Smoking (USB2 external enclosure)

[weepul]

Originally posted by: Bekker
There was a post a day or two ago about a place that was taking $5 off their external enclosures. I checked their prices and they were very, very good. You might want to check for that thread before buying this. I was interested only in the smaller enclosure for notebook drives so did not pay much attention to those for larger drives.

Bekker

those 2.5" enclosures are usually cheaper, but the price comes back to haunt u on the 2.5" hdds. those laptop hdds are amazingly expensive. there is one amazing benefit of 2.5" enclosures/hdds: they can be powered directly by the usb/firewire port (no need for extra ac adapter).

//krunk (^_^x)

 

[SimMike2]

Originally posted by: dc
oxford = firewire

cheap is good, but more importantly i want a enclosure with a good chipset so i don't get corrupted files. heh.

Sometimes it is your USB controller and not the chip set in the enclosure. I have a Western Digital 80GB USB external drive which I can't connect to the onboard Nvidia Nforce2 USB 2 chip set without getting corruption. It works perfect with all other USB 2.0 controllers.

 

[Bekker]

Originally posted by: weepul

Originally posted by: Bekker
There was a post a day or two ago about a place that was taking $5 off their external enclosures. I checked their prices and they were very, very good. You might want to check for that thread before buying this. I was interested only in the smaller enclosure for notebook drives so did not pay much attention to those for larger drives.

Bekker

those 2.5" enclosures are usually cheaper, but the price comes back to haunt u on the 2.5" hdds. those laptop hdds are amazingly expensive. there is one amazing benefit of 2.5" enclosures/hdds: they can be powered directly by the usb/firewire port (no need for extra ac adapter).

//krunk (^_^x)

Agreed the notgebook drives are more expensive, but I got one for $40 of another Anandtecher so I have a large capicity portable USB 2.0 drive for around $50-60. I* really like it. I thought the other post had enclosures for 3.5" drives as well ... just did not pay attention to them since I have a spare 5 meg notebook drive.

Bekker

 

[Dadof4]

I got one at last post . Flimsy, but no problems. 80 Gig seagate for $40.00. Use to transfer 20 movies to computer with dvd burner at work, no noticable slowdown burning directly from enclosure through USB. burning at 2x with sony burner takes about 45 minutes, and i'm in no rush so thats ok for me.

 

[sillymofo]

Correction: Oxford can be used for Firewire, or USB2.0, or both on combo.

 

[ParatoOptimal]

You can find many enclosures with chipset that accomodate both Firewire and USB but the case may only have a connection for one or the other. An old AT post listed a site claiming that it's enclosure was both Firewire and USB. Indeed the chipset supported both Firewire and USB. However, the enclosure provided a connection for USB only.

.......Something to consider if you find a great deal on a Firewire AND USB enclosure.

 

[billywiggins]

I got this exact enclosure a couple weeks ago from this exact store. Mine is USB 2.0 only and it has been running perfect. I put a 40GB drive in it and it has been running great, runs cool and quite, no transfer problems and the case is good quality, it looks cheap and flimsy, but it has a hard clear outer casing that is pretty tough. I bought mine 2 weeks ago and it came out to be $25 shipped. Great deal!

 

[ParatoOptimal]

So, should I get this one or get a Bytecc for less than $5 or $10 more including shipping?

Does anyone know the difference between the MP-320U2 and the MP-325U2?

Thanks

 

[WA261]

This is going to be great to move pics around. =)

 

[neocor]

I really dont understand why these external enclosures are not below $10. They are priced alomost equivalent to a (good deal) 4X DVD Burner, or a regular priced CD Burner. Does not make sense whatsoever. I mean these are costing more than lots of hard drives themselves.
Personally I would rather settle for just a small adaptor that has IDE on one side and Firwire/USB on the other and that should just cost max $10. Is that a rocket science ? I am sure the manufacturers just are playing around.

I have a extra hard disk (120 Gigs) lying around unused for a year now. No place inside my PC as all IDE channel's are used up. I just got frustrated looking for a sub $10 solution. Just removed the damn CD writer (which anyways I was not using) and put the hard drive there.

 

[ParatoOptimal]

neocor,
Perhaps a cheap IDE card would help.

 

[ParatoOptimal]

I emailed Bytecc.
Their USB 320 uses an Ali chipset.
So, this is the same as the Bytecc.

 

[ParatoOptimal]

Jynx78,
What do you mean by Maxtor enclosures?
I've only seen Maxtor externa HDs.
I've never seen empty Maxtor enclosures for sale.
Where can I find such an animal?

Thanks

 

[ParatoOptimal]

Did someone say that you should use a USB2.0 cable or you'll have problems.
I currently have USB1.1.

Thanks

 

[sillymofo]

Originally posted by: ParatoOptimal
Did someone say that you should use a USB2.0 cable or you'll have problems.
I currently have USB1.1.

Thanks

The enclosure should come with everything you'll need, even a shinny cable. I'm not sure if Bytecc OEM these enclosure for them, but the one I got from them uses the new chip.

 

[ParatoOptimal]

I'm placing an order.
Thanks

Now, I need a good cheap USB2.0 or USB2.0/Firewire Card.

 

[CtlAltl33t]

USB 2.0 with fan and cable for $18? Sounds good to me.

Going to take a gamble...ordered one

thanks op

 

[zigCorsair]

You can check dealsonic.com for regular good prices on these. I just purchased a 3.5 in for around 26-27 bucks shipped I think. I purchased two others about 7 months ago. The 5.25 is $1 more (maybe a couple but pretty negligible).

 

[neocor]

Originally posted by: ParatoOptimal
neocor,
Perhaps a cheap IDE card would help.

Well surely, that would help.

But only if I have any PCI slots left, they are all taken expect one which is faulty. And just today I think I lost another one where my network card was, I am forced to connect wirelessly through USB and that too using one of my neighbours wireless router.

 

[ParatoOptimal]

Is this one (probably Bytecc OEM) for $26 includingn shipping better than Plumax PM-525U2-PCB Black at Dealsonic for $29 including shipping?

http://www.dealsonic.com/pl52usb20enf.html

The Plumax has an EMI Shield, a ball bearing fan and a Cypress Semiconductor Chipset

Darn! I see what you mean by sustained transfer rate.
The Plumax specs state, "Support sustained data transfer rates up to 25 MB/sec."

 

[spinn]

i bought 3 ext. enclosures last year for about $35/each shipped. This is a good deal. I ended up with an extra one which I wished I got rid of earlier to get back my $.

 

[pieman7]

I just ordered one also. Thanks.

Did anyone notice when checking out that there was no security icon (on IE, no padlock in the bottom right corner)? I hope this doesn't bite me in the a$$ later. I don't see this vendor in the vendor ratings. Anyone had bad experiences with these guys?

 

[ParatoOptimal]

Though it doesn't beat the price of this thread, I don't know the chipset and it doesn't list the max size HD accomodated, this is waaaaaay sexy for $34.

http://store.4linkcomm.com/makcse5fuale.html



BTW
What's the consensus....to Bytecc or to Plumax? Which is best in life?

 

[NasdaqTrader889]

Originally posted by: pieman7
I just ordered one also. Thanks.

Did anyone notice when checking out that there was no security icon (on IE, no padlock in the bottom right corner)? I hope this doesn't bite me in the a$$ later. I don't see this vendor in the vendor ratings. Anyone had bad experiences with these guys?

I used IE and Firefox just to see it it was secure for me and it was. What I would like to know is has anyone ordered from them before? I can't find any ratings on this seller and that's the only thing stopping me from ordering right now.

 

[IksokChoy]

My order for the Bytec just came in today! Will hook it up tonight .