LVDS connector is compliance to can be used as SATA HDD/SSD cable?

Hi,

This cable looks to be hand assembled (low volume assembly).  I have not seen a standard cable like this before.

It might be possible to make a new one with some raw cable and connectors.

Regards,

Lee

Dear Lee,

thanks for your answer that confirm my theory.

We also ask to the supplier if the cable is compliance to the LVDS standard and they send to me a certificate of compliance, but I'm not sure that it's genuine or not (I can make the same document with Word and Photoshop).

For your reference the supplier is top one of the world, but also the big sometime can make an error.

How I can officially investigate if this cable is compliance or not and know if the certificate that supplier give me is genuine?

Is possible to contact people inside TI that can help me ?

I'd like to know another info:

on this cable there are +12V and +5V for the HDD power and all SATA cable that transport data. Is possible that the thickness and the nearest of the cables can cause random electrical disturb like electromagnetic or something also, and that all these things can cause the random malfunction of the cable? 

Regards

Hi Michele,

If it is just this one cable which does not work, it could be a fault in the cable itself.  If they have additional cables of the same type to swap and they all work then I would suggest that it is a cable quality incident.

Regards,

Lee

Dear Lee,

I decide to investigate about this cable because I have a lot of problem in more and more cases.

My opinion is that this cable is not compliance for this specified use but only with LVDS official community support that can help me I'll can do an action toward the supplier.

regards

Hi Michele,

What does the SATA channel topology look like?  Are there any TI devices in the channel helping the boost the signal between the drive and the SATA controller?

Thanks,

Lee

Hi Lee,

in these images you can see the cable installed.

The only thing certain is that if I replace the cable on system that have some issue it's disappears, it's for this that I think that this kind of cable is not certified the issue is random and of a different type (the PC didn't detect the HDD/SSD at boot, the system freeze, the system goes into BSOD, the system is very slow)

Unfortunately we do not specify or regulate the cable used in SATA applications.  The troubleshooting done so far indicates that the cable is a reliability issue in this system.  You might even be able to detect the fault with a resistance test on the SATA signals.  It looks like there is a fair bit of stress on the cable at the HDD connector when installed.

Regards,

Lee

Hi Lee,
we don't have the instrument and the knowledge to can verify the cable.
the only things that I have is the declaration of the supplier that the cable can work as a SATA cable, what precisely that we question.
to whom I could turn to for making compliance testing?

regards

Hi Michele,

Since replacing the cable turns a failing system into a passing system, I would contact the quality department of the cable/system manufacturer to have them test the cable.

Regards,

Lee

Hi Lee,

thanks for the help, that is exactly what I would do so, test the cable from your labs and then be sure if it will work or not.

If you like please contact me via email.

Regards

Michele

Hi Lee,

please, can you help me to contact Ti labs for doing compliance test on the cable?

regards

Hi Lee,
I wrote you a private message, please can you answer me?

Regards

Hi Michele,

There is nothing I can do.  TI does not do SAS/SATA compliance testing of cables.

Regards,

Lee

Dear Lee,
in this case this answer is very good for me, the only things that I need, is an official if it's possible, declaration of non compliance from TI.

Sorry Michele I can not do that either.  I wish you would have better luck with the cable company to deal with this problem.  On the surface it looks like this cable may be a quality or reliability problem.

Regards,

Lee

Hi Lee,

thanks in any case for your time and help.

I have a last question for you.

Please can you say me what are the names of these kind of LVDS connector?

thanks

These are not really "LVDS" connectors.  Computer (laptop) vendors have used various connectors over the years to attach the motherboard to the HDD.  Googling laptop SATA connector and cable shows many similar images.  I cannot identify anything more specific about this connector though.

Regards,

Lee