Good quality EIDE cables?

[Bob]

Does anyone have any recommendations on an online source for some
really good quality EIDE cables? While I try to minimize the shuffling
of cables and hard drives in my system, I have had to do just that
recently due to a drive going bad on me and in the process I suffered
through issues that were traced to cables that went bad on me for some
reason even though I am careful when removing and reinstalling them.

I like the basic idea of the round cables, but don't like the way that
the wires are exposed at the connectors despite the boots they have,
which never seem to stay snug against the connector.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[dg]

That is a great question, I recently purchased some round cables in
different lenghts. All made by Vantec. Some lengths are great cables,
others seem pretty lame with completely different construction than the good
cables.

--Dan

 

[Bob]

Thanks Dan. Which of the Vantec cables you bought are good and which
ones are to be avoided?

Bob

:That is a great question, I recently purchased some round cables in
:different lenghts. All made by Vantec. Some lengths are great cables,
thers seem pretty lame with completely different construction than the good
:cables.
:
:--Dan
:
::> Does anyone have any recommendations on an online source for some
:> really good quality EIDE cables? While I try to minimize the shuffling
:> of cables and hard drives in my system, I have had to do just that
:> recently due to a drive going bad on me and in the process I suffered
:> through issues that were traced to cables that went bad on me for some
:> reason even though I am careful when removing and reinstalling them.
:>
:> I like the basic idea of the round cables, but don't like the way that
:> the wires are exposed at the connectors despite the boots they have,
:> which never seem to stay snug against the connector.
:>
:> Thanks,
:> Bob
:
:

 

[Rod Speed]

Does anyone have any recommendations on an online source for some
really good quality EIDE cables? While I try to minimize the shuffling
of cables and hard drives in my system, I have had to do just that
recently due to a drive going bad on me and in the process I suffered
through issues that were traced to cables that went bad on me for some
reason even though I am careful when removing and reinstalling them.

I like the basic idea of the round cables, but don't like the way that
the wires are exposed at the connectors despite the boots they have,
which never seem to stay snug against the connector.

The biggest problem with them is that the flout the ATA
standard on the separation between the wires with data on them.

 

[Ron Reaugh]

The biggest problem with them is that the flout the ATA
standard on the separation between the wires with data on them.

Cite a source suggesting any such problem.

 

[Rod Speed]

Cite a source suggesting any such problem.

The source is the standard, stupid.

Even someone as stupid as you should be able to
compare the specs on the cable required with round
cables and work out that round cables flout the standard.

 

[Ron Reaugh]

The source is the standard, stupid.

Even someone as stupid as you should be able to
compare the specs on the cable required with round
cables and work out that round cables flout the standard.

Clueless. Obviously you have no engineering nor science background. There
is no such issue with round cables.

 

[Rod Speed]

Clueless.

You've always been that.

Obviously you have no engineering nor science background.

Guess which pathetic ****wit has just made
a VERY spectacular fool of itself, yet again.

No surprises there given the VERY spectacular
fool you made of yourself over IBM 75GXP drives.

There is no such issue with round cables.

Not a ****ing clue. As always.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

You've always been that.


Guess which pathetic ****wit has just made
a VERY spectacular fool of itself, yet again.

Toss that mirror Roddy.

No surprises there given the VERY spectacular
fool you made of yourself over IBM 75GXP drives.


Not a ****ing clue. As always.

Heheh. Anyone still wonder why Ron/Rod is often mentioned in one sentence?

 

[dg]

I can't be sure from memory which ones seemed like better quality. What I
can tell you is that at my local Staples office supply store they also sell
Vantec cables. The cables on the shelf looked like great cables even better
constructed than the cables I ordered. You may check out your Staples if
you have one locally. I will try to check out the cables I have and see if
I can give you any useful info, sometime.

--Dan

 

[Bob]

Thanks again. I've already checked with my local Staples store and
they only have a 40 wire ribbon IDE cable...they did not even know what
an 80 wire IDE cable was when I called them. Where I live (South Lake
Tahoe, CA) is completely void of any decent computer supply places..if
you can imagine this, the only local PC builder/repair shop within 50
miles of here that has EIDE cables at all, has 36" cables is all.

:I can't be sure from memory which ones seemed like better quality. What I
:can tell you is that at my local Staples office supply store they also sell
:Vantec cables. The cables on the shelf looked like great cables even better
:constructed than the cables I ordered. You may check out your Staples if
:you have one locally. I will try to check out the cables I have and see if
:I can give you any useful info, sometime.
:
:--Dan
:
::> Thanks Dan. Which of the Vantec cables you bought are good and which
:> ones are to be avoided?
:>
:> Bob
:
:

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Bob, if the devil in you wants to "flout the ATA standard",
try the round cables sold by Silicon Valley Compucycle at
http://svc.com/cables-ata-100-133-round-cables.html . They
have a decent combination of selection and fair price. I've
been using their round cables with the aluminum braid shielding
for about 8 months now with no problems (knock on wood).
The round cables come in various lengths from 10" single
device (2 connectors) cables to 36" dual device cables. Here's
a photo of their 18" dual device aluminum braid cables:
http://svc.com/rc18hd2-sil.html . You are right that the boots
tend to slide back from the connectors when being manipulated,
but that doesn't affect the adjacency of the twisted wire pairs
(each colored data wire is loosely twisted with a white ground wire).
If the slipping boot really bothers you, a snug plastic cable tie
might keep it in place. Although not pictured, the cables I
received had plastic pull tabs on the backs of the connectors
to facilitate unplugging the connectors - a real help.

As for 80-wire ribbon cables, they must be as "common as
mud" (to quote my neighborhood Jamaican). Any computer
store in Carson City or Reno must have them. I've seen "high-
speed" Teflon-insulated ATA cables advertized on the Web,
but I think of those as just a version of Monster Cable. 80-wire
ribbon cables are pretty much a commodity item by now, so
you're probably safe by just buying the middle-of-the-road stuff.
I have a feeling that the "quality" is in the ATA spec - that is,
if it complies with the spec, it's "quality".

*TimDaniels*

 

[Bob]

Thanks very much, Tim. I will check those cables out.

Bob

 

[Bob]

I ended up buying some 18" and 24" braided cables from Silicon Valley
Compucycle. Ordered them Tuesday night, they arrived today...great
service. Installed them and so far so good. They seem well
constructed and durable, and they had the plastic pull tabs on the
backs of the connectors.

Thanks again to everyone for their comments and advice.

Bob

:Bob, if the devil in you wants to "flout the ATA standard",
:try the round cables sold by Silicon Valley Compucycle at
:http://svc.com/cables-ata-100-133-round-cables.html . They
:have a decent combination of selection and fair price. I've
:been using their round cables with the aluminum braid shielding
:for about 8 months now with no problems (knock on wood).
:The round cables come in various lengths from 10" single
:device (2 connectors) cables to 36" dual device cables. Here's
:a photo of their 18" dual device aluminum braid cables:
:http://svc.com/rc18hd2-sil.html . You are right that the boots
:tend to slide back from the connectors when being manipulated,
:but that doesn't affect the adjacency of the twisted wire pairs
each colored data wire is loosely twisted with a white ground wire).
:If the slipping boot really bothers you, a snug plastic cable tie
:might keep it in place. Although not pictured, the cables I
:received had plastic pull tabs on the backs of the connectors
:to facilitate unplugging the connectors - a real help.
:
: As for 80-wire ribbon cables, they must be as "common as
:mud" (to quote my neighborhood Jamaican). Any computer
:store in Carson City or Reno must have them. I've seen "high-
:speed" Teflon-insulated ATA cables advertized on the Web,
:but I think of those as just a version of Monster Cable. 80-wire
:ribbon cables are pretty much a commodity item by now, so
:you're probably safe by just buying the middle-of-the-road stuff.
:I have a feeling that the "quality" is in the ATA spec - that is,
:if it complies with the spec, it's "quality".
:
:*TimDaniels*