Hard Drive Enclosures?`

[Waterbelly]

Can you tell me if USB 2.0 Hard Drive Enclosures are compatible with Mac?

and if only certain ones are can you point me in the right directions to them?

 

[Eidorian]

There's no special Apple magic. Any USB 2.0 enclosure is fine. I'm fond of Vantec ones right now.

 

[Waterbelly]

thank you. So it doesnt matter what hard drive? just a random one?

 

[Eidorian]

thank you. So it doesnt matter what hard drive? just a random one?

Any brand is fine. I've used Maxtor and Western Digital pre-built ones.

 

[Waterbelly]

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1800603&CatId=2778

would this one work?

 

[Eidorian]

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1800603&CatId=2778

would this one work?

Yes it would. I'd recommend using the FireWire on it if you can.

 

[MasterNile]

Is using a IDE Hard Drive over FW400 slower than a SATA HD over FW400? or not really because of the FW400 bottleneck? would the same apply to FW800?

 

[Eidorian]

Is using a IDE Hard Drive over FW400 slower than a SATA HD over FW400? or not really because of the FW400 bottleneck? would the same apply to FW800?

FW400 is going to be the bottleneck.

FW800 has less of a chance of a bottleneck but there shouldn't be any using it.

 

[TheHoff]

I'd say both IDE AND SATA are going to saturate a FW 800. I think to notice the difference between IDE and SATA you'd have to be on an eSATA external Expresscard port (which of course wouldn't take the IDE).

 

[durruti]

my recommendation

i was looking at enclosures last night.

for SATA:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/NP35SFW/
might wanna do some research on the Oxford 934 chipset though.

ADVANTAGES:
-better money/GB for HD
1 TB max. (on paper)
-power connector style. less chance of pin damage compared to the other style
-FIREWIRE 400 only. no other BS. connectors. tried and true.

for IDE:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/NP35FW/
tried and true Oxford 911+ chipset from my memory...

ADVANTAGES:
-power connector style. less chance of pin damage compared to the other style
-FIREWIRE 400 only. no other BS. connectors. tried and true.

DISADVANTAGES:
-750 GB max. limit. (on paper)
-less money/GB ratio compared to SATA

for HD:
Any IDE or SATA from Newegg with FREE SHIPPING. I like Samsung and Seagate ones. I'd probably get the 1 TB SATA Samsung one for best money/GB ratio.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010150014 50001305&name=Seagate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010150014 50001077&name=SAMSUNG