Skyhigh PDS-4 remote socket

[pscandrett]

I have an (old-style, blue) Skyhigh/Stage FX PDS-4. It has on it a 'remote' jack socket; does anyone know its pinout and function please? I don't know if it's a remote dead-man's handle/E-stop, a remote trigger (with the key on the unit being another safety), or something else... it could come in handy in the near future if I know what it is!

 

This is the unit in question:

 

http://www.flints.co.uk/images/PDS4.jpg (although for what it's worth, mine seems to be a different revision with the key, selection and fire buttons more to the right of the front panel).

 

The newer PDS-4 units (in an orange peli case) don't appear to have these remote sockets as far as I can tell, but I've not used the new ones.

 

I can't find any info about it on the web or Blue Room, and don't have the PDS-4 manual. I did drop Skyhigh a line last week but they've not got back to me yet; their website is sparse (I can't even find the manual for the new-style PDS-4 on there!) and I thought/hoped I might be able to tap into the BR knowledge base :-) Thanks in advance.

[Brian]

Looking at the schematic it appears to be a dead-mans handle.

 

It's a three pole jack.

 

Sleeve is 0v

Ring gets 15v on it when the keyswitch is turned

Tip goes off to the fire button/armed lamp

 

With no jack in, tip and ring are shorted together.

 

[E2A]

So a 15v led between ring and sleeve would give you a light when the key is turned.

A switch between ring and tip gives you a dead-man switch.

[pscandrett]

Thanks Brian. Is the schematic freely available anywhere?

[Brian]

Is the schematic freely available anywhere?

Not that I know of. I've got some printed ones that date from the earlier models plus a load of notes from having reverse-engineered the 2nd generation (blue) units.