If a group of today's electrical engineers were to design a serial interface from scratch, they would almost certainly come up with a specification that is more logical than RS-232. This specification was once intended as an interface between data terminal equipment (typically a video terminal or a mainframe) and data communication equipment (typically a modem), but has features that are clearly linked to early telegraphy hardware. To complicate matters, RS-232 has been mercilessly hacked by numerous manufacturers to accommodate serial communication between all manner of devices.
So here you are with a Macintosh, a lab instrument with an RS-232 interface, and a desire to make them talk to each other. Where do you begin?
I have never been able to find a single comprehensive source telling how to connect a serial port on the Mac to the RS-232 connection frequently found on lab equipment. The objective of this page and its links is to allow you to understand and implement a serial connection between your Macintosh and RS-232 lab equipment.
This page is my little contribution to the Macintosh cause. I hope that the information provided here will encourage you to use a Macintosh to solve your own data acquisition or control problems. Feedback is appreciated! Please send additions, corrections, suggestions, and especially case studies to Dr. Jim Conner, jc1@mindspring.com. Thanks!
Obligatory disclaimer: The information and techniques presented here are accurate to the best of my knowledge, but I can't be responsible for other people's smoked hardware. Be careful and think about what you're doing, and you should be able to stay out of trouble. Good luck!