# Using a powered SATA to eSATA adapter to connect an external eSATA HDD?



## Marshall_dogski (May 24, 2004)

Hi,

After 30 months of service, my Toshiba 2.5" 3TB upgrade drive took a dump yesterday and it appears as though the supply of viable replacements has completely dried up. I'm on the hunt for an alternative...

Weaknees external hard drive kits are using a powered SATA to eSATA adapter to connect to a Sabrent EC-UEIS7 external enclosure. There is no additional power supply required for the enclosure, which is nice. They are careful to point out in their assembly video the adapter cable is custom, but wouldn't this work just as good?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GM7CMFG/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_V77XETX20QRMPTV2DJWK

Thanks in advance for your replies.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

Firstly, it is "just as well", not "just as good".

Secondly, you would need to marry the external drive yourself. Not an impossible task, but it is an extra step that you would need to research and implement.

Thirdly, the Edge eSATA port is not an eSATAp port. So it wouldn't work at all without some means of injecting power which would render moot the advantage of this cable.


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## Marshall_dogski (May 24, 2004)

ej42137 said:


> Firstly, it is "just as well", not "just as good".


  :snarky: :whocares?:



ej42137 said:


> Thirdly, the Edge eSATA port is not an eSATAp port. So it wouldn't work at all without some means of injecting power which would render moot the advantage of this cable.


I have a Bolt, not an Edge. I didn't write I have a Bolt, but I assumed it was safe to leave that detail out since I posted this in the Tivo Bolt forum.

I never said I planned to use the eSATA port on the rear panel. I'd be connecting the adapter and external HD to the same internal 22 pin connector my 2.5" drive was formerly connected to.


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## ClearToLand (Jul 10, 2001)

Marshall_dogski said:


> ...Weaknees external hard drive kits are using a powered SATA to eSATA adapter to connect to a Sabrent EC-UEIS7 external enclosure. *There is no additional power supply required for the enclosure*, which is nice...


I don't follow you here. Following your LINK and reading the specs:


> What's in the box?:
> 
> EC-UEIS7 Hard Drive Enclosure.
> *Power Supply.*
> ...





Marshall_dogski said:


> ...They are careful to point out in their assembly video the adapter cable is custom, but *wouldn't this work just as good?*
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GM7CMFG/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_V77XETX20QRMPTV2DJWK


*NO!* 

Do some more homework  - no eSATA, *ONLY* direct SATA to the TiVo motherboard.


Marshall_dogski said:


> ...Thanks in advance for your replies.


You're welcome! 


Spoiler



Although you may not fully appreciate what you hear...  No free fish - get a rod and learn to fish for yourself.


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## Marshall_dogski (May 24, 2004)

ClearToLand said:


> I don't follow you here. Following your LINK and reading the specs:
> ​*NO!*
> 
> Do some more homework  - no eSATA, *ONLY* direct SATA to the TiVo motherboard.
> ...


Crap. I assumed that since they are using a 22 pin connector, rather than 7, that it would supply power to the external enclosure. I missed the listing of box contents. Thanks for pointing that out.

Isn't there merit in this approach even if a power supply for the external HD is required? This saves you from having to install an extra power connection in the external enclosure and you don't need to cut an access hole in the enclosure for the SATA cable.


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## Marshall_dogski (May 24, 2004)

ClearToLand said:


> Although you may not fully appreciate what you hear...  No free fish - get a rod and learn to fish for yourself.


I know how to fish. Why do you think it took me 17 years to post my first question?


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## ClearToLand (Jul 10, 2001)

Marshall_dogski said:


> Crap. I *assumed* that since they are using a 22 pin connector, rather than 7, that it would supply power to the external enclosure. I missed the listing of box contents. *Thanks for pointing that out*...


:thumbsup:


Marshall_dogski said:


> ...Isn't there merit in this approach even if a power supply for the external HD is required? This saves you from having to install an extra power connection in the external enclosure and you don't need to cut an access hole in the enclosure for the SATA cable.


You're thinking this out as if you were the *FIRST* person to come up with this idea  (You *HAVE* to plug into the motherboard so you *HAVE* to make a hole). I say something similar to myself every time I use GOOGLE to research something, but my thought is: "_This xxx has been around a few months / years so surely I'm not the first person to ask this question._" Many times GOOGLE pre-fills in the rest of my question for me.  SO MANY folks on various forums just post instead of SEARCHing first. Yeah, maybe the TCF SEARCH function ain't that great but GOOGLE is with the "*site:tivocommunity.com*" parameter. 

Sadly, after being rudely treated by ~5 out of 6 TCF folks that I '_voluntarily_' attempted to help the past few weeks, I no longer am willing to invest ~30-60 minutes of my life typing in a COMPLETE reply with LINKs just to be **** upon . I've answered this type of question before. *AND* recently. So, SEARCH TCF for a recent post from my UserID mentioning '*gent with black glasses and a suit profile picture*' (he posted a REAL NICE set of instructions WITH PICTURES on how he added an external HDD to his TiVo Unit a few years ago and @tommage1 who also did this within the past year, IIRC (time flies when you're old and retired  ). I like the '*gent with black glasses and a suit profile picture*' instructions better but unfortunately I can't remember his UserID since he doesn't post much and @tommage1 does.


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## ClearToLand (Jul 10, 2001)

Marshall_dogski said:


> *I know how to fish*. Why do you think it took me 17 years to post my first question?


Did you remember to BAIT the HOOK???


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## Marshall_dogski (May 24, 2004)

ClearToLand said:


> You're thinking this out as if you were the *FIRST* person to come up with this idea  (You *HAVE* to plug into the motherboard so you *HAVE* to make a hole).


No. I don't think I'm the first person to come up with this idea. I'm trying to replicate what weaknees is providing with their external HD enclosure kit. The only wildcard here is the adapter and whether it's custom made for them, like they claim, or just a commercially available part. I NEVER SAID THIS APPROACH WILL SAVE YOU FROM MAKING A HOLE IN THE BOLT!!! All I said was that it saves you from drilling a hole in the *external HDD enclosure* to run the SATA cable (since you can utilize the existing eSATA input on the Sabrent enclosure). So will the 22 pin SATA to eSATA adapter that I linked to in the OP work? If not, why?

*Edit* - This is the post with pictures you referred to, which unfortunately doesn't answer my question.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

Marshall_dogski said:


> TC Forum Standard Operating Procedure for replying to questions: Assume the question has been answered before, refuse to answer it, and tell them to use the search feature before posting.


Probably not the best signature to use considering someone was trying to help, and he's not wrong, searching or reading first should be the first step in trying to resolve an issue when you have a TCF worth of valuable knowledge at your fingers.


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## gor88 (Jan 3, 2008)

I have been trying to find the old thread from 2017 about using the sata to esata adapter to connect an external drive and how a bunch of us lost recordings.

For TE3 users certainly, there was a TiVo OS upgrade that caused the sata to esata adapter configured hard drives to stop working and get the 4 blinking lights. I ended up having to take out the sata to esata adapter and replace with a sata to sata 6ft cable coming out the side of the bolt and using the power source from the external enclosure to fix the issue. I LOST all recordings I had prior to that update.

I would not advise using a sata to esata adapter, as you might experience this same issue in a future upgrade.

If I can find the thread, I'll reply here.


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## gor88 (Jan 3, 2008)

Here is the post about the 20.7.2 TiVo upgrade that functionally disabled the sata to esata adapter.
20.7.2 has arrived!


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## Marshall_dogski (May 24, 2004)

dianebrat said:


> Probably not the best signature to use considering someone was trying to help, and he's not wrong, searching or reading first should be the first step in trying to resolve an issue when you have a TCF worth of valuable knowledge at your fingers.


Meh. I've joined dozens of forums since the early 2000's and have never had such a cold and unwelcoming reception with my first post as I've had here. I doubt I would have been treated as poorly if I had a higher post count.


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## Marshall_dogski (May 24, 2004)

gor88 said:


> Here is the post about the 20.7.2 TiVo upgrade that functionally disabled the sata to esata adapter.
> 20.7.2 has arrived!


Thank you for your reply. If SATA to eSATA adapters were disabled with a TiVo update it doesn't add up why weaknees would still be using them in their external kits.

Regardless of whether it works, it may be best to avoid the extra conversion to eSATA and hook straight into the motherboard as @ClearToLand suggested.


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## tommage1 (Nov 6, 2008)

Marshall_dogski said:


> Hi,
> 
> After 30 months of service, my Toshiba 2.5" 3TB upgrade drive took a dump yesterday and it appears as though the supply of viable replacements has completely dried up. I'm on the hunt for an alternative...
> 
> ...


You don't need anything REALLY fancy for an external upgrade. Check this link. Pretty much an enclosure (that needs to be fairly specific, I list the one I used, there are a couple others that will work), and a few cables. I did not have to cut anything. Works for TE3 and TE4. Can also work with an Edge but the internal connections in the Edge a bit more tricky. Still very easy (you don't need an adapter if you do it right). Stick with Sata to Sata, though some connect to an ESata port on an enclosure (including Weaknees) much better to go Sata on motherboard to Sata on the drive inside the enclosure.

TE4 Bolt upgrade with external drive


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