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The DIN connectors are a family of multi-pin Electrical connectors. DIN is a standard of the German standards body, the Deutsches Institut für Normung. The DIN connector is similar to the newer, smaller mini-DIN connector standard.
Connector
DIN connectors are 13.2 mm in diameter, and are available in patterns with three to fifteen pins. All patterns are commonly available as line versions in male (plug) and female (socket), and as panel-mounting female sockets.
The DIN connector consists of a shielding metal skirt protecting a number of straight circular pins. The skirt is keyed to ensure that the plug is inserted with the correct orientation and to prevent damage to the pins. The basic design also ensures that the shielding is connected between socket and plug prior to any signal path connection being made.
There are seven common patterns, with any number of pins from three to eight. Two different five-pin connectors exist, known as 180° and 240° (sometimes called 270°) after the pin arrangement. There is some limited compatibility, for example a three-pin connector will fit any 180° five-pin socket, engaging three of the pins and leaving the other two unconnected, but a five-pin connector will fit some but not all three-pin sockets. As well, a 5-pin plug will fit into a 7-pin or 8-pin socket.
Speaker DIN connectors
A polarised two-pin unshielded connector, designed for connecting a loudspeaker to a power amplifier, is known as a speaker DIN connector. It exists as a panel-mounting female version, and line-mounted male and female versions. The male version has a central flat pin, and circular pin mounted off-centre. It is now mainly found on older equipment, such as 16 mm movie projectors. The same connector is used on some halogen lamps to connect the bulb to the power supply. While all other versions of the DIN plug are generally very reliable, the two-pin DIN plug is considered inferior in some ways - the lack of the outer sheath means far less force is required to disconnect the plug accidentally, makes it more prone to bending or shifting of the pins during use, and also not as solidly seated in its socket - worn two-pin speaker plugs on audio equipment are notorious for being very unreliable, often requiring only the slightest nudge to break contact.Applications
Audio
- The SYNC interface for electronic musical instruments.
- Amplifiers and other products from Naim, Tandbergs Radiofabrikk and Bang & Olufsen used DIN style connectors rather than the more common RCA jacks for 'low-level' audio connections. The three pin connector when used for audio is mono and the five pin version is stereo. When a mono plug is inserted into a stereo socket, it mates with the left channel.
- There is a nearly obsolete convention for using the 180° five pin connector for connecting a stereo tape recorder to a stereo amplifier or preamplifier, using the five pins for the four signal connections plus ground. The cord used for this has a connector on each end, and the pins are connected pin for pin, that is, pin 1 to pin 1, 2 to 2, etc. A four-channel cord wired in this way is sometimes simply called a DIN cord.
Other
In addition to their use as audio connectors, 5-pin DIN connectors are the standard connector for cables carrying MIDI signals and have been used by IBM as the original connection for the computer keyboard in the IBM PC and PC/AT. It is also used for DMX Stage Lighting Control Systems it is a recognised USITT digital data transmission standard and is labeled "DMX512/1990," "DMX512/DIN" or "USITT DMX512/1990."See also
"DIN connector"