TiVo Community Forums Archives - IDE Cable for Series 2, Center Pin

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IDE Cable for Series 2, Center Pin
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Posted by: Joe Party

Do I need to get an IDE cable where the center hole is NOT blocked? I've read somewhere on here that I can just drill out a hole where the pin goes and all is well.

Or do I have to get an IDE cable where all 80 pins connect?

Please advise.

Joe Party

Posted by: Gregd33

You can use a regular cable(with the pin blocked) and just heat a straight pin or something and poke it in there to make the hole yourself.

Worked great for me... Good Luck!

Posted by: Joe Party

Used 1/16 drill bit by hand, and slowly turned it until it created a nice little hole. Hooked up, and all is working well.

Thanks
Joe Party

Posted by: Rumpy

Drilled my 80 connductor cable on a drill press and it worked great. I first tried a 40 connductor cable with no blocked pins, but it did not work.

Posted by: worldzfree

I am curious then. What is the point behind blocking the holes on the cables?

I mean I assumed the hokey plastic sticking out on the cables ends was enough of a hint to help computer users point the cable in the right direction.

Sorry for going off-topic. Odd.

Posted by: Worf

Well, pin 20 on the IDE spec is meant for keying. This was back in the days where you didn't get the nice outside keys and sockets - most of the time you had just a simple 2 row header. Heck, these were the days where you had to make sure the red stripe went to pin 1, and enough people goofed it up...

Since that was a keying pin, it was officially to not be present, so connectors could have it blocked, and thus the cable could go in one way. Alas, when people actually started to key them properly, was when people started to use the connectors with built-in keys. Ah, back in the days where you could reverse a ribbon cable... (and possibly destroy your very expensive drive in the process!)

Posted by: Joe Party

Rumpy,

Used a Drill Press. Isn't that like trying to kill a fly with a grenade? :D

Actually, I think I've read your post somewhere else about the drill press. That's what gave me the idea.

So, now that all is said, I've upgraded two Series 2 Tivos with 80gbs, and now, they are sporting a nice fat 169 hours each.

The second one I did was done in probably 25 minutes.

Thanks Hindsdale.