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DeMoN LaG wrote:


> See, the thing is right now SATA isn't really much faster (if any). The
> difference is that PATA is at the end of it's road, and has little future.
> SATA /can/ go faster when needed.

That is true, but there is one problem with SATA and that is you can
only put one drive on each port, so to put four drive into a computer,
you need 4 SATA ports.

I will not doubt buy a SATA drive when I get a larger hard drive, the
prices are coming down already and as my board supports them, it leves
the PATAs free for CDwriter and other slow products.

GB wrote:


> Surely, then, the message is to avoid SATA for now. Whatever hardware is
> bought now will presumably not work with the new faster standard when it
> comes out?
>
> Is this just hype-ware?
>
>
It will be beack ward compatible, just like PATA and usb is now.

Thor wrote:


>>How do Sata drives get their power, do they use the normal molex
>
> connector?
>
> No. They use a new style small connector adjacent to the S-ATA Data
> connector. However, current S-ATA drives are often coming with the old-style
> molex for compatibility reasons. There are also adapters available for older
> power supplies. The new ATX spec coming out will have the new S-ATA power
> connector, so new power supplies should start showing up with it.
>

I see, So when I get a drive, I got to make sure what connector it got.
Maybe they should have stuck with the old power conectors, they seem to
work ok.

Nick wrote:

>> I see, So when I get a drive, I got to make sure what connector it got.
>> Maybe they should have stuck with the old power conectors, they seem
>> to work ok.
>
>
>
>
> As I understand it, the SATA drives work at a lower voltage.

I can not see that, as the motors will still need 12 volts to run.

Thor wrote:


>
> On the data cable, yes. The signalling is 250mv instead of the 5V signalling
> that P-ATA uses. But, the S-ATA *power* connectors still supply 12V (motors)
> and 5V (logic) just like the old molex connector, but the S-ATA power supply
> connectors now also supply a 3.3V source for anticipated future low power
> mobile devices. In today's desktop machines, the 3.3V is not utilized on the
> S-ATA drives, so a simple adapter for the standard 12V/5V AT/ATX molex
> connector is available to fit the drive. Many drives are also still coming
> with the old-style molex anyway.
>


Now we know, thank you, I did not think the motors would have a lower
voltage.