can you build a powerless external HD?

[4fingered]

Would it be possible to build an external HD that didn't have it's own power supply and just used power from your computer through FW 800? It's a pain dragging around the extra cord and power supply.

 

[MasterNile]

Yes you can get power from a FW800 port, they have external enclosures on macsales.com, I don't know if you're looking for a 2.5" or a 3.5" enclosure but here's a decent 2.5" enclosure

 

[Darth.Titan]

I'm pretty sure it's going to have to be a 2.5" drive if it is going to be bus-powered by USB or Firewire. The 3.5" drives draw too much juice.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[4fingered]

2.5 is what I'm looking for anyway. thanks for the quick response guys. I see these drives are made of plastic. Is there a chance of the drive overheating not being in a metal enclosure? another quick question. You don't know if they make any good 7200rpm 2.5" 500GB drives yet do they?

 

[chris200x9]

as far as I can tell from a quick look at newegg the only 500gb ones are 5400

 

[4fingered]

yeah that's all I could spot too. I guess we'll have to wait a bit longer for those.

 

[4fingered]

so is heat not a problem with this external enclosure? also is there anything a bit cheaper that doesn't need a powersupply