Promise UltraTX2 Q: will it run CD/DVD drives?

[ahhaa]

I have a Promise TX2 card installed in my editing computer; it adds extra EIDE connectors & I think functions a bit like a RAID card. (It came with a 250 G WD drive back when many mobos couldn't handle large capacity drives.) On each startup, it 're-detects' all the drives connected.

Just wondering if it would allow the use of a CD or DVD drive- then each drive could be on its own cable, which should improve throughput.

On the other hand, trying this could fry the TX2, the drive, or do other unpleasant, inexplicable things to my computer.

Any sound advice?

[GKar]

I had one of those and it will work with ATAPI devices like DVD-RW's etc...

I used it as a secondary contoller with the mainboard controller hooked to the hard disk to boot from. (Boot order)

[redwudz]

I've used one for DVD drives for a couple of years with no problems on several computers. Many ATA controlllers are just for the faster devices, ATA100/ATA133, and they don't seem to work at all with the slower optical drives.

The Ultra TX2 a fairly old card, and there are newer ones which may be a little more compatible with the different MB chipsets.

If you ever plan to purchase a ATA card just for optical drives, make sure it states it will work with ATA 33/66 devices or it may be useless for that purpose.

[lordsmurf]

To read, yes, works great!
To burn, not very well.

[Skith]

If you are looking for info on IDE controllers, there is a sticky thread over at cdfreaks. link
Be prepared for some reading though, as it is quite long, and was started back in 2004.

[budz]

Use the TX2 controller card for your hard drives instead of the dvd burners. I used to use a silicon image chipset controller card that had no issues but then the dvd drive would sometimes go back to PIO mode. I have all my hard drives attached to the silicon controller cards.

I even use a IDE to SATA converter which works well with the PIONEER 710 (111L) drive. Not all dvd burners work well with the converter.

[GKar]

I stand corrected, as lordsmurf said, reading ok, burning not ok....I now remember that Nero was having a hard time with DMA mode with that controller with a burner.

[ahhaa]

Thanks guys!

By way of payback, you might enjoy this subportal, good source of desktop eyecandy:
http://www.space.com/spaceviews/