eSATA question, ref: opticals.

[Rastalovich]

So the optical drives on many of the pcs here lay dormant from OS installation to.. now really. They output heat and are a luxury imo.

Now, 2 of these pcs have eSATA connections, and I have a handful of eSATA pci cards thanks to Mr Buffalo.

My question is: I have a SATA optical, I have a eSATA port - how to marry the two ?

eSATA to SATA cable ? that includes a power thing ?

Or SATA cable fits in the eSATA, just be sure u have a SATA power connection available too.

Hotswapable ?

 

[Ham]

SATA and eSATA connectors are very slightly different.

try something along the lines of this (but shorter...) or this.

I cant think of a reason why they shouldn't be pretty much plug and play, but being computing it might take some tweaking.

Edit: As for power, ive seen a backplate with both power and data plugs. Will keep looking...

Edit 2: BAM!

 

[Rastalovich]

It seems to be how I imagined. I`m supprised they didn`t have a power vein running through the eSATA connector - that`d be perfect. Then u just get a cable that`s eSATA at one end and a SATA+Power connector on the other end - sounds too easy.

So whichever way I look at it, I either use the eSATA with adaptor cable and use my own power via a pci plate.

OR - I have seen a pci plate that just extends the SATA+power. Which seems the better way to go.

Makes a mockery of having the eSATA there.

Although as u say, it may boil down to how the OS reacts to hot connecting. eSATA maybe "geared" towards it.