its less cpu hogging than usb2. But I have a generic USB2.0/Firewire EIDE Enclosure myself. It can handle any IDE drive via normal IDE 40pin/80wire cable, has a switched powersupplly in the back so you can turn it on and off, runs off its own ac power. Right now i'm using it for my DVD-RW and it acts just like a normal drive, it even accepts flash upgrades like it was plugged right onto the onboard ide. Very useful stuff.