eSata REDMag Reader

[Tom Chase]

I have a question for anyone using the Firewire/eSata RedMag Reader. I have had problems getting it to be seen by my eSata Card (Highpoint RocketRaid 2642). I have talked to Red and Highpoint both say it should work. I sent it back to HighPoint to be looked at but I am considering a new card and found a eSata/USB 3.0 card on Other World Computings site. It's the MAXPower USB/eSata 2x2 Card. I was wondering if any one has had any experience with these cards? Or using eSata for the REDMAG Reader.

My system is:
Mac Pro Tower 2010
26GB Ram
GTX780
Never enough hard drives (But a 120GB SSD system disk)


Thanks

Tom Chase

 

[Jean Wallez]

For e-sata with the Redmag reader, a controler card with Silicon Image chipset is recommended..

 

[Alvise Tedesco]

I use the older and cheaper slim esata-express (owc) on mbp 8.3 (late 2011 I think). Pegasus J4 0+1 on thunderbolt and it works perfectly

 

[Peter Majtan]

This might sound silly - but I rather ask: Are you providing external power to the REDMAG reader? Unlike while connected via FW - which powers the reader at the same time and external power is not required - when using eSATA you must power the reader with the included power supply (or from a powered USB port via the included USB power cable)...

:sifone: Peter

 

[Nick Pasquariello]

If you're going to buy a new PCI card, I'd just get a USB 3.0 card and a USB 3.0 RedMag reader. Unless you have other items that have to use eSata, that is. But more and more stuff is USB 3.0, and less and less is eSata.

 

[Tom Chase]

@peter yeah, it's running powered with the power supply plugged in. @Nick the PCI I was looking at was a combo card eSATA/USB 3.0, I have a pair of WD 500gb Firewire 800/eSATA drive I wanted to attach. I know the sped on the drives will be faster because with the old card they were the only devices that seemed to work with it.

The other option I was looking at through Other World Computing was a mercury accelsior PCI-E SSD with built in eSATA ports. But USB 3.0 is sounding tempting.