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Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: 3246251196 on April 03, 2006, 02:34:17 AM

Title: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: 3246251196 on April 03, 2006, 02:34:17 AM
when i get 3.5/9

i will need to install via cd (i know i could do it through network - but lets not consider that a possib)

is there any difference in cd-drives that my current PC uses and an amiga uses?

i have a lot of spare cd-drives around what do i need to make it work for the amiga - OR do i need a special collaboration of hardware?
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: Sparky on April 03, 2006, 03:39:20 AM
Yes there is .. the Amiga ones all have this little red and white ball embossed onto each IC, they also require you to feed in 3-Phase power, connect each wire the opposite way around and dance naked while sacrficing a chiken to the Blood God.

;-)

Seriously though .. no difference and you can paint your own balls. :-)
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: Sparky on April 03, 2006, 03:40:16 AM
Hmm .. proof reading that last post shows the last line could be interpreted incorrectly ... unless you are into thats ort of thing.
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: Oliver on April 03, 2006, 07:11:06 AM
Quote

Sparky wrote:
...Seriously though .. no difference and you can paint your own balls. :-)


So, what did you think people meant when thay were talking about 'boing bags'? ;-)
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: doctorq on April 03, 2006, 08:44:16 AM
@3246251196

No difference. You just need a 2,5" --> 3,5" adaptor so you can connect the drive to your IDE controller (if it's an A600 or A1200). If it's an A4000, it's just to install the drive and install the drivers.
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: 3246251196 on April 03, 2006, 02:30:53 PM
hmm, well i have all sorts of IDE cables. but, i have not got a 2.5-3.5 one. looks like ill have to get one!

thanks anyway.
---

ANOTHER QUESTION: could i use one of my DVD-RW too on the AMIGA 1200
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: Agafaster on April 03, 2006, 02:38:22 PM
[color=ff0000]BEWARE !!![/color][/b][/i][/u]

I seriously fcuked up an A1200 in the past doing that:

the 2.5" IDE interface on an A1200 is unbuffered, meaning there is nothing between your IDE device(s) and all the tender and now irreplacable custom underbelly that makes your amiga what it is:

one current surge and you can seriously fry several custom chips: I destroyed Gayle, the CPU, and half the Chip-Ram ICs on the motherboard - cost me 50 quid to get repaired - and that was in the days when Wolverhampton had a shop that could send Amigas for repair.

I seriously recommend you visit www.amigakit.com for 'Piece of Mind'.

-edit-
specifically, this (http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=42&products_id=194&osCsid=2605b5401382be23891b6d3ef4571ba2)
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: 3246251196 on April 03, 2006, 02:43:17 PM
what you suggesting then. i get cd-rw hardware which is also 2.5"? thus, 2.5-2.5 cable?,.
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: Piru on April 03, 2006, 02:43:49 PM
Maybe it should be also pointed out that I used self-made (unbuffered) 4-way IDE interface (44-pin 2.5" mobo connector <-> 4 x 40-pin connector) in my A1200 for years, and I never had any problems with it. The A1200 mobo is still fine (even though now retired). YMMV.
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: Agafaster on April 03, 2006, 03:11:20 PM
...but is it really worth the risk to your precious hardware ? they dont make em any more, y'know ?
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: 3246251196 on April 03, 2006, 07:45:00 PM
so guys can you clear this up here:

1 - if i use a PC cd drive (rw/rom) i CAN use it?

2 - if so, i WILL need a 2.5 - 3.5 IDE cable YES?

3 - can i also do the same with DVD-RWs?

4 - like on PC will the optical drive be auto-detectable?
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: SamuraiCrow on April 03, 2006, 10:35:19 PM
Quote

3246251196 wrote:
so guys can you clear this up here:

1 - if i use a PC cd drive (rw/rom) i CAN use it?

yes.
Quote

2 - if so, i WILL need a 2.5 - 3.5 IDE cable YES?

Yes but be sure you get a good one.  Using an unbuffered adapter cable will likely fry your motherboard.
Quote

3 - can i also do the same with DVD-RWs?

Yes but be aware that there are no DVD filesystems for classic Amiga.  You will be able to burn CDRs with the proper software though.
Quote

4 - like on PC will the optical drive be auto-detectable?

No.  You'll have to drag an icon into a drawer and reboot.  Depending on the IDE splitter cable you might have to install drivers for it as well.
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: adolescent on April 03, 2006, 11:04:49 PM
Quote
SamuraiCrow wrote:

Yes but be sure you get a good one.  Using an unbuffered adapter cable will likely fry your motherboard.


Not always true.  See Harry's response above.  Why would a 2.5->3.5 cable be any more dangerous than the standard "unbuffered" 2.5->2.5 cable?

Quote
Yes but be aware that there are no DVD filesystems for classic Amiga.  You will be able to burn CDRs with the proper software though.


:-?  You can read and write DVD-R on classic Amiga.  For example, CacheCDFS included with OS3.9 happily reads DVD-R without any problem.
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: SamuraiCrow on April 03, 2006, 11:09:58 PM
Quote

adolescent wrote:
Quote
SamuraiCrow wrote:

Yes but be sure you get a good one.  Using an unbuffered adapter cable will likely fry your motherboard.


Not always true.  See Harry's response above.  Why would a 2.5->3.5 cable be any more dangerous than the standard "unbuffered" 2.5->2.5 cable?

If he tries to hook up a hard drive AND CDROM it will likely overload the signal pins and fry the motherboard.
Quote

Quote
Yes but be aware that there are no DVD filesystems for classic Amiga.  You will be able to burn CDRs with the proper software though.


:-?  You can read and write DVD-R on classic Amiga.  For example, CacheCDFS from OS3.9 happily reads DVD-R without any problem.

Yes, but AmigaOS for less than version 4.0 prerelease 4 will not read files larger than 2 GB and a DVD video player would require a PowerPC chip and the aforementioned prerelease of AmigaOS 4.0.
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: Piru on April 04, 2006, 01:05:55 AM
@SamuraiCrow
Quote
If he tries to hook up a hard drive AND CDROM it will likely overload the signal pins and fry the motherboard.

Well, I had 3 HDDs and a CD-RW drive hooked to std A1200 IDE. No buffering - no problems whatsoever. (Oh, naturally everything was powered by proper PC PSU)

Quote
Yes, but AmigaOS for less than version 4.0 prerelease 4 will not read files larger than 2 GB

DVDs don't typically hold files larger than 1GB (mainly because the mainstream OS has issues with larger files). Movie DVDs use several 1GB files, you can read them on classic amiga just fine. In fact, movie player apps access the DVD directly, and thus are not bound by any limitations of a filesystem. Largefile support is not required for DVDs, it's mostly useful for HDDs.

DVD movie playback on classic Amiga is completely another matter...
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: Lando on April 04, 2006, 05:22:33 AM
Quote
SamuraiCrow wrote:

If he tries to hook up a hard drive AND CDROM it will likely overload the signal pins and fry the motherboard.

Maybe - anything is possible.  But I had CD-ROM and hard drive hooked up to the internal A1200 IDE with nothing but a 2.5" -> 2 x 3.5" IDE cable on two different machines with no problems for over 2 years.  I suppose some people have more luck than others.

Several people in this thread (http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=3072) over at EAB seem to have no problems with this setup too.
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: 3246251196 on April 04, 2006, 08:47:41 PM
where can i find 2.5 - > 3.5 cables guys?
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: adolescent on April 05, 2006, 03:09:38 AM
@324...

I got my cables from www.cablesonline.com.  Although, they are in the states so it might be better to look locally first.

Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: 3246251196 on April 05, 2006, 03:29:33 AM
might try and get it simply on ebay

i could get away with getting QUITE SIMPLY the 2.5" - 3.5" IDE cable right?
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: 3246251196 on April 05, 2006, 06:22:36 PM
looking on eBay for 2.5 - 3.5 IDE cable. you guys sure it dont involve a USB slot. i mean, it is exactly the same as your normal IDE connector for PC right except 2.5 / 3.5 ??
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: Flashlab on April 05, 2006, 06:39:13 PM
No the best ones also have SATA, SCSI, AGP and PCI slots. And of course the USB plugs you mentioned!

 ;-)

Just kidding!

Just a regular 2,5 to 3,5 cable is what you need. It has been said above before; if you want to connect more than one device a buffered interface is better...
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: 3246251196 on April 05, 2006, 10:51:31 PM
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-5-Laptop-to-3-5-IDE-Hard-Drive-Adaptor-Cable_W0QQitemZ9705639972QQcategoryZ41994QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

like the above which says HDD cable. of course, that should do the trick too
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: SamuraiCrow on April 05, 2006, 11:46:06 PM
That will work as long as you don't also have a hard drive hooked up.  If you want both a hard drive and CD-ROM you'll need some sort of buffered splitter cable like you could get at AmigaKit.
Title: Re: simple: amiga cd-drives different from pc ones
Post by: 3246251196 on April 06, 2006, 01:38:00 AM
excellent samuri. thats cleared all that up

still WAITING for eCheque to clear for A1200  :madashell:

looking forward to it though!