AT Attachment-3 Interface (ATA-3), Revision 6

1-3 Forward, Introduction, Scope, Normative references, Definitions, abbreviations, and conventions
4 Interface physical and electrical requirements
5 Interface signal assignments and descriptions
6 Interface register definitions and descriptions
7 General operational requirements
8 Command descriptions
9 Protocol
10 Timing
Annex A Connectors
Annex B Identify device data for ATA devices below 8 GB
Annex C Signal integrity
Annex D Bibliography
Annex E ATA command set summary


    1. Interface physical and electrical requirements
    2. Connectors are documented in Annex A.

      1. Cable configuration

This standard defines the ATA interface containing a single host or host adapter and one or two devices. If two devices are connected to the interface, they are connected in a daisy chained configuration. One device is configured as Device 0 and the other device as Device 1.

The designation of a device as Device 0 or Device 1 may be made in a number of ways:

In a two drive configuration, a device shall be at one end of the ATA interface cable and the host shall be placed at one end of the cable.

 

It should be recognized that if a single device is configured at the end of the cable using CSEL, a device 1 only configuration will results. If a single device configuration is implemented with the device in the middle, a cable stub results that may cause degredation of signals. Also see 5.2.15.

Figure 1- ATA interface cabling diagram

 

 

      1. I/O cable
      2. The cable specification affects system integrity and the maximum length that can be supported in any application.

        Cable total length shall not exceed 0,46 m (18 in).

        Cable capacitance shall not exceed 35 pf.

         

      3. Electrical characteristics
      4. Interface signals are defined in Table 2 and Table 3.

        Table 2 - DC characteristics

        Description

        Min

        Max

        IoL

        Driver sink current (See note 1)

        4 mA

         

        IoH

        Driver source current (See note 2)

        400 m A

         

        ViH

        Voltage input high

        2,0 V D.C.

         

        ViL

        Voltage input low

         

        0,8 V D.C.

        VoH

        Voltage output high (IoH = -400 m A)

        2,4 V D.C.

         

        VoL

        Voltage output low (IoL = 12 ma)

         

        0,5 V D.C.

        Notes:

        1 IoL for DASP shall be 12 mA minimum to meet legacy timing and signal integrity.

        2 IoH value at 400 m A is insufficient in the case of DMARQ which is typically pulled low by a 5,6 kW resistor.

         

        Table 3 - AC characteristics

        Description

        Min

        Max

        tRISE

        Rise time for any signal on AT interface (See note 1)

        5 ns

         

        tFALL

        Fall time for any signal on AT interface (See note 1)

        5 ns

         

        Cin

        Host input capacitance

         

        25 pf

        Cout

        Host output capacitance

         

        25 pf

        Cin

        Device input capacitance

         

        20 pf

        Cout

        Device output capacitance

         

        20 pf

        Note:

        1 tRISE and tFALL are measured from 10-90% of full signal amplitude with a total capacitive load of 40 pf.

         

         

        1. Driver types and required pull-ups

Table 4 - Driver types and required pull-ups
 

Signal

Source

Driver type (see note 1)

Pull-up at host

(see note 2)

Pull-up at each device

(see note 2)

Notes

 

Reset

Host

TP

     
 

DD (15:0)

Bidir

TS

   

3

 

DMARQ

Device

TS

5,6 kW PD

 

4

 

DIOR- DIOW-

Host

TS

     
 

IORDY

Device

TS

1,0 kW

 

5

 

CSEL

Host

 

Ground

10 kW

6

 

DMACK-

Host

TP

     
 

INTRQ

Device

TS

     
 

DA (2:0)

Host

TP

     
 

PDIAG-

Device

TS

 

10 kW

 
 

CS0- CS1-

Host

TP

     
 

DASP-

Device

OC

 

10 kW

 
 

Notes:

1 TS=Tri-state; OC=Open Collector; TP=Totem-pole; PU=Pull-up; PD=Pull-down; VS=Vendor specific

2 All resistor values are minimum (lowest) allowed.

3 Devices shall not have a pull-up resistor on DD7. It is recommended that a host have a 10 kW pull-down resistor and not a pull-up resistor on DD7 to allow a host to recognize the absence of a device at power-up. It is intended that this recommendation become mandatory in a future revision of this standard.

4 ATA-3 defines this line to be tri-stated whenever the device is not selected or is not executing a DMA data transfer. When enabled by DMA transfer, it shall be driven high and low by the device.

5 This signal should only be enabled during DIOR/DIOW cycles to the selected device.

6 When used as CSEL, this line is grounded at the Host and a 10 kW pull-up is required at both devices.