Twisted Cables! What are IDE, etc?

[Wiscow]

Despite the title of this post it has nothing to do with twisted cables. It has to do with understanding what different cables there are because I am confused.
First, I will be building a computer and the components (that are important to this topic) are:
-MSI KT3 ULTRA-ARU support up to ATA133
-Western Digital 80 GB (WD800BB) ULTRA ATA100
-DVD-ROM Pioneer DVD-116
-3.5 Floppy Drive
-CDRW Teac CD-W540E/KIT

The 3.5 Drive will connect to the MB with the only cable that will fit it and that cable will come with the MB. I will also round the cable and should not have to worried about any cross talk.

Now I get confused. What is the difference between an IDE and ATA IDE and 33,66,100,133 and etc.?

From what I understand ATA 33,66,100,133 are all the same.
?ATA 66/100/133 all use the same cable, so as long as the cable is a 40 pin 80 conductor you'll be fine.?
Simple question: IDE ATA 100/133 Cables
So I conclude that a cable that says 66 ATA and is 40 pin and 80 conductor will allow my HDD to run at ATA100. Also are most cables now days are all 40 pin and 80 conductor?

Now what is different between the IDE and ATA IDE? Is IDE only cables for the DVD and CDRW? And the ATA 100 for the HDD? If I don?t use an ATA cable with my HDD will it not work?

I also have heard of problems about cutting and rounding ATA cables. However most people don?t think there is really a big problem with it. Assuming there is does this problem exist with IDE only cables?

Wiscow

 

[sohcrates]

If you have an ata66,100, or 133 hard drive you will want a 40 pin 80 conductor IDE cable.

Basically, there are 40 extra grounds around the 40 pins (therefore = 80 conductors).

Older IDE cables up to ata33 had only the 40 main pins and no extra grounds.

You can use an ata33 cable on a newer ata100, etc. drive, it just will not run at full transfer speed if you do so.

CD-roms can still use ata33 cables because they never approach those kinds of high transfer speeds.

"rounding" your cables is quite easy with ata33 cables, but is a little more difficult with ata100 cables because the wires are so close together...but it can be done if you're careful.

 

[AndyHui]

IDE = ATA IDE

For more information please read the FAQ: Hard drive interfaces and standards.

 

[Maggotry]

Rounding the cables yourself will save you some money, but rounded cables are so cheap now and so readily available, it seems like a waste of time and effort to round them yourself. Also, if you screw up, you're going to end up buying another cable anyway. You can get 2 ATA66 (the 40-pin/80 wire jobs) and a floppy cable for $20 or less total cost. And they look better than homemade.

 

[Wiscow]

Thank you for your help everyone.
Wiscow

 

[zephyrprime]

Plus, if you buy better premade cables, you'll find that they're even TWISTED pair on the inside. See? Now your thread is related to twisted cables.

Do a search for round cables at the Hot Deals forum. There was a good deal on there a while ago that I got in on and the cables I got are quite good.