Dsub

D-sub, short for D-subminiature connector, is a family of electrical connectors with a characteristic D-shaped metal shielding. They were developed by ITT Cannon in the 1950s for military and aerospace use and were quickly adopted in a wide range of consumer and professional electronics. The shell shape, two rows of pins or sockets, and a screw- or latch-coupling mechanism provide polarization and secure mating. D-sub connectors are categorized by shell size (A through F) and by contact arrangement (the number of pins), with common variants including 9, 15, 25, 37, and higher pin counts. The 9-pin and 25-pin variants are among the most familiar, historically used for RS-232 serial interfaces and, in the 25-pin variant, for early parallel interfaces and SCSI-1; the 15-pin version is used for VGA video connections in the DE-15 family.

D-sub connectors come in male (pins) and female (sockets) forms, with metal shells providing shielding. They are typically terminated by solder, crimp, or machined contacts, and many variants include screw-on fasteners to secure mating halves. Some versions are designed for rugged or aerospace environments and may feature sealed or reinforced shells and locking mechanisms.

In modern consumer devices, D-sub connectors have largely been supplanted by more compact or feature-rich interfaces. However, they remain common in industrial equipment, laboratory instruments, audio/visual gear, and legacy computer systems, where their robustness and long service life continue to be valued.