What are specialty connectors?

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13W3

This is a special type of D-Sub connector. It contains 10 standard DB-style pins, and 3 coaxial pins. This interface is often used for Sun/SGI workstation video applications. The gender of a 13W3 connector is determined by its 10 DB-style pins, not its coaxial pins (which are opposite in gender). For example, a male 13W3 plug has male DB pins, and female coaxial pins.

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RJ21/Telco

This connector is very similar to the 50-pin Centronics interface. The biggest difference is that the RJ21 connector uses screws to anchor into place instead of bail locks. Sometimes, it is called a "Champ" connector (referencing a series of connectors made by Amp), or an "Amphenol" connector (referencing the connector manufacturer). RJ21 interfaces are typically used for datacomm trunking applications.

IEEE-488 (HP-IB)

IEEE-488 is a standard for communication widely used with testing/measurement devices and instruments. The technology was developed by Hewlett-Packard back in the 1970s, and was called HP-IB (Hewlett-Packard Instrument Bus). It was then widely adopted in the industry, and codified into IEEE-488. It is also referred to as GP-IB (General Purpose Interface Bus). The physical interfaces used by IEEE-488 assemblies are 24-pin Centronics connectors. Most cables are "stackable"; they have both male and female connections built into a single connector shell.

IBM^® Data Connector (Type 1)

This is a relatively large, unique connector used in Token Ring networking applications. Before ethernet's rise to prominence, Token Ring was a local networking architecture that was developed and promoted by IBM^® in the 1980s. The Data Connector used by Token Ring cables is hermaphroditic; it does not have separate male or female versions. All IBM data connectors can plug into each other.

V.35 (Winchester)

This is a blocky connector with large pins and sockets, used often for datacomm modem applications. The nickname "Winchester" probably comes from Winchester Electronics, a connector manufacturer based in Connecticut. A V.35 connector has 34 pin positions, and often several of these positions are left unloaded.