External Hard Drive Enclosure

[JAW]

Looking for a good one for IDE and prefer self powered so don't have to hassle with AC Adapters. Would like to spend around $20, looked on newegg and they have a bunch but didn't recoginize any of the brands they were. So just wondering which ones people here use and their experience with them.

[upriverpaddler]

The only external drive enclosure you will get with no power cord is one for a laptop hard drive.

All of the 3.5" drive enclosure come with power supplies because a 3.5" drive needs the 12 volt and the 5 volt which usb cannot deliver.

[tiebird321]

The only external drive enclosure you will get with no power cord is one for a laptop hard drive.

All of the 3.5" drive enclosure come with power supplies because a 3.5" drive needs the 12 volt and the 5 volt which usb cannot deliver.

Lacie makes 2 different 3.5" loaded encloseures that can be powered using a firwire bus

the firewire bus in its rare powered form is rated at 30w per port, making it suitable for powering external drives. the most common use of the powered firewire bus is charging an IPOD

I do not know of anywhere where you can buy an unloaded enclosure that can be powered through the firewire port. Though my friend the mac-zelot standing over my sholder says you might be able to find one searching trough the online mac only stores.

if you are willing to use an ac adapter this is the best USB (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817145656) and this for USB/1394 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817145657)
I have 8 of them in production right now for over a year, never had an issue and they keep the drives within 10F of room temp

[JAW]

thanks for the info very much appreciated.

[mutazx]

if you are willing to use an ac adapter this is the best USB (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817145656) and this for USB/1394 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817145657)
I have 8 of them in production right now for over a year, never had an issue and they keep the drives within 10F of room temp

Another thumbs up for the USB Venus, 5 of them between here and work.

[perplex]

using the firewire port of it, it needs no power supply right?