Trying to figure out ATA compatabilities
A drive out of the 3400c is a 2 GB Travelstar DCRA-22160. The specs say it is ATA2 Fast/Enhanced with an external data transfer rate = 16.6 MB/sec
A drive out of the Pismo is a 6 GB Travelstar DARA-20600. The specs say it is ATA/66 with an external data transfer rate = 161 Mb/sec. (/8)(?) = 20 MB/sec
As I understand it SATA = 150 MB/sec; SATA II = 300 MB/sec; SATA III = 600 MB/sec external data transfer rates. One of the SATA drives for which I can find a spec sheet has - stated - "ATA modes supported - Ultra DMA mode 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5". Aren't those numbers comparable with the ATA numbers?
Are these numbers correct enough to start with?
I think the mSATA drives are great where they will work. Vis-a-vis a Compact Flash card they are less costly, seem faster, and are, really, more robust, industrial-type gear.
Wading thru' the drive/adapter swamp on eBay is a real adventure. Basically (and I think this is how it works) the drives come with either a 3.3V or 5V power requirement and apparently most manufacturers make both. Some of the manufacturers mention this, some don't. Some write it on the drive label, many don't. Except for the newest issues data sheets are hard to come by. None of the sellers do.
The adapter marketers mostly don't specify the voltage supplied to the drive or even have a clue that it might be important. When they do mention 5V it can just as well be for the IDE interface (as in, well, DUH). On eBay you wade through page after page of identical pictures with meaningless little quirks in the titles trying to catch the attention of the search bots, not to inform real people. Once in a while, in English-As-A-Second-Language, there's enough different in the presentation to warrant a closer look and, for 3 or 4 $, order one to match your drive.
End of rant. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll just keep flailing along.
A drive out of the 3400c is a 2 GB Travelstar DCRA-22160. The specs say it is ATA2 Fast/Enhanced with an external data transfer rate = 16.6 MB/sec
A drive out of the Pismo is a 6 GB Travelstar DARA-20600. The specs say it is ATA/66 with an external data transfer rate = 161 Mb/sec. (/8)(?) = 20 MB/sec
As I understand it SATA = 150 MB/sec; SATA II = 300 MB/sec; SATA III = 600 MB/sec external data transfer rates. One of the SATA drives for which I can find a spec sheet has - stated - "ATA modes supported - Ultra DMA mode 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5". Aren't those numbers comparable with the ATA numbers?
Are these numbers correct enough to start with?
I think the mSATA drives are great where they will work. Vis-a-vis a Compact Flash card they are less costly, seem faster, and are, really, more robust, industrial-type gear.
Wading thru' the drive/adapter swamp on eBay is a real adventure. Basically (and I think this is how it works) the drives come with either a 3.3V or 5V power requirement and apparently most manufacturers make both. Some of the manufacturers mention this, some don't. Some write it on the drive label, many don't. Except for the newest issues data sheets are hard to come by. None of the sellers do.
The adapter marketers mostly don't specify the voltage supplied to the drive or even have a clue that it might be important. When they do mention 5V it can just as well be for the IDE interface (as in, well, DUH). On eBay you wade through page after page of identical pictures with meaningless little quirks in the titles trying to catch the attention of the search bots, not to inform real people. Once in a while, in English-As-A-Second-Language, there's enough different in the presentation to warrant a closer look and, for 3 or 4 $, order one to match your drive.
End of rant. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll just keep flailing along.