[comp.sys.amiga] Hard Disk cables

scott@applix.UUCP (Scott Evernden) (11/25/88)

In article <6080009@hpcupt1.HP.COM> pdg@hpcupt1.HP.COM (Paul Gootherts) writes:
>>	$20  2 Cables              (Some handiwork required)
>
>Please elaborate.  I need to get/make a cable to go from the back of an
>ST-225N (50 pin ribbon) to either a 50 pin SCSI connector or a 25 pin
>MAC connector.
>
>What kind of cable do you run from your drive to your controller?  If
>you built it from scratch, how did you find out what the pin connections
>are?

Ok, the StarDrive is designed to make your A1000 look like a Macintosh
to the disk (i.e., it supplies a DB25 connector).  The ST277N disk has
a 50 pin header.

The challenge is to get a cable to go from the DB25 to the 50 pin header.

Some people build a single cable which marries the 2.  I think it's
easier and cheaper to:

1) buy a standard-part Mac-style DB25 to Centronics SCSI cable
2) fabricate a ribbon cable to run from the Centronics
   connector to the 50 pin disk header.

Apple actually charges about $50 (!) for the SCSI cable.  Look
around in Computer Shopper, and you can find one (18") for $10.

The ribbon cable is the tricky part (not that bad)-

You need to go to your handy electronics parts dealer and get:

  1) a length (about 18") of 50 conductor ribbon cable
  2) the 50 pin female IDC socket for the disk drive side.
  3) the 50 contact female Centronic connector.

Both of the connectors should be for ribbon cable use- that means
that they can be "clamped" onto the length of 50 conductor ribbon cable.
I scrounged for the ribbon cable; cost of the connectors was about
$2 + $8.  (You may have a little trouble locating part #3.  I got
mine at U-DO-IT electronics in Needham, MA)

Study the pinouts below.  The Centronics pin assignments are the same
as the 50pin IDC's.  So, you merely have to orient the 2 ribbon
connectors properly, clamp each onto the cable with a Sears bench vise
or such, and viola...  Cable #2.

Good Luck!!

-scott


DB25 - SCSI

Pin     Name
-------------
 1      REQ
 2      MSG
 3      I/O
 4      RST
 5      ACK
 6      BSY
 7      GND
 8      DB0
 9      GND
10      DB3
11      DB5
12      DB6
13      DB7
14      GND
15      C/D
16      GND
17      ATN
18      GND
19      SEL
20      DBP
21      DB1
22      DB2
23      DB4
24      GND
25      N.C.

50 pin SCSI Header on Disk

Pin     Name          Pin     Name
-----------------------------------
 1      GND            2      DB0
 3      GND            4      DB1
 5      GND            6      DB2
 7      GND            8      DB3
 9      GND           10      DB4
11      GND           12      DB5
13      GND           14      DB6
15      GND           16      DB7
17      GND           18      DBP
19      GND           20      GND
21      GND           22      GND
23      GND           24      GND
25      N.C.          26      N.C.
27      GND           28      GND
29      GND           30      GND
31      GND           32      ATN
33      GND           34      GND
35      GND           36      BSY
37      GND           38      ACK
39      GND           40      RST
41      GND           42      MSG
43      GND           44      SEL
45      GND           46      C/D
47      GND           48      REQ
49      GND           50      I/O

Credit to Ed Gunther and Frank McConnell for portions of the above
information.

mp1u+@andrew.cmu.edu (Michael Portuesi) (11/26/88)

scott@applix.UUCP (Scott Evernden) writes:
> 1) buy a standard-part Mac-style DB25 to Centronics SCSI cable
> 2) fabricate a ribbon cable to run from the Centronics
>    connector to the 50 pin disk header.
> 

I have (1).  Finding the parts for (2) are damn near impossible.
Electronics distributors in Pittsburgh are lucky to know what a
computer is, let alone carry parts for them.  Radio Shack doesn't
carry 50-pin anything.  And my tour through Computer Shopper was none
too helpful either.

> I got
> mine at U-DO-IT electronics in Needham, MA)

What is their number, and do they ship Federal Express?  I have had
an idle hard disk sitting next to my Amiga for over a week now, and
I'm getting pretty upset about the while affair.

		    --M

--
Michael Portuesi / Information Technology Center / Carnegie Mellon University
INET:   mp1u+@andrew.cmu.edu / BITNET: mp1u+%andrew.cmu.edu@cmccvb
UUCP:   ...harvard!andrew.cmu.edu!mp1u+

"my friends say she's a dumb blonde, but they don't know she dyes her hair"

scott@applix.UUCP (Scott Evernden) (11/27/88)

In article <MXXRCJy00VsfIdr1IX@andrew.cmu.edu> mp1u+@andrew.cmu.edu (Michael Portuesi) writes:
>scott@applix.UUCP (Scott Evernden) writes:

(in reference to Centronics and IDC connectors and ribbon cable for SCSI)

>> I got
>> mine at U-DO-IT electronics in Needham, MA)
>
>What is their number, and do they ship Federal Express?

I'm sorry; here 'tis:

	YOU-DO-IT Electronics
	40 Franklin St
	Needham, MA
	Phone 617-449-1005

I dunno if they do Federal Express, but I usually find myself waiting
on some salesperson who's behind the counter on the phone taking orders 
- so I would suspect so...

-scott