HD Enclosure eSATA

[wreed]

I bought an enclosure for my SATA drive and have it working great on my ION media center pc. My issue is that I have to switch on the power to the enclosure when I boot up my media pc and shut it down. Is there any way to get an enclosure that uses eSATA to power this drive without a power cable? Or is there a case where I can use USB to power it and have it do data through eSATA? I am streaming video off the drive, can I just use USB 2.0 or will I get bottleneck and experience slowdown on my video viewing? Please help, offer any ideas I am open to getting a new enclosure. THe HDD is a 5400 RPM 2 TB drive that is SATA.

 

[Hawkeye22]

I googled "self powered esata enclosure" and got this among a bunch of others.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10452378-1.html

 

[wreed]

Ya that one includes the drive, I need one for a desktop size drive not a 2.5"

I am checking out the google results.

 

[fzabkar]

You might like to read the following primer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESATAp

"In computing, eSATAp (also known as Power over eSATA, Power eSATA, eSATA/USB Combo, eSATA USB Hybrid Port (EUHP)) is a combination connection for external storage devices. A single eSATAp, eSATA or USB device can be plugged into an eSATAp port. The socket has keyed cutouts for both types of device to ensure that a connector can only be plugged in the right way round."

 

[wreed]

My media pc doesn't have a eSATA combo port or eSATAp....

Is there any way to have a eSATA enclosure and use the usb for power? I really hate using the switch

 

[ELMO_2006]

To answer your question from a simple perspective : NO

 

[wreed]

Best answer selected by wreed.