CD ROM into a Homemade External

[alvin777]

Hi. How can I convert my working CD ROM from the LC 575 into a homade externam drive? Do you know of any DIY links to do that. I will use this as an external drive for the Color Classic or the Mac SE.

 

[Kami]

Do you mean that you already have an external 5.25 inch drive case and you want to know how to properly install it?

 

[alvin777]

Thanks for replying. I'm just trying to use it as a CD from the LC 575 for the Color Classic. The LC 575 logicboard is busted (it boots and load but there's no video- seems like it's video chip/card- if only I could find where this is in the board) and I'm scavenging parts from it for my other vintage Macs without spending to revive or make the other Macs better. Is there any homemade (like exposed flat cable, looks doesn't matter) way to connect the CD to the external SCSI port?

 

[MacJunky]

If you can get the few parts it is not hard at all. If I was at home I would take some pics of mine but I will not be there until sometime during Monday.

I used a female BR-50 connector that I attached to a bit of 50 pin ribbon cable (with female 50pin end for HD/CD) I got at a local PC shop. I also got a DB-25 to BR-50 cable at a local PC shop to connect it to the Mac. Had to use an old AT PSU to power it though so it is not a very small setup.

If this still has not been answered by someone else by Monday then bump the thread with a request for some pics and more detailed info.

 

[Bunsen]

I used an internal to external SCSI cable from an old Mac (connect that to the drive) and a normal SCSI external cable (from the first cable to the Mac) to make the link.

 

[Charlieman]

Had to use an old AT PSU to power it though so it is not a very small setup.

PSUs from pizza box LCs are an alternative. Similarly, PSUs from the Quadra 610 and PowerMac 6100. Scanners and other SCSI peripherals are also good donors, but don't use a PSU that doesn't come in its own metal enclosure.

 

[Patrickool93]

I had an old broken external CD Drive that wasn't compatible with an CD600e. I took the cable that took 68 pin(50 Pin?) external connector and made it into 50 pin internal connector and plug the SCSI cable directly into that, turned it on and worked with an external PSU. ugly, but works on all the Macs I tried it on so far.