What's the longest IDE cable you can get?

[alphonsus]

What is the longest IDE cable you can buy/make? I seen a few on newegg that are 36" but what if I wanted to get a 60"+ one would my best bet to get an external USB2 or firewire drive? Also is there a risk with longer cables?

 

[Peter]

45 centimeters. 12 inches. That's the maximum length defined in the ATA standard. Everything longer is pushing your luck, and three times as long is DEFINITELY asking for trouble.

LVD SCSI, USB and FireWire plus external enclosures are the technologies of choice for that kind of distance. If it gets even longer, you'll want SCSI-through-IP on a Gbit Ethernet connection

 

[RalfHutter]

?? I thought 18" was the longest allowed by the ATA Standard.

 

[lucky9]

18" is correct.

 

[Gravity]

You can get them custom made at 24". I have seen one server use them in a unique application. It's outside the specs but it worked o.k.

 

[Peter]

Right, sorry. 45 cm is 18 inches.

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: Gravity
You can get them custom made at 24". I have seen one server use them in a unique application. It's outside the specs but it worked o.k.

i have a couple 24" ide cables

needed em at one time, epox board had the ide channels way too low on the board for an 18" to reach my upper bays without trouble.

 

[alphonsus]

Ok thanks guys. So if I had a IDE drive and since I need it to be located pretty far from the motherboard; what do you think I can do? Is there a way I can turn it into a firewire or USB2 drive without having to buy an external case?

 

[Gravity]

Originally posted by: alphonsus
Ok thanks guys. So if I had a IDE drive and since I need it to be located pretty far from the motherboard; what do you think I can do? Is there a way I can turn it into a firewire or USB2 drive without having to buy an external case?

Absolutely!! You can get an enclousure for any ide drive. They vary in price and can often be found on sale all over the net or maybe in the FS/FT forum. Here's a linky

Gravity

 

[Peter]

Those external Firewire or USB drives are all actually IDE drives with a converter thingie in front of them. So yes, buy an external enclosure, that'll do.

 

[alphonsus]

Would I be able to make the converter myself or would it just be a pain?

 

[Peter]

That's not just cable adaption. There's an interface board with a converter chip involved. Buy one.