Are Rounded IDE cables really better than ribbon IDE cables?

[Ipno]

It seems everywhere I go I'm reading about how rounded cables improve your system's airflow and tidy up your case, and is generally something you want to do to keep your temperatures down.

However, I'm not sure that it'd really do much, at least in my case, the flat ribbon cables are tied down to the side wall of my system, I really can't see how they are getting in the way of airflow, in fact, I'd think a rounded cable would actually cause more disruption than the flat cable tied out of the way.

Perhaps the cable going up to the CDRW would a bit, since it has to twist through a little hole ... but .. I'm wondering if anyone knows where some actual data is on heat benefits for going from flat to round?

 

[bgeh]

imo, it really depends on your airflow in your case(e.g.ribbon cable blocking fan)
if it doesn't, then i don't see a reason to get rounded cables other than purely decorative reasons
just my .02

 

[cheapgoose]

it looks better, it looks better, it looks better. that's all.

I didn't spentd a day cutting a window so I can show of ribbon cables.

 

[RWalker2]

my temps really didnt go down (maybe .5ºC) but with the way my IDE ports are with the posistion of my HDDs, it really helped the neatness of my case and im convinced it helped airflow a wee bit since a ribbon cable was blocking some of the hdd cage

 

[CaptnKirk]

Tests of EMI, Electro-Magnetic Interference shows less noise when a rounded
cable is used in place of a ribbon cable, with the grounded cable being the best.

 

[Ipno]

Thats cool, but what does that mean for system performance?

 

[CaptnKirk]

System performance wise, less static and interference will improve the system capability as the cross-talk between cables will be minimized.
Exactly how to measure and quantify it at your computer is subjective, at best.

Will it help? the answer is yes, it will.
Will you notice the difference? Maybe you will, maybe you won't.
If you do notice the change that means your system cleaned up nicely.
If you don't notice you expected too much, and don't believe any change was made.
But - it you had run and recorded a series of tests, then retested those specific parameters,
you would be able to validade the improvement in your system perfromance.

Either way - they are real spiffy looking, and you could always show them off and talk them up.

Did you know (and it's a fact) that all flight hardware in space programs and military warplanes
use the overbraided wire harness to prevent EMI transmission, reception, and cross-talking?
If it's good enough for NASA & the Air Force, it's good enough for me !
CHEAP TOO!, less than some places charge for ribbon cables.

 

[Davegod]

if you have airflow problems, they could well be worth it, but if your only have a couple of drives and/or are an oragami master with em, not liekly to make too much difference. But if you need to get a new cable anyway, might aswell make it a rounded one (again, unless your good at oragami with em). For me its not so much the airflow but it's a bit easier when poking about inside the case, and far less hassle then folding the things under the mobo (also completely unnecessary although if you want absolute minimal cable clutter this probs better than rounded cables) and so on.

 

[CubicZirconia]

it looks better, it looks better, it looks better. that's all.

True. Don't count on round cables doing anything other than looking better than ribbon cables.

 

[NapalmKing]

It improves the airflow and I found them much easier to handle then the flat ones. In one case I also measured a slight drop in the noise levels.

 

[ncp1981]

yes they just look better and easier to fiddle around with

 

[Noid]

I have some ... They are easy to get around and you get better airflow around your drives.

I bought mine last year ... I was dissapointed at first ...
cuz ...

the rubber boots on the connector ends arent secured
(they look secured in pictures)

They slide off the connector ends.
(slide down the round cable)

Maybe they dont make them that way anymore ...

hmmm ... maybe I'll try super glue on one to see if the rubber dissolves on contact with glue