I saw a post recently that said "Make sure your cable is 24 AWG not 28
AWG, marked on the cable. Crappy cable wouldn't carry enough juice for
the drive."

I just installed a DVD-RW 52x. The analog sound cable that came with
it said 28 AWG. I'm not using it -- I'm just relying on the IDE
cable. But I'm curious about 24 vs 28 AWG. I thought a higher number
meant better quality?


Lady Dungeness
Crabby, but Great Legs!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I saw a post recently that said "Make sure your cable is 24 AWG not 28
> AWG, marked on the cable. Crappy cable wouldn't carry enough juice for
> the drive."
>
> I just installed a DVD-RW 52x. The analog sound cable that came with
> it said 28 AWG. I'm not using it -- I'm just relying on the IDE
> cable. But I'm curious about 24 vs 28 AWG. I thought a higher number
> meant better quality?

With wire AWG, smaller # = bigger diameter conductors.

Have no idea what the "carry enough juice" comment is
about. Sounds like someone pulled that one out of their a$$.
The IDE cable gauge matters not as any current on it (signaling)
would be in the mA range and 24 vs. 28 would not matter.
The 4 pin power connector to the drive uses waaayy larger
wire suited for that purpose.

What WOULD matter is whether or not the drive required
an 80 conductor (higher data rate) cable vs. the older 40
pin one. If in doubt, use the 80.


>
>
> Lady Dungeness
> Crabby, but Great Legs!
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> I saw a post recently that said "Make sure your cable is 24 AWG not 28
> AWG, marked on the cable. Crappy cable wouldn't carry enough juice for
> the drive."
>
> I just installed a DVD-RW 52x. The analog sound cable that came with
> it said 28 AWG. I'm not using it -- I'm just relying on the IDE
> cable. But I'm curious about 24 vs 28 AWG. I thought a higher number
> meant better quality?
>
>
> Lady Dungeness
> Crabby, but Great Legs!
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

High gauge AWG is thinner and has more "ohms per thousand feet".
40 gauge is really thin stuff and might be used in HV transformers.
24 gauge would be thicker. 12 gauge is thick enough for house
wiring.

The cases I can think of, right off hand, where a ribbon cable
interface carries power:

1) 2.5" laptop drive has +5V and GND on the 44 pin ribbon cable.
The smaller drive doesn't have a separate 1x4 Molex for power
like a desktop drive.
2) SCSI disk drive cables carry TERMPWR, which can be half an amp
or so. There could be voltage drop along that wire. SCSI cables
are potentially longer than your average IDE cable.

The 40 wire or 80 wire cables for IDE, don't carry power as far as I
know. And I don't think you get a choice in the gauge used in those
cables. The 40 wire could use a lower gauge wire than the 80 wire cable.
But, I would expect all the 80 gauge ribbons to be the same, if you
went shopping for cables, so it is not like you have a choice of
"good - better - best" when buying cables.

There are some differences in the flexibility of the cables. It could
be the metal used for the wire is subtly different. I prefer the older
grey colored insulation ribbon cables (they used to ship a cable with a
retail boxed hard drive), to some of the ribbon cables that came with
motherboards.

Paul

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I saw a post recently that said "Make sure your cable is 24 AWG not 28
> AWG, marked on the cable. Crappy cable wouldn't carry enough juice for
> the drive."

The "juice" is irrelevant as the point is to transmit voltage changes
over the line, not push current to power a device. For example, CMOS
circuits have extremely little amperes flowing around and rely on
detecting voltages. You aren't trying to run a hot plate to boil water
and fry food.

If you actually provided info regarding what was this other post then we
could see the same context of the discussion that you saw.

Neither the analog or data lines from the DVD player are relying on
amperage to power the speakers. Both go to low-level circuits to the
sound chip or sound card. It is up to the sound card to amplify those
voltage changes into higher amperage signals - assuming your sound card
even has amplied outputs. Nowadays, the sound card only has low-level
outputs. The power for pushing the speaker cones is supplied by the
amplifier within the speakers themselves. Computers that have amplified
sound outputs are rare and are also old. Computers have long assumed
that powered speakers are used. It is not amperage you are pushing out
from the DVD to the sound circuits. It is voltage change.

> I just installed a DVD-RW 52x. The analog sound cable that came with
> it said 28 AWG. I'm not using it -- I'm just relying on the IDE
> cable. But I'm curious about 24 vs 28 AWG. I thought a higher number
> meant better quality?

See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge

If you ever looked at the wiring in your house, the 18-guage wires in
the extension cords you use from the wall outlet are smaller than the
12- or 14-guage wires inthe walls to those outlets. Zero-guage wire is
nearly a third of an inch in diameter. 24-guard wire is two-hundredths
of an inch in diameter. One is obviously easier to bend than the other.

The smaller the cross-section of the wire strand, the more resistance
per linear foot for that strand. A zero-guage wire has less ohmic
resistance than the same length of 24-gauge wire. But then the point in
a computer regarding data lines is to transfer a signal using voltage
(to detect a change in the signal), not to supply amperage (to power a
device). Just the opposite applies if you are trying to run a space
heater where you amperage is more important than voltage to generate the
heat.

It is because smaller diameter wires have more ohmic resistance that
higher diameter wires are used for transmission over longer distances.
However, you're talking about signal transfer over a wire less than 3
feet length and often just 12 or 18 inches. Using overly long cables
within a computer can cause problems: airflow restriction, inducted
noise, echo, cross-talk, and attentuation. So wire there is some need
to go with bigger wires, it won't make a difference in a computer if you
use the standard cable lengths. Wire size is more important for the
cables you run outside the case, like using an overly long cord between
the video card and monitor that uses small-sized wires (but then such
cheap cables also don't have the necessary shielding, anyway).

AWG has absolutely nothing to do with quality, all it designates is wire
diameter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge

--

----
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_________________________________________________________________________________


<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I saw a post recently that said "Make sure your cable is 24 AWG not 28
> AWG, marked on the cable. Crappy cable wouldn't carry enough juice for
> the drive."
>
> I just installed a DVD-RW 52x. The analog sound cable that came with
> it said 28 AWG. I'm not using it -- I'm just relying on the IDE
> cable. But I'm curious about 24 vs 28 AWG. I thought a higher number
> meant better quality?
>
>
> Lady Dungeness
> Crabby, but Great Legs!
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I saw a post recently that said "Make sure your cable is 24 AWG not 28
> AWG, marked on the cable. Crappy cable wouldn't carry enough juice for
> the drive."
>
> I just installed a DVD-RW 52x. The analog sound cable that came with
> it said 28 AWG. I'm not using it -- I'm just relying on the IDE
> cable. But I'm curious about 24 vs 28 AWG. I thought a higher number
> meant better quality?
>
>
> Lady Dungeness
> Crabby, but Great Legs!
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

American Wire Gauge is the measure of diameter of actual wire (excluding the
exterior insulation). The lower the number, the greater the diameter.

Copper wire does have some electrical resistance. However, so minimal is
the length, this is not factor.

Analog sound cable? These are commonly referred to as RCA cables connected
to some kind of amplifier. Such a cable cannot provide power to your unit.

S/PDIF may be what you're talking about. That's translated and amplified.
This has no method of providing power to your unit. The S/PDIF cable does,
however, carry coded audio.

There's no need for using S/PDIF on current PCs as they are capable of
processing the audio data directly from the CD/DVD without error,
stuttering, or pauses.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPDIF
You make me dizzy with the mixed input of non-related information.
Dave

Gentlemen,

Thank you all for your answers. As soon as I saw the word "gauge," I
knew how to interpret it. As for the original post that prompted me
to question, here it is, headers included:

==========================================
From: simbert <(E-Mail Removed)>
Subject: Re: USB to IDE problem
Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 02:02:23 +0530
Message-ID: <(E-Mail Removed)>
Organization: Computer Help - http://forums.techarena.in
User-Agent: vBulletin USENET gateway
X-Newsreader: vBulletin USENET gateway
X-Originating-IP: 216.13.78.34
References: <(E-Mail Removed)>
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware
NNTP-Posting-Host: hostname.techarena.in 207.58.143.175
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Lines: 1
Xref: TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware:314230


Make sure your cable is 24 AWG not 28 AWG, marked on the cable. Crappy
cable wouldn't carry enough juice for the drive.


--
simbert
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/showthread.php?t=792375

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On Sun, 05 Aug 2007 17:22:17 -0700, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

|I saw a post recently that said "Make sure your cable is 24 AWG not 28
|AWG, marked on the cable. Crappy cable wouldn't carry enough juice for
|the drive."
|
|I just installed a DVD-RW 52x. The analog sound cable that came with
|it said 28 AWG. I'm not using it -- I'm just relying on the IDE
|cable. But I'm curious about 24 vs 28 AWG. I thought a higher number
|meant better quality?
|
|
|Lady Dungeness
|Crabby, but Great Legs!
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Gentlemen,
>
> Thank you all for your answers. As soon as I saw the word "gauge," I
> knew how to interpret it. As for the original post that prompted me
> to question, here it is, headers included:
>
> ==========================================
> From: simbert <(E-Mail Removed)>
> Subject: Re: USB to IDE problem
> Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 02:02:23 +0530
> Message-ID: <(E-Mail Removed)>
> Organization: Computer Help - http://forums.techarena.in
> User-Agent: vBulletin USENET gateway
> X-Newsreader: vBulletin USENET gateway
> X-Originating-IP: 216.13.78.34
> References: <(E-Mail Removed)>
> Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware
> NNTP-Posting-Host: hostname.techarena.in 207.58.143.175
> Path: TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl
> Lines: 1
> Xref: TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware:314230
>
>
> Make sure your cable is 24 AWG not 28 AWG, marked on the cable. Crappy
> cable wouldn't carry enough juice for the drive.


The Usenet is a learning place. Despite thinking what you state is
correct, sometimes you find you are wrong and have to update your brain
cells.

Also, you need to read the ENTIRE thread to understand the context of
the replies. The thread was talking about connecting an external USB
hard drive and the power delivered to it, not an internal DVD drive and
the analog or data cable connected to it. For the USB-connected drive,
the discussion was getting power through the USB port and USB cable.

Good points. Until just now, I wouldn't have known there was a
difference between using AWG for sound and using it to connect
external USB drives and IDE.

I love this NG!


Lady Dungeness
Crabby, but Great Legs!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


On Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:54:21 -0500, "Vanguard" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

|<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
|news:(E-Mail Removed)...
|> Gentlemen,
|>
|> Thank you all for your answers. As soon as I saw the word "gauge," I
|> knew how to interpret it. As for the original post that prompted me
|> to question, here it is, headers included:
|>
|> ==========================================
|> From: simbert <(E-Mail Removed)>
|> Subject: Re: USB to IDE problem
|> Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 02:02:23 +0530
|> Message-ID: <(E-Mail Removed)>
|> Organization: Computer Help - http://forums.techarena.in
|> User-Agent: vBulletin USENET gateway
|> X-Newsreader: vBulletin USENET gateway
|> X-Originating-IP: 216.13.78.34
|> References: <(E-Mail Removed)>
|> Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware
|> NNTP-Posting-Host: hostname.techarena.in 207.58.143.175
|> Path: TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl
|> Lines: 1
|> Xref: TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware:314230
|>
|>
|> Make sure your cable is 24 AWG not 28 AWG, marked on the cable. Crappy
|> cable wouldn't carry enough juice for the drive.
|
|
|The Usenet is a learning place. Despite thinking what you state is
|correct, sometimes you find you are wrong and have to update your brain
|cells.
|
|Also, you need to read the ENTIRE thread to understand the context of
|the replies. The thread was talking about connecting an external USB
|hard drive and the power delivered to it, not an internal DVD drive and
|the analog or data cable connected to it. For the USB-connected drive,
|the discussion was getting power through the USB port and USB cable.
|

You can connect a S/PDIF cable from an USB or ide connected CD/DVD player.
You can connect a USB cable to connect a USB enclosure with a CD/DVD player.
You can connect an ide cable to an ide CD/DVD player. All the wire of such
cables therein uses some diameter wire that can be translated to AWG. Your
response makes no sense.

The only cable you haven't inferred about was the power cable to an ide
model. All power supplies I've seen use the same wire gauge going to the
molex connectors. The only exception I've seen are some less than expected
craftsmanship in some pigtails with molex connectors. The wire gauge may be
one AWG number more, less diameter. The connectors may be loose inside, not
seated firmly. Junk.
Dave

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Good points. Until just now, I wouldn't have known there was a
> difference between using AWG for sound and using it to connect
> external USB drives and IDE.
>
> I love this NG!
>
>
> Lady Dungeness
> Crabby, but Great Legs!
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
> On Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:54:21 -0500, "Vanguard" <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
> |<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> |news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> |> Gentlemen,
> |>
> |> Thank you all for your answers. As soon as I saw the word "gauge," I
> |> knew how to interpret it. As for the original post that prompted me
> |> to question, here it is, headers included:
> |>
> |> ==========================================
> |> From: simbert <(E-Mail Removed)>
> |> Subject: Re: USB to IDE problem
> |> Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 02:02:23 +0530
> |> Message-ID: <(E-Mail Removed)>
> |> Organization: Computer Help - http://forums.techarena.in
> |> User-Agent: vBulletin USENET gateway
> |> X-Newsreader: vBulletin USENET gateway
> |> X-Originating-IP: 216.13.78.34
> |> References: <(E-Mail Removed)>
> |> Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware
> |> NNTP-Posting-Host: hostname.techarena.in 207.58.143.175
> |> Path: TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl
> |> Lines: 1
> |> Xref: TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware:314230
> |>
> |>
> |> Make sure your cable is 24 AWG not 28 AWG, marked on the cable. Crappy
> |> cable wouldn't carry enough juice for the drive.
> |
> |
> |The Usenet is a learning place. Despite thinking what you state is
> |correct, sometimes you find you are wrong and have to update your brain
> |cells.
> |
> |Also, you need to read the ENTIRE thread to understand the context of
> |the replies. The thread was talking about connecting an external USB
> |hard drive and the power delivered to it, not an internal DVD drive and
> |the analog or data cable connected to it. For the USB-connected drive,
> |the discussion was getting power through the USB port and USB cable.
> |