RE: [OT] (A little) : Firewire cables...

["Phil Harris" <phil@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> The SATA spec allows for 1-to-15 port multipliers. Don't know if
any
> 1-to->5 examples exist though :-)

Would that be "1 to 15"?

> Can't see why you wouldn't be able to combine with using Multi-lane
> adapters - they just combine the 4 sets of signals physically. ie the
> SATA link isn't aware it's going via a multi-lane cable, surely?

Well as much as anything else there's just the practicalities of chaining
them together in a way that's physically secure enough so that if someone
sneezes in the room then they don't fall apart.

> >> http://www.cooldrives.com/sapciadsaian.html
> >>
> > That's a 4 SATA to External MultiLane SATA connector...
> > Now, if you use those then you're physically going to take up
four PCI
> > blanks to allow for the cables going into the side of that
External
> > MultiLane connector module...
> >
>
> Huh? 1 PCI surely? The 4 SATA cables from the PCI SATA controller to
> the
> Multilane adapter will be inside the PC. Well, ok, that's two PCI
> blanks
> in total. Perhaps there are motherboard SATA controllers that are
> multiplier aware now though...?

No - 1 PCI slot for the 4 SATA channel controller, 1 PCI slot for the 4 x
SATA to External multilane adapter and another 1 or two slots for the
cables
to sprout sideways out of the adapter as you won't be able to use right
angle SATA cables on that adapter.

> I should image you would have quite a choice. There are probably PCIe
> version of the above card somewhere too. (NB: "Supports Serial
ATA II
> Port Multiplier Specifications")

I don't think it can do both at the same time and handle 20 drives...

> These look quite smart btw:
>
> http://www.enhance-tech.com/documents/EnhanceBOX_E8.pdf
> http://www.enhance-tech.com/documents/enhanceRACK_R8_ML.pdf

Yep but you can bet they won't be cheap. ;-)

I'm just looking at alternatives at the moment ...

... another possibility (and quite a reasonable costing one) would be three
PCI Belkin 5 port USB 2.0 cards and a dozen of these:

http://www.span.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1308&products_id=8114

Phil