Quality of rounded cables?

[Hender]

For my system upgrade this summer, I'm getting some rounded cables, probably just IDE and floppy for now (I wouldn't mind picking up rounded 50-pin SCSI cables, but I can't spend too much right now), but I'm somewhat concerned about the quality of the cables. A lot of places are selling the cables, but most of them look like they have been taped up by some guy, not quality-looking at all. I know it's inside my case and all, but it's the principle, y'know? Has anyone found quality, machine-made ATA/100 rounded cables with boots on the connectors that are within the spec (18&quot? I saw that Newegg sold nice-looking rounded cables, but they're 24" and out of spec. Anyone found good ones elsewhere? The sweet-looking silver ones from Plycon are tempting, but they're so expensive I have trouble justifying $50 for two cables (yet two years ago I spent $90 on a SCSI cable with one connector...go figure).

 

[Citadel535]

3dcool.com and Thinkgeek.com has them and they are reputable sites. I would suggest looking for ones that say machine rounded cables on them.

 

[TunaBoo]

caseetc.com has machine rounded.

But I would do it myself and save $50

 

[bex0rs]

Are there any sites that sell single device rounded IDE cables? I'm looking for a few that are about 6-8" in length to hook up my hard drives.

~bex0rs

 

[bluezebra1098]

www.bestbyte.net/
Haven't seen any that short though...

 

[VBboy]

NewEgg.com for only $11 24" !!!

I don't like rounded cables, though. Just tie up your regular ones, and you're all set. Rounded ones are heavy and bulky.

 

[Mday]

some of those cables out there use unlaminated twisted pair ribbon cabling. those of you with lvd should be familiar with twisted pair SCSI cables. the twisted pair have each wire separated and pairs twisted direct from the manufacturer. generally every 6 inches or 12 inches come normal (flat)... when unlaminated, those pairs can be rounded together with a sheath of some kind, and that's what some of those cables are. they are generally the ones with the boots. you can recognize them by alternating blue and white wires with a red wire replacing one of them (forget which) every 10 wires.

24" is out of ata spec, 18" has always been spec since the OLD days. I am using the previously described cables now, 24" long, and it's fine for me ;-) of course i have grey ones =P

btw, this type of cabling is available as SCSI too.

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i will comment that a recently written article somewhere (i forget where, it was not a great article) tested such cabling and had these twisted pair cables performing the best. of course i suspect that should the cabling be laminated as to keep the pairs from interfering with each other that the cables should go even faster.

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i cannot comment on the newegg cables because of the color of the cable. i cannot say that it is twisted pair, can someone please confirm?

 

[bacillus]

found the cables from here to be reasonably priced & of good quality!