[k_munic]

the idea is quiet simple: i would like to use iDVD with my Cube: Therefore you should replace the internal drive with a slot-loading superdrive HARHARHAR!!!

(yes, i know, MCE (??) will sell a "replacement" superdrive, but for 500$; no, you can't buy a powerbook's superdrive as a "replacement")

BUT:
you can connect to the internal IDE cable ANY drive you want - f.i. a pioneers A05 - which doesn't fit physical in a Cube but anyhow, some real hardcore modders tried this and it worked.

these guys brought the internal IDE cable outside the Cube, so they cannot use their internal drive anymore.

IDEA!
is ist possibel to "split" the IDE cable, liek you can do that with powercables a.s.o?? a "Y-split"? Or does the bus running on that IDE get beserk?

any thoughts, comments?
vorsprung durch technik - as we say in german ;-))

[TomHMeredith]

Why don't you just buy an IDE connector with 2 ends on it? I'm sure you can pick them up very cheaply. Our old pc (eeuurghh!) at home had a CD drive and a hard disk attached to one connector on the motherboard through this cable, which I imagine is what you want to do, connect your hard disk and DVD-R to the same connector on the motherboard.

Voila!

Tom.

[k_munic]

Originally posted by TomHMeredith:
Why don't you just buy an IDE connector with 2 ends on it? I'm sure you can pick them up very cheaply. Our old pc (eeuurghh!) at home had a CD drive and a hard disk attached to one connector on the motherboard through this cable, which I imagine is what you want to do, connect your hard disk and DVD-R to the same connector on the motherboard.

Voila!

Tom.

AHAAA!
so, what you want to tell me, is. you CAN Y-split a normal IDE cable...- my researches so far gave me the result, that all that "bus/adress" stuff is handled by the hardware (=drives) itself..-

so next step: finding a IDE cable with 3 connectors, small flexible, maybe round and good looking, so it fits my Cube ;-))

i do refer on THIS project: http://homepage.mac.com/tracer302/bl...toAlbum32.html

[TomHMeredith]

I guess that what I was trying to say was yes, you can slpit an IDE cable.

You could always make your own....

[bradoesch]

It'll be around $3. Much easier to just buy one than make one, unless you are looking for a project. And I don't think you can even buy a cable that doesn't have 2 connectors on it (3 if you count the motherboard connection.)

[Crimson]

yes, you can buy cables that have only 2 connectors, but they are extremely short Just march into your local PC store, and get a normal IDE-cable of desired length (as long as possible), Also, I'd recommend against using a Y-power splitter cable, it could possibly strain cube's power supply too much (I have an iMac which has CD-RW attached similarly), better way is to use some old external CD-ROM case for power...

[k_munic]

so, projects actual status:

NO, you can't y-split the IDE cable - on one bus you can just use 2 peripherials (harddrive plus internal drive OR external drive).

YES - there are some "IDE switch boxes" on the market which makes it possible to connect several (up to 5) different drives on ONE IDE bus; BEFORE you boot your machine you can switch a button to select your (one!) drive - but it looks horrible.

NO - you can't extend the IDE bus too much; after 60cm (sorry, metric on this part on the globe) the system gets unstable.

NO - you shouldn't use extrenal power, some modders experienced serious probs restarting their machines after sleep.

NO - you don't need the internal drive anymore, 'cause the extrenal superdrive is better then the "normal" internal cd-drive.

and i don't need my external firewire cd-burner anymore?-

YES - the superdrive of the new powerbooks does fit in a cube, but
NO - you can't buy this baby, except the MCE one für 500$ <harharhar>

- to be continued -