External USB 2.0 enclosures...

[NWgeek]

I purchased one of those external hard drive enclosures and it works great. My question is this:

Does anyone have a schematic for the USB 2.0 interface that one of these units is using? There is a little switching power supply inside too. I am looking for the electronic "guts" that connect the type B connector on the back to the 40-pin IDE connector on the hard disk.

I suppose in a pinch I could just buy another enclosure and gut it for the electronics. I'm trying to build my own enclosure that will hold TWO IDE devices. Probably have to install a little USB 2.0 hub on the inside. The enclosure circuitry typically requires that the hard disk be set to "master" [MA] to function properly.

TYIA for any suggestions offered!

 

[Lemon13]

seems to be not so easy. i found this, have a look.

http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/acrobat/other/usb/D12-MASSSTO-USB2IDE-CF-GUIDE.pdf

 

[NWgeek]

Lemon13 - took a look at the PDF. You are correct, this does not seem to be very easy to accomplish. I guess I'd better just get another one of these...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3757&item=4122427721

...and tear it down and put in an enclosure of my own choosing. I am going to put two of these in a single case and install a little 2.0 hub inside, allowing a single connection to the hard disk "array." Images to follow, hopefully.

Again, for the price of $23.96 + S/H, it probably makes more sense to make use of existing technology.