Home› Tech & Games

Protip: Keeping SATA cables tidy

UnknownUnknown
edited January 2011 in Tech & Games
Note: Doing this may slow down your data transfer by a teeny bit, because of some electrical doo-dad which Katz explains later in this thread.

If you have a computer with SATA cables inside, they might look tangled and messy dangling around your case. If you're looking for a way of managing them a little better, wrap them tightly around a pencil. Once you're done, your cable should be nice and coiled, looking something like this...


9mo.jpg
Share on Twitter

Comments

  • DfgDfg Admin
    edited January 2011
    I might try this. I have three SATA drives and it would be nice to clean up the mess. Thanks.
    Share on Twitter
  • UnknownUnknown
    edited January 2011
    No problem. This sort of thing can help you keep cables out of the way, increasing air flow and making the case look nicer. Good luck :D
    Share on Twitter
  • DysgraphiaDysgraphia Locked
    edited January 2011
    Looks better than tie wraps.
    Share on Twitter
  • KatzenklavierKatzenklavier Regular
    edited January 2011
    Coiling will create inductance problems, and thus data transfer problems.
    Share on Twitter
  • UnknownUnknown
    edited January 2011
    Katzenklavier wrote: »
    Coiling will create inductance problems, and thus data transfer problems.

    Explain :(
    Share on Twitter
  • KatzenklavierKatzenklavier Regular
    edited January 2011
    Inductance is the resistance to change in a current. SATA cables are designed to have as low an inductance as possible. when you coil them you are essentially making an inductor of a couple nanohenries. That's not much, but since the data signals are at a couple megahertz it becomes relevant. Some bits will get lost and the computer will have to resend them, slowing things down.
    Share on Twitter
  • DfgDfg Admin
    edited January 2011
    Katzenklavier wrote: »
    Inductance is the resistance to change in a current. SATA cables are designed to have as low an inductance as possible. when you coil them you are essentially making an inductor of a couple nanohenries. That's not much, but since the data signals are at a couple megahertz it becomes relevant. Some bits will get lost and the computer will have to resend them, slowing things down.

    ^Saved by Katz.

    *Goes to uncoil his dick*
    Share on Twitter
  • UnknownUnknown
    edited January 2011
    Katzenklavier wrote: »
    Inductance is the resistance to change in a current. SATA cables are designed to have as low an inductance as possible. when you coil them you are essentially making an inductor of a couple nanohenries. That's not much, but since the data signals are at a couple megahertz it becomes relevant. Some bits will get lost and the computer will have to resend them, slowing things down.

    So this will have definitely happened to the SATA cables you can see in my pic?

    If I uncoil them, will this solve the problem?
    Share on Twitter
  • KatzenklavierKatzenklavier Regular
    edited January 2011
    It likely happened, and yes uncoiling solves the problem.

    Electricity's a bitch.
    Share on Twitter
  • DysgraphiaDysgraphia Locked
    edited January 2011
    I hope you don't mine me copyandpasting your little essay Katz.
    Share on Twitter
  • UnknownUnknown
    edited January 2011
    Dysgraphia wrote: »
    I hope you don't mine me copyandpasting your little essay Katz.

    Heh, what are you doing with it? I know a few other websites have this tip posted on them - raining on their parade?
    Share on Twitter
  • DysgraphiaDysgraphia Locked
    edited January 2011
    I'm using it in my essay about electricity. lol
    Share on Twitter
  • 1357913579 Death Cog Machine
    edited January 2011
    Cool, I always wondered if changing the arangement of cables in a computer could realistically create inductance problems.
    Share on Twitter
Sign In or Register to comment.