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CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 eSATA/USB3 card in Sonnet Thunderbolt PCIe expansion enclosure?

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Mike Halper

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Has anyone tried the CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 eSATA / USB3 card in a Sonnet Thunderbolt PCIe expansion chassis or in the Sonnet xMac Mini Server? I ordered a xMac Mini Server and will use one slot of a Rocket and am wondering if the CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 will work in the other slot. Thanks!
 
According to Magma's Thunderbolt compatibility chart here that card does have a Thunderbolt driver available. So it should work.
 
If you got the xMac Mini server, you only have one full size slot. The RED Rocket will fit fine, but your other card would need to be a half width card. So, you would not be able to run both the RED Rocket and the CalDigit FASTA-6GU3 in the xMac together. You could however in the Echo Express Pro, having two full size slots avalible.
 
If you look on the site here: http://www.sonnettech.com/product/xmacminiserver.html

you can see that the slot for the bracket is shorter than the one next to it, where your RED Rocket will go.

I do own a xMac Mini and a Echo Express Pro.

I posted this photo a little while ago. You can see the difference in size in the back slots.
31d9e048b41111e1b00112313800c5e4_7.jpg
 
Certain networking and storage cards like the Fusion-io io-drives come with alternate brackets so they can work in either full or half slots for smaller cases or server chassis. I'd imagine that's the reason for the different slots since the xMac Mini is a rack mount product.
 
Hmmm... That's a bummer. I was hoping to not need to have a bunch of external boxes, so now I'm wondering if the xMac Mini Server is the right option. If I kept it I really just need USB 3.0 since I could use a Lacie eSATA hub on the TB port. CalDigit, Lacie, and Sonnet have USB 3.0 cards that would work if the bracket was smaller. I have emails out to all of them asking about smaller brackets. If they don't have them with smaller brackets can I buy a generic bracket somewhere or would I have to cut it?
 
You could cut it. But I would try and find a half height one first. If you look in my earlier picture, I modified a full height card to fit so I could connect my QIO card reader. So, it can de done. But it doesn't sit as secure.
 
I talked to CalDigit and LaCie today and they don't have half-height brackets available for those. Sonnet is impossible to get hold of someone on the phone and they haven't responded to my email. I don't like the Sonnet one anyway though because it seems very restrictive of what USB3 devices it will work with. I'm guessing the CalDigit card is the best one.
 
Mike Halper said:
I talked to CalDigit and LaCie today and they don't have half-height brackets available for those. Sonnet is impossible to get hold of someone on the phone and they haven't responded to my email. I don't like the Sonnet one anyway though because it seems very restrictive of what USB3 devices it will work with. I'm guessing the CalDigit card is the best one.
Click to expand...

Fair enough.
 
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