[arch-general] DVD's won't read

[Guus Snijders]

On 18-03-10 19:16, Mauro Santos wrote:
>> I don't see any great difference in both cables except for that one pin
>> being closed.
>>
>> Also in my drive the pin which is blocked in the 80 pin connector is
>> absent. So how the cable change is going to make any difference ?
>
> Google and wikipedia are your friends ;)
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_ATA#Parallel_ATA_interface
>
> The parallel interface is being replaced by a serial interface but the
> wikipedia page is still a good read, there are still lots of old
> machines using only the parallel interface so it's good to know these
> things.

Actually, serial is what the S in SATA stands for ;). And that's also 
why ATA is called PATA nowadays.
IDE/ATA == parallel, SATA == serial.

About the difference between 40 and 80 wires a cable is about signal 
noise. The 80 wires are there to improve the signal/noise ratio for the 
increased clockspeeds on the cable.
See for example:
http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/confCable80-c.html

Both connectors are physically compatible.


HTH, HAND

mvg,
    Guus