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DB25 Parallel Cable - 25m

DB25-25M

DB25 parallel cable, male to female. Length 25 metres.

Type: Parallel
Length: 25 m
Connectors: DB25

In-depth technical details

DB25 (parallel port) uses 8 data pins, 4 output-control pins, 5 input-control pins, and 8 ground pins -- real context for why a connector that feels like a simple cable actually needs 25 pins.

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Connector anatomy

DB25

01 25 pins A parallel port: 8 data pins, 4 output-control pins, 5 input-control pins, 8 ground pins -- every pin a separate line, which is why it is this wide.
02 D-shaped shell The D profile only fits one way round, so the plug cannot be inserted upside-down and bend its pins.
03 Thumbscrews Hand-tightened to hold the plug home. A loose one is why a picture flickers, or loses one colour channel.
04 Strain-relief boot Stops the wires flexing where they leave the plug — the exact point most cables fail.
05 Outer jacket The outer sheath protecting the conductors inside from abrasion and moisture.

Technical illustration, not a photo of the actual product

How it works

Parallel (Centronics) cable construction

Every one of the 25 wires carries its own signal referenced to a shared ground, not as a differential pair the way network or USB cable does. There is no noise cancellation, which is why the IEEE 1284 spec recommends comparatively short runs for reliable passive operation without active signal boosters.

01 Unpaired single-ended conductors Each wire independently carries one data bit or one control line; its neighbours in the bundle are shared grounds, not a differential partner.
02 Outer jacket Protects everything inside mechanically. It plays no electrical role.

Technical illustration, not a photo of the actual product

From the published standard

How it works

A parallel port sends eight bits at the same instant, each on its own wire, which is why the connector is wide and has twenty-five pins. It predates USB and was replaced by it for printers, but it remains in use on older machinery and industrial equipment that is not being replaced. Long runs suffer from skew between the wires arriving at slightly different times, which is why long parallel cables are rare. At 25 metres, this specific cable is well past the length most parallel links stay reliable at -- it will work for low-speed, low-error-tolerance legacy gear (older CNC/industrial controllers are the realistic use case), but is not a safe substitute for a short run if the connected equipment is sensitive to timing.

Transmission: 8 bits simultaneously, one wire each
Connector: DB25
Length limit: Skew between conductors limits practical length -- 25m is a long-run compromise, best suited to slow/tolerant legacy equipment

This information comes from published sources about this type of product, not from the supplier.

en.wikipedia.org

Applications

Connecting equipment in an office or studio

Technical specifications

Type	Parallel
Length	25 m
Connectors	DB25

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