"spadulata" wrote in message
...
Ian Clowes wrote in message
...
caddy so I don't have to open up the PC. A caddy plus 3.5" to 2.5" disk
adapter would cost around £20.

I think there are two approaches to this problem.
1) If you use a desktop PC which is possibly some distance from the
twin then I think the removable caddy drives is the best solution. It
just remains to see if someone is brave enough to fit one to a twin.
It has the added advantage that you can run your twin on the original
20gb drive while you're ripping your 80gb one in your PC.

2) If (like me) you use a laptop then it's much easier to take the
laptop to wherever the twin is. In this case the best solution
(barring wlan!) would be a usb port on the twin. This is where my idea
for switching the twin disk in situ to a usb2-ide adapter comes from.

If most people are in category one then I'll try to pursue 2. I think
my steps a

1) look in my laptop drive area to see if I can fit (dangle!) a slave
drive
2) check I can get the prog to work
3) get a usb2-2.5"ide external drive holder and see if the prog still
works
4) fit usb adapter into twin with some form of switch (still looking!)
5) check prog works - wire up interlock to stop twin powering up when
drive switched out
6) tidy up by fitting usb socket / switch into twin case
7) check prog works and wait for DVD+RW blanks to come down in
price!!!


Please chip in if you think I've missed anything or can find parts

This http://www.sewelldirect.com/USBtoIDE...ogle&a=USB_IDE may be of
interest ... not sure where the PSU is UK compatible...

And / or

http://www.sewelldev.com/usbharddrivecase35bafo.asp

This would appear to give a neater solution.. particularly if you could lead
the IDE and Power leads out from the PACE twin .. and simply sit this unit
on top.

and use the USB cable (and PSU) to connect to the notebook.

John

"John Beeston" wrote in message ...
This http://www.sewelldirect.com/USBtoIDE...ogle&a=USB_IDE may be of
interest ... not sure where the PSU is UK compatible...

And / or

http://www.sewelldev.com/usbharddrivecase35bafo.asp

This would appear to give a neater solution.. particularly if you could lead
the IDE and Power leads out from the PACE twin .. and simply sit this unit
on top.

Thanks for the info

I've seen this type of adapter - there are lot of cheap ones on ebay.
It looks like you can have 3.5" with external power supply or 2.5"
fully portable.

I could take the opportunity to upgrade to 120gb 3.5" but I think I'm
happy to just archive from the original 20gb 2.5". I think I'll buy a
2.5" adapter, delid the twin and swap drive cables. if I can find a
40way switch I'll fit the adapter into the twin permanently.

"John Beeston" wrote in message ...
I have seen them working the other way ... one motherboard connecting to
many (well 3) HDs one at a time via a switch. I guess you could use one of
these and gender changing cables ... but this seems a bodge too far?

http://www.hothardware.com/hh_files/CCAM/trios.shtml

That's the most suitable thing I've seen so far - thanks.
Haven't yet found a UK source but I'll keep looking.

I guess people could also use one of these (the right way round) to
fit 3 disks in a twin! (240gb 2.5" or 360gb 3.5")

"spadulata" wrote in message
...
"John Beeston" wrote in message
...
I have seen them working the other way ... one motherboard connecting
to
many (well 3) HDs one at a time via a switch. I guess you could use one
of
these and gender changing cables ... but this seems a bodge too far?

http://www.hothardware.com/hh_files/CCAM/trios.shtml

That's the most suitable thing I've seen so far - thanks.
Haven't yet found a UK source but I'll keep looking.

I guess people could also use one of these (the right way round) to
fit 3 disks in a twin! (240gb 2.5" or 360gb 3.5")

I guess so.... how easy is it to bring the IDE and power cables outside the
case?


Mind you I see the HUMAX 9000 has this ejectable hard disc feature built in
as standard...

John

"John Beeston" wrote in message .. .
"spadulata" wrote in message
...
"John Beeston" wrote in message
...

I guess so.... how easy is it to bring the IDE and power cables outside the
case?

Haven't opened it up yet. My usb-ide cable should arrive tomorrow. If
anyone wanted 3 disks and a switch box then a new case would be in
order.

Mind you I see the HUMAX 9000 has this ejectable hard disc feature built in
as standard...

Mmmm... call me impatient but for all the talk of competitors to the
Twin - only one exists* (HUMAX 8000). If TwinRIP and these hardware
experiments pay off then I'll be very happy.

Paul

* Self contained DVB-T bitstream recorders. If I add 'watch one
recorded prog while record another' (which I do all the time) then the
twin is unique.