Vintage computing enthusiast Collin “dosdude1″ Mistr has unveiled the 2nd in a series of open up source reliable-point out drive (SSD) updates for more mature computer system hardware, adhering to up a 1.8″ ZIF style with a 2.5” design focusing on common laptops and other portables.
“[This is] a custom made-designed IDE [Integrated Drive Electronics] SSD for use in any equipment that makes use of a 2.5″ IDE really hard disk,” Mistr points out of his most up-to-date open source storage board. “The design is dependent on the Silicon Movement SM2236 controller, and is compatible with up to four 512Gbit (64GB) BGA [Ball Grid Array] 152 or BGA132 NANDs.”
Also regarded as AT Attachment (ATA) or Parallel ATA (PATA), to differentiate it from the more recent Serial ATA (PATA), the Integrated Generate Electronics (IDE) common was made by Western Digital in the mid-1980s as an alternate to older tough disks which needed a different controller card. As the identify indicates, the managing electronics are put on the push by itself — generating it a lot easier to interface with a laptop host’s bus.
IDE hardware is having ever more tough to come across, although, which is where by Mistr’s patterns come in. Late final year he launched a compact 1.8″ SSD design and style which utilised the unconventional Zero Insertion Drive (ZIF) connector found in picked extremely-cellular Computer models together with the 2008 Apple MacBook Air and the Sony Vaio UX family members. This time, although, his design is a little something a little considerably less unconventional: a regular 2.5″ IDE generate for standard laptops.
The 2.5″ SSD follows the launch of a smaller sized 1.8″ layout, developed for extremely-portables using a ZIF connector. (đź“·: Collin Mistr)
As before, Mistr is producing the design obtainable less than an open up resource license — but it comes with the identical warning as the previously 1.8″ edition: “The Silicon Motion SM2236 controller pinout and implementation have been reverse-engineered from open up paperwork and salvaged PCBs,” Mistr describes, “all of which have been lawfully acquired. Do not anticipate this to be correct, examine for yourself.”
The design data files for the venture are available on Mistr’s GitHub repository under the reciprocal GNU Typical Community License 3 all those looking to develop a single will want to be cozy soldering floor-mount elements, and will involve a present day Computer with a USB-to-IDE adapter to program the drive’s firmware before use. A movie of the assembly course of action is offered on Mistr’s YouTube channel.