3.5-inch SATA Hard Disk Docking Station w/ FireWire recommendations

[ToTo Man]

I would be grateful if you could recommend me a good quality / reliable 3.5-inch SATA Hard Disk Docking Station with both FireWire and USB 2.0 connectivity, available to purchase in the UK?

I was going to buy a 2TB WD Elements external USB 2.0 drive but think I will be better off with a 2TB WD Caviar Green internal SATA drive and appropriate dock, given the amount of data I will be backing up.

 

[Fishrrman]

"I would be grateful if you could recommend me a good quality / reliable 3.5-inch SATA Hard Disk Docking Station with both FireWire and USB 2.0 connectivity, available to purchase in the UK?"

There are very few USB/SATA docks with both USB -and- firewire connectivity.

Other World Computing sells the "Voyager" series. There were one or two others, not sure if they're even sold anymore.

My recommendation is that you forego the firewire connectivity, and instead get a USB3 (NOT USB2) dock instead.

USB3 is "the future" on Macs. By 2013 Macs will no longer be sold with firewire ports (exception may be the Mac Pro), USB3 will rule the roost. And it's backward-compatible with USB2, so you can use it with your older Macs, as well.

If you have-to-have a firewire dock, you might consider the OWC model above. But something to be aware of: the OWC docks with firewire 800 -WILL NOT BOOT- some older Macs via firewire. They have verified same and I believe it has something to do with keeping compatible with changes in firewire 800 on the newer models.

 

[Ifti]

No FireWire, but has USB3 and can take both 2.5" and 3.5" drives, as well as cloning etc.......

http://www.lindy.co.uk/usb-3-docking-cloning-station-for-25-35-sata-hard-drives/43112.html

I've reviewed the USB2 version, which is pretty much the same except for the speed, in my YouTube channel. Worked great.

 

[ToTo Man]

Thanks for the suggestions. Whilst browsing OWC I noticed the NewerTech MiniStack. Has both USB 3.0 and FireWire connectivity and would look great under my Mac Mini so I might get one of these as well. Are they well built / reliable?

 

[Fishrrman]

"I noticed the NewerTech MiniStack. Has both USB 3.0 and FireWire connectivity and would look great under my Mac Mini so I might get one of these as well. Are they well built / reliable?"

I had one for a while and found it -not- to be all that reliable.
My experience only. YMMV.

 

[LeandrodaFL]

Consider the WD My Passport serires, they are external drives up to 2TB and way more portable, as they are 2.5'

 

[ToTo Man]

"I noticed the NewerTech MiniStack. Has both USB 3.0 and FireWire connectivity and would look great under my Mac Mini so I might get one of these as well. Are they well built / reliable?"

I had one for a while and found it -not- to be all that reliable.
My experience only. YMMV.

Was that in relation to the connection hardware of the unit or the drive that was installed in the unit? I would be buying an empty unit and installing a 2TB WD Caviar Green in it.