Topic: Replacing Xbox Ide Cable With Ata 100/133 Work? (Read 104 times)

namek0 · « **on:** October 29, 2004, 10:53:00 AM »

I've got a friend who read on that llama guy's website that replacing your xbox standard ata33 cable with a newer/faster ata100/133 cable will improve load times. I've also read that whatever cable you put in it, the xbox ide controller will only read at ata33 speeds.

What's the deal, I need to know once and for all what the deal is with this

feflicker · « **Reply #1 on:** October 29, 2004, 11:05:00 AM »

Here is the deal:

1.) The IDE controller on the Xbox motherboard is ATA33 (this is what was used in PC's back in like 1997). The reason it is so slow is very simple: The hard drive is for soundtracks, gamesaves, and downloaded content. There is no need to be fast, as even at ATA33 it is still faster than reading from DVD

This means that the motherboard is a bottleneck. It doesn't make a bit of difference in terms of cabling as to the speed.

If you connect an ATA133 hard drive, with a ATA133 compliant cable, the IDE controller will still negotiate as ATA33 (ATA66/ATA100/ATA133 devices are backwards compatible to ATA33).

This is just the way it is. No one can dispute that.

2.) Several people have replaced the cable and used a stopwatch to compare loading times. Some of these people claim an improvement. This is the basis for their argument: "I timed it, it was faster".

I don't buy into that though. The times they post are very close, and imho, if you WANT it to be faster, you will make it faster, subconsciously...

If someone wrote an application, that tested to milliseconds, I would buy into it a little more. (since the application would not be biased).

3.) There is (1) scenario where the theory is proven true: If your existing IDE cable is damaged in anyway, resulting in data loss, and you replace it with ANY new cable, then yeah, it might work better

networkBoy · « **Reply #2 on:** October 29, 2004, 11:19:00 AM »

I've got to go with feflicker. In theory, the additional ground lines in the ATA133 cable will give better noise reduction, but I can't see this buying more than a 1-2% speed improvement.
-nB

thedustycelt · « **Reply #3 on:** October 29, 2004, 11:24:00 AM »

This is always a sore point for a lot of people...

There is no question that the data is bottle necked to ata33 at the motherboard. But in general, most people do get a performance increase when they upgrade the cable.

The stock xbox ide cable is a cheap ass cable. When you install an upgrade cable. it has 80 conductors versus the 40 in an ata33 cable. this provides for more noise filtering and basically a cleaner signal. With a cleaner signal, you are able to come closer to a true ata33 speed.

IMO the difference tends to be negligible. So there are two main reasons for changing out the cable. One, you have it lying around your shop with nothing better to stick it in to. Two, You like the way the new cable looks and you want it to be pretty because you have cut a whole bunch of holes in your xbox. I don't think the improvement merits purchasing an expensive cable simply for the speed increase.

now I will buckle on my jester cap and watch the flame war ensue...

namek0 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 29, 2004, 11:50:00 AM »

I see exactly what you guys are saying and I agree with every bit of it so far.

but, since I have a ton of spare cables all over the place, I'm thinking about seeing what it does anyway. I'm sure my xbox could use a good dusting anyway (can of air style)

feflicker · « **Reply #5 on:** October 29, 2004, 12:28:00 PM »

namek0 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 29, 2004, 12:44:00 PM »

Yeah, hearing all this I pretty much know I'd never go out and buy one specifically for this purpose. But since I have some laying around I guess it's worth a try, although I don't expect to see any gain at all

I'll try it either tonight or tomorrow and I'll post back with my "results" hah

thx again guys

Vejita · « **Reply #7 on:** October 30, 2004, 11:24:00 PM »

How large (length) does the replacement IDE cable have to be?

Its not LONG IDE is it?

Is the XBOX IDE cable the same length as the classic PC IDE cables ie the 40pin ones with the red strip on both sides?

Winchy · « **Reply #8 on:** April 20, 2005, 12:40:00 PM »

I'm confused, all your points make perfect sense... But how come there is a website with downloadable clips of loading a halo level with different ide cables? standard from the disc was like 38 seconds and 133 from hdd was 17 seconds

*confused*

Winchy · « **Reply #9 on:** April 20, 2005, 02:44:00 PM »

Bump?

.:Dino:. · « **Reply #10 on:** April 20, 2005, 03:22:00 PM »

because halo uses the x,y,z virtual memory drives to cache the data for faster loading times after the first load. so therefore it will be faster the second time round

ChInEsE ChIcKeN · « **Reply #11 on:** April 20, 2005, 04:16:00 PM »

well i wouldnt replace it.......not worth the money and time..........i mena you speding like 5-10 bucks replacing IDE cables just to get 5 milliseconds faster loading time...........i mean God forbid you wait 4 milisecond to play a game...........

Winchy · « **Reply #12 on:** April 20, 2005, 05:16:00 PM »

QUOTE(.:Dino:. @ Apr 20 2005, 09:28 PM)

because halo uses the x,y,z virtual memory drives to cache the data for faster loading times after the first load. so therefore it will be faster the second time round

drleephd · « **Reply #13 on:** April 21, 2005, 12:42:00 AM »

pick a side next time one of these flame wars comes along.
It really doesn't matter much but why not do it. it's basicly a free mod since everyone and their dog has a 80pin cable laying around anyways

Author Topic: Replacing Xbox Ide Cable With Ata 100/133 Work? (Read 104 times)