them just arrays of light bulbs, are currently used to display traffic alerts, and in some cases estimated travel times. Once every couple months these signs display an “Amber Alert” about some missing kid or whatever. Well, the problem is, way too many of the drivers on the road seem to think they have to slow down to read the sign, so traffic gets all screwed up as a result. Miraculously, traffic speeds up just past the sign.
Let’s face it, way too many of the people driving down our freeways are barely bright enough to manage to breathe and drive at the same time. Add in something they have to read and it’s all over, welcome to the roadway parking lot.
Come on California, don’t be stupid. Fix the budget, get rid of stupid spending, and if that’s not enough make the freeways into toll roads and let them pay for themselves or raise the gas tax, just ensure the revenue goes back into the roads not some stupid feed-the-homeless bullshit.
