Re: Cords, Cables, and Funny-Looking Gadgets..."Newbie" Question II: The Return
A couple of simplifications:
A connector is the thing on the end of a cable that goes into something. They usually have two different type of ends--male with exposed pins (sometimes with a cover around them), and female, with sockets something plugs into. Common example: an extension cord--plug with exposed pins goes into the AC wall outlet, socket on end takes the plug from that gadget that is 3 feet too far from the outlet.
A plug is usually the male connector, the jack is normally the female connector mounted in a piece of equipment or on a panel or wall. I'll assume you've already figured out why they are called that.
1. The power cords that come with computers (plug end into wall--other squarish end that goes into back of the computer) --are virtually universal. You can use them for computer monitors, small printers, many types of audio amplifiers, small consoles, and just about anything else they will fit into. Usually what happens is a monitor or computer dies, the old one is pulled out and junked, but the power cord is so tangled up under a desk that the new device is plugged into the old power cord. There is usually a brand new one in the box. So keep them corralled some place--that way if a cord gets lost or damaged you have a new spare.
Caveat: Some equipment--such as a big copier or printer--will use a power cord like this, but it is heavier (thicker) than usual. That's because it takes a lot of power (current). Don't switch the heavy cord for a thinner one.
2. Audio cables. Microphone cables use three pin connectors--typically the female end plugs into the mike, the male end into a mike jack on a mixer. You can daisy chain mike cables together if you need longer ones.
A number of other devices will have jacks that will take mike cables but are designed for louder signals. Some monitor amplifiers have what look like mike jacks for inputs, these require a higher-level --louder--signal to work. Usually these gadgets are already wired in place so you don't have to mess with them.
There are three other common types of cables: "RCA" or pin plugs and jacks. Very common on things like CD players, outputs from FM tuners, etc. Typically you use a male to male cable with RCA plugs from a tuner into an amplifier--these are the paired cables with white and red plugs so you can tell left and right (Red=Right).
1/4 inch plugs and jacks. Your headphone jack on the console is usually a 1/4 inch jack. These cables can be either mono or stereo--look at the plug: Mono plugs have a tip--plastic insulator ring-then barrel or ring of the plug. A stereo plug has a second plastic ring.
1/8 inch plugs and jacks. Small devices like cassette players, portable radios,digital recorders have these smaller jacks, and the cables and headphones used with them have corresponding plugs. Same as the 1/4 inch plugs--mono plugs have one plastic insulating ring, stereo, two. Common now to ship headphones with an 1/8th inch plug and an adapter that plugs into the larger 1/4 inch jack. The adapters tend to get lost or get stuck in the console headphone jack--much to the annoyance of the talent with the wrong type of plug on his headphones.
3. Computer stuff: Monitors use multi-pin cables with what are called "D" connectors on each end. Again, these have male--exposed pins, and female connectors. Same story with monitor cables as with computer power cords--when the old monitor is replaced usually the old cable is just plugged into the new monitor. Leaving a brand new, orphan monitor cable. This is usually a miniature 15 pin D--other common cables use 9 pin D connectors or 25 pin D connectors. Older printers have a 25 pin D connector on the computer end.
Cables with D connectors are often used with specialized broadcast equipment, usually either 9, 15 or 25 pin connectors.
The other types of cables used with your computer are the familiar USB cable--which have a flat end on one end and normally a squarish end for the equipment. There are some specialized USB cables that are used with things like cameras (really tiny plug on one end) or cell phones.
RJ-45: This is the network cable that plugs into the back of the computer or printer. It looks like a a cable used for a telephone, but the plug is fatter.
Weird cables: Such as the one that runs between the console and power supply. Or runs the Marti unit off battery power. They are specially made--if you have to keep track of what it does, buy one of those P-touch labels and put a label on it saying what it is: (e.g.--battery power cable Marti).
Hope this helps.
I could also do it over the phone, if that's easier (given my utter lack of background in this, however, I don't think this will be the case). 