Contact Sales/Support: +1 (888) 800-9580

Pinouts - 500 Series Instruments

X-Rite equips all 500 series chassis with a 10-circuit RJ-type female connector. Pin #1 is leftmost with the unit upright. All models are capable of providing approximately 50 milliamps of current at 5.0 volts DC through circuits #1 and #10.
Circuit #    Function
1Generally Not Used (+5v @ 50 ma)
2Transmit Line
3Receive Line
4DTR (Data Terminal Ready)
5CTS (Clear to Send)
6Not Used
7+12v (Used if charged via cable)
8Charger Ground
9Digital Ground
10Generally Not Used (-5v @ 50 ma)

A minimum wiring for 'send only' communication (IBM) is as follows:

X-Rite (10c/RJ45)   IBM 9Pin (DB9p)   IBM 25Pin (DB25p)
2 X'mit data2 Rec'd data3 Rec'd data
9 Digi Ground5 Digi ground7 Digi ground

Many devices will require some kind of hardwire handshaking. All instruments provide a +8 volt signal on line 4 ( our DTR ) which can be connected to the receiver's hardwire handshake line ( usually CTS ). Our DTR is dropped during power-up and while taking measurements to inform the receiver that we are not ready to accept data. Similarly each unit can monitor its line 5 ( our CTS ) to see if the receiver is ready to accept data. Should you need the additional wiring a more complete schematic follows:

X-Rite (10c/RJ45)IBM 9Pin (DB9p)     IBM 25Pin (DB25p)
2 X'mit data2 Rec'd data3 Rec'd data
4 DTR handshake6 DSR5 CTS
5 CTS/Busy handshake    7 RTS20 DTR
9 Digi Ground5 Digi ground7 Digi ground

If two way communication is desired then one more wire may be added; i.e.:

X-Rite (10c/RJ45)IBM 9Pin (DB9p)     IBM 25Pin (DB25p)
2 X'mit data2 Rec'd data3 Rec'd data
3 Rec'd data3 X'mit data2 X'mit data
4 DTR handshake6 DSR5 CTS
5 CTS/Busy handshake    7 RTS20 DTR
9 Digi Ground5 Digi ground7 Digi ground

If Pin5 is turned off (instrument I/O configuration), the instrument will not monitor the handshake line from the computer / printer / etc. With most printers this will result in data overflow. With most computers this handshake is not required.


For the Macintosh world the following interface represents a full, bi-directional solution complete with two-way handshaking:
X-Rite (10c/RJ45)Macintosh (8pin/DIN)
2 X'mit data5 RxD-  Receive data (minus)
3 Rec'd data3 TxD-  Transmit data (minus)
4 DTR  Handshake Out    2 HSKi/Clock  Handshake In
5 CTS  Handshake In1 HSKo  Handshake Out
8 Charger Ground8 RxD+  Receive data (plus)
9 Digi Ground4 Digi ground

The above description is electrically equivalent to X-Rite's PN SE108-79 interface cable.

Need a Quote? Contact Sales(888) 800-9580

Technical Questions? Contact Support(888) 826-3042