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ST506/412

Developed by Seagate.
Also known as MFM or RLL since these are the encoding methods used to store data. Seagate originally developed it to support their ST506 (5 MB) and ST412 (10 MB) drives.
The first drives used an encoding method called MFM (Modified Frequency Modulation). Later a new encoding method was developed, RLL (Run Length Limited). RLL had the advantage that it was possible to store 50% more with it. But it required better drives. This is almost never an problem. Often called 2,7 RLL because the recording scheme involves patterns with no more than 7 successive zeros and no less than two.

34 PIN IDC MALE (at the controller)
20 PIN IDC MALE (at the controller)

34 PIN IDC FEMALE (at the harddisk)
20 PIN IDC FEMALE (at the harddisk)

34 PIN IDC MALE at the Controller.
20 PIN IDC MALE at the Controller.

34 PIN IDC FEMALE at the Harddisk.
20 PIN IDC FEMALE at the Harddisk.

Control connector

Pin Name Description
2   Head Sel 8
4   Head Sel 4
6   Write Gate
8   Seek Complete
10   Track 0
12   Write Fault
14   Head Sel 1
16 RES (reserved)
18   Head Sel 2
20   Index
22   Ready
24   Step
26   Drive Sel 1
28   Drive Sel 2
30   Drive Sel 3
32   Drive Sel 4
34   Direction In

Note: All odd pins are GND, Ground.

Data connector

Pin Name Description
1   Drive Selected
2 GND Ground
3 RES (reserved)
4 GND Ground
5 RES (reserved)
6 GND Ground
7 RES (reserved)
8 GND Ground
9 RES (reserved)
10 RES (reserved)
11 GND Ground
12 GND Ground
13   Write Data+
14   Write Data-
15 GND Ground
16 GND Ground
17   Read Data+
18   Read Data-
19 GND Ground
20 GND Ground
Contributor: Joakim Ögren
Source: ?

Copyright © The Hardware Book Team 1996-2004.
May be copied and redistributed, partially or in whole, as appropriate.
Document last modified: 2002-01-10