ATA (AT Attachment) and ATAPI (ATA Packet Interface) are the actual names of the mass storage device interface that is often called the IDE and EIDE interface. The word AT is derived from PC/AT the third generation Computer from IBM.
Starting with the original PC/AT hard disk, the evolution of ATA/ATAPI interface spans over a period of 20 years. ATA/ATAPI-7 is the current technology and research is in progress on ATA/ATAPI-8. Commonly used to connect the IBM compatible computers to the hard disks, CD ROM's and various other types of disks, the ATA interfaces are the most widely used interface today. Compatibility exists between each ATA standards, which allows a new ATA drive to be used in a computer that might be using an older or earlier ATA specification.
ATA / ATA-1 / IDE
ATA was first introduced and developed by the Control Data Corporation, Western Digital, and Compaq.
The ATA-1 uses an interface that is 8-bit or 16-bit.
It possesses a transfer rate of up to 8.3MBps.
It also supports PIO modes 0, 1, and 2.
However, ATA / ATA-1 interfaces are currently obsolete.
