How far can cables run?

[Rankenphile]

This is probably a silly question, but I've never built a computer from scratch before. I am planning on a pretty wild design, witht he computer being built into the base of the computer desk.

One thing I want to do is include at least a 2x USB2 + Mem Card reader as well as a DVD+RW drive built into the desk itself, which will be at least 12-18 inches from the motherboard itself. Ideally, I'd like to have the video out port, mouse and keyboard ports and probably the speaker, headphone and mic jacks all on the desk itself, and probably a fan-controller card on there as well. I'm okay at fabrication and have some skilled friends helping with this ambitious build, but I wonder how easy it would be to get cables that run far enough from the MB to the surface of the desk (12-18 inches, again), how available it would be to find such cables, and at what distance I would start noticing loss of quality.

Any help would be very much appreciated, and forgive me if this is foolish.

[[DGN]Nexus]

you would more than likely have to get extensions because I don't think your cables can come directly out of your case and be long enough, so extensions would probably be the only way to go.

[slaveofconvention]

You can get IDE cables (for the DVD Writer) up to 90cm long, so that shouldn't be a problem. As for USB, it performs best when there is less than 2 meters between the USB controller chip and the device itself - the longer you make your internal connections, the more likely you are to have problems if you're using standard 6 foot USB cables to connect things up.

As for being foolish - surely the real fool would be the one who wasn't willing to ask when he didn't know....

[Rankenphile]

Excellent, those are well within range of what I have in mind - I was inspired by the Tie-Fighter computer desk on ExtremeTech.com and a number of the beautiful mods on this site. I've been into modelling and gaming both for a very long time and was looking at building a gaming computer around the first of the year anyway, so getting ideas like the ones I have for this new project could work out to be great. I've got to wait until I move into the house I'm buying and the remodel is done so that I can focus on it and have the space to work, but as soon as I can, if I can scrape up the materials and funds for this beast, I'll start up a work log.

Thanks for the help. I'll be sure to ask any other questions I can think of here - you guys are terriffic.

[slaveofconvention]

Remember, the USB length is TOTAL from motherboard to device, so if you put in a 4 foot extension cable from the motherboard to the ports, you are technically exceeding the specs if you use a USB cable longer than 2 feet... Hope that makes some kinda sense - I'm 10 hours into a 15 hour night shift right now lol

[Rankenphile]

Thanks, slave.

I don't think that it will be more than 18" from the motherboard total, so it shouldn't be a problem.

[weirdguy]

well, for the USB you can use one of these:
http://www.thedigitalsatellite.com/
and it could probally be modded to have a a USB card reader

[Aero]

I think they sell signal booster or something don't they? for longer USB connections, or I think you can use a HUB. And they sell 9' USB cables. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=5700075&type=product&productCategoryId=cat08020&id=1055770044316

[sXenoG]

www.pccables.com has got some 15 footers :)

[Rankenphile]

That digital satelite is pretty nice, only thing it is missing is a Firewire port.

I may add that in, as it would solve another problem for me when it comes time to supply power to my monitor and speaker setup, although I'll probably end up hiding those somewhere else.

How about cables to a dvd burner? I want to have one mounted on my desk, as well, but don't want to have to use another USB port for it. Can I just run the cable about 18" to 24" from my motherboard to my desktop?

Thanks.

[Malatory]

If you keep the EIDE cable shorter than 36" you should be fine. The Signal is a low powered one and that is why they have a 36" limit.