ExpressCard/34 Issues with MBP

D

dougmays

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I'm thinking about buying one of the previous model macbook pros. And i was going to get a ExpressCard/34 esata card to hook up a external HD. But i have been reading alot of posts that point to numerous problems with these cards and OX 10.5.

Have these problems been addressed? are there safe cards to buy that have no problems? or is this a ongoing problem with osX?

any information or help would be great!

thanks in advance
 
Can you post a link to a specific problem with ExpressCards and Mac OS X/MacBook Pros?

I can't recall ever hearing of any significant problems with ExpressCards and MacBook Pros with Leopard...
 
What do you need the eSATA card for? The extra speed is nice but it may be that the FireWire 800 port will do you just as well. Be aware eSATA also has a limited cable length (1.5 or 2m I think).
 
i dont have a specific problem but i was reading some threads and people seemed to have problems with certain drives and the mac os when using the express port.

So you have a MBP and haven't had problems using it?

good advice on the firewire drive instead...
 
I have done a fair bit of video editing on mac which must be close to the most intensive use of your HD i/o speed, and its fine. True eSATA will give you a 4x transfer speed boost, but FW800 is perfectly fine for running projects off external drives. The only real bonus would be when you back up your project folder and bins, and are copying hundreds of GB across to a drive, but I am not sure its worth investing in eSATA just for that.

If not vid editing, I'd only consider eSATA if i regularly needed to move multi-hundred GB files about. I use a combination of gigabit ethernet and FW800 and the speeds are always fine. Also a lot of kit these days has FW800 ad well as USB2 which gives you some more flexibility. eSATA kit costs a bot more if i recall.
 
thanks for the explanation that helps alot. So in your express slot do you have the firewire/usb adapter for more ports?
 
Nope, I've never found anything worth using the slot for, though If I see a decent CF card reader that would be great for me, as transferring from my DSLR is a pain.

I Use the gigabit ethernet to conenct to most of my drives, and usb2/FW800 with hubs for the rest.
 
I have SD reader on my MBP's ExpressCard/34. I use it to transfer pictures from my Canon EOS 450D. Previously I had CF reader on my Powerbook PRO and the SD reader seems to be almost hundred times faster. Of course, MBP itself is faster than Powerbook.
 
Sadly my D200 is CF only, my old D50 had been SD so i had to buy new cards when I switched :(
 
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