Date   : Sat, 23 Jul 2011 11:16:19 +0100
From   : info@... (Sprow)
Subject: 16 bit IDE interfaces with microdrives

Hi,
Anyone yearning for some spinning platters in their storage solution can now
get up to 4GB shoehorned into just 1" square.

I recently made up some more 16 bit IDE interfaces (which corrects the 2
wire modifications needed on the last lot) which are available now 
  http://www.sprow.co.uk/bbc/beebide.htm
these have a standard PC 4 pin power connector from a floppy drive so can be
used with a PC power supply to power the conventional hard disc too. A
patched ADFS ROM is needed to talk to the hardware
  http://mdfs.net/Info/Comp/BBC/IDE/ADFS/
from the beeb end.

However, that's all quite big, so as an experiment I bought
  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290416959152 ($5)
  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280639048275 ($10)
which is an IDE to compact flash converter and a 4GB microdrive from some
Apple gizmo or other.

It worked fine, and the microdrive is a marvel of tiny mechanics: it's an
actual spinning harddisc in a roughly 1" square by 3mm package. It also has
the advantage of running of just 5V rather than needing 12V too like a big
hard disc would do, so the power supply can just be a 5V plug adapter,
Sprow.