Recommendations for an external SATA enclosure?

[Pradeep]

Morning all,

I am in need of an external SATA enclosure (one that I can plug directly into the SATA port of my HD DVR box). Any one have any experience with such a thing?

TIA, Pradeep.

 

[Pradeep]

I guess my other option would be to get a bare SATA drive, stick it in one of my external FW enclosures with the cover off, and run the cable directly from the drive to the cable box. Do all SATA drives take 4 pin power? *me SATA newbie* Thinking of probably a 250GB WD SATA drive.

 

[mubs]

If you buy a WD, Merc will hunt you down and kill you. (Sorry I have nothing useful to say about your question. But saving your life is important, eh?)

 

[Buck]

http://www.granitedigital.com/catalog/pg48_portabledrivesystems.htm

 

[Pradeep]

Thanks Buck, that's perfect.

Thanks for the warning mubs. But unless Merc can show me another brand where I can get a 250GB SATA drive for less than $130.00 after MIR (outpost), I'll have to take my chances against the bag full of Metropolis steel

 

[Pradeep]

OK last question I promise. The granite digital enclosure comes with a data cable, but it looks like a red/orange one (internal?). I'm assuming that is used to hook the drive into the enclosure. So I would need the external cable they also sell. The question is, are the connectors the same no matter whether the cable is internal or external?

 

[sechs]

How many pins? High density or *very* high density?

 

[Buck]

OK last question I promise. The granite digital enclosure comes with a data cable, but it looks like a red/orange one (internal?). I'm assuming that is used to hook the drive into the enclosure. So I would need the external cable they also sell. The question is, are the connectors the same no matter whether the cable is internal or external?

I just talked with a customer rep at Granite Digital, and the drive plugs directly into a bridge, so there is no internal cable. The cable that comes with the enclosure kit is for externally plugging the drive into the host. He said that it is a regular SATA cable.

 

[Mercutio]

Thanks Buck, that's perfect.

Thanks for the warning mubs. But unless Merc can show me another brand where I can get a 250GB SATA drive for less than $130.00 after MIR (outpost), I'll have to take my chances against the bag full of Metropolis steel

I've seen Hitachi drives for $145 with no rebate at all. Plus there's the hunting and killing part.

 

[Pradeep]

Thanks

sechs: I didn't realise they had a VHD connector for SATA.

 

[Pradeep]

Thanks Buck, that's perfect.

Thanks for the warning mubs. But unless Merc can show me another brand where I can get a 250GB SATA drive for less than $130.00 after MIR (outpost), I'll have to take my chances against the bag full of Metropolis steel

I've seen Hitachi drives for $145 with no rebate at all. Plus there's the hunting and killing part.

Assuming that the SATA 250K is anything like the IDE, I don't want miawing during HD viewage.

 

[Bozo]

You might also look at StorCase.

http://www.storcase.com/

Bozo :mrgrn:

 

[LunarMist]

Assuming that the SATA 250K is anything like the IDE, I don't want miawing during HD viewage.

The 7K250 meowing sound seems to be gone, at least on the drives made since June.

 

[Pradeep]

I just talked with a customer rep at Granite Digital, and the drive plugs directly into a bridge, so there is no internal cable. The cable that comes with the enclosure kit is for externally plugging the drive into the host. He said that it is a regular SATA cable.

Ok, I've done a little Googling and found that there are two external connector specs, the L shaped SATA-1 (which is basically the internal connector-since SATA-1 doesn't spec an external one), and the rectangular SATA-2. I'll check with GD today to see what they use on the cable (tho apparently one can get a cable with L shape on one end and rectangle on the other).

 

[yeti]

Pradeep,

you may want to check the durability of the connector you're using. I understand that most SATA connectors are designed for "inside the box" use, hence for very few connects and disconnects. An external box will be subjected to many more connects/disconnects and the connectors will soon stop working properly

 

[Pradeep]

Thank yeti, the enclosure will be hooked upto a HD DVR box and won't be frequently unplugged.

Just called Granite Digital and they use the SATA-2 connector on both ends, good stuff.

 

[Tea]

"Hang on there, you are talking about buying a Granite Digital enclosure and "what is the best case, and then you select the most important part, the drive itself because it's the cheapest?

Something doesn't add up there.

 

[Pradeep]

Well Tea the problem is I have no guarantee that the thing will even work when hooked up to the DVR. So I don't want to spend massive bucks on a Maxtor for example and then have the thing turn into a lemon (not that I couldn't use the drive in one of my machines).

 

[Tannin]

Hi Pradeep.

Tea can't come to the computer right now, but she says thankyou for the explanation.

At this moment, she is sitting at the top of a nearby oak tree with pencil and paper writing out "I will really, really proof-read my posts from now on". She'd be up to about 400 by now: only 600 more repeats to go. I don't expect it to make any difference though. Some habits are so ingrained that 10,000 repetitions wouldn't change them. Still, I do what I can with her.

 

[Pradeep]

Thank yeti, the enclosure will be hooked upto a HD DVR box and won't be frequently unplugged.

Just called Granite Digital and they use the SATA-2 connector on both ends, good stuff.

*Sighs* Got the enclosure today. Sure enough, f###### SATA-1 L-shaped cabling on both ends. Sweet Jebus. And I've googled high and low for this particular cable, which is what I need.

http://www.comaxtech.com/pic/2213C_big.jpg

I can't find anyone that sells it *blubbers*

 

[Pradeep]

There's hope:

http://www.cruzsystems.com/

They will call back regarding availability, tho they didn't sound thrilled at the quantity I wanted

 

[Buck]

http://www.cables.com/