I mentioned some thoughts about the AUX cable on Twitter a few days ago. I really love the AUX port, it provides a way to connect a logic analyzer without probe hook acrobatics.
One thing I hate though: it’s impossible to tell which tiny wire goes to which pin. The main probe cable has color coded, labeled ends, so I thought we should do something similar with the AUX cable. I chose not to use color coded wire because silicone coated wire comes in really ugly colors, and making our own custom wire would be really expensive with no guarantee that the colors would be any nicer.
The plan was to find someone to do a small custom run of the connector shrouds in white ABS plastic and then dye it colors to match all the other labels. Well, it turns out that a factory already had then in stock! Nobody believed we’d get the right part. I even looked to make sure there’s no such thing as a one pin KF2540 (keyed) connector (also typically white color).
Well, it was the right part. Here’s a bag of white ABS plastic DuPont style crimp housings. Next, we’re going to send them to a (clothing) button dye factory to have them dyed in 8 colors. That won’t happen until after the ten day holiday that starts tomorrow.
Dyed DuPont crimp housings just arrived. These are white housings sent to a (clothing) button dye factory and color matched to our shrink tube samples. They look way better than I expected, and will go on the next revision of the Bus Pirate 5 aux cable (and some other stuff).
We dyed a bag in black too, despite black housings being ubiquitous. I was concerned the dyed parts would reflect light differently and an actual black housing would stick out and ruin the effect. These will go to assembly shortly and end up in our Aliexpress shop soon.
Sample AUX cable with dyed crimp housings just arrived. Very pleased! Black housings are common, but the dyed-black version reflects light like the other dyed parts and seems to match a bit better.
AUX doesn’t have a power pin, so we didn’t do red at first, but after seeing the result we had a bag dyed red too.
These will eventually go on the jumper and splitter cables so everything is color matched. Here’s an example with the grey housings, looks pretty sharp.
I know it’s a bit odd to focus on something as “cheap” and “disposable” as jumper wires but you have got to feel these cables! The silicone coated fine stranded wires have a weight, feel, flexibility and drape that is incomparable. It’s something you physically interact with and depend on for projects, they should enhance the experience and make it enjoyable.
I finally received the red crimp housings. The package sat in Hong Kong for more than two weeks, and finally arrived with another package sent more than a week later. Shipping is weird at the moment.
The result looks good. We’re sending these off for assembly today. The cable people are SLOW right now, so it’ll be a few weeks before they’re ready.
The AUX cable with color coded connectors has been at assembly for a few weeks. It should be done any day now. When we have the AUX cable, I’ll put them up in the DirtyPCBs shop and AliExpress as a single cable (not part of a set) because I know a few people are eager to get them.
Sorry for the less than great photos, it’s winter in Northern Europe and the sun is not here for it lately. I’ve retreated into my HeatTech shell, and I shall remain in this breathable, moisture wicking layer until the sun returns in April.
We can put them in our aliexpress shop, that’s probably the cheapest and fastest shipping wise.
