I'm looking for 4 x ATA100 single ended (no middle connector) rounded cables. And also a single ended floppy drive cable.

All the UK suppliers I've looked at only seem to stock rounded cables with a middle connector.

Anybody know a supplier?

why all the fuss about these Cables?

Do they really lower your case temperature as much as you have heard? In a word, no. That’s right, I’ll say it again, no.

Rounded cables do not lower your case temperature. If you have six hard drives and 20 feet of IDE ribbon cable then you may be able to lower your case temp with rounded cables but not the average user.

The rationale behind rounded cables is that the wide ribbon cable blocks air flow within the case inhibiting clean and efficient circulation.

I don’t know about you but my ribbon cables have never been wadded up in front of the power supply. My “hot spots” in my box have the same clean shot to the exhaust areas of the case with or without rounded cables.

Some folks are going to flame me for saying so but this is pretty much the same for everyone ... and one more reason not to use rounded cables ... crosstalk.

Try here Flopps Nice colour.


EDIT ooops, the only "single" is the Floppy cable. :embarasse

As it happens, I am trying a new type of round cable soon from www.ioss.com.tw, called the RD3XP Gladiator. This cable should reduce cross talk greatly, as it has *a lot* of shielding, I'm very interested to see what sort of performance improvments can be gained (if any).

I'll see if I can get any more information on it!

That link don't work?

Try this one.

http://www.ioss.com.tw/web/English/RD3Gladiator.html

Your link is an American site :crazy: I can find good cables on a lot of American sites, I was looking for a UK one.

Your argument probably holds true. But me want round cables Mostly for the looks, although the Case side is on all the time, it just makes me feel good to have a tidy innards.

I actually today received a couple of rounded cables from e-buyer. They were cheap, about Ł4.00 each so I thought I'd take a look. Frankly, they're crap. They work OK but the end sheaths slide up and down the rounded cable so all the wires are exposed. And they actually took up more room and blocked airflow more than the folded and cable-tied ribbon cables I was using. So I put the ribbon cables back.

Why is it one can never source what one wants old chap?

If you are looking for parts for your pc I would very strongly recommend you check out Overclock UK they are based just outside of London and are building up a very good rep for their excellent service and well priced goods.

You can go to their IDE cable section HERE

Thanx for the link. Trouble is, I already looked there. Nice cables, but as per usual, apart from the floppy drive cable, they don't list single ended cables, just the usual triple connector ones...

The versatility of ribbon cable is ... if a supplier sends you 24" with 5 connectors by mistake ... you can cut them up and have 1 triple & 1 single.

Then you could always pop along to Maplins and get a reel of cable plus several connectors and make your own length up.
:P

In response to your first point:

Yes, I'd considered that, but didn't fancy it much. It has to be a very clean cut otherwise one tiny little whisker of wire that happens to stray and short with an adjoining wire...... where did all my data go?

And the second point:

I have made up a few IDE cables actually and many SVGA cables, anongst others. All kinds of crimp tools here. But they don't look as pretty as the manufactured ones.

Anyways, I think I'm giving up on this. Skamp at BBF pointed out - much the same as you did Mucks - that if my airflow is OK and the inside of my case isn't on display, why bother?

Gonna buy me a coupla 6-packs instead

Well, I'm sure the 6-Packs will improve the airflow anyway

A slightly related question... where do you get your headers and cable for IDE cables? I've been looking for some 20 way headers and cable, but they cost loads Are there any decent UK suppliers, without Maplins price tag?