External Enclosures Recommendations (?)

[Seeker47]

I was looking for a sticky on this subject here, but did not find one.

This is partly prompted by a Redwudz post #4 in this thread:

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/328185

The one I've most recently tried is a Bytecc 3.5" combo USB-2 / e-Sata, housing a WD Blue series SATA HDD. I'd have to find the box, which hasn't been thrown out yet, in order to tell you the model. It seems pretty good so far (reasonably compact, quiet, doesn't get too hot) . . . except for the low-grade metal screws that hold it together being so easily stripped. Hopefully I won't need to open it up again anytime soon.

I ran into no UHCI issues with XP Pro and the Shuttle SN27P2, but frankly do not know what e-SATA driver or protocol may be involved here. It does seem to be hot-swappable. (Had to format the drive via USB, though, as it was not seen under e-SATA as a bare drive. Once that was done, no problem.) That's another good vote for portable enclosures with more than one interface available. I believe they also make these interface "tripled", with the Firewire connection also.

I was wondering though if VH members thought there were better brands / models out there -- even if more expensive -- or if they are all pretty much alike in quality. This would be for HDDs, or possibly for a Blu-Ray burner. I favor an aluminum body over plastic, and prefer it to have a fan for added cooling, but one that is quiet.

Someone wrote a review at NewEgg stating that Icy Dock was a good choice for running a WD Velociraptor as e-SATA. I'd heard of that brand, but am not familiar with it as yet.

I have some other docking-style external housing, shaped sort of like a small pop-up toaster, that is supposed to let you readily connect / disconnect different SATA drives. I'm hoping this will be something good for drive-cloning, but haven't tried it out yet.

For the record, when the subject was ext. enclosures for PATA DVD burners, I have liked the Coolmax line. Not the lightest or sleekest ones I've seen, but they were good quality and offered good protection for the burner. They must have SATA models by now, but I haven't kept up on that.

[RabidDog]

Firewire is shit, usb is good but slow, e-sata is great, but not available on every computer. Apple were the Co. that popularized Firewire but it aint caught on outside Appleonia. Light Peak and USB3 are the waaay of the Future.
Aluminium is better than plastic. Icybox quite good.