Need Help Identifying What This Is

[RandomRestore]

What is the strange device and what is it used for? I found it in my basement while I was cleaning up yesterday. Thanks for your help. A image is attached.

[DXMember]

that's a VGA to A/V video converter

[ChrisCross]

ahh VGA. kill it with fire!

[swordsman247]

It's a serial input device, probably for a old portable or hand held system of some kind...

[Adraen]

Hi,

 

3 minutes ago, DXMember said:

that's a VGA to A/V video converter

I don't think so, there are two rows not three

 

My guess it's an old school serial adapter. The blue plug is RS232 (DB-9) serial plug and the 3.5 mm jack is for connecting to a device that has a sound card but no serial port. (Using the audio for serial data is quite common, you can just modulate an audio signal to act as a serial data stream)

[VulcanAndroid]

5 minutes ago, RandomRestore said:

What is the strange device and what is it used for? I found it in my basement while I was cleaning up yesterday. Thanks for your help. A image is attached.

 

2 minutes ago, DXMember said:

that's a VGA to A/V video converter

That is not VGA it is a serial connection

 

This adapter was made to create a serial connection to specific device that uses an audio jack. 

[DXMember]

1 minute ago, Adraen said:

Hi,

 

I don't think so, there are two rows not three

 

My guess it's an old school serial adapter. The blue plug is RS232 (DB-9) serial plug and the 3.5 mm jack is for connecting to a device that has a sound card but no serial port. (Using the audio for serial data is quite common, you can just modulate an audio signal to have a serial data connection)

you're right, it's an even older serial adapter...

[Mark77]

The RS-232 serial cable for a diabetes meter of some sort?  Today they use USB, but in the past, probably serial.

 

That's definitely a DB-9 port.  And not VGA.

[ChrisCross]

Just now, VulcanAndroid said:

 

That is not VGA it is a serial connection

 

This adapter was made to create a serial connection to specific device that uses an audio jack. 

the other side may be a connector they used to exchange data on high-end texas instruments calculators. i have one of those too but i cant seem to find it

[VulcanAndroid]

4 minutes ago, ChrisCross said:

the other side may be a connector they used to exchange data on high-end texas instruments calculators. i have one of those too but i cant seem to find it

You might be right on that. I know the TI graphing calculators do have a data port that is the audio jack style (apologies since I do not know the technical term for this jack).

 

I have seen similar connectors used for APC UPS management cards.

 

But simply put. It is a serial data connector cable. Going from DB-9 to audio jack style connector. 

 

[ChrisCross]

3 minutes ago, VulcanAndroid said:

 

found it. looks like this:

if its not this than it probably an audio connection. could be used to connect a geiger counter to a speaker for example.

[RandomRestore]

Alright, thanks for your help guys. My guess is that I won't be needing it, so I'll be storing it back into my basement.