Blame this one on IIO. 
He and I are considering the possibility of
SIX SSDs inside a Quicksilver… using an ACARD 6280M or Sonnet Tempo ATA 133.
As opposed to the now rare and very expensive 4-port SATA cards. Sure, 10-15% decrease in overall performance compared to the SATA card route, but perhaps more economically viable? Here’s a spitballin’ exchange considering
some things…Almost all HD’s and SSDs are not permanently mounted here either… as they are swapped in and out quite often between various machines. And I’ve only had the first Sonnet Tempo here connected and tested in the G3 B&W. (Amazing performance with the B&W and the Sonnet in the 66 MHz PCI video slot.) Really made the B&W surprisingly better. Thanks to zefrenchtoon!
http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,6127.msg46159.html#msg46159If only same could apply to the MDD and QS! (Will soon test here in Quicksilvers and MDDs - hopefully, but woefully… not in
their video slots.)
Suitable adapters and possible mounting for multiple SSDs
...in a QS with the ACARD or Sonnet Tempo ATA133?As combined height of the adapters becomes more of a concern with multiple, stacked SSDs AND all the necessary ribbon cables also become a concern… MAYBE the
Bribges (EVB-002-3) adapters might be the best choice especially when considering Master & Slave reqs. (Previous performance comparisons against the red StarTech adapters make them a better value / choice because they are not that different performance-wise.)
Now their cost savings becomes even more valid? AND their minimum overall height (and with the necessary spacing between - when combined) in stacked SSDs... becomes paramount.
With two SSDs on a cable in the past, I’ve simply used a plastic shim cut-to-size (from common milk cartons) to keep the SSDs separate. (Especially if I have removed them from their external plastic cases. i.e. “Naked”.) And “Naked” might also be considered here, to promote air flow around each stacked SSD in a more permanent and “fixed” installation.
HOWEVER - left in their individual cases (in this scenario)… first I considered white styrofoam (cut-to-size and necessary thickness) placed between the SSDs. The SSDs don’t get as hot as normal HDs but they do get warm. Solid styrofoam shims / spacers, in this manner - would not allow airflow between the SSDs. So I think that some “more porous” material (sponge-like) might be more suitable, as it would allow some airflow and possibly more heat dissipation?
But perhaps even better… would be individual spacers (like small, adhesive-backed rubber feet) applied to the bottom of each SSD’s four corners - to space each SSD from the next, as they’re stacked together, at a thickness that would keep each adapter just slightly apart (really not necessary) from the next one above it?
I’ve various thicknesses of suitable, composite rubber material that I could cut and mock-up for this approach. And… applied with a rubber cement adhesive, these could then also be easily removed if the SSD ever needed replacing or removal and use in another machine. Stacked SSDs assembled in this manner could then be bound all together with two bands of electrical tape (or other tape / rubber bands) to keep them together in a minimum, combined height - which might allow four to be stacked (with optimal clearance above them) when placed flat within a QS or other machine.
Then… molex power connections and all those wires might also need some “attention”. Custom made / fabricated wiring power harnesses for such multiple SSD “assemblies” might be also then be easily constructed. One with four molex connectors (spliced in series) for the “four-stack” and one with two connectors for the “two-stack”.
HD / SSD Ribbon cables.Nice if you could make up your own custom length ribbon cables.
But this is perhaps where the shorter, two-connector (master/slave) grey ribbon cables from the B&Ws might be of use on the bottom two SSDs of a four-stack. (That’s two SSDs connected to mobo and two connected to the ACARD / Sonnet). And depending upon which slot the ACARD / Sonnet occupies… either another grey cable for the top two SSDs, or the longer, black ribbon cable from an MDD if necessary. AND then… another cable (from the ACARD / Sonnet) for the two-stack, placed alongside the four-stack .
There’s going to be a lot of wires & cables for six SSDs.
What “volume size” SSDs are you considering?
And for final mounting / in-case placement? Velcro on the bottom SSDs!
(An original DieHard concept.)
This reminds me of those filling up their machines with as many conventional HDDs that they can and thereby increasing internal heat and combined power strain on their PSUs… and wondering why those machines run so hot and the PSUs fail. EXCEPT that SSDs require less power and generate MUCH less heat. With the “Six-Banger” SSD equipped G4 - one might even consider the use of an ADC powered Apple monitor. (Not really.)
Performance Optimized G4s!!!PSUs are less strained and fans needn’t run as much or faster speeds!
Afterwords / Errata(3) Bribge adapters stacked together, equal 2 inches in height.
Clearance space under the Quicksilver’s main fan is 2.375 inches.
So, in order to possibly use a four-stack of SSDs under the QS fan without fan modification, it might be necessary to have one (or the top two) SSDs be “Naked” as they would then clear the bottom of the fan case because they would then not need be
under the fan (minus the length of a normal SSD’s plastic case).
OR perhaps a “Five-Banger” / minus one Slave SSD connected to the mobo, which would allow 3 SSDs
under the fan in their original plastic cases.
See Naked:
http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,5955.msg44444.html#msg44444Okay, you've read this far. Any comments or suggestions? C'mon y'all.
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Topic: “SIX-BANGER” SSD QS - Spitballin’ (Read 10570 times)