No eSATA on External HD Enclosure?

Okay, a while ago I purchased two Acomdata enclosures to accomodate the two HDs I replaced from my laptop. However, when I tried using the eSATA connection, nothing happened? I got no power, nor was it recognized by the computer. From what I understood, the eSATA/USB port was suppose to supply it's own power?

The eSATA port works fine for my blu-ray writer, but it has it's own seperate power supply. As well, the mini-USB to USB port on the Acomodata, also works. Just not the eSATA. I bought these enclosure specifically because of that higher transfer capability. What am I missing?

 

eSATA has no power supply - there is eSATAp (Power-over-eSATA) for this task. So you either need to connect your external harddrive with eSATA (to share data) and USB (for the power). Or you have to use an external harddrive which has the Power-over-eSATA possibility (like this one) then use eSATAp-cables to connect it to the eSATAp-port.
Also don't mix up the older "eSATA/USB"-combination ports and the newer eSATAp ports.

"eSATA/USB"-combination port:
USB cable --> connection and power
eSATA cable --> only connection

eSATAp port:
USB --> connection and power
eSATAp cable --> connection and power

The combination port was build on notebooks since 2008 and the new eSATAp port only recently (for example on MSI notebooks).
Also there are eSATAp ports which only support 5V and others which also support 12V ( reference).

I don't know if I'm right in all points but this all I found after some research.

 

This is a combination that needs to be examined carefully if anyone intends to use their notebook in this manner.

As for me, I checked my cables and do have the USB power combo cable (below). It's the one with two USB ends: one for direct USB/eSATA bridge and the other end to be used in combo with the eSATA connection to provide power for that port.

I tried both connection and each was recognized instantly by Windows in each of the HDs configurations.

http://www.bixnet.com/5vps2powercord.html

 

There is only one drive enclosure that I'm aware of available in the US that will handle the eSATAp ports. I have one, and I can vouch for it working, but you have to make sure you have the eSATA/USB combo port:

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=HE-2521B&cat=CSE

It doesn't describe it well, but I will guarantee that it works with the combo ports (look at the box picture) and comes with all the necessary cables. As for optical drives, I'm not aware of any that have the proper connections.

 

Some enclosures/cables for HDD and optical drives are here.

 

None of those are available in the US except the optical drives. The link I provided is still the only US available USB/eSATA combo enclosure that I'm aware of. I believe it is simply a rebranding of the deLock enclosure.

 

Can you take some details photos of the unit, and cabling, showing how it all hooks up? I concur, it does look like the delock enclosure as shown below, with different a label on the top cover, but otherwise same positioning of ports, LED and side screw holes, same end point faceplates and overall appears to be the same chassis.

US$14 geeks.com e-sata enclosure



delock e-sata enclosure (N/A in US, but very pricey from amazon.co.uk)

 

ORDERED!!

+1 and Thank you for that

9 bucks shipping!! OUCH! still worth it though

 

I'll take a pic of it hooked up to my Envy with only the SATA cable (it of course takes an eSATAp cable, not just any old eSATA cable. Fortunately it's shipped with one) and the activity light on tonight. It looks exactly like the DeLock except for the silk-screened logo stuff on top. Not the highest quality build of external case that I've seen, but it's adequate.

Edit:

This is the drive I got from Geeks.com that I linked to earlier in the thread, proving it's just an eSATAp cable lighting it up:

View attachment 46698

Here's a close-up of the cable's labeling:

View attachment 46699

 

I just got the Delock and gonna test it tomorrow. I'll see if my notebook's USB/eSATA port is really capable of connecting it only with the enclosed eSATAp cable. Seems like my theory with different ports may be wrong.

Btw, watching your pics it really looks the same as the Delock one I bought.