
1000 Park Drive • Lawrence, PA 15055-1018 • 724-746-5500 • Fax 724-746-0746
© Copyright 2001. Black Box Corporation. All rights reserved.

CUSTOMER
SUPPORT
INFORMATION
Order toll-free in the U.S.: Call 877-877-BBOX (outside U.S. call 724-746-5500)
FREE technical support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: Call 724-746-5500 or fax 724-746-0746
Mailing address: Black Box Corporation, 1000 Park Drive, Lawrence, PA 15055-1018
Web site: www.blackbox.com • E-mail: info@blackbox.com
MARCH 2001
SW035A SW580A
SW059A SW640A
SW076A SW694A
SW077A SW830A
SWL090A SW920A
6-to-1 Manual Switches

1
6-TO-1 MANUAL SWITCHES
TRADEMARKS USED IN THIS MANUAL
Any trademarks mentioned in this manual are acknowledged to be the property of the
trademark owners.

2
6-TO-1 MANUAL SWITCHES
1. Specifications
Leads Supported:
SW035A: 1–9
SW059A: 24 (Pin 25 tied common)
SW076A: 1–6
SW077A: 1–8
SWL090A: 2–8, 15, 17, 20, 22, Pin 1 tied common
SW580A: Center conductor and shield
SW640A: Center conductor and shield
SW694A: 1–6
SW830A: 4 leads
SW920A: 15 leads
Connectors:
SW035A: DB9 female
SW059A: DB25 female
SW076A: 6-wire female
SW077A: 8-wire female
SWL090A: DB25 female
SW580A: BNC or TNC female
SW640A: BNC and TNC
SW694A: 6-wire MMJ female
SW830A: 4-position terminal block
SW920A: VGA female
Power: None needed
Size: SW059A, SWL090A, SW830A: 3.5"H x 6"W x 6.3"D (8.9 x 15.2 x 16 cm); All
others: 2.5"H x 6"W x 6.3"D (6.4 x 15.2 x 16 cm)
Weight: 1.5 lb. (0.7 kg)

3
6-TO-1 MANUAL SWITCHES
2. Introduction
About Your Switch
The switch you’re about to install is one of the best low-cost investments you can
make for your system. You’ll extend the life of your peripherals and add hours to
your work month with the time you eliminate in cabling and recabling.
The switch itself is one of the most durable devices you’ll ever own—the allmechanical operation and self-cleaning wiper action make for resistance to wear, a
very low failure rate, and years of life.
Our switches come in versions for nearly every connector on the market. If you
have any special requirements, such as unusual connector configurations or special
pinning, call us. We can get you a custom switch for your application.
Before You Install…
It’s easy to install your switch. The procedure is simple—it should be almost
instinctive for anyone who has ever hooked up a PC, VCR, or stereo system.
But there are a few things to be careful about. Before you start your installation,
check this list of cautions:
• Unplug everything. You should use the same care when installing your switch
that you use for connecting a PC or speaker. Although the switch doesn’t draw
current, your devices do, so unplug the power for all of them before you begin.
• Consider surge protection. The switch will not actively resist power surges, and can
pass along enough energy from a major surge to damage your data or equipment. You might want the protection of an in-line surge protector. Call for
details on the surge protector that best fits your system.
• Don’t use a manual switch with laser printers. The delicate circuitry in any laser
printer could be damaged by the small amount of energy that any manual
switch passes. If you need a switch for a laser printer, ask about our electronic
switches.

4
6-TO-1 MANUAL SWITCHES
3. Installation
Where to Put the Switch
The switch can be put almost anywhere. The site should be flat, dry, and stable,
and you should be able to reach the knob on the front easily. You don’t have to
worry much about airflow—the switch won’t get very hot.
Cables
You’ll need seven lengths of cable. Check your manufacturer’s specifications for
information on pinning—DTE-to-DTE connections, for example, will require
cross-pinned cable. Call us if you need cables. We can supply them for almost any
application.
All the switches, except the MMJ Switch (SW694A), are pinned straight through—
they don’t switch any leads during the passage of your signal. The MMJ Switch uses
a special cross-pinning scheme that lets you use your existing cables to make
connections.
Setting Up the Switch
Gather your cables and follow these steps:
1. Set your switch in the site you’ve chosen.
2. Turn off the power to all the devices you’ll connect to the switch.
3. Turn your switch around so that the connectors are facing you. The connector
marked “C” is the common connector. Run a cable from that connector to the
common device you wish to share with your multiple devices.
4. The other connectors on the rear—A, B, D, E, F, and G—are for the multiple
devices. Run cables from the connectors to those devices.
5. Check your configuration against the diagram on the next page. Add power to
your devices, activate one after another, and switch between them to check
your connections.

6
6-TO-1 MANUAL SWITCHES
4. Connectors
A variety of 6-to-1 switches is available. The chart below shows all the available
connectors and pinnings. We might have updated our stock since this chart was
printed, so call us if you don’t see the switch you need.
Category Outline Type Leads supported Code
DB DB25 parallel 24 (25 common) SW059A
DB25 serial 2–8, 15, 17, 20, 22 SWL090A
DB9 9 SW035A
DB15HD 15 SW920A
RJ RJ-11 6 SW076A
RJ-45 8 SW077A
MMJ MMJ 6 SW694A
Barrier Block 4-wire 4 SW830A
Coaxial Coax BNC or TNC SW580A
WANG
®
compatible BNC and TNC SW640A