Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
I want to use an old IDE cable (with 40 pins) for the GPIO pins, without modifying it or removing the connectors. Is it safe to do that?
Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
Yes. 40 pin IDE cables are simple pin to pin cables.
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Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
Hi,
There are several details which can cause troubles in some circumstances (eg. length of the cable), but generally speaking, you can use it.
Best wishes, Ivan Zilic.
If the cable condition is ok, it is safe.jenzo wrote:Is it safe to do that?
There are several details which can cause troubles in some circumstances (eg. length of the cable), but generally speaking, you can use it.
Best wishes, Ivan Zilic.
Running out of GPIO pins and/or need to read analog values?
Solution: http://www.flyfish-tech.com/FF32
Solution: http://www.flyfish-tech.com/FF32
Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
Yes and maybe no it depends on the IDE cable and whether it's blocked off the middle pin to prevent applying the cable the wrong way up.
If you have such a cable you may need to drill a hole otherwise it would be physically impossible to place this over the GPIO header.
Richard S.
If you have such a cable you may need to drill a hole otherwise it would be physically impossible to place this over the GPIO header.
Richard S.
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Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
The blocked hole in the IDE cable corresponds to a GND pin in the GPIO header, so you could simply cut that pin, without losing functionality.
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Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
Or just use a big hammer.
Either it'll make its own hole, or it'll bend out of the way
Either it'll make its own hole, or it'll bend out of the way
Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
Well, the middle pin was blocked, but that wasn't my biggest problem. I was able to drill a hole, but unfortunately the GND pins on the IDE cable ( http://courses.cs.tamu.edu/cpsc483/rabi ... a2copy.GIF ) are all connected, hence i can't really use it for raspberry.
Thanks for your answers though!

Thanks for your answers though!
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Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
A 40 pin cable is just a 40 pin cable. It's not IDE unless plugged into an IDE device. When plugged into RPi GPIO then its GPIO.jenzo wrote:Well, the middle pin was blocked, but that wasn't my biggest problem. I was able to drill a hole, but unfortunately the GND pins on the IDE cable ( http://courses.cs.tamu.edu/cpsc483/rabi ... a2copy.GIF ) are all connected, hence i can't really use it for raspberry.![]()
Thanks for your answers though!
Unless specified otherwise my response is based on the latest and fully updated RPiOS Buster w/ Desktop OS.
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Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
no they are not!I was able to drill a hole, but unfortunately the GND pins on the IDE cable ... are all connected,
for a 40 wire IDE cable, it its just an IDE cable, wires are not connected between each other, unless plugged into an actual device that connects the wires together externally to the actual cable.
As said below a "80 wire IDE cable" is not a normal IDE (isolation displacement) cable, it is a specifically manufactured product that overcomes the transmit line problems of a normal 40 pin IDE cable by giving each wire its own ground return wire, and in the process it connects all pins used as GND in a harddisk interface cable together! it cannot therefore be used with a PI!
Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
I thought there was no interconnection. However on the IDE cable I have (is it an 80 connector one?) the ground pins are connected on the cable when I buzz through.
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Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
yes, there are IDE cables that have extra shielding and GND returns in the form of 40 extra wires interleaved with the 40 normal wires, and yes these connect to all the wires normall used for GND to the normal 40 wires assigned as GND's (in a HD interface cable) .
And no, what I said in the previous post does NOT apply to these cables, they are indeed useless for the PI, you need IDE cables with 40 wires, not 80 wires.
do not use 80 wire "IDE cables", they cause shorts!
And no, what I said in the previous post does NOT apply to these cables, they are indeed useless for the PI, you need IDE cables with 40 wires, not 80 wires.
do not use 80 wire "IDE cables", they cause shorts!
Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
Well that was fortunate. I got my 80 connector IDE cable out of the loft intending to use it with the B+ but never got round to plugging it in!mahjongg wrote:yes, there are IDE cables that have extra shielding and GND returns in the form of 40 extra wires interleaved with the 40 normal wires, and yes these connect to all the wires normall used for GND to the normal 40 wires assigned as GND's (in a HD interface cable) .
And no, what I said in the previous post does NOT apply to these cables, they are indeed useless for the PI, you need IDE cables with 40 wires, not 80 wires.
do not use 80 wire "IDE cables", they cause shorts!
Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
I am using a 40(IDE) Cable without issue. I've got mine wired up to an analog joystick(pulled from a PS2) and some pushbuttons. The middle hole isn't blocked on this particular cable.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/d2clqy596zna5 ... i.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/d2clqy596zna5 ... i.jpg?dl=0
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Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
Hi.
I read tons of info about and I was still in doubt , so i plugged the old IDE cable 40 pin ATA 33 to the raspberry pi 2 with no alimentation. Then i tested each pin with a multimeter , comparing to the gpio 40 pin map.
The test showned nothing anormal. Results were the same as gpio map so
The old 40 pin ide cable with all holes can be used safely.
The 80 pin wasn't tested , so i can't say anything about it
Cheers
I read tons of info about and I was still in doubt , so i plugged the old IDE cable 40 pin ATA 33 to the raspberry pi 2 with no alimentation. Then i tested each pin with a multimeter , comparing to the gpio 40 pin map.
The test showned nothing anormal. Results were the same as gpio map so
The old 40 pin ide cable with all holes can be used safely.
The 80 pin wasn't tested , so i can't say anything about it
Cheers
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Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
Yes, a "40-pin IDE Cable" is simply a 40 wire flatcable with two "isolation displacement connectors", no magic going on there, unlike the much later specially designed "80-wire IDE cables".
I wrote this: viewtopic.php?p=665572#p665572 about it in the "pitfalls for beginners" sticky.
I wrote this: viewtopic.php?p=665572#p665572 about it in the "pitfalls for beginners" sticky.
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Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
http://www.shivaranjan.com/shivaupload/ ... /80_40.jpg
This image is a great example of the differences between the two. Visually they are very different.
Consider the age of the computer you're about to gut for your new project. If its any newer than Y2K... you NEED to double check what kind of cable it is.
That all being said, it's perfectly reasonable with a few hours, a pair of snips, a lot of patience, and a few googles, you could probably isolate the 40 ground wires and suss out any proprietary common grounding in the plastic heads and bend the cable to your (apparently) iron based will / complete stubbornness. This would take a lot more time than going to your mom's house to pick up that old dell you had in high school, or swinging by your local online-retailer while you're supposed to be working... but keep in mind... we don't hack stuff into existence because it's easy.
This image is a great example of the differences between the two. Visually they are very different.
Consider the age of the computer you're about to gut for your new project. If its any newer than Y2K... you NEED to double check what kind of cable it is.
That all being said, it's perfectly reasonable with a few hours, a pair of snips, a lot of patience, and a few googles, you could probably isolate the 40 ground wires and suss out any proprietary common grounding in the plastic heads and bend the cable to your (apparently) iron based will / complete stubbornness. This would take a lot more time than going to your mom's house to pick up that old dell you had in high school, or swinging by your local online-retailer while you're supposed to be working... but keep in mind... we don't hack stuff into existence because it's easy.
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Re: Can i use an old IDE cable with RPi B+ GPIO pins?
If you crack both conectors open the central metal row can be removed without affecting pin functionality. I've attached an image