An ATA/IDE host controller 100 generated from an HDL design base and a default frequency configuration script is disclosed. The controller supports ATA/IDE interface communications at a user-selected default frequency of 33, 66, 100, or 133 Mhz and at frequencies other than the default frequency using a set of programmable override timing registers 121. An internal timing control module 110 provides either the default timing parameters or the override timing parameters to the IDE host interface 102, according to the programmable override control 301.