IDE cable length - Is 36" enough?

[imported_KuJaX]

I have a dilema,

I just got done building a system of which the mobo only had one IDE port. Well, there is the DVD burner and harddrive. I didn't even think about checking to see if the mobo had two IDE ports as i just figured it was pretty standard (of hundreds of systems i've built, i've never played with a mobo that only had one IDE port).

Regardless, the IDE cord that was sent with the mobo is 18". I do have a rounded cable sitting around that is also 18". Now, the issue is not from the motherboard to one of the devices. The problem lies in the legth from DVD burner to harddrive IDE length.

So to my question: Is the 36" IDE cable found on retailers like Newegg have the same length from DVD burner to Harddrive, or is the extra length pretty much found from the mobo to devices?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[OhioState]

well here is a pic of a 36 inch cable

and to me it looks like cd---12inch--->hd------24inch------------->Mobo

also i have a 24 inch ide on hand and it does not have 12 inches between devices

ive measured 2 and it seems like a ratio 1x legnth between cd and hd and 2x legnth between hd and mobo

 

[Zepper]

Generally there shouldn't be equal length between connectors on IDE cables - that can cause ringing. Technically, 80-wire IDE cables should be 18" long or less for ATA66 and up - beyond that, you're taking your chances.
. An option (if you have a free SATA connector on the mobo) would be to convert the IDE HD to SATA. Syba has a nice inexpensive IDE > SATA converter that tucks neatly out of the way. Newegg and others carry it. Or you could get a PCI IDE controller (Syba again <$20. shipped) with two connectors and disable the one on the mobo (or use the mobo one and one on the PCI card - whatever suits).

.bh.

 

[Goi]

Actually IIRC the maximum certified length for IDE ribbon cables is 18", so anything more than that and you risk data corruption due to skew/crosstalk. Of course, better cable construction can probably increase signal integrity, but I wouldn't stray too far from the max. 36" is twice the max in this case.

 

[Arcanedeath]

24" is the absloute max I'd trust data 2 and thats w/ a quality cable, if you have a harddrive in the system on that cable limit it to 24" or less or just cut down the speed to ata 33 for anything longer than that.