[Coco] Connect CoCo Floppy drive to Windows PC

[Steven Hirsch]

On Thu, 15 Jan 2009, Fedor Steeman wrote:

> How to connect a modern IDE cable connecter to this old drive? I have no
> experience with the "crimping" that I have read about, but it seems tricky.
> What is needed for this? I suppose I need to clip off the original IDE
> connector and then "crimp" and older one on to it. Would I need to twist any
> wires? Or are there any adapters available?

Did you by any chance mean to say 'IDC', as in Insulation Displacement 
Connector?  IDE (parallel ATA) connectors are 40 pins and will not help 
you much.

Assuming you have the correct 34-pin IDC header, attaching it requires a 
little care, but is not too difficult.

- If you are attaching it to the end of the cable, ensure that it's been 
cut cleanly with a _sharp_ pair of scissors and at a right angle to the 
run of the cable.  Dull cutters leave little "hairs" of the stranded 
conductors sticking out and something barely visible can hose the works. 
I usuall lay a little carpenter's square along the side of the cable and 
mark a right angle with a fine-tipped pen.  Use that as a cutting guide.

- In any case, the header will have a backing piece that may or may not be 
captive to the body of the connector.  Locate it carefully on the cable at 
the point of your choice (end or in-line) and, again, ensure it's at a 
right-angle and not slanted.

- Push down on the back with your thumbs to "set" the insulation-piercing 
pins against the cable.

- Use a conventional bench-vise to slowly clamp the back down on the 
connector.  Check carefully as you insert it into the vise jaws to ensure 
you haven't knocked it out of square.

- When the backing plate touches the connector on the sides, you are done.

Sounds more difficult than it is, believe me.  If you want a _real_ treat, 
try this with a 0.05" connector like the ones used for LVD SCSI :-).

Steve


--