PCI SATA card

[kingcrowing]

can anyone reccomend a cheap SATA card (PCI) for a powermac G4? the only ones I can find that say they are compatiable with OS X are like $50, but you can get windows ons for around $10 on the cheap end, anybody know of any that are cheaper than $50 that will work with OS X? thanks!

 

[SmurfBoxMasta]

can anyone reccomend a cheap SATA card (PCI) for a powermac G4? the only ones I can find that say they are compatiable with OS X are like $50, but you can get windows ons for around $10 on the cheap end, anybody know of any that are cheaper than $50 that will work with OS X? thanks!

KC,

I dont mean to sound condescending or rude, but "if you wanna play, you gotta pay"

Upgrading macs is not "cheap", and using prices of windblows/x86 crap as a comparision does not, never has nor will ever be, fair or reasonable.....

Only reason I say this is because alot of your posts seem to included the word "cheap"

Dont get me wrong, I like to find good deals as much as you or anyone else does, but ya gotta face the facts ...........

And NO, I have not seen or heard of any Mac SATA cards less than $50 anywhere. Firmtek is one of the best, and even their older 2 port ones go for around $50, if not more, on ebay and other places.

best of luck to ya in finding one

 

[gco212]

KC,

I dont mean to sound condescending or rude, but "if you wanna play, you gotta pay"

Upgrading macs is not "cheap", and using prices of windblows/x86 crap as a comparision does not, never has nor will ever be, fair or reasonable.....

Only reason I say this is because alot of your posts seem to included the word "cheap"

Dont get me wrong, I like to find good deals as much as you or anyone else does, but ya gotta face the facts ...........

And NO, I have not seen or heard of any Mac SATA cards less than $50 anywhere. Firmtek is one of the best, and even their older 2 port ones go for around $50, if not more, on ebay and other places.

best of luck to ya in finding one

Why would it cost $40 dollars more for a Mac version? Isn't the hardware in this situation near identical? And I ask this seriously, I don't really know.

 

[Sun Baked]

Why would it cost $40 dollars more for a Mac version? Isn't the hardware in this situation near identical? And I ask this seriously, I don't really know.

Buy the $10 one if you want, but don't expect it to work -- nor for them to support it if an OS upgrade breaks the card.

Most of the more expensive cards also include support for keeping the card working, though the manufactures tend to orphan products.

Though some of the more amusing problems with unsupported cards are full speed fans and destruction of deep sleep on the machine.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

a SATA controller designed for a PC will not work in a Mac. Most of the time. $10 is pretty low for a SATA controller, even on the PC side. I've never seen one much below around $20.

I'm afraid that you'll pay more for a Mac compatable controller. Here is a good selection of cards. I bought the SIIG 2-port controller and I'm very happy with it, although if I could do it again I'd go for the 4-port model.

 

[Eidorian]

Yeah, SATA controller cards aren't cheap on the PC side either. Unless you're going with a no name brand card.

 

[SmurfBoxMasta]

Why would it cost $40 dollars more for a Mac version? Isn't the hardware in this situation near identical? And I ask this seriously, I don't really know.

Yea the hardware IS practically identical, but the firmware is NOT, which has to be specifically written for the Mac. And as with most things, developing stuff for a smaller market = fewer potential sales = higher prices. Seriously!

 

[kingcrowing]

well, the reason I ask is a lot of times it makes no difference, like with optical drives, I know they are different, but sometimes there are non-mac certified ones that will work with OS X and I was asking to see if anyone had done this, I'm just going to be getting an older mac with only ATA and I have a 160GB SATA HD that I wanted to put in there. I dont mind paying $50, but if I could get one for $20-$30 that would be better