information on esata external drives

[myktek]

so you have to have an eSata pci card to input it into the computer, so at sata2 would it be faster then USB 2.0, firewire, 10base100?

[ChingChang]

Yep. Some eSATA drives come with a PCI card I think (seagate?). I have a few of the eSATA/USB AZiO external enclosures and they came with an adapter that you just connect to one of your internal SATA adapters. eSATA's maximum transfer rate is the same as SATA II

[myktek]

so your saying that the eSata card actually plugs to your onboard Sata2? So pretty much it is just a adapter from Sata1/2 to eSata? or is it like a host adapter like IDE where it would add more ports?

[ChingChang]

Well the eSATA PCI cards are just SATA controllers with eSATA ports that can be accessed from the back of the computer (you don't connect them to your internal SATA ports). Some of them also have regular SATA ports inside too.

This (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817106097) is the eSATA/USB drive enclosure I've been getting. The third pic shows the eSATA bracket that you connect to an internal SATA port. So yes that would be an adapter :]

[Menelmarar]

so you have to have an eSata pci card to input it into the computer, so at sata2 would it be faster then USB 2.0, firewire, 10base100?

100mbps ethernet is miserably slow if you plan on doing much with the drive, encoded video, trying to play a game or run applications off of it. Backing up files, like a scheduled backup that runs at night would be just fine for it if it was cheap, chances are a usb enclosure will be cheaper.

Due to over head you'll never really hit max speed, but for arguments sake USB 2.0 is 480mbps = 60 MB/s

SATA2 = 3.0 gbps = 375 MB/s

I think most 7200rpm drives average transfer around 40-50MB/s, but probably has the potential to burst over 60.

My raptor for example averages 78MB and can burst upto 130.

It's probably not worth spending any considerable amount of money for an extra PCI card or whatever IMO. SATA2 is overkill.

My two eSATA enclosuers are Vantec ones from newegg, they came with cables that plug into your motherboard sata ports and bring them back to the rear PCI bracket panel, like what the USB, mobo header to PCI bracket does.