Power from USB port?

[Magicthyse]

Is there any way to get 5V @ 1A to power a hard disk from any port on a Sony VAIO Z or GR series? USB power cable maybe? I don't want to do a 'hack' but want to know if there's a product available that does this... Sony's implementation of firewire (i.Link) bizarrely does not implement the power line.

 

[FenrisUlf]

The USB hub is only spec'd to handle .5A. You might be able to get more, but you might not. Another source might be the PCMCIA slot(s), since there are some PCMCIA hard drives and those would require about that amount of power.

 

[CraigRT]

1A is too much on USB, however 5V is ok.. but you've gotta come up with another way to get 1A of juice @5V.

I believe 1A is pushing it too far.

 

[Magicthyse]

OK - a different tack.

I can get the power required off a keyboard socket. For example, the Firewire disk will work off a power cable connected to my decrepit PCG-F403 & PCG-F409's keyboard socket, but oviously there's no keyboard socket on my GR215SP - the machine I really want to use this disk with.

There's also a Z600HEK and an R600HEK belonging to other staff in the office that I want to buy these disks for - and they don't have keyboard sockets either.

The whole point of the disks is portability - so there wouldn't be much use if we had to drag around an extra AC adaptor.

How else can I get the power that I would have got off the keyboard socket on a 'modern' Sony laptop?
Heeeelp...

 

[corkyg]

I do it by using a Firewire device that has a power brick (CDRW.) Then I can chain from it to whatever and it is like a powered hub. That is also an option . . . attach a 1394 hub that has its own brick.