eSATA external hard drive enclosure that supports power from combo USB port?

We covered this a few posts ago, posts 169, 173, and 175. As per the USB Battery Charging Specification, higher loads can be supplied per port if you short out the D+ and D- pins, but this disables data transfer; not that that matters for application in an eSATAp environment (as the eSATA portion would be handling all the data transfer). Your notebook may be able to supplu more than 2000 mA for all 4 ports, but that depends entirely on your specific notebook and how the power distribution hub was designed. As for paralleling two USB ports to get more current; some 2.5" HDDs already do this. That's why some of them ship with Y-cables that let you plug into 2 ports at once, one for data and a second one for extra power (this was more common with USB 1.1, where the ports didn't deliver as much power as USB 2.0).

The HDD2D30 is also a 5 year old drive. Power requirements have been reduced a bit over time. As for capacity, usually higher capacities don't involve significantly higher power requirements (except in the case of, say, going to dual or triple platter configurations), as most higher capacity has come in the form of higher platter data density, which means the mass of the platters stays relatively the same, which means that it takes about the same amount of power to spin up as an older, lower capacity drive (for a given speed). This is part of why 3.5" drives need more power than 2.5" drives; the platters are bigger, and thus take more power to run motors that can actually spin them at the appropriate velocities.

USB 3.0 should actually supply up to 900 mA of power natively, but the issue with running 3.5" drives is usually voltage; 3.5" drives typically need 12 volts to power, not 5 volts.

 

I read a technical article somewhere but can't find it. Made sense of the USB 2.0 "Battery Charging Spec". Wikipedia sums it up somewhat. And it looks like its 1.5A.

In Battery Charging Specification,[33] new powering modes are added to the USB specification. A host or hub Charging Downstream Port can supply a maximum of 1.5 A when communicating at low-bandwidth or full-bandwidth, a maximum of 900 mA when communicating at high-bandwidth, and as much current as the connector will safely handle when no communication is taking place; USB 2.0 standard-A connectors are rated at 1500 mA by default. A Dedicated Charging Port can supply a maximum of 1.8 A of current at 5.25 V. A portable device can draw up to 1.8 A from a Dedicated Charging Port. The Dedicated Charging Port shorts the D+ and D- pins with a resistance of at most 200 Ω. The short disables data transfer, but allows devices to detect the Dedicated Charging Port and allows very simple, high current chargers to be manufactured. The increased current (faster, 9 W charging) will occur once both the host/hub and devices support the new charging specification.

 

Can someone tell me if there are 2 different cables for normal esata and esatap?
If yes what is the difference,more channels for power and data?

 

Yes, there are two different cables. A regular eSATA cable does not have connections for power; power would need to be supplied to the hard drive/enclosure using a separate cable that either goes to a USB port or a wall plug. An eSATAp cable has extra connectors that attach to the power pins in an eSATAp port.

 

So can a eSATAp cable be used instead of a SATA cable?

 

No. SATA and eSATA connectors do not match. You can plug an eSATA cable into an eSATAp port, and vice versa, but you will obviously not get power through the cable at that point.

 

could you give me a link to ebay or amazon to help me

i need a sata + usb cable to satap cable becuase neither of my computers two sata ports supply power, any of these out there?

 

You don't mention what kind of connection your enclosure has, because oftentimes your enclosure will not have a eSATAp port itself, but an eSATA and a USB port in parallel. Still, a search of "esata to usb cable" (without the quotes) on Amazon gives me several links, such as this one and this one. This one on eBay is pretty much like the first Amazon one I linked, and there are various others on eBay as well, using the same search terms as for Amazon.

 

This new enclosure seems really nice!!
If and when you will receive a sample could you post here a mini review or at least a picture or two?
Thanks

 

They just postpone the Engineering samples production again to January

 

If you already have an enclosure with usb 2.0 and eSATA ports and try to use a laptop with an USB 3.0 ExpressCard, what speeds will you get? Will the speed downgrade to USB 2.0 speeds? I'm just wondering what the transfer rates can be (i.e. max.).

Do you have to use an enclosure with USB 3.0? That tech. is faster than eSATA, right?

 

Did anyone ever figure out if a 3.5" drive could be powered by eSATAp + another USB?

I really want to ditch the AC adapter, but I already have a 320GB 3.5" on my desk.

EDIT: Bah, humbug. The 3.5" needs 12V; USB doesn't even have 12V. And even if the voltages combine (5V from eSATAp + 5V from USB, which I don't think they do), that's still only 10V and I need 12V. Guess I'll just get a regular one.......

 

hi fellows,
i have been using acomdata tango 2.5 inch eSata enclosure and i must say its sturdy and worth every penny.i am using it with WD 500 Gb disk.its does transfer at around 40 MBps or so as per win 7.

 

It will drop to USB 2.0 speeds, since the enclosure will only support USB 2.0 (through that port). USB 3.0 and eSATA are not compatible. As for USB3.0 being faster than eSATA... sometimes. Early USB 3.0 drives were not (see notebookreview.com's own WD MyBook 3.0 review for an example of this). A lot depends on which eSATA you're using as well. eSATA is usually tied to the speed of the internal SATA bus, so as internal SATA buses move to SATA revision 3.0 (6 Gbit/s), eSATA will again pull ahead of USB 3.0 (assuming a drive that can take advantage of it).

 

What a pity!
Thanks for the info.

NO way to power up a 3,5" with Usb, eSatap, Firewire...
But if i remember well there are some motherboard (only for desktops) that can handle 12V in an eSataP port.
maybe this way is possible to power up a 3,5" drive...

 

Thanks for reply MarkraM. Luckily, though, I found an old Maxtor external hard drive that I think I can jimmy-rig my own drive onto.

But, right, it requires the AC adapter, but I'll be fine. I use it maybe once a month, lol.

But, no, you're correct. The 12V is supplied on some desktop motherboards; I think my ASUS P5N-E SLI has it.

~Ibrahim~

 

Even the USB 3.0 port is faster than the eSATA 2 port, but the data transfer from an enclosure that have a SATA drive will be faster with the eSATA 2 port.

Q : Why?
A : because the drive is a SATA so no way the data could be transfered faster than the SATA bottleneck.
Q : So you tell that the USB 3 will be bottlenecked by the SATA drive speed. In that case, the USB 3.0 will be as fast as the SATA 2. Am I right?
A : No, the USB 3 will be even slower because the enclosure will have to translate from SATA to USB and this will consume some resources

Conclusion :
If your external storage media is a SATA drive, just stick with the eSATA port, It's the fastest that you could get.

 

The present problem that I am facing is that I wanted to use a 1tb 2.5" HDD..
All the 1tb hdds are of 12.5mm height and all the esataP enclosures can accommodate only 9.5mm..Does anyone know of an enclosure(esataP) which can accommodate 12.5mm 2.5" internal HDDs or 1tb HDDs of 9.5mm height?

Below is the link which I found that might be useful to someone!

9.5 Versus 12.5 mm: Which Notebook HDD Is Right For You? : Two- And Three-Platter Notebook Hard Drives

Which brands of esataP enclosures are available at economical prices?

 

The only dislike I have for 12.5mm drives right now is that every example I can find to date is limited to 5400 RPM. Of course, I am admittedly looking to place mine in an ODD bay, so I wasn't looking for quite the same thing as you were. As for a 12.5mm eSATAp enclosure, a quick google led me to this enclosure, which seems to be about average to maybe slightly high price for an enclosure. Do note that if you want to use it as eSATAp, you'll have to buy an (expensive!) extra cable.

 

This is exactly what I wanted..But the cable part sucks!Still its damn expensive...

Can you suggest better models at economic prices..The problem is the shipping charges are higher than the product's price..I am from India!

 

I'm afraid I don't know enough about the Indian market to help you out there. Maybe one of the Chinese auction sites like taobao or something similar?

 

Thanks. I was afraid of that. So, what can owners of laptops with no eSATA ports do for faster data transfer?

Asus and Acer make a lot of laptops with no eSATA ports. Is there any eSATA ExpressCards yet that can reach speeds that an internal eSATA port would give you? I assume the eSATA port in the laptop has an internal connection to the SATA port or bus (like you mentioned) in the laptop? But, the ExpressCard would work differently?

I am wondering which brand to pick from, either Sony or Asus, btw. I was told HP still has a problem with circuit lines and graphics card chips defects. Hear anything about this?

The main question I have with Asus laptops is why they often lack an eSATA port. I know, a silly beef to have with them but I thought those ports are often integrated with USB ports nowadays so I thought it's a small concession to make. However, if there is a good alternative still to achieve decent data transfer speeds, it makes the minor complaint, moot.

Thanks for any info.

 

Sorry but just to add.... read through this....

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/513653-esata-vpc-z-s-y-series-esata-expresscard-review.html

So, best option is to use one of those?

 

Expresscard links through the PCI-E bus (or USB, but that's even slower), which means that current implementations of Expresscard (1.0) are limited to 2.5 Gbit/sec. Still much higher than USB 2.0, but slightly slower than eSATA (or USB 3.0). As for brands, well, the greater proportion of the market does not actually have a need for high speed transfer, and are content with USB 2.0. I don't follow the consumer brands as much ever since they all went to 16:9 (only looking at specific models that interest me) so I couldn't speak to which brand to pick. Overall, I'd say it's not the specific brand that matters (except possibly in the case of support or warranty) but specific model.

As for combo eSATA/USB ports, you need to do extra engineering to run the eSATA communications lines over to that port, and still tie it into the standard USB hub. Asus probably just didn't want to take the time and money to bother doing so. It might only cost a couple dollars per notebook, but over the course of an entire production run, that adds up. eSATA also may require an extra controller chip, I'm not sure.

If you don't have an eSATA port, then your best options are either an Expresscard solution, or possibly, if you can hook your backup solution to a local network, through wired Ethernet (Gigabit LAN). The Expresscard solution will probably be faster, although the wired Ethernet solution may be easier if you already have all the parts.

 

You want a 16:10 laptop? Good luck. Unless, you're looking at a used, older laptop. I think all the companies have gone to 16:9 laptops, now?

I agree, 1366 x 768 seems low so I wonder if I should look for a 13" or 14" screen. At least, it won't look as bad? The res might suit the laptop, then?

I am undecided what I think of the 16:9 v.s. 16:10 but I do watch videos/movies on my laptop so I guess I can accept newer laptops easier?

But, yeah, having no choice of 16:10 unless you buy older hardware (I understand monitors are all moving to 16:9, too), is pretty crappy.

I am inclined to lean towards a Sony Vaio or Asus laptop simply because there might be a better chance for a decent machine. With all the manufacturers getting their main guts from a few ODMs, maybe it's more likely the consumer/mainstream laptops will be half decent quality. I dunno if that is a valid or logical argument or strategy but I have seen a few Acers in 'defective state' and HPs do look okay, being aluminum, but I wasn't sure about the casing near the corners. It looked like a strip of plastic or metal could easily peel away over time? Toshibas look okay but usually are more expensive than these other models. Not sure if I should take a risk on an Acer but if my budget doesn't go over $500, I might not have much choice.

Lenovo has pros/cons and mixed reviews. I can't afford Thinkpads so Ideapads/Edge machines sound like they'd be overrated and a risk, also.

I guess I can accept some of these laptop makes without eSATA ports if it means (for e.g., many Asus machines) the rest of the laptop will be acceptable and I can use an ExpressCard with eSATA ports to obtain faster data transfers than the usb ports can provide.

Comments?

 

I already got my 16:10 notebook (8740w Elitebook), but part of the issue is that I'm in a different price bracket than you are. I'm willing to spend well over $1000 for a notebook I plan to keep for probably 4-5 years at least, while you're looking for something much cheaper.

Sony isn't bad, but tends to be expensive. Asus is generally good, but can have some occasional quality issues. Acer is cheaper, and sometimes it shows. HP is generally average, but often have overheating issues (on the consumer level). Toshiba is generally good, but like Sony, can be expensive. Lenovo's consumer line is basically Ideapads, which are pretty average, they're not as durable as their business-level cousins, but on par with your average notebook.

eSATA or USB 3.0 through Expresscard should probably be fine for most purposes. As long as you're sticking with conventional (platter) hard drives, you'd be hard pressed to saturate even the 2.5 Gbit/s bus.

 

˅ 16:10 laptop with a eSATAp port. But now I'm too broke to afford a decent enclosure and hdd. =/

 

Do you guys know if eSATAp can handle a 7200RPM drive? (2.5in)

 

Yes, I am using such drive just fine.

 

May I ask what enclosure/cable you are using for the eSATAp connection ?

I am wondering if I can just get an eSATAp cable (i.e. one end is eSATA, the other end the 2.5" SATA interface) for some quick and dirty connection.

 

I am using DeLock 42465

I don't recommend using just cable (not proper enclosure) if you want to disconnect/reconnect the hard drive side often. Hard drive connectors are very low insertion cycle rated (only about several tens), you will wear them very quickly unless you keep cable connected to hard drive.

 

ah, thanks.

 

Just thought I'd let y'all know that the enclosure at geeks.com linked way back in the first post is back in stock. I just managed to nab one so get em quick if you are looking for one!

 

If only it accommodated a 12.7mm high drive... I have geeks.com one, great, but only 750GB max...

 

The enclosure I posted in my previous post ( this enclosure) is listed as being capable of taking 12.5 mm drives... too bad it's mildly expensive on its own, and more importantly, the eSATAp cable is an extra $15(!)...

 

But this enclosure has not an eSATAp port, it has the standard eSATA port. Well, i know that this is not a problem, because you can use the DC port on the enclosure to supply power (from an AC/DC adapter, or from an eSATAp on the PC side, or from a USB port on the PC side), but this thread is for the enclosures that have an eSATAp port.

 

Ah, I see. I was looking at it from the other end, as in enclosures that can be hooked up to an eSATAp port, since I usually end up going from what port the computer has, and then finding enclosures that fit.

 

Has anyone tried these on ebay? Seem to be what I am looking for, for $20.

 

That looks more like the one I posted, without an actual eSATAp port on the enclosure end. It should work fine, though, although I don't know that it'd take a 12.5 mm drive. I'd only expect it to work with a standard 2.5" 9.5 mm drive.

 

Does any of them in that price range take the 12.5mm drive? I realized that the Geeks one is a better option than that ebay one I posted. Does it take a 12.5mm drive?

EDIT: I just saw that one you posted above. I believe that one cost more and does not come with the cables needed to connect it up, right? I would love to be able to have a much larger capacity drive, but it seem like the 12.5mm enclosure one might cost too much more.... How much did you get it for in total?

 

The Geeks.com one I believe only takes 9.5 mm drives. I did not order the one I posted, merely found it. From what they say on the site, it looks like the total would be $46.90 + shipping ($31.95 for the enclosure + $14.95 for the cable), which would almost be as much as an entire drive. I suspect you may be able to find a cable for cheaper someplace like eBay, however, if it came to it, but the enclosure itself is still on the mildly expensive side.

 

Oh, okay. I will pull the plug on the Geeks one now then. It will fit my needs perfectly, especially since it comes with USB connections as well. The ebay one I listed did not come with USB connections.

 

Can I use a 7200RPM drive in the Geeks enclosure? Will it supply enough power to adequately support this drive?

 

I'm currently using it with a 7200RPM, 250 GB Seagate drive, and haven't seen any issues.

 

If it's a newer drive (last few years) I'd think it should. Older drives might have issues, it's hard to say because a lot will depend on the specific drive.

 

I have 3 of the Geeks.com enclosures because they're that awesome, and my wife and I both have eSATAp ports on our laptops They work with 7200RPM, 500GB drives, but they most certainly won't work with the 12.5mm drives. 9mm only. It was even a little dodgy fitting in my 128GB SSD when I upgraded to my 256GB Crucial since it wasn't quite exactly the same as a normal HDD dimensions, so be aware of that.

 

Just as a note, in case you want an inexpensive USB 3.0 / 2.0 1TB 2.5" external HDD, the Toshiba Canvio Plus is on sale at Best Buy with free shipping or in store pickup for $99.99US.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Toshiba...hite/1314131.p?id=1218249466573&skuId=1314131

I just got one. It's footprint is smaller than my WD Passport, but a few mm thicker. Otherwise works great. It's not an enclosure, but just in case you were considering a laptop drive and enclosure for your storage needs, this is an alternative.

 

How do you guys test file transfer speed?

I am copying 200GB worth of data using the Geeks.com drive, and according to the transfer window, I am getting transfer speed of 35.4MB/s from my internal drive.

I have a Western Digital Scorpio Blue 500GB, internal hard drive in my laptop. The Geeks.com enclosure has a Western Digital Scorpio Blue 640GB hard drive. Both drives are 5400RPM.

This feels SUPER slow to me. It is taking quite a long time to transfer. What do you guys use to test transfer speed?

 

I used HD_Speed to test my speed. Here are some results that I got. I did 2 tests. The first is normal mode with burst rate disabled. The second is with burst rate test enabled.

Burst Mode OFF:
Internal SATA: Western Digital Scropio blue 5400RPM 500GB = 62 MB/Sec
eSATA: Geeks.com Enclosure Western Digital Scropio blue 5400RPM 640GB = 64.8 MB/Sec
USB: Western Digital Elements SE 1TB Portable Drive = 26.4 MB/Sec
USB: Segate Freeagent 7200RPM 1.5TB Drive #1= 25.9 MB/Sec
USB: Segate Freeagent 7200RPM 1.5TB Drive #2= 26.6 MB/Sec
SDCard: ADATA Class10 -16GB: 4.2 MB/Sec

Burst mode ON:
Internal SATA: Western Digital Scropio blue 5400RPM 500GB = 103.7 MB/Sec
eSATA: Geeks.com Enclosure Western Digital Scropio blue 5400RPM 640GB = 74.8 MB/Sec
USB: Western Digital Elements SE 1TB Portable Drive = 25.8 MB/Sec
USB: Segate Freeagent 7200RPM 1.5TB Drive #1= 25.5 MB/Sec
USB: Segate Freeagent 7200RPM 1.5TB Drive #2= 26.5 MB/Sec
SDCard: ADATA Class10 -16GB: 4.3 MB/Sec

 

Can anyone confirm that the DELOCK and Startech enclosures both work with 640GB (and/or 750GB) drives over both ESATA and USB? I have had enclosures in the past which would not work in USB mode with disks greater than 500GB.