Hard drive ZIF to IDE converter: any use?

[tootle]

Greetings all,

I've been lurking for a bit and have read the upgrade threads with interest as the HD on my H320 needs replacing (bad sectors) ... I've Googled in vain for the MK4007GAL but the ZIF drives have taken over.


So, I stumbled upon this IDE adapter at span.com- the description says:

"Convert 1.8inch HD (ZIF) to IDE (44pin laptop type). Includes 1x ZIF Cable"

Would it be any use in getting a ZIF hd to work in the h320/340...?

cheers and thanks for the FAQs, what a brilliant resource this place is!

tootle.

[Step666]

This has been brought up before - there's no way of fitting it inside the player along with the HDD, so it can't be used.
It is possible to produce a DIY connection yourself (as covered here) but it's a lot of hassle.

On balance, you'd be better off just looking round for a drive that fits naturally.

[tootle]

Ah, what a shame. Thought it was too good to be true! Thanks for the info though.

[shadesbass]

Also, that adapter converts a 1.8" ZIF drive to a 2.5" IDE drive interface, not 1.8" IDE. It therefore can't be connected to the player, even if it could be fitted in.

[chibishin]

Does anyone know what the text says in this? Also, couldn't you just, say, buy a female 50-pin ata receptacle and solder the zif cable to the leads? I imagine that'd be a cleaner solution, plus it wouldn't require modification of the player itself. I've looked around on mouser but can't seem to find the same connector used on the toshiba drives.

[Step666]

Where would you fit it?
The 50-pin female connector would need to go over the pre-existing pins which, as things are just now, go into the HDD - you're talking about fitting an adaptor where the HDD sits, you couldn't fit both in.

Also, I don't believe such an adaptor exists.

[chibishin]

The dimensions of a zif based drive are slightly different. 71mm length versus 74mm. Going by that, the drive should fit. Also, what I'm talking about is the same surface mount part that is used to connect to the PCB of the toshiba drives.

[shadesbass]

It's already been done, albeit hard-wired to the mainboard: http://www.stolltech.ch/iriver.pdf

I've been collecting Compact Flash cards to butcher, as they use the same connector as the 1.8" IDE drives.

[chibishin]

Oh yeah, I know. That's what I was going by, it was actually already posted in the thread haha. I was just wondering if anyone knew part numbers for identical connectors off of Mouser or Digikey. And hmm, yeah I just pulled one of my CF cards and compared. Didn't notice that before.

Okay, found a manufacturer of the connectors: http://www.ddknet.co.jp/English/prod...d_d/index.html

Now I just need to find where I can buy them

[Hoboken]

Which one of those connectors from http://www.ddknet.co.jp/English/prod...d_d/index.html would work to adapt ZIF hard drives to the ATA connector in the players? I thought the pinout and voltage is different between the formats.

[shadesbass]

Your link doesn't work. The pinouts are different but the supply voltage is the same IIRC.

[Step666]

Originally Posted by Hoboken

Which one of those connectors from http://www.ddknet.co.jp/English/prod...d_d/index.html would work to adapt ZIF hard drives to the ATA connector in the players?

None of them.
ZIF stands for Zero Insertion Force, it's a pinless connection. All the adaptors you've linked to appear to use some sort of pin-based interface.

This is a HDD with a ZIF connector:



It doesn't use pins, it uses surface contacts (if that's the right word for it...).

[Hoboken]

Hm, okay. I just copied the link from the post above me. Thought he said one of those was the one that could bridge that gap.

[Step666]

Well, I don't think they're ZIF connectors - they certainly don't look like it anyway.

[chibishin]

Obviously you would only use the female component for it. I was simply looking for something that would be easier to work with than having to cannibalize CF cards. Of course you still have to strip/separate the ends of a ZIF cable and solder each wire to a lead on the female connector. Again I'm looking at this as a way of making something that is easily removable.

[Step666]

Originally Posted by chibishin

Obviously you would only use the female component for it.

Well, clearly.
But the question asked was whether any of the products linked to were ATA-ZIF adaptors, which clearly they aren't.

Originally Posted by chibishin

I was simply looking for something that would be easier to work with than having to cannibalize CF cards.

That's reasonable enough, though if they prove difficult to get ahold of, it might be worth just mangling a CF card instead.

Originally Posted by chibishin

Of course you still have to strip/separate the ends of a ZIF cable and solder each wire to a lead on the female connector.

Which is assuming that you can fit the female connector into the 3mm of room you will have.
Which won't even be 3mm if you think about it as the pins slot into the ATA-based 1.8" drives, meaning that at least some of the difference in length is nullified by the fact that tyou can't overlap the pins and the ZIF drives.

Originally Posted by chibishin

Again I'm looking at this as a way of making something that is easily removable.

I know I'm probably going to regret asking this but why? I mean, how often are you planning on opening up you DAP that it's important this is a removable adaptor?
Also, given that you could give yourself more room to work with by cutting back the ATA pins form the PCB, are you not just making more work for yourself with no real gain?

[chibishin]

Rather than be an asshole and dissect every part of your post, I'll just make one reply:

Thanks for posting the diagram in your first post, that was the only helpful thing you've done in this entire thread. Now I'll kindly ask that you keep your opinion to yourself. I really shouldn't have to explain myself more than once, or at all for that matter. If you want to help, then help. If not, then you are not needed in this thread.

[jumbuck]

That's a bit harsh. He was only giving you advice and his opinion (99% of which is directly related to your post and all of which was valid) and by "dissecting" you post all he's done is to make it clear as to what he was answering.
I'd recommend you go outside and take a few deep breaths and calm down a bit.

[antoniost]

Originally Posted by chibishin

Oh yeah, I know. That's what I was going by, it was actually already posted in the thread haha. I was just wondering if anyone knew part numbers for identical connectors off of Mouser or Digikey. And hmm, yeah I just pulled one of my CF cards and compared. Didn't notice that before.

Okay, found a manufacturer of the connectors: http://www.ddknet.co.jp/English/prod...d_d/index.html

Now I just need to find where I can buy them

I think you're onto something. I'd like to do the same so I can upgrade my iAudio X5 to a larger HDD. I see the value in not ripping the IDE pins off from DAP. A removable solution seems quite feasible. Please keep us updated on you're project.

[antoniost]

Found this at digi-key. Not sure if this is the right adapter, but from the description it seems promising. http://dkc3.digikey.com/pdf/EU071/0317-0319.pdf Emulator Adapter, 40 Pin DIP ZIF Socket to 44 Pin PLCC Plug under DIP to PLCC prototyping adapters.