Shugart Disk Drive Ribbon Cables

[Peter Sterrantino]

Hi All, 

Anyone know where to get the "standard 50 pin ribbon cable" for a Shugart 800/801 or 850/851 drive(s). I got a Compupro Disk 1 card with my IMSAI (but no cables) when I got it and now that the system is up and running I'm thinking of trying to get it working. 

I've got a line on a couple of drives, but the cables appear to be unicorns. 

Thanks!

Pete

[Patrick Linstruth]

Peter, I have been making them myself. The parts are generally available from places like Anchor Electronics.

https://anchor-electronics.com/product/idc-flat-cable-card-edge-connectors/

https://anchor-electronics.com/product/idc-flat-cable-socket-connectors/

https://anchor-electronics.com/product/gray-flat-ribbon-cable/

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Altair 8800" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to Altair-8800...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/Altair-8800/991e10e9-b39b-4285-8079-03e37e7939den%40googlegroups.com.

[Walt Perko]

Hi, 

I have two Shugart 8" drives for sale/trade:  https://www.brainless.org/Altair/Repository.html#section23

Shugart 800-2 SN C49369 8” Floppy Disk Drive
Shugart 801 SN A86731 8” Floppy Disk Drive

I has have a dual Shugart 8" drive power cable assembly if somebody buys both drives $300 + shipping  (it's the shipping that kills a sale) ... but a pickup in Las Vegas is possible.  

.

[Patrick Linstruth]

Walt, great point. The power supply and cables can be a problem if the drives don’t come with them.

What gauge is that wire?. Those stepper motors pull a lot of current and the spindle motors are 120V AC.

With 2 drives, you could be pulling almost 3 amps at 24V. The stepper motors run continuously and get nice and toasty.

On Feb 2, 2026, at 4:48 PM, Walt Perko <r4r...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi, 

I have two Shugart 8" drives for sale/trade:  https://www.brainless.org/Altair/Repository.html#section23

Shugart 800-2 SN C49369 8” Floppy Disk Drive
Shugart 801 SN A86731 8” Floppy Disk Drive

I has have a dual Shugart 8" drive power cable assembly if somebody buys both drives $300 + shipping  (it's the shipping that kills a sale) ... but a pickup in Las Vegas is possible.  

<IMG_9504-20260202-Shugart Dual Drive Power Cables-c2K.jpg>

.

On Monday, February 2, 2026 at 1:12:26 PM UTC-8 sterra...@gmail.com wrote:

Hi All, 

Anyone know where to get the "standard 50 pin ribbon cable" for a Shugart 800/801 or 850/851 drive(s). I got a Compupro Disk 1 card with my IMSAI (but no cables) when I got it and now that the system is up and running I'm thinking of trying to get it working. 

I've got a line on a couple of drives, but the cables appear to be unicorns. 

Thanks!

Pete

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Altair 8800" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to Altair-8800...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/Altair-8800/fc054383-8517-47b7-bc21-59bcc4f75ea8n%40googlegroups.com.

[Walt Perko]

Hi, 

Per my mechanical calipers, they're at least 2mm thick.  definitely thicker than regular ribbon cables.  

The way the harness is setup, there are two wires going into the PINs ... I guess that's enough copper for all the power needed.  

.

[Peter Sterrantino]

Does anyone still make these cables? 

--

[Joseph Corda]

Peter 

If you are talking about Shugart 8" power cables you can still buy the molex connectors and pins to make your own (let me know if you need a link to these). 
There are also other options.. this link shows a simple power adapter  https://texelec.com/product/8-floppy-power-adapter/  (Note I have never ordered for this site).  
Also I recall Jeffery Wilson from the S-100 group offering an ATX power supply S-100/ drive adapter called the "ATX DC2DC."   https://github.com/s100projects/ATX_DC2DC?tab=readme-ov-file#atx-psu-requirements . 
Reach out to Jeff if you have any interest 

Note .. dont forget you may also need to wire up 110v as well for Shugart 8" drives 

If you are looking for the data cables,  the 50 pin IDC are easy to make as they are straight thru....with 50 pin idc flat cable, the correct IDC connector and IDC hand crimper.   There are also 50 to 34 pin cable converters available on Tindie and the website I listed above.

Also .. in case you do not already have this shugart info .. 
https://retrocmp.de/fdd/shugart/801/sa801_i.htm

I hope this helps!

Joe

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/Altair-8800/CANZ0NHQpUs_dQyuU%2Bs-zfaOkjAybnFJYBizwQe%2Bv7W3eok7nRw%40mail.gmail.com.

[Peter Sterrantino]

Hi Joe, 

Thanks me for the links. I guess I was hoping for a digi-key part number, but no such luck. 

The guy who was going to sell me the drives says he thinks he pulled them out of a DEC PDP and I’m not sure of the cabling and PS status yet. 

He works in my facility, but just got busy on a project, so I’m going to have to wait a bit before buying them and trying to start up a floppy drive. 

Besides that I have no idea what I’m doing with CP/M. All I know is the Disk 1 card appears to have the right stuff in the boot ROM (I checked the contents of the 2716), but I have no floppies or CP/M boot disk. 

Well, lots to learn. 

Pete 

[Todd Houg]

Power connector part numbers from the Shugart 800 manual, these are still available from Digikey and Mouser . . .

Thanks,

    Todd