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====== Make your own cable ======
The kh930e is designed to work with a Tandy PDD1 floppy drive. We don't need it! Make your own cable to communicate between your computer and the machine. You will need:
  * [[http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=18&products_id=70&zenid=08edecd591934eebcc4993c01b0259d6|FTDI cable]] - you should be able to use a '3.3v' or '5v' cable. 
  * 2x4 connector part number [[http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?vendor=0&keywords=WM8036-ND|WM8036-ND on Digikey]]
 
You will need to make some minor mods to get the cable talking to your knitting machine. Follow the tutorials to get your knitting cable going

==== Change 'polarity' of the FTDI cable ====

FTDI cables have standard 'inverted' TTL (zero is 3-5V and one is 0v) but the KH930E requires the opposite. Luckily its very easy to fix this by reprogramming the software.

You will need a copy of [[http://www.ftdichip.com/Resources/Utilities.htm|FTDI MProg ]] (windows only) and your FTDI cable. Plug in the FTDI cable into your windows computer and [[http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm|install the driver that matches your computer best]]

{{  http://www.ladyada.net/images/arduino/foundft232ruart.jpg?nolink&256x129  |}}

[[http://www.ladyada.net/learn/breakoutplus/ftdifriend.html#installing_ftdi_drivers|Please read our detailed tutorial on installing the driver here]] then come back when the driver is installed

Now download [[http://www.ftdichip.com/Resources/Utilities.htm|FTDI MProg]] and run the program

{{   :tutorials:knittingmachine:mprog.gif   |}}

Select **Scan...** from the menu

{{  :tutorials:knittingmachine:mprogscan.gif  |}}

The message window should say it found a cable

{{  :tutorials:knittingmachine:mprogscanned.gif  |}}

Now select **Read and Parse** to read in the cable programming

{{  :tutorials:knittingmachine:mprogread.gif  |}}

{{  :tutorials:knittingmachine:mprogparsed.gif  |}}

Click the buttons that say to **Invert TX and RX**

{{  :tutorials:knittingmachine:mprogsignals.gif  |}}

Here is the wierd thing, you have to **Save as...** the settings so just save it anywhere

{{  :tutorials:knittingmachine:mprogsave.gif  |}}

Now you can click the **Program** button (lightening bolt)

{{  :tutorials:knittingmachine:mprogprog.gif  |}}

The message window will say it programmed

{{   :tutorials:knittingmachine:mprogged.gif  |}}

You're done! Quit Mprog

==== Rewire the connector ====

Next we need to rewire the FTDI cable to match the pinout of the knitter. The cable comes with a 1x5 connector, but we need a 2x4 connector

{{  http://www.ladyada.net/images/ybox2/propcablestart.jpg?500  |http://www.ladyada.net/images/ybox2/propcablestart.jpg}}

Use tweezers to lift up the black connector tabs

{{  http://www.ladyada.net/images/ybox2/propcableremovewire.jpg?500  |http://www.ladyada.net/images/ybox2/propcableremovewire.jpg}}

Then gently pull out the wires

{{  http://www.ladyada.net/images/ybox2/propcablepullout.jpg?500  |http://www.ladyada.net/images/ybox2/propcablepullout.jpg}}

{{  http://www.ladyada.net/images/ybox2/propcableremoved.jpg?500  |http://www.ladyada.net/images/ybox2/propcableremoved.jpg}}
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