Four units

Four units
The EIDE interface is not only intended for the hard disks. There are four channels, which can be
connected to four independent units:
Hard disks (must be on the primary channels, which on some system boards have the greatest
transfer capacity)
  
1  CD ROM drives
2   DVD drives
3  LS 120 drives and other MO drives
4  Tape streamers

EIDE is thus designed as an inexpensive all around interface, which can be connected to all kinds of
storage media. It has a clever auto detect function, which often makes it possible to connect EIDE units
such as hard disks directly to the system board and function immediately. The BIOS in the PC will find the
necessary instructions about the drive via the auto detect function, and you need not make any
adjustments in the CMOS Setup program, as was necessary with earlier IDE units.
Hers you see an EIDE cable:There are four connections like this on the mainboard. Note the blocked hole in top center. Note also the
stripe (which is red) on the right edge of the cable. It tells that lead number one is in that side. Both
features prevent reverse cable installation.