iMac and eSATA port?

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iMac and eSATA port?

Is there any way to fit an iMac with an eSATA port?

Would be really nice. I mean you can use a card in a MacBook Pro laptop and get eSATA....iMac?

Thanks,

-Ronan

www.ronandonovan.com

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Mar 29, 2010 5:52 PM

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Answer 1

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Asatoran

Level 4

2,532 points

Mar 29, 2010 6:18 PM in response to ronmdon

No, you can't use eSATA drives. There is no "slot" for you to add a eSATA card. (Current iMacs have a SD card reader, but there are no SD to eSATA adapters.)

You can use a [Firewire to eSATA adapter|http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Firmtek/SPYDERHUB>, if you really needed to. However if you're going to spend that much money, you may as well get a Firewire drive and get close to the same level of performance. (At least much better than any USB drive you'd attach to the iMac.) I'd go with the eSATA/FW adapter only if you have one or two eSATA drives whose total capacity is more than 1TB, since you can get 1TB drives for about the same price as the adapter.

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Answer 2

ronmdon Author

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Mar 29, 2010 9:25 PM in response to Asatoran

Thanks for the response. Is there an adapter to get more than 1 Firewire 800? I'm thinking of something like the USB D-Link? I ask because I have several firewire 800 hard drives. Also, is there an adapter to go from firewire 400 to 800? I have an external CD burner that runs off Firewire 400?
Thanks again.

-Ronan

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Answer 3

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,700 points

Mar 29, 2010 11:20 PM in response to ronmdon

You don't need more than one FW 800 port because you can daisy chain the devices. I have 3 external FW 800 drives connected to my iMac that way (and have for 2 years) with no problems. If you do need multiple ports you can search for FW 800 hub such as this.

Roger

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Answer 4

ronmdon Author

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Mar 30, 2010 7:52 AM in response to rkaufmann87

Roger,
By daisy chain you mean connecting one hard drive via firewire 800 to another etc and connecting the last hard drive to the computers single firewire 800 port? Assuming my HD have multiple firewire 800 ports. My LaCie does, so that seems like it will work. I didn't think of that.
Thanks!
-Ronan

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Answer 5

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,700 points

Mar 30, 2010 7:55 AM in response to ronmdon

That is exactly what I meant, as it turns out I use Lacie external HD's too however OWC and G-Tech also make models with 2 FW800 ports.

Glad your question is answered and thank you for the star.

Roger

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