SATA Device Cables - CompTIA A+ 220-1101 - 3.1

Summary

This script delves into the evolution of SATA, the Serial AT Attachment interface, detailing its various revisions and their respective data transfer speeds, from 1.5 Gbps in revision 1.0 to 16 Gbps in revision 3.2. It explains the physical connectors for power and data, the one-to-one connection principle, and the distinction between internal SATA and its external counterpart, eSATA. The script also covers the compatibility with older power supplies via molex connections and highlights the importance of using the correct cables for internal and external SATA connections.

Takeaways

• 🔌 SATA is a common interface for storage devices in laptops and desktops, standing for Serial AT Attachment.
• 🚀 There have been several versions of SATA, with each revision increasing data transfer speeds: 1.5 Gbps in 1.0, 3 Gbps in 2.0, 6 Gbps in 3.0, and 16 Gbps in 3.2.
• 🔄 SATA is used internally in computers, while external storage devices often use eSATA, which supports the same speeds but allows for a 2-meter cable length.
• 🔌 A hard drive typically has two SATA connectors: a smaller 7-pin for data transfer and a larger 15-pin for power.
• 🔌 Some hard drives also feature a molex power connector for compatibility with older power supplies.
• 🔄 SATA connections are one-to-one, meaning each power and data connector from the power supply or motherboard is connected to a single storage device.
• 🔄 Motherboards may have different SATA revision interfaces, often color-coded to indicate the version, such as yellow for SATA 2 and 3.
• 🔌 The SATA connectors on a motherboard are used to connect directly to the storage devices, with separate cables for each.
• 🚫 Hard drives without a molex connector can only be powered through the 15-pin SATA power connector.
• 🔌 eSATA is an external version of SATA with a different physical connector layout, requiring an eSATA cable for connection.
• 🔄 Storage drives may offer multiple connectivity options, such as FireWire, USB 2, and eSATA, allowing for flexibility in data transfer methods.

Q & A

What does SATA stand for?

SATA stands for Serial ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment).

What is the primary function of SATA in computers?

SATA is a common interface type for storage devices inside laptop and desktop computers, facilitating data transfer between the storage device and the computer.

How many different versions of SATA have been introduced over the years according to the script?

The script mentions several versions: SATA revision 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 3.2.

What was the data transfer speed of the first SATA revision?

The first version of SATA, revision 1.0, transferred data at 1.5 gigabits per second.

How did the data transfer speed evolve from SATA revision 2.0 to 3.0?

SATA revision 2.0 doubled the speed to 3 gigabits per second, and version 3.0 doubled it again to 6 gigabits per second.

What is the maximum data transfer speed of SATA revision 3.2?

SATA revision 3.2 increased the speed to 16 gigabits per second.

Is SATA used exclusively inside computers, or is there an external version?

While SATA is used primarily inside computers, there is an external version called eSATA for external storage devices.

What is the maximum cable length for eSATA connections?

The maximum cable length for eSATA connections is 2 meters.

What are the two types of connectors found on a SATA hard drive?

A SATA hard drive has a smaller seven-pin connector for data transfer and a larger 15-pin connector for power.

Can a SATA drive be powered using an older power supply's molex connector?

Yes, if transitioning to a newer SATA drive with an older power supply, the older molex connection can be used for power.

How does the script describe the SATA connections on a motherboard?

The script describes SATA connections on a motherboard as having different colors to designate the difference between the versions, with examples of yellow connectors on the provided motherboard.

What is the difference between an internal SATA connector and an external eSATA connector?

While they may look physically similar, the external eSATA connector is slightly larger and has a different layout compared to the internal SATA connector, requiring a different cable.

What additional connectivity options does the script mention for an external storage drive?

The script mentions FireWire and USB 2 as additional connectivity options for an external storage drive, alongside eSATA.

Outlines

00:00

🔌 Introduction to SATA and eSATA

This paragraph introduces the Serial AT Attachment (SATA) interface, which is a common storage device connection in laptops and desktops. It explains the evolution of SATA versions, starting from 1.0 with 1.5 Gbps speed, through 2.0 with 3 Gbps, 3.0 with 6 Gbps, and finally 3.2 with 16 Gbps. The paragraph also distinguishes between internal SATA and external SATA (eSATA), noting the maximum cable lengths and the physical connectors used for data transfer and power. It discusses the transition from older power supply connections to newer SATA power connectors and illustrates the one-to-one connection nature of SATA, showing how it differs from previous storage types. The summary also includes a visual description of a motherboard with SATA connectors and how they are connected to storage drives, as well as the differences between internal and external SATA connectors.

Keywords

💡SATA

SATA, which stands for Serial AT Attachment, is a standard interface specifically for storage devices in computers. It is the main theme of the video as it discusses various aspects of SATA technology. The script mentions different revisions of SATA, indicating its evolution and improvements in data transfer speeds.

💡Data transfer speed

Data transfer speed is a measure of how quickly information can be moved from one device to another, and it's a critical concept in the context of SATA. The script outlines the progression of SATA versions, each increasing the speed: from 1.5 Gbps in revision 1.0 to 16 Gbps in revision 3.2, showcasing the technological advancements in data transfer capabilities.

💡Revisions

Revisions refer to the different versions of the SATA standard that have been released over time. Each revision has improved upon the previous one, primarily in terms of speed and capabilities. The script provides a historical overview of these revisions, emphasizing the continual development of SATA technology.

💡eSATA

eSATA, or external SATA, is a variation of the SATA interface designed for external storage devices. It offers the same data transfer speeds as internal SATA but allows for a maximum cable length of 2 meters. The script explains that eSATA is used for external devices and requires a different cable than internal SATA.

💡Connectors

Connectors are the physical components that enable the connection between devices. In the script, two types of SATA connectors are discussed: a smaller seven-pin connector for data transfer and a larger 15-pin connector for power. These connectors are essential for understanding how SATA devices are physically linked within a computer system.

💡Molex connector

A molex connector is a type of power connector commonly used in older computer systems. The script mentions that some hard drives have a molex power connector, allowing for compatibility with older power supplies. This highlights the transition from older to newer technologies and the need for compatibility.

💡One-to-one connections

One-to-one connections refer to the direct link between a single power or data connector and a corresponding device. The script explains that SATA uses one-to-one connections, meaning each storage device requires its own separate power and data connection, which contrasts with some previous storage types that allowed for multiple devices on a single cable.

💡Motherboard

A motherboard is the central circuit board within a computer that connects all the other components. The script describes the presence of SATA connectors on the motherboard, which are essential for connecting storage devices. This illustrates the role of the motherboard in facilitating data transfers within a computer system.

💡Storage drives

Storage drives are the devices that hold digital information, such as hard drives or solid-state drives. The script discusses the connection of these drives to the motherboard via SATA connectors and the necessity of both data and power connections for the drives to function.

💡External storage

External storage refers to data storage devices that are connected to a computer outside of the main system unit. The script mentions an external storage drive with multiple connectivity options, including eSATA, which allows for high-speed data transfers and is an example of how external devices can interface with computers.

💡Adapter card

An adapter card is a device that allows for the connection of peripherals to a computer through a specific type of interface. In the script, an eSATA adapter card with two external SATA links is mentioned, demonstrating how internal SATA connections can be expanded to support external devices.

Highlights

SATA is a common interface type for storage devices in laptops and desktops.

SATA stands for Serial AT Attachment.

There have been many different SATA versions throughout the years.

SATA revision 1.0 transferred data at 1.5 Gbps over a 1-meter cable.

SATA revision 2.0 doubled the speed to 3 Gbps.

SATA revision 3.0 further doubled the speed to 6 Gbps.

SATA revision 3.2 increased the speed to 16 Gbps over a 1-meter data cable.

SATA is used exclusively inside computers.

External storage devices typically use eSATA with a maximum cable length of 2 meters.

SATA connectors on a hard drive include a smaller 7-pin for data transfer and a larger 15-pin for power.

Some hard drives also have a molex power connector for compatibility with older power supplies.

SATA connections are one-to-one, with a single cable supporting a single storage device.

Motherboards have SATA connectors for connecting storage devices directly.

SATA connectors may have different colors to designate different versions.

Power and data connections for storage drives must be connected for the drives to work.

Some storage drives only have SATA power and require a data connection from the motherboard.

eSATA is an external version of SATA with a different physical connector layout.

eSATA uses the same connectivity standard as internal SATA but requires an eSATA cable.

Many storage drives offer multiple connectivity options, including FireWire, USB, and eSATA.

Transcripts

One very common interface type for our storage devices

inside of our laptop computers and desktop computers is SATA.

SATA stands for Serial AT Attachment.

And there have been many different SATA

versions throughout the years.

The first version of SATA, SATA revision 1.0,

transferred data at 1 and 1/2 gigabits per second

over a 1 meter cable.

SATA revision 2.0 doubled that speed to 3 gigabits per second.

Version 3.0 doubled it again to 6 gigabits per second.

And SATA revision 3.2 increased the speed

to 16 gigabits per second over that 1 meter data

cable inside of your computer.

SATA is used exclusively inside of our computers.

If you have an external storage device,

you're probably connecting with eSATA or external SATA.

This matches the speeds that are used

on those revisions of internal SATA versions,

but it allows for a maximum cable length of 2 meters.

These are the SATA connectors on a hard drive.

The smaller seven pin connector is used for data transfer.

And this larger 15 pin connector is used to power the device.

This hard drive also has a power connector

for a molex connector.

So if you're transitioning a system to a newer SATA drive,

but it still has an older power supply,

you can use the older molex connection.

Or if your power supply supports it,

the newer 15 pin SATA connection.

These connections for power and for data

are one to one connections.

So you have a single power connection coming off

of your power supply.

That single connection plugs into that single connector

on the back of your storage drive.

You also have a single data connector on your motherboard.

That single data connector provides a single connection

for a storage device using that data connector.

Unlike some previous storage types,

a SATA connection has a single cable supporting

a single storage device.

Here's a motherboard.

This one has a CPU and space for memory.

And you can see down here at the bottom

are some SATA connectors.

If we zoom up on this, you can see

that we have SATA revision 2 and SATA revision 3 interfaces.

And these also have different colors

to designate the difference between the versions.

The colors can change depending on the motherboard.

This motherboard has yellow SATA connectors.

And it's a pair of SATA connectors

that are next to each other.

These SATA connections go directly

from the motherboard into the storage device itself.

You can see we have three separate motherboard

connections, and the black, yellow, and blue cables

are plugging into the black, yellow, and blue connectors

on these three separate storage drives.

For these storage drives to work,

you would also, obviously, need to connect the power

connections for each of these three drives.

Here's another storage drive.

This one does not have that molex connector.

So the only way to power this drive

is with the SATA power that's included on the drive itself.

And you would also connect the data connection

to your motherboard.

Usually you have that cable coming directly

from the motherboard, plugging into the drive,

and now you're able to access all of the data on the drive

once you add both the data and the power connection

to this storage device.

As we mentioned earlier, there's not only

this internal connection for SATA,

there's also an external version called eSATA.

And on this device there is an eSATA adapter card

with two separate external SATA links

built into the computer itself.

These use the same standard for connectivity

that we have with our internal SATA connections.

But the connector itself, although looks physically

similar to the internal connector,

is a very different connector type when you're using eSATA.

If we look at a SATA interface on your motherboard,

it has this L shape associated with it.

If we look at an external eSATA connector, it's slightly larger

and does have a very different layout.

This means that if you're connecting an eSATA drive,

you'll need an eSATA cable.

And if you're plugging into an internal SATA drive,

you will need a SATA cable.

Many storage drives have different options

for connectivity.

This external storage drive has FireWire, USB 2,

and eSATA as some of those options.

If you're using that eSATA connection,

you would plug-in to the storage drive,

connect that eSATA cable to the eSATA interface

on your computer, and now you'll be

able to transfer data from this external storage device.