HDD Stage Rack grows an eSATA port

You already loved it in its USB 2.0 incarnation. Now check the HDD Stage Rack with an additional eSATA interface. Who couldn't use an extra 315MB/s transfer rate for their 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch disks? Yours now for $57.15 before those excessive shipping costs are factored in.

[Thanks, Tyson W.]

[Eric YJ Chiu @ Jan 25th 2008 8:45AM]

how about RAID?

[Jason @ Jan 25th 2008 8:56AM]

Still not worth it with the shipping...

[dudeInAmerica @ Jan 25th 2008 8:59AM]

Frequent handling of bare drives...that should keep them working :P

[Ethyriel @ Jan 25th 2008 9:53AM]

Yeah, it's pointless to use it as a typical external 'enclosure', but it would be great for a bench where you frequently have to backup data from dead or dying machines.

[Nick @ Jan 25th 2008 11:43AM]

could always use their more expensive cradle solution with a 4 port usb hub
http://www.geekstuff4u.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=640

[Alexander @ Jan 25th 2008 1:26PM]

This is used for people who have to get a lot of computers up and running all the same software quickly.

That, or reading the data of the drives in quickly.

[jtc970 @ Jan 25th 2008 9:04AM]

Had a flashback to my Atari 2600

[Bob C. @ Jan 25th 2008 9:06AM]

D**n the shipping! Why won't they get a distributer in the states?

[Wwhat @ Jan 26th 2008 1:07PM]

Did you just censor 'damn'? WTF

[sepirioth @ Jan 25th 2008 9:08AM]

what IS the deal with the shipping charges!?!?! I was real excited the first time and the shipping charge was MORE then the item if i recall!? such a joke, they can move ALLOT of these if they charged $15 TOPS for shipping. Bad business, simple as that.

[spyboy @ Jan 25th 2008 9:13AM]

On their previous model that was usb 2.0 only, they (geekstuff4u) said it had heavy shipping because the base is weighted to keep the drive from falling over, so you're basically paying for lead weights.

They should have made a hollow spot in the bottom to take another old crappy drive and use that as ballast.

[Mike @ Jan 25th 2008 9:15AM]

Shipping is over $40 for US.

[E71 @ Jan 25th 2008 9:23AM]

Makes a hell of a lot more sense now. Gonna buy two, to accompany the 5 x 1TB drives in my fileserver. Mmm, 7TB.

[portwineboy @ Jan 25th 2008 9:46AM]

you have too much porn

[Alireza AJ @ Feb 16th 2008 9:43PM]

I have 10 TB haha!!

[Scott McQueen @ Jan 25th 2008 11:48AM]

I just have TB : ' (

[Bob C. @ Jan 25th 2008 9:30AM]

D**n the shipping! Why won't they get a distributer in the states?

[Johny Numbers @ Jan 25th 2008 9:37AM]

they have a US phone in NY does not make sense why shipping is expensive.

[Edwin Colon @ Jan 25th 2008 9:37AM]

DC-IN? No AC?

[Chip @ Jan 25th 2008 9:46AM]

You're joking, right? Most all small electronics are DC-In. That wall wart thingy does the AC to DC conversion.

[Sean @ Jan 25th 2008 4:26PM]

They should have put the power supply in the base instead of lead weights and done AC input.

[BigDaddyM @ Jan 25th 2008 9:41AM]

I would buy one if the shipping didn't kill me.
M

[JK @ Jan 25th 2008 9:49AM]

Geez - just pretend the cost is the cost plus the shipping. Get over it. This is a really cool product.

[Teebo @ Jan 25th 2008 9:55AM]

I like how you dunk it in there like an 8-Track tape.

[syadasti @ Jan 25th 2008 10:04AM]

The one with the built in USB hub is cooler but the premium they charge for it is insane:

http://www.geekstuff4u.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=640

$74.74

[blevay @ Jan 25th 2008 10:09AM]

Firewire? Us Mac fanboys have bare drives too...

[takamaru @ Jan 25th 2008 10:40AM]

Over $80 when it's all said and done? For $40 more I could buy a half T external and call it a day. Jeeze...

[snazz @ Jan 26th 2008 9:18PM]

But that's not really the point of this device, now is it?

[takamaru @ Jan 26th 2008 10:50PM]

True, but whats the point of paying $80 plus buying a half T drive for $100. I'm sure most of us don't have a 350 to 750 gig drive in the basement collecting dust...

[jrgriggs @ Jan 25th 2008 11:04AM]

That is the dumbest thing I've ever seen. Nearly the entire hard drive is vulnerable to the outside environment. There's a reason external drives go in enclosures, people.

[molecule-eye @ Jan 25th 2008 11:21AM]

You're kidding. In fact, drives probably last longer *outside* of enclosures, since the temperature is generally cooler outside.

Anyway, this gadget is only useful if you have *a number of* external drives you *frequently* hook up to your machine.

Shipping is lame.

[bdkennedy1 @ Jan 25th 2008 12:12PM]

This is a really cool product. I am so sick of dealing with external enclosures! But I don't think anyone in their right mind would pay that kind of shipping charge.

[po han chen @ Jan 25th 2008 12:18PM]

you don't have to pay for the crazy shipping any more. i just found it here and is branded by thermaltake as blacx: http://thermaltakeusa.com/product/Storage/hdd_station/hdd_station.asp
can't find any places that sells them though

[Jonah Lee @ Jan 25th 2008 12:22PM]

I could really use one of these, not for permanent usage, but to duplicate drives and the like, but that shipping is just ridiculous!!

[Jonah Lee @ Jan 25th 2008 12:33PM]

Amazon has the straight USB one for 42.62 at http://www.amazon.com/USB-2-0-Sata-Docking-Station/dp/B00127OV8C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1201282224&sr=8-1

[fuma @ Jan 25th 2008 12:35PM]

damn Engadget.. why are you wasting time on useless products like this when there are more meaningful, life-changing gadgets out there?
http://www.geekstuff4u.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=480

[Tomahawk @ Jan 25th 2008 1:12PM]

Can you boot Windows from an external eSata?

[Wwhat @ Jan 26th 2008 1:09PM]

e-sata is just a more sturdy sata cable, to the computer it's all the same though.
So yes.

[Udayan Tripathi @ Jan 25th 2008 1:58PM]

This is excellent. I have so many HDDs just sitting around. Along with the USB enclosure posted online yesterday, these 10-40GB discs will begin to serve a purpose again.

[Wwhat @ Jan 26th 2008 1:13PM]

So what do the HD manufacturers say about operating a HD it on its end? I know they OK flat and probably on the side, but is this approved of?

[ozr @ Feb 8th 2008 6:38PM]

I also love this product. But the shipping price is ....
I am in China. We have some smart guys doing a business like agent. They have the resources like airline hostess flight to the place like Japan. Then they'll let airline hostess to buy or pick up the gadget you ordered.... So the shipping price can be avoid.
So you can try to find someone in your place do the same business, or your friend who will go to Japan, or you can start to this business...

[ozr @ Feb 13th 2008 5:22AM]

I also love this product. But the shipping price is ....
I am in China. We have some smart guys doing a business like agent. They have the resources like airline hostess flight to the place like Japan. Then they'll let airline hostess to buy or pick up the gadget you ordered.... So the shipping price can be avoid.
So you can try to find someone in your place do the same business, or your friend who will go to Japan, or you can start to this business...

[eric @ Feb 11th 2008 12:09PM]

Looks like the Thermaltake one is showing up places now. Found it on Newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153066

Granted it only has USB 2.0. No eSATA.