Anyone using an External USB enclosure?

[micbob4]

I need to convert my internal plexWriter 52/24/52A to an external by using a External USB enclosure but I'm not to fimilar with what enclosure would support this burner. Does anyone currently use or have used an External USB enclosure? If so, what would you recommend I use. Thanks, Bob

P.S. Just installed hoster on my laptop can't wait to get started!!!!

[KickinKaraoke]

Bob,

I was going to do the same thing, but I decided to but a new Plextor Premium instead. The point to all of this is while I was looking at enclosures I saw a (if I remember right) western digital enclosure that would take a CD drive at Circuit City, for a good price. You might want to try there for one.

Best,

Roger

[jsmith]

I'm using a "Bytecc" enclosure for the very same drive and have had no problems so far.

[micbob4]

Originally Posted by jsmith

I'm using a "Bytecc" enclosure for the very same drive and have had no problems so far.

jsmith, What type of Bytecc is it and where did you purchase it? Thanks

[S. Parks]

go look at caloptic.com they have a good selection of enclosures that work great aI've been using them for a couple years now. I know MTU sells combinations but I'm not sure if they sell the enclosure separately.

[jsmith]

micbob4, I got mine off of e-bay.

[micbob4]

jsmith what size did you get 3.5 or 5.25? Thanks, Bob

[S. Parks]

that's dictated by the size of the drive you put in it.

[micbob4]

Originally Posted by S. Parks

that's dictated by the size of the drive you put in it.

Thanks S. Parks, First time dealing with enclosures and having a hard time finding local stores that carry them. I just want to make sure I'm purchasing the right item, especially since jsmith is using the same plexwriter, that way I know it will be compatible. It would be very frustrating to find out its wrong after purchasing online. Thanks for your help.

[S. Parks]

Most reputable websites that sell the enclosured, should have a customer support number to guide you with the selection and installation. If they don't, I wouldn't buy from them! Tiger Direct, Egg head, caloptic,...all of these guys have a person on the other end that will give you good advice!

[jsmith]

micbob4, it's a 5.25. I've got a 3.5 (different brand of enclosure) for a hard drive and I don't think it would fit. BTW, the external enclosure/internal hard drive is giving me some problems if you are thinking of going that route.

[nreel]

I know that this Thread pertains to the use of a USB External Enclosure with respect to CDROMs but, I thought I would mention this story.

A local KJ Friend of mine used an External USB Enclosure with a MAXTOR Drive.

He always had audio drops and eventually ended up with corrupted KMA files.

He fought this for 2 months as everything went slowly downhill.

He thought he had backed-up his KMA files but turned out he, initially, moved all KMAs to the newly built USB External Drive that, in turn, degraded the KMAs.

He used an ingenious way to find which KMAs were hosed by re-installing an earlier version of Hoster that had the UPDATE KMA function (not EDIT KMA).

He didn't actually change any data, as far as Updating; he simply selected all the KMAs and ran the Update KMA function. As the KMAs were being updated, the Updater would catch all files that were corrupt and, as it turned out, did not Update those bad KMA files.

So, after the Update was done, he opened the Song.MDB and sorted by date to see which files DID NOT have the CURRENT date. Those KMA files, without the Current Date, were obviously the files that were hosed.

He re-imported the bad files, got rid of the External USB Enclosure, hooked the Maxtor Hard Drive directly to the Computer as a Secondary HD, and was back up and running 100%...WITH NO AUDIO DROPS.

Moral of the story, you try to save a buck and use a Make-Shift USB External Drive and you may find yourself in the same circumstance.

If any of you were using an Internal Hard Drive enclosed in a USB External Enclosure and experience Audio Drops, I would suspect the Electronics in USB External Enclosure. To verify, take the Hard Drive out of the Enclosure and Install it Directly as a Slave/Secondary HD in your Computer. If the Audio Drops go away, then you know it was the Enclosure causing the problem.

Hope this helps,

Norm

[MTUSUPPORT]

You can always call Plextor at 800-886-3935 to ask them what External USB 2 case's they recommend for their products.

[S. Parks]

I have one called a "Speedzter 5" that works awesome with the plextor drive. You can google that name and find suppliers.