64Copy Central

Step 1: Get some ribbon cable

Get about 12" of 10-wire ribbon cable. If wire 1 is not marked in a different color, choose your wire 1 and color it with a marker. A section of an old 40-pin IDE cable works well. The example here has wire 1 colored with a black marker.

Step 2: Prepare one end

We need to solder one end of the ribbon cable to the DB15 female port. Using fine scissors cut the wires apart back about 1" (3cm). Be sure not to cut to close to the wires while separating the wires to expose or cut them and cause shorts. Strip the wires back about 1/8" (3 mm) and twist and tin the wires.

Step 3: Attach wires to DB15 port

Pre-solder the DB15 solder cups pins 1 to 10 so wire insertion will be easier. Starting with wire 1 on the ribbon cable, solder wire 1 to pin 1 on the socker, wire 2 to pin 2, etc. Wire 9 and 10 will go behind the front set on the second row.

Step 4: Prepare other end

Just like the one end that was stripped and soldered to the DB15 connector, we need to prepare the other end of the ribbon cable for soldering to the chip legs. Using fine scissors cut the wires apart back about 1" (3cm). Be sure not to cut to close to the wires while separating the wires to expose or cut them and cause shorts. Strip the wires back about 1/8" (3 mm) and twist and tin the wires. Wires 9 and 10 can be separated from the main group by about an extra .5" (1cm).

The finished soldered cable

This is the finished cable. Label it "universal" because it will fit both the 1541 and 1571.

Step 5a: Mark off the starting point

Get a 40-pin socket and lay the cable on the socket with wire 1 towards you so the right end of the cable is flush with right end of the socket. With a thin marker or pen, mark the cable at socket pin 3 (1 is on the left of the socket, 20 is on the right).

Step 5b: Trim the wires

Starting from wire 1, cut wire 1 at the mark you just made, cut wire 2 about 3 mm to the right, cut wire 3 about 3 mm further to the right etc until you get to wire 8. Wire 9 will be left at its full length, but cut wire 10 at the same point as wire 1. This should leave you with the wire trimmed as seen.

Step 5c: Strip and solder wires

Using fine scissors, cut the wires apart back about 1". Be sure not to cut the wires or get too close as you will expose the inside wires, possibly causing shorts. Get your wire strippers and strip the wires back only about 2 mm (about 1/8"), not too long. Twist and tin the wires.

Step 5d: Attach to the socket

Turn the ribbon cable over so wire 1 is away from you. Turn the socket over so the pins are sticking up and pin 1 is at the top-left corner (pin 1 is on the side where the notch is cut in the side of the socket body). Solder the wires to the socket pins (right next to the socket body) using the chart below.

The finished socketed cable

This is the finished socketed cable. Label it "1541" because the 1541 internal socket adapter is not the same as the 1571 adapter and there will be no confusion later. Check the pinouts according to the chart below.