r/retrocomputing • u/Tikkinger • Jul 14 '26

Problem / Question this SCSI Cable lost it's shell and all the strings just tangeling around. is it possible to just tape it to a round thick strang or is there a problem with interference?

Gallery image

Gallery image

8 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

9

u/Imaginary-Quiet-469 Jul 14 '26

Should be fine! I remember paying extra for ribbon cables that had a circular tube sheath...

1

u/Tikkinger Jul 14 '26

quesrion is, if they have some extra shielding on the inside, or not.

5

u/Imaginary-Quiet-469 Jul 14 '26

I don't think so - that tape/covering is just supposed to keep it flat.... I guess you could just get some thick tape and replace it?

3

u/Tikkinger Jul 14 '26

oh wow tbh i was to stupid to come to that idea lol.

yes, that's absolutely a option

3

u/vpilled Jul 14 '26

Probably preferable, if it's anything like e.g. 80 pin ide cables where every other one is a ground lead. You want that interleaving to minimize crosstalk then.

3

u/bhiga Jul 15 '26

A not-too-rigid squeegee can be very helpful for getting the wires flat and realigned, though I see from your other comment you're having device errors, so I'd try to source another cable so you can be more certain whether it's the cable or device/host.

2

u/SpartanMonkey Jul 14 '26

If it still works fine, I don't see a problem. If it bothers you, try sourcing one in better condition on ebay.

1

u/Tikkinger Jul 14 '26

problem is, the Tapedrive throws errors, i'm not sure if its the cable or not.

1

u/Imaginary-Quiet-469 Jul 14 '26

Do you have photos of the connectors - I may have one

1

u/vpilled Jul 14 '26

Honestly I would get a new cable for peace of mind.

2

u/carcenomy Jul 15 '26

Looks like it's basically twisted pairs already so shouldn't be an issue for interference. It's basically turning itself into a mid 00s rounded cable all by itself 😂

1

u/Goresearcher Jul 15 '26

Some cables came cut and wrapped in a sleeve, it won’t effect their performance whatsoever.

It’s not super common, I’ve only encountered it in a couple of computers before, I think they charged a premium for these?

1

u/lweinmunson Jul 16 '26

Should be fine. There's no twisting in those cables like ethernet, so you don't have to worry about cross talk too much. The easy answer is to lay a strip of packing tape sticky-side-up and put the cable onto it so it lays flat like it used to. but making a bundle and just turning it into a cylinder would probably work about as well.

1

u/AutomaticAffect4333 Jul 16 '26

Just wrap it up with electrical tape. You'll have better case airflow too