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esata vs. USB...fight!
MilesAhead:
@superboyac the thread in your link is from Jan 2011. The only thing new I've learned since then is check Device Manager to make sure your USB 3.0 hub does not have the option to power off to save energy enabled. Otherwise if the drive in the dock is idle for awhile it may shut the port off. I've already posted my experience on that thread in detail.
MilesAhead:
One serious drawback of esata for external docking solutions is that you need one esata port and cable for EACH DRIVE in the dock.
This was a nasty surprise for me, and i've never forgiven esata for this issue.
To me, the external usb docks are great in that they are so portable; speed is not my main concern -- I just want to be able to quickly connect and disconnect and move the dock to different pcs, etc. USB has seemed like a better match for my needs over esata.
-mouser (July 30, 2012, 01:22 PM)
--- End quote ---
I haven't had eSata to try, but one thing I enjoyed with USB 3.0 card, while I was waiting for my USB 3.0 docks to arrive I plugged an external Seagate 500 GB USB 2.0 (that's a 2 not a 3) drive into the SIIG USB 3.0 card. Doing nothing else on large file transfers I saw an immediate throughput increase of about 15%. That thing would only copy large files, such as copying a single .avi file, at 24 MB/s max. Just by plugging it into the SIIG card I got copies of 28 to 30 MB/s copying the same file. So it's not a total waste to buy USB 3.0 card and maybe a dock while waiting for internal HD price gouge dissipation. :)
barney:
Strikes me that this is another Ford vs. Chevrolet discussion. No one (1) solution will be ideal for all folk.
It also strikes me that a discussion of just speed is rather pointless. OK, there is the reliability issue, but the primary concern seems to be speed. Yeah, I want things done fast. And I want things done reliably. But all the systems I currently possess have one (1) [non-shareable] esata port. Some of 'em don't even have that. But every one (1) of 'em has multiple USB ports (tablets not included). So 'twould seem that our concentration should be on maximizing use of available resources, not on which resource is faster.
As I said, it's a Ford vs. Chevrolet discussion which will never be resolved.
superboyac:
Strikes me that this is another Ford vs. Chevrolet discussion. No one (1) solution will be ideal for all folk.
It also strikes me that a discussion of just speed is rather pointless. OK, there is the reliability issue, but the primary concern seems to be speed. Yeah, I want things done fast. And I want things done reliably. But all the systems I currently possess have one (1) [non-shareable] esata port. Some of 'em don't even have that. But every one (1) of 'em has multiple USB ports (tablets not included). So 'twould seem that our concentration should be on maximizing use of available resources, not on which resource is faster.
As I said, it's a Ford vs. Chevrolet discussion which will never be resolved.
-barney (July 30, 2012, 02:31 PM)
--- End quote ---
i don't think we should dismiss as easily as that. Sure, there are differences. I'm trying to delve into those differences to see what the advantages and disadvantages are for multiple issues. Yes, in the issue of convenience, USB wins hands down. In real-life speed tests, esata wins hands down. We don't have to dismiss that so easily.
I mean, this leads to several questions. Why didn't esata take off? My computer has multiple esata ports, and I might be using every single one of them. Never had a problem with speed or reliability. USB...I've had several problems.
What is it really about USB that leads to this unreliability? I've heard it could be poor driver coding or something like that. Almost like people rush to make the drivers for USB so they can sell all the millions of usb devices, but the drivers might suck. Or maybe the architecture of it sucks. perhaps the fact that USB can do so much means that complications are bound to occur. The kitchen sink argument.
I was a huge fan of esata when it came out. I was really hoping there would be a transition from usb to esata. Never happened. I don't understand why. Then USB 3.0 came out, and there's a whole lot of talking about it. But the few USB 3 devices that are out there that I've had experience with have all had serious issues. And still, esata is not taking off. How come people, now that usb 3 is here and we've seen it, are not asking "Why are we waiting for USB 3 instead of just using esata which is better, has been around and is mature?" I don't know. Probably has to do with money and marketing, blah blah.
I also have hopes for thunderbolt/light peak. But looks like we might have to wait a year (minimum) before we can get our hands on any of that stuff.
superboyac:
One serious drawback of esata for external docking solutions is that you need one esata port and cable for EACH DRIVE in the dock.
This was a nasty surprise for me, and i've never forgiven esata for this issue.
To me, the external usb docks are great in that they are so portable; speed is not my main concern -- I just want to be able to quickly connect and disconnect and move the dock to different pcs, etc. USB has seemed like a better match for my needs over esata.
-mouser (July 30, 2012, 01:22 PM)
--- End quote ---
That's true, i was annoyed by that also. It's presented an interesting challenge in my DIY project of building a server box with 10-20 drives in it. I was initially going to just use esata, but now I realize i have to use sas or expanders or something like that.
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