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I have an extremely small x86 PC ("weeCee x86") and it doesn't have room on the front or rear panels for the traditional DB-25 connector.

I'm planning to wire bodge wires to the SOM module for the parallel port, but I'm looking for the smallest possible connector I can use for 13+GND signals. (I don't need all 25 pins)

Something like a mini-HDMI port would have enough connectors to repurpose but I can't wire anything to it since it would be extremely tiny but I still need something very small:

weeCee x86

The goal is to connect an LPT soundcard like the OPL3LPT to it.

SofaKng
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  • How many pins _do_ you need? And what signals are on it? – Bruce Abbott Oct 19 '22 at 02:31
  • use a USB dongle – jsotola Oct 19 '22 at 02:35
  • I need 13 pins plus ground (so 14 pins or I can use the shell as ground?). I can't use a USB dongle because this runs MS-DOS and the LPT sound cards use DOS TSRs. – SofaKng Oct 19 '22 at 03:33
  • @SofaKng You show a picture of a DB15 connector on the weeCee. That would seem to cover your pin requirements. Is that also too large? (It's definitely smaller than a DB25.) If you have money, you can always look up [Lemo connectors](https://www.lemo.com/en). They are nice. But they are pricey, too. – jonk Oct 19 '22 at 04:09
  • @SofaKng For example of Lemo (nice but pricey) find: [female 14-pin chassis-mount Lemo](https://www.lemo.com/pdf/EGG.1B.314.CLL.pdf) and [male 14-pin cable Lemo](https://www.lemo.com/pdf/FGG.1B.314.CLAD42.pdf). Those are 14-pin and fairly small. (The connectors are unexcelled and pretty to look at. I've used them before. But you do pay for it. When I want to impress a client, I may use them. ;) – jonk Oct 19 '22 at 04:32
  • @jonk nice! If you're not willing to spend quite as much, Hirose's HR10 series is nice as well, e.g., HR10G-13R; looks nearly like a clone. – Marcus Müller Oct 19 '22 at 10:42

3 Answers3

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You can get the micro HDMI connectors on breakout boards for hand soldering.

Male Micro HDMI breakout

Micro HDMI Female Breakout

Nedd
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    With the added warning that using connectors for other than intended purpose can lead to incompatible equipment being connected together and thus damaged equipment. – Justme Oct 19 '22 at 09:58
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No matter what connector you'll use, it'll require an external non-standard cable or separate adapter.

At that point, you might just as well use a serial bus, which, as the name suggests, can do with fewer contacts, and a converter to parallel port (doing magic for which you will need direct memory access to a AT-PC emulating parallel port controller nonwithstanding).

So, go USB, and buy a USB-to-parallel-port adapter.

USB-wise, you've got a lot of standard and not so standard choices: In this day'n'age, USB-C might be the nicest you can do, but alternatively, a micro-B receptable, as anti-standard as that might be, could be the easiest choice (seeing the popularity of USB OTG solutions, where your phone becomes the USB host, but still has a device-side receptable).

Just saw the application:

The goal is to connect an LPT soundcard like the OPL3LPT to it.

Ah! So the purpose is probably letting DOS games access the parallel port to send data to the Yamaha synthesizer IC of the late 1980s. Cool, but that means my USB solution is out.

Marcus Müller
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I think you should first check if the OPL3LPT soundcard can fit inside the case. With the parallel connector and potentiometer removed, it looks pretty thin.

Then perhaps all you need is a 3.5mm jack output.

bobflux
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