Editing GPIB (section)

== Connectors ==
{{ infobox connector
| name           = IEEE 488
| pinout_image   = [[file:IEEE-448.svg|300px]]
| pinout_caption = Female IEEE 488 connector
| pin1  = Data input/output bit    | pin1_name  = DIO1
| pin2  = Data input/output bit    | pin2_name  = DIO2
| pin3  = Data input/output bit    | pin3_name  = DIO3
| pin4  = Data input/output bit    | pin4_name  = DIO4
| pin5  = End-or-identify          | pin5_name  = EOI
| pin6  = Data valid               | pin6_name  = DAV
| pin7  = Not ready for data       | pin7_name  = NRFD
| pin8  = Not data accepted        | pin8_name  = NDAC
| pin9  = Interface clear          | pin9_name  = IFC
| pin10 = Service request          | pin10_name = SRQ
| pin11 = Attention                | pin11_name = ATN
| pin12 =                          | pin12_name = SHIELD
| pin13 = Data input/output bit    | pin13_name = DIO5
| pin14 = Data input/output bit    | pin14_name = DIO6
| pin15 = Data input/output bit    | pin15_name = DIO7
| pin16 = Data input/output bit    | pin16_name = DIO8
| pin17 = Remote enable            | pin17_name = REN
| pin18 = (wire twisted with DAV)  | pin18_name = GND
| pin19 = (wire twisted with NRFD) | pin19_name = GND
| pin20 = (wire twisted with NDAC) | pin20_name = GND
| pin21 = (wire twisted with IFC)  | pin21_name = GND
| pin22 = (wire twisted with SRQ)  | pin22_name = GND
| pin23 = (wire twisted with ATN)  | pin23_name = GND
| pin24 =                          | pin24_name = Logic ground
}}

IEEE 488 specifies a 24-pin [[Amphenol]]-designed [[micro ribbon]] connector. Micro ribbon connectors have a D-shaped metal shell, but are larger than [[D-subminiature]] connectors. They are sometimes called "Centronics connectors" after the [[IEEE 1284|36-pin micro ribbon]] connector [[Centronics]] used for their printers.

One unusual feature of IEEE 488 connectors is they commonly use a "double-headed" design, with male on one side, and female on the other. This allows stacking connectors for easy [[daisy chain (electrical engineering)|daisy-chaining]]. Mechanical considerations limit the number of stacked connectors to four or fewer, although a workaround involving physically supporting the connectors may be able to get around this.

They are held in place by screws, either 6-32 UNK<ref>{{Cite book|chapter-url=http://bitsavers.org/pdf/hp/hpib/TutorialDescrOfHPIB.pdf |title=Tutorial Description of the Hewlett-Packard Interface Bus |publisher=Hewlett-Packard|page=28|chapter=Mechanical Aspects|quote=Some existing cables use English threads (6-32UNK).|access-date=2022-06-13}}</ref> (now largely obsolete) or [[ISO metric screw thread|metric]] M3.5×0.6 [[screw thread|thread]]s. Early versions of the standard suggested that metric screws should be blackened to avoid confusion with the incompatible UTS threads. However, by the 1987 revision this was no longer considered necessary because of the prevalence of metric threads.<ref>{{Citation |title=IEEE Standard Digital Interface for Programmable Instrumentation |publisher=[[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]] |year=1987 |id=ANSI/IEEE Std 488.1-1987 |isbn=978-0-471-62222-2|page=v|quote=The "helpful note" on metric threads found in previous editions has been deleted since metric thread use is common IEEE 488 practice. Consequently, the recommendation to coat such parts in black material to call attention to metric threads is also considered unnecessary.}}</ref>

The IEC 60625 standard prescribes the use of 25-pin [[D-subminiature]] connectors (the same as used for the [[parallel port]] on [[IBM PC compatible]]s). This connector did not gain significant market acceptance against the established 24-pin connector.