Building a serial cable in less time it takes to write this post

[Matthias_H_Intel]

Working with Galileo you might look for a serial cable fitting in the "audio JACK" plug which is required e.g. if you want to upgrade the firmware. Below I put a brief photo story showing the steps to quickly build one.

1. get hold of a stereo headphone cable / plug. You should have 3 wires inside. Varnish insulation can easily removed by just burning it. You can easily spot the 3 areas on the stereo plug In the picture below you. In the following we will enumerate those sections 1 (front), 2 (middle), and 3 (big GND section) 

2. Get hold of 3 cables with jacks (and leave the GND cable longer than I did ;-))

3. the contacts will be covered by heat shrink later on

4. I like crimping - you could of course solder likewise

5. crimped cables - don't forget to put the heat shrink before you connect

6. place the heat shrinks

7. and heat it preferably with a hot air fan - but lighter works as well (just make sure you don't burn insulation)

8. a big heat shrink goes over all 3 connects

9. as a more comfortable alternative: if you do have a serial cable you can likewise connect directly

10. Directly plug into a USB -> serial adapter:

connect as follows

stereo jack -> serial

1 -> 2

2-> 3

3 (GND) -> 5

That's it. And it took way longer to write this post than to build the cable

Enjoy

[Matthias_H_Intel]

unfortunately, all images in the post disappeared. Therefore attaching pdf version

Enjoy serial

[Stewart_C_Intel]

 or buy this..takes even less time...http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004T9BBJC

[Matthias_H_Intel]

granted for the time it takes you to order - BUT: you have to wait probably several days to get the cable whereas in my case you can start right away assuming you do have the bits and pieces lying around as it was for me. And buying is too simple and too less fun :-)