Whos got the power?

[cigbunt]

Hi im looking for a new external HD.

was looking at the below 500gb hd from ebuyer...

now here the question, in the ebuyer video the girl doesnt plug the unit in with the power supply! just seems to use the USB. this is the only 3.5" drive ive seen that can power off the usb... is this true?

i understand the 2.5" externals can power off USB but i dont really a 2.5" external becuase they dont have the sizes i need!

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136212

if it can off usb i'll buy 1!??

[FifthFreedom]

"Included AC adapter"
Quote from product page.

I think that is a no on the USB powered front.

Some external drives are USB powered but they are usually the low power small ones.

I think this one needs to be plugged in.

[cigbunt]

thats what i was thinking theres prob another 1 pluged in!!

they shouldnt do things like that because these finer points are what i choose my hardware on!

[vinnyT]

Hi cigbunt, at ~1m-07sec. the girl does mention that she has plugged the unit into a mains socket.

[TheReaFireblade]

I've got one of those, and I can confirm it's supplied with an AC adapter

[Infinite]

I HAVE THE POWER!!!

[shaithis]

I've looked for a long time for a bus-powered 3.5" drive enclosure and never found one

Although just found one but its IDE only.
http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...x=3V64#reviews

[aidanjt]

USB simply cannot provide the required energy to power a 3.5" disk, end of.

[Steve B]

USB simply cannot provide the required energy to power a 3.5" disk, end of.

The maximum current draw for USB is 500mA, but the MacBook Air has a modified USB plug to allow more for the USB attached SuperDrive.

I'm not sure how much current a 3.5" hard drive would draw, but I would imagine it would be more than 500mA for the larger motors.

[Infinite]

did no one find my joke funny? =(

[peterb]

The maximum current draw for USB is 500mA, but the MacBook Air has a modified USB plug to allow more for the USB attached SuperDrive.

I'm not sure how much current a 3.5" hard drive would draw, but I would imagine it would be more than 500mA for the larger motors.

Some of the 2.5" drive cases come with a double ended USB connector so you can effectiovely draw double4 the current - but I think that would be pushing it for a 3.5" drive. The steady state current isn'tthe problem, its the surge when the spindle motor starts, and then the surgews when the head actuators are operating. (Which is the clicking you get from 2.5" drives if they are underpowered)

[DDY]

Most 3.5" drives idle at around 10-15w which is far more than a single USB port can supply (2.5W), this is why USB powered 3.5 HDD enclosures don't exist.