StarTech.com | Paul & Ken's Tech Lounge

Drive Dock receives Golden Tachometer Award!

Ken — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:30:00

Our SATADOCK22UE Dual SATA Hard Drive Docking Station was recently featured in a review at Benchmarkreviews.com!
The docking station scored very well, having received a 9/10 in the review as well as having received a Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award!

Charge or Sync your iPod or iPhone!

Paul — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00

If you're looking for an inexpensive way to charge or sync your Apple� iPod or iPhone, look no further than our USBIPODMM3 or USBIPODMM1 Dock Connector to USB Cable.

The cables feature high quality construction and are backed by Lifetime Warranty, ensuring a reliable way to charge your iPod or iPhone and/or sync files with your computer!

Play to Win Contest!

Ken — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:10:00

Check out our Play to Win Contest!
Answer 5 easy questions correctly, and you will be entered into a draw to win a JAZZ 11MP HIGH DEFINITION CAMCORDER!
Contest closes December 31, 2009, but why wait?

USB2LINK Great for Migration to Windows 7!

Ken — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:30:00

I picked up a new laptop yesterday, which came pre-loaded with Windows 7.

One concern I had was that I'd accumulated quite a few files over the past few years on the older laptop, which I'd want to have available to me on the new computer. While there are several solutions for this (backing data up to a separate thumb drive or external hard drive, burning to a DVD), connecting the two computers directly through USB 2.0 seemed much quicker and simpler.

I had a few options here, (given that I had immediate access to external storage and the XP laptop had a DVD burner built in), but this provided the opportunity for me to test one of our products - a USB Easy Transfer Cable (USB2LINK)!

Using the Easy Transfer application that was installed on the Windows 7 laptop was as simple as connecting the two computers using the USB2LINK and running the application, which walks you through the migration.

Once you've followed the steps outlined by the application, the process lives up to its name, as it's just a matter of waiting while the files and settings are transferred over! It took some time for the files to transfer, but was definitely an effective way to configure the new operating system (which I am really enjoying so far, btw!).

Twitter and ConXit Contest Winners Announced!

Paul — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:30:00

Congratulations go to our first 10 followers on Twitter - the lucky recipients of their very own USB Basketball game!:

Sarah Ferguson
Philip Wilson
Danny G Smith
Munro Computers
Stephen Kennedy
Fran Koenig
Mike Theriault
Jay Blackfish 95
Les Klassen Hamm
Daniel DellaPosta

We'll also be sending the following "students" a USB Basketball game, in recognition of being the first 10 people to have successfully completed the most recent addition to StarTech University - DisplayPort Technology!

Mark Landeryou
Tyler Teske
Ken Koh
Brady Wells
Christopher Bruce
Dan Moran
Brian Hill
Mark Ray
Stephen Hudec
Charles Ham

And last, but definitely not least, the winner of the most recent ConXit Challenge (ending September 30, 2009), who was randomly drawn from the entries we received from the questionnaire for the recently launched ConXit Connection Wizard is...

Amy Burns

who will be receiving an Acer Netbook computer!

Congratulations and thanks to our winners! We'll contact you shortly to confirm delivery of your prizes!

Testing SATA hard drives just got easier!

Paul — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:30:00

Our new SATA USB Adapter Cable makes it very easy to test a bare Serial ATA hard drive, without having to install it in a computer case or a drive enclosure.

This is a particularly handy device to have on hand not only for drive testing, but also grabbing data off of an older, no-longer-in-service 2.5" or 3.5" SATA hard drive.

Included with the USB SATA Adapter is the accompanying power adapter (shown below), which eliminates even having to open the computer case for connection to the PSU.

Partsapalooza VI!

Ken — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:22:00

Today marks our sixth Partsapalooza event - a tabletop show and training event for the StarTech.com team!!

This installment featured a sneak peek for our employees, of some of the new and upcoming products we have on the way, including our Hard Drive Duplicator Docking Station, our newest CAT5 VGA video extenders (point-to-point), and our 7.1 channel external USB Sound Card!

StarTech.com Wins WebAward - 4th Year in a row!

Paul — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:30:00

I am very excited to announce that for the fourth consecutive year, StarTech.com has been selected to receive the Web Marketing Association's WebAward for outstanding achievement in Website Development!

We are once again very proud of this achievement, as we strive to provide a comfortable online environment that suits the diverse needs of our customers, while making continuous improvements to our website! We try very hard to create a website that reflects our main goal of making "hard-to-find easy" on every level, so to be recognized by the Web Marketing association for the fourth straight year is very rewarding!

View the details of our 2009 WebAward here!

DisplayPort Course Added to StarTech University!

Paul — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00

Want to learn more about DisplayPort technology? The newest addition to StarTech University is a great place to start, with some facts you may find interesting about the most powerful video (and audio) connection ever!

External Sound Card Now Available!

Paul — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:30:00

If you've been checking out our New Products page lately, you may have noticed that our ICUSBAUDIO7D USB 2.0 External Sound Card is now available!

This product is particularly useful for upgrading audio capability on your desktop or more notably laptop computer to 7.1 channel audio - which is great for running multimedia presentations, home theater and gaming applications in surround sound!

Mini DVI adapters a cost-effective alternative...

Paul — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:49:00

Speaking to our product development team is always a great way to get insight on some of the products we offer, and my most recent meeting with them was no different.

When we got onto the topic of some of the video converters/adapters that we offer, one of our in-house Mac enthusiasts pointed out that our Mini DVI adapters are a terrific way to take advantage of the multimedia and graphical capability offered by iMac and MacBook computers. If you're looking for a cost-saving way to connect a VGA or DVI-D equipped monitor, or HDMI capable high definition television to a mini DVI video source, we offer the perfect solutions:

Mini DVI VGA Adapter Cable
Mini DVI/DVI-D Adapter Cable
Mini DVI HDMI Adapter Cable

A Closer Look at the NOTECONS01!

Ken — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:30:00

Here's a recent video that provides some footage of our NOTECONS01 USB 2.0 Laptop KVM Console Adapter starring our very own Jon Arnett, one of our Senior Product Managers, who gives you a hands-on look at the product in action!

Follow us on Twitter!

Paul — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:00:00

As you might have already seen, StarTech.com is now on Twitter! Although we may not end up with the same number of followers as Ashton Kutcher or Larry King, we'd love for our customers or people curious about what we offer to follow us through this (not so) new format.

Our username is STARTECHdotCOM, and by following our "tweets" you'll be able to keep up with new products, events, special pricing and more!

New SATA External Dual Hard Drive Dock on the way!

Ken — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:30:00

Our upcoming USB SATA HDD Docking Station is now available for pre-order in our New Products section! The HDD Dock not only acts as easy-to-use external SATA storage, but can also be used as a standalone hard drive duplicator - a versatile solution for virtually any storage application including 1:1 hard disk cloning, entire drive backups and more.

StarTech.com Makes the Inc. 5000 Again!

Paul Seed — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:26:00

I'm proud to announce that StarTech.com has once again been included in Inc. Magazine's rankings as one of the top 5000 fastest growing private companies in the United States! 2009 marks the third consecutive year we have been included in this prestigious list of growing companies.

The fact that StarTech.com continues to grow and thrive during these difficult economic times is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all StarTech.com employees along with the continued support and loyalty from you, our valued customers. Thanks to you all!

A new "bay" to dock hard drives!

Paul Seed — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:08:00

StarTech.com's new 5.25 inch Bay Mounted SATA Hard Drive Dock (SATADOCK525) offers an easy way to access information from 2.5 inch or 3.5 inch hard drives.

The trayless design allows users to easily swap between hard drives (and hard drive types) to access information from different HDD sources without a lot of time or effort. Changing hard drives is as easy as plugging in a new one, and its bay mount capabilities keep workspaces free of device clutter.

The HDD dock is able to dock both a 2.5in hard drive and a 3.5in hard drive at the same time, but also includes the handy feature of being able to hold two 2.5in drives at once instead!

Save Money with Refurbished Products!

Paul — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:55:00

You may have already noticed that we've added a section to our website dedicated to Refurbished and Scratch & Dent products.

If steep discounts are more important to your budget than a few (typically unnoticeable) paint scratches, our refurbished or slightly blemished products offer great savings in a variety of product categories. All of our refurbished items are included under warranty and receive the same free lifetime technical support as the rest of our products!

New, Improved USB VGA Adapter Available!

Ken — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:40:00

Our newest USB VGA external video card (USB2VGAE2) is now available, replacing a previous version (USB2VGAE) with improved performance including higher graphical capability (up to 1600x1200 @ 16 and 32 bits) and support for multi display applications.

Using multiple USB2VGAE2 adapters, you can connect up to five auxiliary monitors to the same computer - a definite advantage compared to the USB2VGAE, especially in digital signage and digital point of sale applications.

StarTech.com Supports The American Cancer Society

Ken Kalopsis — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:32:00

Last weekend those dedicated StarTech.com employees were at it again, raising money for another great cause, The American Cancer Society. Employees from our Groveport, Ohio location participated in the annual Relay for Life event held in Groveport and raised an incredible $1500 to support this worthy cause!

In addition to running the track, the team also participated in other activities and took first place in the competitive box car race. We like to win at StarTech.com!

Not content to stop there, the team will be continuing its fundraising efforts through August so there's still time to help out!

A special thank you to everyone who represented StarTech.com at The Relay for Life, participated in the fundraising and made contributions to support a very worthy cause.

Component & Composite A/V Wall Plates on the way!

Paul — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:00:00

In addition to the CAT5 VGA Extender Audio Video Wall Plates I mentioned in my post last week, I am pleased to mention that we will be introducing the new CAT5 Composite Video Extender Audio/Video Wall Plate (COMPUTPWALLA) and CAT5 Component Video Extender Audio/Video Wall Plate (CPNTUTPWALLA) in the coming weeks - both currently available for pre-order!

The Composite video extender A/V wall plates and the Component Video extender A/V wall plates include stereo audio capability, providing a single Cat5 extension that ensures a simple, straightforward installation, overcoming the need to extend the corresponding audio signal separately.

VGA Extender Wall Plates Available for Pre-Order

Paul — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:00:00

Our "UTPE" family of Cat5 VGA extenders is growing in the coming weeks, with the addition of our VGA extender video wall plates, including:

CAT5 VGA Extender Video Wall Plate - Transmitter (STUTPTXWAL)
CAT5 VGA Extender Video Wall Plate - Receiver (STUTPRXWAL)
CAT5 VGA Extender Video Wall Plate - Transmitter and Receiver (STUTPWALL)

The video wall plates provide a very neat and professional approach to extending VGA video signals, supporting a broad range of display resolutions as determined by extension distance:

300m (950ft) / 800x600
200m (620ft) / 1024x768
180m (550ft) / 1280x1024
100m (300ft) / 1600x1200
50m (150ft) / 1920x1200

One of the key, most cost-effective benefits of our VGA extender wall plates is that they use non-proprietary cable, instead of specialized cabling. Not only is network cable cheaper than specialized cabling, it's also less bulky than any of the proprietary cable I've seen so far, which can be a definite installation time-saver.

In the coming months, we'll also be releasing Composite, Component, and HDMI video extender wall plates, in addition to our CAT 5 VGA video extender products, adding to the value of the VGA extender wall plates by adding scalability. Unlike proprietary video extender wall plates, our VGA, Composite, Component, and HDMI wall plates would only require swapping out the wall plate in the event of an upgrade or migration to another A/V format. With systems using a specially-fit cable, you'd also need to re-install the necessary cable based on the format you'd be using, adding not only to the expense of such a project but also the time and hassle.

The video wall plates are available for pre-order, and are expected to arrive within the next 4-6 weeks!

New USB/VGA KVM Console Extender Now Available!

Paul — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:30:00

It's hard not to be enthusiastic when introducing our latest USB VGA serial and audio KVM Console Extender (SV565UTPUSA)!

The USB VGA KVM Console Extender connects to standard Cat5/Cat 6 UTP network cables to allow users to control a server, computer, or multiple computers (connected through KVM Switch) for distances up to 1000ft.
The console/KVM extender is compatible with any brand of USB KVM switch, and provides superb performance while minimizing signal loss even over long distances!

StarTech.com Pulls in $3795 for Charity!

Paul Seed — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:24:00

Over the weekend of June 13th-14th, a hearty group of StarTech.com employees participated in the annual Labatt 24 Hour Relay to raise money for the Children's Aid Society. Through various fundraising activities and generous donations, our team raised an impressive $3795 to help this worthy cause.

To complete the event, teams were required to have a runner on the track continually for 24 hours straight, no easy task! We also participated in many challenging competitions such as the tug of war. As you can see from the photo, team StarTech.com plays to win!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the event and fundraising. Together we supported a great cause and had some fun at the same time.

SATA/USB to Dual CF SSD adapter now available!

Ken — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:02:00

Another new addition to our line of do-it-yourself SSDs, the 2.5in SATA or USB to Dual Compact Flash SSD Adapter with RAID (2FC2SATAR) is now available for purchase.

Built to support RAID 0 (Striping), RAID 1 (Mirroring), and BIG (Concatenation), the CF hard drive adapter allows Compact Flash/Compact Flash II, or MicroDrive media to be used on a laptop computer as a bootable hard drive.

When the USB/SATA CF SSD Adapter is linked using USB, power and data transferred through the USB 2.0 interface allows the attached desktop or notebook PC easy and efficient CF card access. The CF adapter card also contains a SATA male power connector and SATA male data connector to give an alternate handy connection option for users.

DisplayPort KVM Switch Available for Pre-Order!

Paul — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:20:00

As a follow-up to my post on May 08, 2009 (DisplayPort KVM Switch Coming Soon!), we are now accepting pre-orders for the SV231DPU DisplayPort KVM Switch!

New Ethernet Serial Device Server Available

Ken — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:04:00

Our newest Ethernet Serial Device Server (NETRS2321POE) is now available, adding to our line of serial to Ethernet device servers.

Distinguishing the NETRS2321POE from earlier releases, this new serial device server offers a Power over Ethernet (PoE) connection, which eliminates the need for an external power source by utilizing the power drawn from PoE switches, hubs or other PoE devices. This feature is of major value for installation locales that have limited access to available power outlets.

Much like our previous serial device servers, the NETRS2321POE offers a simple way to install RS232 serial devices anywhere on a TCP/IP Ethernet WAN/LAN, allowing users access to shared RS232 peripherals through a connection established over an intranet or the Internet.

1.8" CF Enclosures Now Available for Pre-Order!

Paul — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:24:00

The newest additions to our "DIY SSD" lineup of Compact Flash adapters are now available for pre-order.

The 1.8" 50-Pin IDE SSD CF Enclosure and 1.8" Micro SATA SSD CF Enclosure let you turn a Compact Flash card into a bootable 1.8in IDE or SATA Solid State Drive (respectively).

The adapters offer very simple and cost-effective do-it-yourself Solid State Storage that can be used to replace a conventional laptop hard drive, harnessing the benefits of SSD.

New Internal SATA docking station now available!

Paul — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:19:00

I'm pleased to announce the SATADOCK525 SATA hard drive dock to our hard drive docking stations lineup.

The hard drive dock (SATA 2.5", SATA 3.5") can hold up to two drives at the same time - two 2.5" drives, or one 3.5" drive and one 2.5" drive.

It features a tray-less design that can be mounted internally into any 5.25" computer drive bay, for quick and convenient access to hard disk drives.

The SATA hard drive dock allows users to power the drives on or off as needed, which lets you control system power consumption and eliminate wasted energy from the computer power supply.

USB 3.0 cables coming soon!

Paul — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:45:00

I'm excited to announce the upcoming addition of USB 3.0 cables to our product line!

Initially we'll be offering a USB 3.0 A-B connection in three different lengths of cable, as well as a 6' USB 3.0 extension cable. Each of the cables features Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) construction and will be backed by our lifetime warranty - ensures the highest quality and reliability for cutting edge connections.

USB 3.0 promises a throughput of up to 4.8 Gbps - roughly 10x the current USB (2.0) capability - which equates to faster data transfers and the ability for future USB devices to "grow into" the speed the connection enables.

With USB 3.0 devices coming out in the very near future (predicted to be widespread by 2010), these cables will be great to have on hand in order to take advantage of the amazing benefits that this new interface is sure to provide.

View the 3' USB 3.0 cable here

View the 6' USB 3.0 cable here

View the 10' USB 3.0 cable here

ConXit Challenge Winners Announced!

Ken — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:24:00

Congratulations go out to Gary Winokur from Comprehensive inc. and Steven Phillips from Dell for winning our March and April online ConXit Challenge draws. They will be receiving a new Tom Tom GPS unit courtesy of StarTech.com.

We'd like to give a big thank you to everyone who participated in this event.

Don't forget to enter our new ConXit Challenge for a chance to win a Nintendo DSi! Hurry, the contest closes on June 30th, 2009 - Click Here to Enter!

DisplayPort KVM Switch Coming soon!

Paul — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:50:00

I'm excited to mention that we've added the upcoming SV231DPU DisplayPort KVM Switch as a Future Product!

The 2-port KVM Switch takes advantage of the cutting edge capability of DisplayPort technology, allowing control of two computers from one keyboard, mouse and DisplayPort-enabled display!

Portable KVM Console Adapter Coming Soon!

Paul — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:15:00

If you've visited our New Products section lately, you might have seen the listing for our upcoming Portable KVM to USB Mobile Console Laptop Adapte r - an exciting new addition to our KVM and Server Management product line.

The Mobile Console adapter turns a laptop into a mobile KVM console - an innovative solution that offers immense value to systems administrators and data center professionals who need to be able to setup or maintain "headless" servers, which would typically involve using a computer/server "crash cart".

The pocket-sized adapter is easy to use, and offers an extremely portable design in contrast to having to wheel around a mobile workstation/crash cart!

Watch for the KVM to USB Mobile Console Laptop Adapter in the coming weeks!

Slimline SATA (Male) to SATA adapter available

Paul — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:33:00

If you're looking for an inexpensive way to bridge the "compatibility gap" between a Slimline SATA-equipped motherboard and standard Serial ATA drives, look no further!

We recently launched our 20in Slimline SATA Male to SATA with LP4 Power Cable Adapter, offering a Slimline (male) motherboard connection which breaks off into a standard Serial ATA data connection and LP4 power connection.

New VGA Matrix Video Switch/Splitter Available!

Paul — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:00:00

If you're familiar with our 4 Port VGA Matrix Video Switch (250 MHz) (ST224MX), you probably already know how convenient an addition it can be for maximizing the versatility of video control configurations.

We recently launched our 4x4 VGA Matrix Video Switch/Splitter (with Audio) (ST424MX), which allows up to four distinct VGA video signals to be switched/split for display on any of the connected VGA displays (up to four).

The Matrix Video Switch/Splitter also features the added benefit of audio switching, which allows you to switch/split the corresponding audio that accompanies the VGA video signal, instead of having to run a separate audio splitter/switch in tandem.

So far, the response has been very positive from customers who've used the switch/splitter, particularly so for high resolution digital signage applications.

The switch/splitter supports 350MHz video bandwidth and a maximum resolution of 1920x1440 (@ 60Hz), which easily accomodates high quality VGA presentations, and can be used as a standalone unit or rack mounted (includes earmounts).

StarTech.com Welcomes New Distributor: ASI

Paul — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:14:00

We're very pleased to announce that StarTech.com products will soon be available through our newest distribution partner, ASI!

This agreement makes StarTech.com's comprehensive line of A/V and IT products available to ASI's customer base of over 20,000 VARs, systems integrators, retailers and OEM customers.

Product lines from StarTech.com that will be made available to ASI customers include:

Computer Parts - Industrial and consumer I/O products, fans and removable storage accessories
Server Management Products - KVM switches, IP KVM products, and LCD rack consoles
A/V Solutions - Converters, extenders, splitters, switches and convergence products
Cables - A comprehensive selection including custom lengths supporting all major technologies

Initially, about 100 of our top selling products will be available, beginning in May 2009.

New Search Suggest Feature Makes Hard-to-Find Easy

Ken — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:00:00

Searching our site just became a great deal easier, with the addition of the new Search Suggestion feature. Now, when you search for products on our site, the search box will drop down with suggestions related to the first character(s) you enter in your query, guiding you to the products you are looking for without even having to finish typing!

In the picture below, for example, I've typed in the term "video", which results in several possibilities as to how the search phrase could be entered.

Here, the Search Suggestion tool has suggested "video cable, video cable adapter, video capture...". Once you've identified the term you're looking for from the possibilities offered, it's as easy as clicking on the suggested term you are looking for! If the term you're looking for isn't listed, feel free to continue your search as usual, by entering the entire phrase.

You can let us know if this new feature helped "make hard-to-find easy" by clicking on the Site Feedback link at the bottom of any of our webpages.

Invisible Cables - Available soon at StarTech.com!

Andrew Stephen — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:01

As our tagline suggests, "Making hard-to-find easy" is a top priority at StarTech.com. I am very proud to announce the release of our hardest to find product ever - the world's first invisible cable!

Without revealing too much about the cable (not set for release until mid-April), the cable wire is comprised of double-walled aluminum/cadmium nanotubes, roughly 1/250,000th the thickness of a single human hair; the cable jacket and connectors are constructed of a flexible mylar-fiber composite that is almost entirely invisible (leaves a barely noticeable silhouette when held against an illuminated backdrop).

The only short-coming of invisible cables is their tendency to maintain invisibility only in moderate temperatures - in extremely hot or extremely cold environments, the cables take on a not entirely unpleasant brown color. Aside from this slight oxidation, though, the cables offer the same capability of regular, visible cables, and completely eliminate the clutter/unsightliness of typical cables.

Although the cables have been in development for some time, there was a great deal of red tape involved in not only finding the necessary materials but also military and legal clearances based on the potential dangers the invisible cables present. One of the biggest problems we faced was how to properly label the cables within industry guidelines; the markings denoting the gauge and capability of the cables have to be large enough to be visible, which we argued (to no avail) defeated the purpose of the technology put in place to create an invisible cable.

A prototype of the new invisible cable is shown being held by StarTech.com Marketing Supervisor, April Yuhasz in the photo.

One more thing...April Fools!

New DisplayPort VGA Adapters Available

Ken — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:21:00

If you're looking for a cost-effective way to bridge the compatibility gap between a DisplayPort-capable video card and an older VGA monitor, we have the perfect solution!

Our DisplayPort to VGA Adapter (DP2VGA) offers an economical solution for taking advantage of the latest and greatest benefits of cutting edge video cards without the added expense of a new (DisplayPort) monitor.

New HD15 to Component RCA Breakout Cable Available

Ken — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:00:00

If you're looking for a cost-effective way to connect a VGA video card to a display/television through a Component Video input port, we have the answer!
Our 3 ft HD15 to Component RCA Breakout Cable Adapter - M/M lets you connect a VGA output (video card, etc.) to a display/monitor that uses Component video input.

New IP KVM Switch available

Ken — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:24:00

We recently added the SV441DUSBI IP KVM switch to our KVM product lineup. The switch offers BIOS-level remote server access, empowering users to control up to 4 computers connected over a LAN or the Internet.

The switch provides a user-friendly OSD (On-Screen Display) that simplifies installation and configuration.

DVI w Digital Audio to HDMI Converter Available!

Paul — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:24:00

We recently added a DVI to HDMI Converter (DVI2HDMI) to our Converge A/V line of audio-video products. The converter lets users connect a DVI-D video out signal as well as the accompanying audio (optional) to an HDMI display, using a single HDMI connection.

This product offers a simple way to bridge DVI-D output devices with HDMI devices, consolidating both audio and video into a single signal - an excellent solution for combatting compatibility issues.

New EC 1394a/b FireWire Adapter Available!

Ken — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:29:00

We recently added the versatile 2 Port ExpressCard/34 1394a/b FireWire Laptop Adapter Card(EC13941A1B) to our selection of mobile computing products.

The FireWire adapter lets you connect both FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 devices to your ExpressCard equipped laptop or desktop computer, and includes Ulead's Video Studio 10 software - an all-in-one mobile video editing solution that is suitable for use with both 1394a and 1394b FireWire devices.

StarTech.com Launches ConXit Tool!

Paul — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:14:00

We are very excited to announce the launch of the ConXit Connection Wizard - a new online tool that makes it easy to find an appropriate solution for connecting two (typically incompatible) devices.

Based on your input, the ConXit Wizard will recommend a suitable solution, including converters, extenders, splitters, interface cards and cables - making hard-to-find easier than ever before!

As an example, let's say you want to connect an LCD monitor with VGA input to your laptop, using an available USB A port.

In Step One, select "VGA" from the dropdown menu.

The Step Two drop down field will indicate "All Supported Connections"; click on the drop down list to narrow the possible results as necessary (in this case, select "USB A"), then click "Find It" to view your selection.

If you skip making a selection from Step Two and simply click on the "Find It" button once the Step One choice is made, several available solutions and alternate solutions (where applicable) will be shown on the results page - letting you choose the most suitable solution for your required connection.

New HDMI DVI Video Converter/Scaler Now Available!

Paul — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:24:00

We recently launched the newest addition to our Converge A/V line of audio-video solutions, an HDMI/DVI Scaler/Converter (HDMI2HDMI), which provides multiple solutions for home theater, professional audio video, and digital signage applications.
The scaler/converter lets you scale HDMI video to match the native resolution of the HDMI display/HDTV, scale DVI video (using a DVI to HDMI cable), separate HDMI into DVI (with separated audio out), or combine DVI video with audio for HDMI output.
By allowing you to manipulate the DVI or HDMI signal as needed, the HDMI/DVI Scaler/Converter (HDMI2HDMI) saves the expense of compatibility, while letting you enjoy the high quality offered by your A/V equipment.

New USB to Serial Adapter Hub Now Available!

Ken — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:45:00

Our line of professional grade USB serial adapters recently grew, with the addition of the 2 Port Professional USB to Serial Adapter Hub with COM Retention (ICUSB2322X). The new adapter functions similarly to our USB to RS-232 Serial DB9 Adapter with COM Retention (ICUSB232PRO) and 4 Port Professional USB to Serial Adapter Hub (ICUSB2324X), with the main exception being that this adapter offers two serial port connection.

Each adapter features COM port retention, which retains COM port assignments even if the adapter is unplugged from the USB connection, then replugged in another USB slot. The feedback we've received on these products has been extremely positive, especially with regards to COM port retention, in that it saves the time and hassle of relying on operating system based port assignments.

DisplayPort to DVI and HDMI Converter Cables!

Ken — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:24:00

We recently released two new DisplayPort converter cables, which let you use your existing DVI or HDMI display with a DisplayPort output device (video card).

The 10 ft DisplayPort to HDMI Video Converter Cable (DP2HDMIMM10) lets you save the expense of upgrading your monitor for use with a cutting edge DisplayPort-equipped video card; similarly, the 10 ft DisplayPort to DVI Video Converter Cable - M/M (DP2DVIMM10) allows you to connect a DisplayPort video card to a DVI enabled monitor.

Both of these cables are backed by our Lifetime Warranty, and are designed to offer a high quality digital video connection.

StarTech.com among top 50 SMB employers in Canada!

Paul — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:34:00

I'm very pleased to announce that StarTech.com has been named by the Globe and Mail as one of the top 50 small and medium business employers to work for in Canada! More than 250 companies (with 50 to 399 employees) registered for eligibility, with rankings based on responses from employees, leaders and human resources within each company.

The study involved several surveys designed to measure employee opinion with major focus on employee engagement.

Among our successes over the past 20+ years, this milestone certainly ranks near the top for Ken and I, and we look forward to repeating this honor going forward.

View the press release here.

New VGA to HDMI Audio Video Converter Available

Ken — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:24:00

Our Converge A/V line of products recently saw the addition of our Professional VGA to HDMI Audio Video Converter, which converts and scales analog PC (VGA) video for use on an HDMI or DVI-D capable display/television.

The converter provides a simple and cost-effective way to broadcast content from a computer (that may be limited to VGA output) to (a more modern) DVI or HDMI display for retail environments, presentations, etc.

Happy New Year!

Paul — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:00:00

Ken and I wish to thank our customers for the opportunity to serve you in 2008 and look forward to continuing to make "hard-to-find" easy in 2009. We have some exciting new product launches slated for the coming months, so keep your eyes peeled!

StarTech.com Supports the United Way

Ken — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:00:00

Our 2008 United Way fundraising campaign came to a close recently, which resulted in StarTech.com's donation of over $61,000 to this very important cause.

This year, we exceeded our targeted donation by nearly 150% and improved in all of the ways that we could support the United Way's cause. With an overall employee participation rate of 79%, the StarTech.com team really got behind the great cause that the United Way represents and pushed towards making a difference in our community. Thanks and congratulations go to all of the employees for their efforts!

Pictured here, our StarTech.com United way committee representatives are joined by members of the local office of the United Way (UW). From left, StarTech.com employees Ian Rigg, Michael Munn, Ana Contreras, Shawn Shipley, Paul Seed, along with United Way representatives Chuck Hounsell (Campaign Chairperson), Bob Adams (local United Way CEO), Cameron O'Keefe (United Way Account Manager), and Barb Reiser (United Way Sponsored employee). Shown far right is our very own Karen Boyiakis, who has headed our United Way committee for the past two years.

New Multi-Drive HDD Enclosure with RAID

Ken — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:30:00

We've added a new 4 Drive eSATA external hdd enclosure (SAT3540ER) to our hard drive enclosure line, that delivers impressive storage capacity, hard drive access (and interchangeability), as well as data transfer rates and flexible RAID configurations. Up to four drives can be installed in the enclosure, which supports JBOD, RAID 0 (Striping), RAID 1 (Mirroring), RAID 0+1 and Spanning (Concatentation).

Another key feature of the new external hard drive enclosure is that it offers a built-in 80mm fan, that helps prevent the installed drives from overheating - this is especially important with large capacity (1TB+) hard drives, as over-heating could shorten the drive lifespan.

USB Extension Cable Improves Accessibility

Ken — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:50:00

Our new USB Extension Cable (USBEXTAA5DSK) connects to a USB port on your computer and extends the USB port to a more convenient location up to 5' away from the original USB port.

This product is especially convenient if the front panel USB ports on the computer you are using are in use, because it allows you to reposition a rear panel USB port to a more convenient location. It really comes in handy when connecting MP3 players, USB thumb drives and other USB based external storage.

StarTech.com Partsapalooza II!

Paul — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:00:00

Today marked our second PARTSAPOLOOZA - a tabletop show and training event for the StarTech.com team. Similar to the first PARTSAPALOOZA, the goal of the event was to educate StarTech.com employees on the newest additions to our product lineup so they can better help our customers complete their solutions using the latest technologies.

Once again, our Product Management team did a super job with product demonstrations and explanations of how our products integrate into customer solutions.

Here are a few of the products that debuted in this installment of PARTSAPOLOOZA:

Retractable USB Cable - High Speed A to B M/M (USBRETAB4)
Retractable USB Cable - High Speed A to MiniB M/M (USBRETAMB4)
Retractable Ethernet Modem Combo Cable 8 ft (RJ45RET8)
Car Charger USB Retractable Cable (USBAFRETCAR)
USB DVI VGA External Multi Monitor Video Adapter (USB2DVIE)
1-Port Server Remote Control KVM over IP w/Virtual Media (SV1107IPEXT)
2 Port USB DVI Cable KVM Switch with Audio (SV215MICDVIA)
2 Port USB VGA Cable KVM Switch with Audio (SV215MICUSBA)
1 Port PCI Express RS232 Serial Adapter Card with 16550 UART (PEX1S552)
1 Port PCI Express RS232 Serial Adapter Card with 16950 UART (PEX1S952)

New eSATA/USB SATA HD Docking Station!

Paul — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:36:00

Our new eSATA/USB 2.0 SATA HD Docking Station allows you to save valuable desk space by not having to mount the hard drive!

This is the perfect solution for data recovery, drive imaging, and testing centers, or any environment that requires fast access to uninstalled drives or massive amounts of archived data. The SATADOCKU2E supports plug and play installation on most operating systems and provides data transfer speeds of up to 3 Gbps- which is a definite time-saver when you are making important data dumps/backups.

DVI EDID Capture Box Helps Optimize Video Quality

Paul — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:00:00

We added a DVI EDID Capture/Detector Box (DVIEDIDDET) to our Converge A/V product lineup recently, which provides users with a way to capture and retain EDID information that could potentially be lost if the display is disconnected and reconnected, or is connected using a video extension system.

By connecting this device (DVIEDIDDET) to a monitor, it is able to "memorize" the EDID information, and can then be connected to the video signal source (video card / graphics adapter), prompting it (the video source) to output the same image even if it is unable to communicate with the intended display.

Since most video extender systems don't offer EDID communication between the signal source and a remote display, the DVI EDID Capture / Detector Device (DVIEDIDDET) is a perfect workaround for ensuring the optimum signal is provided to the display, regardless of whether or not there is a direct connection between the source and the display.

New Single Chip I/O Cards: Update

Ken — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:18:00

In addition to the new PCI Express I/O Adapter Cards I mentioned last Thursday, we also added an ExpressCard SATA Drive Controller Card to our product list.

The 2 Port eSATA ExpressCard Drive Controller Card (ECESATA22) provides laptop users with 2 eSATA (external SATA) ports, and port multiplier capability, which allows two SATA hard drives to be connected through a single eSATA connection as opposed to a separate eSATA connection for each.

StarTech.com Halloween!

Paul — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:18:00

This year, our Halloween Celebration involved two employee contests that rewarded the best costume among those in the office who dressed up for the occasion (as voted on by our staff), and also a "Tricky Treats" contest in which participants brought in their own ghoulish baked goods and treats to be voted on.

It was definitely a fun day, and some amazing creativity really came from everyone who participated. All of the Halloween costumes were well thought out and must have taken a great deal of work to put together, the end result being an enjoyable and memorable day.

I've shown my personal favorite (right) - a very clever replica of the StarTech.com homepage as worn by our very own Fatima! Some excellent detail went into this costume (as you can see), to make sure the finer points of our homepage were captured (I specifically enjoyed the emphasis on some of the features we offer that make hard-to-find easy!). The costume also included one of our "Push for Parts" buttons, which added a really authentic feel, and some customized content such as "Thousands of Parts you Never Thought Existed" and "Fabulous Customer Service" - two clever (and accurate) statements!

New Single Chip I/O Cards!

Ken — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:52:00

You may have already noticed the addition of several single-chip PCI Express I/O adapter cards to our product lineup. These cards are based on a "single chip" design that enables the card to communicate directly with the PCI Express bus, eliminating the need for a "bridge" chip. Because the single chip design natively supports PCI Express, these cards provide faster, more reliable data transfers.

Single chip design natively supports PCI Express, providing faster more reliable data transfers
Broader motherboard compatibility than "bridged" chip cards
Backed by Lifetime Warranty

Here is a breakdown of some of our new single chip Serial Adapter cards:

1 Port PCI Express Serial Adapter Card (16550 UART)
2 Port PCI Express Serial Adapter Card (16550 UART)
4 Port PCI Express Serial Adapter Card (16550 UART)
2S1P Port PCI Express Parallel Serial Combo Card
1 Port PCI Express Serial Adapter Card (16950 UART)
2 Port PCI Express Serial Adapter Card (16950 UART)

Here are the single chip FireWire Adapter cards:
2 Port 1394 FireWire 800, 1 Port 1394 FireWire 400 PCI Express Card
2 Port PCI Express 1394 FireWire 400 Card
2 Port PCI Express FireWire 400 Card with Digital Video Editing Kit

eSATA/SATA Controller Cards:
1 Port PCI Express eSATA Controller Card
1 Port eSATA + 1 Port SATA PCI Express SATA Controller Card
2 Port PCI Express eSATA Controller Card
2 Port PCI Express SATA Controller Card

External USB to DVI Video Adapter Now Available!

Paul — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:30:00

We recently added an External Multi Monitor Video Adapter (USB2DVIE) to our lineup of Converge A/V products. Similar to our USB2VGA and USB2VGA2 adapters, this product allows users to output video through a USB 2.0 port with support for digital and analog video (DVI to VGA adapter included).

This is a great accessory to have on hand because it offers an easy way to add multi-monitor support to desktops, laptops, and netbooks allowing up to five adapters on a single PC! It's a very quick and simple installation that creates a DVI connection that can be used to connect a DVI monitor or VGA monitor (using the included DVI to VGA adapter), so it's a hassle free multi-display solution!

1 Port KVM over IP w/Virtual Media now available!

Paul — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:00:00

A new IP KVM Switch (SV1107IPEXT) is available from our Server Remote Control lineup!

This product is an entry-level IP KVM Switch that provides a feature set similar to the SV1115IPEXT KVM over IP switch at a lower price, making it perfect for small to medium businesses that require access to individual servers.

Paul and Ken - Guitar Heroes?

Ken — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:30:00

This past Saturday marked our 3rd Annual StarTechOne Team Conference. Our entire company (minus a few employees who held down the ship!), including our Canadian, U.S., and United Kingdom staff, gathered at the London (ON) Convention Center to discuss StarTech.com - more specifically, our goals, opportunities and successes, as one team.

This is always an event that I look forward to, because it's been fun every year we've held the Conference.it's never been as "dry" as the word "Conference" can imply, and this year was no exception. It's a casual atmosphere and an excellent opportunity for everyone to have open discussions or ask questions about StarTech.com, so that we can all remain focused on working and playing as one team.

The Team One Conference has been facilitated for the last three years by Michael Canic, co-founder and principal of Edge Consulting Services, who always does a great job helping us to create meaningful discussion points that can help drive our company further.

The finale of the Conference is dedicated to nothing other than fun. Although the rest of the day is kept relaxed and enjoyable, the last portion of the day is completely detached from "work".

This year, our focus on fun was led by Stewart Hall, whose "Rock the Stars" Corporate Team Building Activities found Paul and I along with nearly everyone in attendance taking turns at being rock stars (well, "mock" stars anyways)! StarTech.com's Battle of the Bands was a great way to end a fun and productive day, and resulted in more than a few great memories for all of us. (The picture shown right is a shot of Paul and I dressed as ZZ Top, rocking out to "Sharp Dressed Man"!)

More Retractable Cables Added!

Paul — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:00:00

In addition to the two retractable USB cables I mentioned last week, we also released:

The Retractable Ethernet Modem Combo Cable (8 ft) (RJ45RET8) is a combination cable that supports Ethernet (RJ45) Network/Internet connectivity as well as (RJ11) Fax/Dialup connections - a handy cable to carry around in a laptop bag, as it allows you to carry one cable instead of two!

The Car Charger USB Mini Retractable Cable (USBAFRETCAR) connects to an automobile lighter adapter allowing you to charge cellular phones, PDA devices, GPS units, or portable media players, etc.

Both of these cables are perfect accessories for laptop users, in that they offer convenient, on-the-spot connections and are small enough to save space in a laptop bag or carrying case.

Retractable USB Cables - Perfect for Laptop Users!

Paul — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:55:00

We recently added two new retractable USB cables to our product line, a great idea to have on hand in a laptop bag for quick connections to a wide variety of commonly used peripherals:

The retractable cables eliminate tangles and build on the convenience of mobile computing, as they feature a compact form factor that makes them easy to store or carry.

StarTech.com attending UWO Career Fair!

Paul — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:42:00

We're very excited to be participating in the second annual University of Western Ontario "London Day" Career Fair, at the University Community Center between 11AM and 4PM today. We'll be there to answer questions and provide a glimpse of how we "Excite Customers. Succeed and Have Fun!".

If you can't attend the Career Fair, but are interested in becoming a part of our team, you can always check out our Careers page, for more information on employment at StarTech.com!

StarTech.com's WebAward Threepeat!

Paul — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:30:00

We are very pleased to announce that for the third consecutive year, we were selected to receive the Web Marketing Association's WebAward for outstanding achievement in Website Development!

We scored particularly well in both Content and Usability, which is extremely rewarding as we pride ourselves on providing a comfortable online environment that suits the diverse needs of our customers.

With such a broad offering of products, we try very hard to create a website that reflects our main goal of making "hard-to-find easy" on every level, so it's a great feeling to know that industry experts such as the Web Marketing Association feel that our site is award-worthy.

iPhone used to control StarTech.com Conyx

Ken — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:00:00

One of the hottest topics at our recent "Partsapalooza" was the capability that our Conyx Enhanced Serial Console Server offers for controlling connected devices and services remotely through an Internet connection. To demonstrate the type of control users can have, we connected to the Conyx unit we have installed in our testing facility using an iPhone 3G!

With the widespread use of high speed mobile devices such as the Apple iPhone (including iPhone 3G), our Conyx Enhanced Serial Console Server has become even more convenient for controlling important devices and services remotely!

Specifically, because the Conyx Enhanced Serial Console Server allows network administrators or technicians to have access to all of their mission critical systems from any location with Internet access (or a cell signal), mobile devices such as iPhones, Smart Phones, or BlackBerry devices can be coupled with it (Conyx) to put server and device control right in the palm of your hand!

New USB 2.0 SATA Drive Enclosure!

Paul — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:25:00

The latest addition to our InfoSafe External Hard Drive Enclosures product line is the SAT3510U2V USB 2.0 3.5" SATA Drive Enclosure, which offers a compact form factor that helps to save desk space as well as a sleek design that blends nicely into any environment.

The Drive Enclosure is compatible with hard drives from a broad range of manufacturers, and functions seamlessly with a wide array of operating systems, including Window 98, Windows ME, Windows XP and Windows Vista, as well as Mac OS 9.0 (and up) and Linux.

New Converge A/V VGA with Audio Extenders

Ken — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:30:00

Watch for our upcoming press release announcing the availability of our new line of VGA and Audio over Cat 5 Extension products.

Initially, the line will be comprised of:

ST124UTPEA VGA Video and Audio over Cat5 UTP Extender (4 Ports)

ST128UTPEA VGA Video and Audio over Cat5 UTP Extender (8 Ports)

STUTPEALR VGA and Audio Cat5 UTP Long Range Receiver

STUTPEA4X VGA Video and Audio over Cat5 UTP Line Splitter (4 Ports)

The primary difference between these new products and our previous VGA extension system is that the new devices allow users to utilize the corresponding audio with the VGA video signal, which provides multiple value points especially in digital signage applications.

New FireWire Card Offers Speed, Simplicity

Paul — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:25:00

The PEX1394A2DV PCI Express FireWire 400 Card with Digital Video Editing Kit, a recent release from our selection of I/O cards has been getting some attention lately based on the cost-effective solution it presents for connecting FireWire devices to computers that may lack a built-on FireWire port.

The PEX1394A2DV PCI Express card adds two high speed FireWire 400 ports to a desktop PC, making it easy to add FireWire devices such as external hard drives, DV camcorders, HD video cameras, personal multimedia devices etc. The card supports data transfer rates up to 400Kbps, which translates into smoother operation when using connected (FireWire) devices, and includes a DV (Digital Video) editing kit that features Ulead VideoStudio software and 5' FireWire cable.

Inc 5000 honoree, two years running!

Ken — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:30:00

For the second year in a row, StarTech.com has been included in Inc. Magazine's list of the fastest growing private companies in America!

Having moved up over 300 places to # 4160 up from # 4483 the previous year, rankings are based on sales growth over the past three years.

Click here for StarTech.com's Inc 5000 company profile

New Video Switches Offer Serial Control!

Paul — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:13:00

Our Converge A/V product line has grown by two more important additions - the VS421CPNTA 4 Port Component A/V Switcher with RS-232 and the VS410RVGAA 4 Port VGA Switcher with Audio and RS-232.

The VS421CPNTA 4 Port Component A/V Switcher with RS-232 provides users with simple, efficient switching between Composite/HD video sources as well as S/PDIF(digital) or RCA (analog) audio - making it a perfect solution for A/V users who are using multiple composite or component video sources with a single standard or high definition display.

The VS410RVGAA 4 Port VGA Switcher with Audio and RS-232 allows you to switch between four separate VGA and audio signals to be displayed upon a single VGA display. The switch saves the time it would take to switch out VGA devices for a single display; this can be extremely valuable to a user who cannot switch out devices due to the fixed nature of their display.

Both of these A/V switches offer a great deal of versatility, in that they can be controlled by front panel pushbutton, using the (included) IR Remote Control, or controlled from a dedicated control point via serial port!

PARTSAPOLOOZA Hits StarTech.com!

Paul — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:30:00

On Friday, StarTech.com held its first ever PARTSAPOLOOZA, a tabletop show and training event for the StarTech.com team. The goal of the event was to educate employees on the newest products in the StarTech.com lineup so they can better help our customers complete their solutions using the latest technology.

Our Product Management team did a great job demonstrating their products, including explaining the key applications and benefits. We look forward to holding these events on a regular basis as we are continually launching new and exciting products to keep up with industry trends.

Check out a few of products featured at PARTSAPOLOOZA:

Cat5 KVM Switch

Conyx Remote Serial Console Server

Wall Mountable Video Splitter

Professional USB to RS-232 Serial Adapter

Swap Two SATA Bays at a Time

Ken — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:30:00

A new addition to our product line, the HSB220SAT25B 3.5" Tray-Less Dual 2.5" SATA HD Hot-Swap Bay is based on the same easy swap mechanism and design of the top selling HSB100SATBK 5.25" Tray-Less SATA Hot-Swap Bay. However, this bay allows you to install two 2.5" SATA drives in an available/unused 3.5" floppy drive bay.

The device is extremely functional and easy to use, because it works like a floppy drive or tape cartridge, so users can simply insert the drive they are using and when done, removing the drive(s) is as easy as opening the front panel door and extracting the drive.

The HSB220SAT25B 3.5" Tray-Less Dual 2.5" SATA HD Hot-Swap Bay is constructed mostly of aluminum, which offers efficient heat dissipation (this is helpful in maintaining a safe operating temperature for the installed drives). Lastly, this device supports hot swapping capability and SATA II data transfer rates of up to 3.0 Gbps.

Enterprise KVM Matrix Switch over IP available!

Paul — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:33:00

Watch for the upcoming press release announcing the availability of the SV1653DXI 16 Port Enterprise Class Multi-user Cat5 KVM Matrix Switch over IP.

This Enterprise level KVM Switch provides integrated TCP/IP remote access for hassle-free control of servers, devices and services connected through a LAN, as well as remote BIOS level access - which means server managers have full control over each connected computer's entire boot process.

the SV1653DXI 16 Port Enterprise Class Multi-user Cat5 KVM Matrix Switch over IP also includes an embedded Web Server and On-Screen Display, which provides easy and quick browser-based and/or on screen configuration, administration, and reporting.

Finally, large enterprise users will find the switch to be of exceptional benefit, as it offers accessibility and control of up to three different servers at the same time.

Turning Convenient Connections Inside Out!

Ken — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:54:00

A couple of our newest product releases include the ESATAPLT1LP External Slot Low Profile Plate and the PLATE9MLP 9-pin Serial to 10-pin Header Slot Plate with Low Profile Bracket.

These innovative devices let you install ports that are usually confined to the inside of your computer case to the rear panel of a computer - the ESATAPLT1LP allows you to connect eSATA devices (such as external hard drives)to a computer, externally making use of SATA connectors provided by the motherboard; the PLATE9MLP provides an external 9-pin (DB9)serial port, using a (typically) internal 10-pin RS-232 header.

Compact Flash Adapters Great for DIY SSD!

Ken — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:00:00

Two of our more recent product releases include the CF2IDE18 1.8" IDE to Compact Flash (CF) Adapter and the CF2X2IDE25 2.5" IDE to Dual Compact Flash (CF) Adapter.

Both adapters offer an easy way to create your own solid state storage, by simply connecting a compact flash card (or two, in the case of the CF2X2IDE25) to the adapter, then installing the adapter as you normally would an IDE hard drive.

USBVGADOCK - An All-in-one Solution!

Ken — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:00:00

As we've mentioned before, we are constantly updating our Product Testing/Quality Assurance facilities, to ensure our products are "put through the paces" before being made available to our customers.

One of the most recent additions to our Product Testing facilities was the USBVGADOCK USB to VGA 4-in-1 Docking Station, of which our Product Testing team is particularly excited. Their feedback was based on the simplicity it offers users for connecting not only a VGA display via USB (to a desktop or notebook computer), as well as the ability to add DB9 Serial devices, up to four USB 2.0 devices, and also Ethernet and Audio devices.

See the USBVGADOCK USB to VGA 4-in-1 Docking Station here!

On the News!

Paul — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:00:00

I got a chance to enjoy a few moments in the spotlight this morning, in a television interview on the local A Channel Morning program! It was very exciting discussing StarTech.com's ongoing growth and success, as well as a few of the hard-to-find products we offer.

Conyx 16 Port Enhanced Console Server Available!

Paul — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:27:00

An exciting new product launch from our range of KVM and Server Management products, the Conyx 16 Port Enhanced Console Server, the first release from our Conyx (pronounced ki-neks) line of Enhanced console servers, is now available for purchase!

Of specific value to network/IT administrators, the Console Server offers Out of Band (OoB) management, providing a failsafe way to access connected devices, even in the event of a network outage.

Another very important feature of the Console Server is that it offers integrated device management, which allows Control of multiple devices from one point, including the ability to bridge legacy products with modern data communications products.

Wi-Fi Detective Wins Editor's Hardware Pick!

Ken — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:35:00

We are pleased to announce that the Wi-Fi Detective has been selected by Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine as an Editor's Hardware Pick!

Click here to view the award listing!

See more details about the Wi-Fi Detective here!

DisplayPort Adapters Available!

Paul — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:00:00

You may have already noticed that we recently added two DisplayPort adapters to our lineup of DisplayPort cables.

The adapters allow users to use their existing DVI or HDMI capable displays with DisplayPort sources (video cards, etc.), eliminating the expense of upgrading to a new (DisplayPort capable) Display!

View the DP2DVI DisplayPort to DVI Cable Adapter/Converter here

View the DP2HDMI DisplayPort to HDMI Cable Adapter/Converter here

Powered USB Adapters Coming Soon!

Paul — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00

Keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming press release detailing the new Powered USB Adapter cards - soon to be available from StarTech.com!

Powered USB is a great example of how USB technology has evolved over the past few years; after all, when USB was first released, it was used primarily for end user applications that required a fool-proof way to connect peripheral devices (i.e. USB Mouse, USB Keyboard, USB Printer etc.).

Eventually, like any technology, the IT world saw the convenience that a hot pluggable, universal connector offered, and began devising ways to customize it to meet the needs of more robust applications. Powered USB, for instance, offers not only a USB 2.0 data connection, but also provides power for the connected peripheral - reducing, if not eliminating the need for external power supplies for USB devices such as receipt printers, signature capture devices and bar-code scanners.

Powered USB is an innovative step forward for the world of USB connectivity, in that it brings the technology into environments more geared towards industry and commerce (i.e. point-of-sale systems, factories etc.). We are pleased to be among the first to offer not only Powered USB cables, but also a broad assortment of I/O cards designed to interface computers with Powered USB devices.

Click here for a sneak peek of the upcoming Powered USB Cards!

StarTech.com Teams Running for a Good Cause

Paul — Fri, 30 May 2008 11:00:00

Supporting good causes has always been a priority for StarTech.com. This year, our Groveport, Ohio and London, Ontario offices are both participating in events to help raise funds for very worthy charities. The Groveport team will be participating in Relay For Life on June 27th and 28th which supports the American Cancer Society. Meanwhile, the London team will be participating in the Labatt 24 Hour Relay on June 7th and 8th which supports The Children's Aid Society.

I'm pleased to say that StarTech.com currently is among the leaders in fundraising for both events! To see how StarTech.com's teams are doing in either event or if you would like to support these worthy causes, you can visit the web sites listed below. Thanks to all the team members and contributors who are making these events a success!

Click here to learn more about the American Cancer Society Relay for Life

Click here for more information about the Labatt 24 Hour Relay

Wall-mountable VGA Video Splitters Now Available!

Paul — Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00

If you're a frequent visitor of our Press Room, you've likely already seen our recent press release announcing the launch of the ST122W, ST124W and ST128W Wall-mountable Video Splitters.

The idea behind these products came from numerous customer requests for a more organized and convenient way to situate a video splitter. Based on our own in-house installations, the ST122W, ST124W and ST128W offer not only a way to contain the customary mess (that results from multiple cables connected to a single device), but also a method of installing the video splitter that saves space.

You can view the Wall Mountable VGA Splitters individually, here:

ST122W (2 Port)
ST124W (4 Port)
ST128W (8 Port)

StarTech.com Receives Featured Company Award

Paul — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:22:00

This past Monday evening, myself and Ken were honored to be presented with the London (Ontario) Economic Development Corporation and City of London Featured Company Award!

Shown right, her honor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best, the Mayor of London, ON presents us with the award, which highlights established businesses that contribute to the economic well-being of London. Needless to say that we are thrilled to be recognized with the award, especially on the heels of our most recent award. (Posted March 20, 2008 - StarTech.com receives Global Expansion Award )

Professional USB to Serial Adapter

Ken — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:00:00

Watch for the upcoming press release announcing the official launch of our ICUSB2321X Professional USB to Serial Adapter. Aside from being able to connect serial devices to a computer using a USB connection, this product offers ideal configurability, including COM Port Retention, Device Renaming, Loopback Testing, Data Traffic Logging and more.

View the ICUSB2321X here!

Heading Back To School!

Paul Seed — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:04:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be out of the office this week as I'm heading back to school! I am honored to have been selected as one of 40 entrepreneurs to participate in the "Quantum Shift" program put on by The Richard Ivey School of Business and KPMG Enterprise.

The program focuses on topics such as how to lead an enterprise through exponential growth; how to attract and retain the best employees; uncovering obstacles that may limit growth and how to build a strong network of entrepreneurial peers to share best practices.

I'm looking forward to learning from the very best instructors and entrepreneurs around. I hope to take back some ideas that will make StarTech.com even better for our customers and employees, which in turn will make it a more successful company.

The bell is ringing, better get back to class!

Paul Seed

StarTech.com Supports Earth Day

Ken — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:04:00

Over the past week, we've been excercising our commitment to being an environmentally conscious company, in observance of Earth Week.

While Earth Week/Earth Day is crucial to raising awareness of environmental turmoil, as a company, we do our best to promote Earth Day awareness every day. The phrase "Think Globally, Act Locally" is certainly something that applies to StarTech.com; last week, for example we held a staff-wide "clean up" of the marsh and neighboring areas around our London (Ontario) office. As well, we've implemented electronic pay statements, in place of the conventional paper statements.

On a Global scale, we excercise our environmental awareness through the products we offer. While the majority of our products adhere to the RoHS directive (73% and growing) and other green friendly initiatives, we also "empower" our customers to make an eco-friendly choice by offering 80 Plus Certified Power Supplies. Our WattSmart Power Supply series provides three different models, that suit a broad range of system configurations and power requirements, while minimizing wasted energy.

Happy Earth Day!

CAT5 KVM Switches Now Available!

Ken — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:15:00

You may recall my posting in January, titled Lab Makeover - StarTech.com Edition, in which I detailed some of the upgrades we made to our test lab.

One of the additions to the lab was at that time in prototype form - specifically, the SV1631DUTP 16 Port StarView CAT5 KVM Switch.

Since the CAT5 KVM Switch debuted in the lab, feedback from our Product Development team has been very positive (after much use), regarding the convenience it offers in being able to connect the switch using CAT5 cable. Given the configuration of the lab to include multiple patch panels, running cable to slave devices is much easier, not to mention neater than conventional switch connections.

The CAT5 KVM Switches are now available, and in stock!

View the 8 Port StarView CAT5 KVM Switch.

View the 16 Port StarView CAT5 KVM Switch.

Check Out Our New North American Catalog!

Ken — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:20:00

We recently launched our new, updated (North American) Parts Catalog, as a download or mail-out request. The Catalog brings you a fresh new look at the StarTech.com (US and Canada)line-up of products, providing quick, convenient reference of each of the product categories we offer.

To request that a copy be mailed to you, click here!

If you'd prefer to download a copy in PDF format, click here!

We Want Your Feedback!

Paul — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:07:00

As our website is in a state of constant revision and enhancement, we've added a Site Feedback feature that allows you to let us know how we are doing!

Our goal is to continue offering a highly accessible and engaging website that makes your purchases and purchasing decisions easier, so your feedback is vital...and much appreciated!

The link to leave Site Feedback is always located along the very bottom of each page, in the left corner.

Click here to leave feedback!

StarTech.com Launches USB Rocket Shoes

Andrew Stephen — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:00:00

It is with immeasurable excitement that I announce the upcoming release of one of StarTech.com's finest, most original products - USB Rocket Shoes!

Although the project has come under a great deal of scrutiny from some of the world's most influential security agencies, we opted to keep the intended result under wraps until we had completed the necessary research and development. Finally, our work is nearing completion on this project, following roughly 11 years.

It's important to note that this project entailed nearly half of a billion dollars of funding from privately held investor groups, and a great deal of effort and teamwork from the company as a whole; sadly, no fewer than a dozen employees gave their lives (literally) to the testing and development of this product, which will (finally) become available in the coming weeks.

The StarTech.com USB Rocket Shoes (USBROCKET)offer 15lbs of initial upward thrust, and can supply users with speeds of up to 240km/h when fueled and used accordingly. Weighing less than 5lbs a piece, the Rocket Shoes can be charged via USB 2.0 connection to a host PC or Mac. Future models of USBROCKET will include a built-in, 5 port USB hub - so you will be able to take your peripherals with you wherever you go. Click here to see the first-ever StarTech.com USB Rocket Shoes.

Micro USB Cables Now Available

Ken — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:47:00

Our selection of USB products and cables was updated this week to include the much anticipated Micro USB cables.

There has been a great deal of chatter about the importance of this technology, including the Open Mobile Terminal Platform (OMTP) recommendation that Micro USB be standardized as the common interface for connecting mobile devices (e.g. Smart Phones, Cell Phones etc.).

One major benefit with which the Micro USB interface provides mobile device manufacturers (and end users), if implemented cross-industry, is that the Micro USB connector is very small (hence the name). This will allow for devices to be designed based on a more compact form factor...in other words, a step towards smaller mobile devices!

Another advantage of the Micro USB connector becoming a cross-industry standard is that it would mean not having to worry about cable compatibility for devices from different manufacturers. From a convenience standpoint, having to carry a single cable to connect a multitude of devices makes a great deal more sense than a cable for each device.

Our initial selection of Micro USB cables is of 3', 6' and 10' lengths.

Check out the 3' USB A to Micro USB B Cable here!

StarTech.com receives Global Expansion Award

Paul — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:45:00

Last evening, we were privileged to have been recognized by the local (London, ON) Chamber of Commerce, with the 2008 Global Traders Market Expansion Award!

From the London, ON Chamber of Commerce Website: The award recognizes the "pioneering spirit of companies that have successfully established themselves in a new export market, in addition to existing markets", based on having demonstrated a significant increase in export sales and job creation as a result of having entered a new market, and/or overcome difficult obstacles in order to establish itself within the market.

Needless to say that we were very proud of this recognition and of course the accomplishments that prompted it, as it's particularly rewarding to be acknowledged by a local organization. My sincere thanks to the London Chamber of Commerce, and congratulations to all of last night's nominees and award recipients!

6' DisplayPort Cables Now Available!

Paul — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:15:00

You may recall my post from 2/5/2008 (see DisplayPort Cables now available!), regarding how impressed I was with Displayport technology and the potential it offers.

I'm pleased to report that our selection of DisplayPort Cables has been expanded to include a 6' Latching Displayport cable, in addition to the 10' DisplayPort Cable originally listed.

In fact, we've created a separate DisplayPort cable category, anticipating the inevitable growth of the technology. Click here to go to DisplayPort Cable section!

USB to Parallel Adapter Cable an Ideal Solution

Ken — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:15:00

As mentioned in a previous post (see "Lab Makeover - StarTech.com Edition"), our product testing lab recently underwent some revisions, and seems will constantly be updated as necessity dictates.

Last week, we were confronted with a slight dilemma - our test lab required additional local printing capability, aside from the network printing that has become commonplace. Luckily, there was an older laser printer (circa 1998) waiting to be permanently put to rest - problem being that the printer offered only a built-on parallel connector.

Your first reaction will likely be something like: "if StarTech.com specializes in hard-to-find parts, why would this be an issue?"; certainly, it wasn't an issue that had us panicking, as we knew we would have either an I/O card or adapter that we'd be able to use to solve the problem. The real complexity lay in the fact that to use an I/O card in one of our test computers would permanently require the use of a PCI slot that may be required for testing purposes.

To install the PCI1P 1 Port EPP/ECP Parallel PCI Card, or the PEX1PECP 1 Port EPP/ECP PCI-Express Parallel Card would allow us to connect parallel devices (including the printer in question) to the test computer, but should another need for the PCI or PCI Express slot it used arise, it would require uninstalling the card from the motherboard.

Instead, we opted to use a less permanent solution, in the form of the ICUSB1284D25 USB to Parallel Adapter Cable, which could be removed in seconds in the event that the USB port it used was needed for something else, or swapped from one computer to another if necessary (e.g. a notebook computer.

Specialized Cables course now available

Paul — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:02:00

Specialized Cables course content is now online at StarTech University! Course topics include Connectors and Conductors, Jackets and Insulation, and details of some of the custom cable projects StarTech.com has worked on in the past.

Access the Specialized Cables course here!

StarVar Program Named 5-Star Winner!

Ken — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:02:00

We are pleased to note that our StarVar Customer Reward Program has been recognized as a Silver Five Star status program in the Annual VARBusiness Partner Program Guide, which is published in March. Specifically, the StarVar program scored particularly well in the Communication and Partner Recruitment elements of the program.

To learn more about the benefits of our StarVAR program, click here!

A/V Rack Centralizes Audio-Video Experience

Paul — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:49:00

We are currently in the planning stages of revamping our meeting/conference rooms to accommodate more multimedia content in our internal presentations and meetings. One of the main additions we'll be implementing is our very own RK4320AV 43U/Space 19" Knock Down A/V Rack, so that we can centralize the components we would typically use to present information to staff, etc.

One of the benefits of installing the A/V Rack is that it makes terrific use of sometimes limited space - not to paint the picture that we huddle together in a broom closet for meetings, but as most companies can attest, you can never have enough space. Plus, by centralizing all of the components we typically use (A/V Receiver, DVD Player, Blu-Ray Player, Home Theater PC etc.), we are able to eliminate any of the mess that comes from having multiple cables running to the A/V devices.

Of equal importance is the fact that the A/V components will be properly housed and easily accessible. This will provide adequate ventilation for the components to help prolong component lifespan, while making it much easier to add other A/V components to the system as necessary (especially the the HTPC and the A/V receiver).

Now if I could only justify installing the A/V Rack in my home...

New FireWire Card is a perfect fit!

Ken — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:25:00

After a recent family computer upgrade, I decided that I would salvage the parts that were replaced and install a few of them into a separate system that I could use for non-business related tasks. My intention was to put together a computer that would perform quickly enough to make it worthwhile, while using the motherboard, CPU, memory, case and power supply from the previous system.

One of the issues I had been having with the original computer, however, was that for some reason, the motherboard's onboard FireWire ports were no longer working. Other than that, the motherboard functioned quite well, but given the volume of photos we take in our household, not to mention home video, it was essential for the re-built system to support FireWire.

My first thought was to keep the original system intact, and just add FireWire connections as needed using an add-on FireWire card - this would have negated the performance gains I would see from a new CPU and motherboard though, which would prove vital for the applications I typically run when I am working from home.

Long story short, having factored in the idea that this would give me an opportunity to try out one of our new products, the PEX1394A2 PCI Express FireWire 400 Card, I made the right choice. I now have an almost entirely brand new computer that I can use for work, and a computer that I can use to dump pictures and movies to without having to rely on USB, as the original motherboard supported only USB 1.1.

The true beauty of building the second system out of what remained from the first, was that it added value to my new computer, without even being installed in it!

Click here to see more of the PEX1394A2 PCI Express FireWire 400 Card.

Introducing the StarVar program!

Ken — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:15:00

This week marked the launch of the first ever StarTech.com reseller incentive program. Offering three tiers of membership, Platinum, Gold and Silver, as determined by sales from the previous year, each level of membership provides resellers with enhanced services and benefits such as promo item credits, a dedicated account manager, online training and more.

For more information on how to take advantage of this exciting new program, simply login to your Reseller account; if you don't yet have a Reseller account and you wish to create one, simply click on the Reseller button at the top of our homepage and then on "Create Account".

Click here to access the Reseller page

DisplayPort Cables now available!

Paul — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:25:00

If you haven't already read up on it, you may want to take a look at DisplayPort technology!

While I was at CES in Las Vegas a few weeks back, DisplayPort was impossible not to notice. An emerging digital display interface intended for use between computers and displays or computers and home entertainment systems, DisplayPort is capable of providing twice the video bandwidth of single-link DVI (which already provides an excellent image). As a result, DisplayPort connections offer improved resolution capability (up to 2560x1600) and color depth, as well as higher refresh rates.

With a maximum data rate of 10.8Gbps, and support for HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection), DisplayPort raises the bar not only as far as capability goes, but also potential - as more bandwidth capability will surely translate into richer media.

Another key to the eventual success of DisplayPort is that it can control display panels directly - without the need for the control circuits that are currently built into LCD displays - allowing for even thinner monitors than what are currently available.

Aside from the astounding video performance that it offers, DisplayPort is also able to support up to eight channels of digital audio - making it a technology to keep an eye on as it emerges!

Click here to see the first StarTech.com DisplayPort cable!

StarTech.com launches new Reseller Finder tool!

Paul — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:42:00

To help make it easier to locate StarTech.com resellers, we've added the Reseller Finder tool to our website!

Accessible from anywhere on the website, simply click on the "Where to Buy" link at the top of the page, then select Find a Reseller in your area; then, it's as easy as narrowing your search by State/Province and City, to find a StarTech.com reseller local to you!

Access the Reseller Finder tool here

Lab Makeover - StarTech.com Edition

Ken — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:10:00

Recently, our product testing lab, which is mainly used for product development and QA testing, underwent renovations in order to accomodate some of the technology we will be launching in the years to come.

Specifically, we needed to make sure that we are able to test our entire product line (including I/O cards, Power supplies, Storage devices, Cables, A/V and KVM) to ensure quality and performance.

The makeover included:

- A new wireless N/gigabit LAN setup

-New test bench installation - Here, we customized a bench that our product testers use when analyzing products. The new bench is designed to provide enough desk space to accomodate any supplemental equipment that may be required, or multiple products being tested at the same time.

- Integrated cabling - Cables are now routed to eliminate clutter in the testing area. Because the new and improved Test Lab is considerably larger than the original, this helps to maintain a clean working area for our testers. This involved the installation of patch panels, as well as centralized control of test computers, using the newly installed SV1115IPEXT KVM Switch as well as the prototype for our upcoming SV1631DUTP CAT5 KVM Switch.

- The addition of new power testing equipment, including a new power supply loader and several new multimeters.

- The installation of two new PCs - an AMD Opteron and an Intel Core 2 Duo, allowing us to test products accordingly, based on each type of CPU.

USB VGA and DVI adapters to ring in the New Year!

Paul — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:00:00

If you've ever configured a computer for dual display, you know how much of a hassle it can be to have to install a second video card or upgrade to a graphics adapter that can support dual display configurations. We're happy to announce the release of two video solutions - the USB2DVI USB DVI adapter and the USB2VGA2 USB VGA adapter.

Both of these products offer superb graphical capability - USB2DVI connects to an available USB 2.0 port on your host computer to provide a DVI-D port for simple connection to a secondary display, and supports resolutions of up to 1600 x 1200(standard) or 1680 x 1050(widescreen). USB2VGA2 on the other hand connects to an available USB 2.0 port, but provides a VGA port supporting display resolutions of up to 1600 x 1200 (32-bit) and 1920 x 1200 (16-bit).

These handy devices are a clever accessory for setting up multiple monitors without even having to open your computer case, and are compact enough to fit in your notebook carrying case - making them perfect not only for dual or multi display desktop configurations, but also mobile applications that may need an extended or secondary display.

Download the product summaries here!

Control Our Holiday Tree over IP

Paul — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:55:00

If you haven't been able to convince the folks around you to put up a Holiday Tree this year, we've got the perfect solution for you!

In the spirit of the Holidays, we've erected the first ever StarTech.com "Holiday Tree over IP", as well as the "StarTech.com Snowman" and the "Parts Penguin", all controllable over an Internet connection from the comfort of your computer!

This festive configuration includes a standard Holiday Tree and two sets of LED lights that are individually controlled by our PCM815SHNA 8 Outlet Remote Power Switch (with RS232 Interface). The Remote Power Switch is connected using a 9-pin straight through cable to our SV1115IPEXT External Server Remote Control KVM over IP device, which is connected to the Internet to provide remote access to the power functions provided by the remote power switch (namely to turn the lights on or off).

Because the SV1115IPEXT is secured using SSL(https) and VNCS encryption, permissions have been set to allow multiple viewers, but only one control point. To assume control of the lights, simply click on one of the buttons (i.e. Green Lights)! To see the Holiday Tree over IP in action, please click on the link below!

Control our Holiday Tree! (the password is "easy")

UPDATE: The Holiday Tree over IP has been taken down for the year - but stay tuned in the coming months for more "Over IP" activity!

Sort categories by price or popularity

Paul — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:47:00

To help narrow your search for products based on pricing or popularity, we've added a new feature that allows you to display ascending or descending results from a given category, based on price or popularity.

Once you've selected the product category, such as KVM Over IP Products there will be three possible "sort by" selections available: Popularity, Lowest Price and Highest Price.

If you want to view the least expensive products included in the product category first, click on Lowest Price, or for the most expensive product in a given category, click on Highest Price. And last but not least, if you want to view the product category in terms of popularity, click on Popularity to sort individual product listings with the most popular items listed first.

New online privacy certification - TRUSTe

Ken — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 10:27:00

We are pleased to announce that StarTech.com is TRUSTe certified! While we've always respected the privacy of our customers and ensured that the information we collect is done securely, we've taken peace of mind a step further on our site. Our goal has always been to maintain excellent relationships with our customers, and we've always ensured that information we collect has been handled with your safety in mind - something that will never change.

View our new Privacy policy here.

Learn about A/V at StarTech University!

Ken — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:55:00

Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to get your school supplies ready, as we've updated StarTech University with the next exciting chapter: Course 3: Audio/Video!

Topics covered include an introduction to the topic as well as common related technologies, and examples of how convergence A/V technology is used!

If you haven't already registered for StarTech University, it's a great way to learn about some of the technologies we offer; upon completion of each course, you'll receive a personalized, printable certificate of completion, and upon completion of the entire semester (six courses), you'll get a printable StarTech University diploma!

LPSATA4FM - A cost-effective, convenient solution

Paul — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:40:00

If you've ever built your own PC or made upgrades, you know how frustrating it can be not to have necessary connectors or compatible components. Don't fret - you aren't alone! Recently, Dell and HP ran into a similar situation (on a much larger scale) that required a StarTech.com hard-to-find solution, to provide a timely, cost-effective workaround.

Specifically, our LP4SATAFM 15-pin to LP4 Power Adapter saved the day, by providing a simple way to power LP4 connected drives using a SATA power connection. On an individual scale, replacing a hard drive for compatibility with a provided power supply or vice versa would be relatively inexpensive, however when you're dealing with the volume of customers and system builds that industry leaders such as Dell and HP are serving, replacing a single part can become a very expensive proposition that impacts the impressive value that is passed to customers.

Gaming promo from Dell with StarTech.com cable

Ken — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:15:00

If you've checked out the Dell ^TM Canada website lately, you may have noticed that one of our HDMI cables (HDMIMM6) is included with the Xbox� 360 and Playstation� 3 Console Bundles they offer.

The bundles look like something everyone would want under the tree this year, especially with a price tag of only $399(CAD) for each! The Xbox� 360 bundle includes the console, three games and a 6ft HDMI Cable from Startech.com, while the Playstation� 3 bundle includes Spider-Man 3 (movie) on Blu-Ray, a game and the same 6ft HDMI cable!

You can view the ad for the Xbox� Bundle here, and the Playstation� 3 offer here!

Online support via chat now available!

Ken — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 08:28:00

If you are in search of Customer Service or Technical Support regarding a StarTech.com product, or have a questions about the products we offer, feel free to take advantage of a brand new feature we've added to the site - Live Chat!

To initiate Chat Support, click on the Questions - Chat with us Live link, located in the top left hand corner of virtually every page on our site!

Chat is available Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 6:00pm EST!

New high speed FireWire PCI Express Card available

Paul — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:40:00

If you've ever tried to edit video on your computer, you know how tricky a process it can be, especially if you haven't done it before. I was reminded recently of how valuable having the right equipment for a task like this can be, when our marketing team put together a video of a recent company event.

A couple of weeks ago, we held the first ever "USB 500" - an internal fun event/race using a USB Remote Control Car. While we filmed over half an hour of footage, we had the idea to share some of the highlights on YouTube, which required a fair bit of editing. One of the problems I've personally experienced with this type of work, is that transferring the video content to the computer can be a time consuming process, unless you have a computer that is designed for such a task.

The computer we used to put the film together was by no stretch of the imagination a "high-end" multimedia setup, as would be found in most professional A/V editing environments, giving us the opportunity to put our PEX1394B3 (2 Port FireWire 800 + 1 Port FireWire 400 PCI Express Card) through the paces. Because of the speed the card offers, the data transfer was extremely fast, making the entire process that much quicker and simpler - so much so, that I picked one up for my personal computer, which I had intended to use to edit a few family videos (a project I had been putting off, as I knew that it would be time-consuming).

You can check out the PEX1394B3 here

To view footage from the USB 500 race, click here!

SCSI School is open!

Paul — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:28:00

The second in a series of six courses is now available at StarTech University, with the launch of SCSI school, earlier this week.

Divided into chapters, the course content includes:

Chapter 1 - What is SCSI?
Chapter 2 - SCSI vs. IDE
Chapter 3 - What is an SCA/RAID connector?
Chapter 4 - SCSI Signals
Chapter 5 - SCSI Types & Specifications
Chapter 6 - Rules for connecting SCSI devices
Chapter 7 - The Future of SCSI
Chapter 8 - SCSI Products

If you haven't done so already, you can check out SCSI School and the rest of StarTech University here!

Powered USB, Multimode Aqua Fiber cables available

Paul — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 14:05:00

We are pleased to note the addition of Multimode Aqua Fiber Cables and Powered USB cables to the website, for immediate availability.

If you don't already know, PoweredUSB provides a hot-pluggable, single cable connection carrying the standard USB communication signals as well as two additional wire pairs for added power. This will be a major step forward for Retail POS environments, as it will mean simpler connectivity, and fewer cables to have to "untangle".

We're equally excited about the Multimode Aqua Fiber Cables we've added. These cables will be vital in years to come, as the immense speed and quality that they provide will become necessary as networking technologies and speeds advance. Plus, because these cables are housed in an LSZH (Low-Smoke, Zero-Halogen) cable jacket, they are a perfect solution for short cable runs (between networking components) throughout offices, schools, apartment complexes and more.

The Powered USB cables can be found by browsing through the New Products section or the USB section of the cables category.

The Aqua Fiber Cables can also be found in the New Products section, as well as in the Fiber Optics subsection under Networking, in the Cables category.

Tech Lounge now available through RSS

Ken — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 11:15:00

To help keep our faithful readers up to date, we've added an RSS Feed that will make it that much easier to get to the Tech Lounge.

You'll notice a Subscribe to the RSS Feed link in the right-most column, or simply click here to to subscribe to the feed, so that you can be notified when we post to the Lounge!

Use the Quick Buy tool to purchase quickly

Ken — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:28:00

Resellers and End Users alike will benefit from a new feature we've added to our online cart. This handy feature allows users to enter up to ten distinct part numbers as well as the desired quantity of each, and provides a quick look at availability as well as the automated addition of the products to the Shopping Cart.The new tool can be located easily, by clicking on the link in the information bar, labelled Quick Buy.

You can start using it here!

StarTech.com wins Web Marketing Association Award

Paul — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 14:28:00

We are pleased to announce the Web Marketing Association's recognition of StarTech.com's Outstanding Achievement in Website Development. For the second year running we have received the Computer: Hardware Standard of Excellence award.

As we are continually striving for ways to make the site a comfortable, customer-centric environment, it's a great feeling to be recognized formally. You can check out the official award page here!

AGP and PCI Express video cards now available

Ken — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 09:15:00

If you've checked out the New Products Section recently, you may have noticed that we've added two video cards to our offering. These cards are particularly effective, especially in office environments, acting as a suitable replacement for existing cards or as a cost-effective addition to new system builds.

The cards available include an AGP model and a PCI Express version.

StarTech University opens its doors! Try it today

Paul — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 09:30:00

We are very pleased to announce the launch of a new phase of the StarTech.com web presence, StarTech University.

Designed to provide a widened familiarity with some of the technologies we offer, the StarTech U course load will be comprised of:

Hard-to-find Parts
SCSI School
Specialized Cables
Audio/Video
I/O Cards
KVM/Server Management

Upon completion of each course, you'll receive a personalized, printable certificate of completion, and once you've completed the entire semester (all six courses), you'll get a printable StarTech University diploma (not to mention the respect and adulation of your peers!).

Start your scholastic endeavours by enrolling here!

StarTech.com offers new SAS cables

Ken — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 11:11:00

Check out our new Serial-Attached-SCSI cables, now available in their own product category, aptly titled: Serial Attached SCSI (SAS). Now even SASsier than before, this section of the site can be found by browsing to the Cables category (located on the left side of the main page), and clicking on SCSI. Click here for a direct link!

StarTech.com makes the Inc.com Inc 5000 list

Paul — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 17:37:00

For the entrepreneurs in our audience, you may have noticed that we are on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies in America. It may not be surprising, but it is very flattering to be formally listed alongside our peers (even competitors!) in such a manner.

New photo galleries added for Server Racks

Paul — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00

If you are interested in our Server Racks you'll be happy to note that we have added an extensive gallery for each of our server racks. These quality photographs display all the features our server racks have to offer and let you see the racks in complete detail. The gallery is located on each product page just below the product image. You can view the products here.

Find the fiber that's right for you!

Ken — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:44:00

Another great new addition to our website, we've added a Refined Search Tool to make finding Fiber cables easier. Click here to search by connector type, fiber type, or length - or for more precise results, try searching by all three!

InfoSafe is better than sorry!

Paul — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 09:45:00

Over the last few days, I have been sorting through backed up photos, music and e-mail messages, as well as a few hundred documents, as I try to re-assemble the contents of my desktop computer hard drive - but I'm not complaining.

Last week, I noticed a bit of a slowdown when saving some of my work files, after having installed a second hard drive on my home computer. When I opened the case, I noticed that the older of the two drives was making an abnormal amount of noise; to prevent any "mishaps", I made an emergency backup using one of our USB SATA Drive Enclosures (SAT3510U2B). As it turned out, this couldn't have happened at a better time, because last night, the old hard drive took it's last breath.

When I had installed the new hard drive, I installed it right next to the old one, not factoring in the excessive heat that the drives generated. I've also added an exhaust fan to the case, to prevent any future problems once I re-install a second drive - just to be on the safe side!

Fans and Coolers

External Drive Enclosures

2-Way VGA to HDTV/HDTV converter a hit!

Ken — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 12:32:00

Over the weekend, I bought a new notebook computer as I was finding that my old one was starting to lag (it was 3 years old, and some of the features offered by newer models were becoming more and more appealing). Given the variety of brands and models available, this was a relatively hassle-free experience, but one of the problems I ran into was finding a model that would allow me to connect the computer to my television using RGB cables.

At the cost of convenience, it was starting to look like I would have to begin swapping out the RGB cables that are permanently connected to the display every time I wanted to view photos or video on a large screen, or use a video switch that would allow me to toggle between inputs.

The problem with using a video switch in this situation, was that I would more likely than not encounter a similar situation should I need to make an identical connection on another display. I would always be able to use the HDMI connection that the notebook provided, but that would depend on whether or not the display I would be using had the necessary ports available.

My workaround was a great deal easier than I thought it would be, as I ended up using VGA2TV2WAY , which is our Two-Way VGA to HDTV/HDTV to VGA Scaler/Converter. I was very pleased with how quick and simple it was to install, and the fact that it's small enough to fit in my laptop carrying bag made it ideal for my portability concerns.

Easily find product specials on our site

Paul — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 10:05:00

We've recently added a Product Specials section, that provides a complete listing of our Limited time specials, clearance items and price drops. This tool has already been a great addition (so a few of our customers have already mentioned), so I thought I would just mention that the link to this section of the site can be found on the left side of the page, third from the top under Product Navigation.

Enjoy!

80 Plus Power Supplies now in stock!

Paul — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:21:00

I am very pleased to mention that we now have our WattSmart 80PLUS certified power supplies in stock - including the 650W, 750W and 850W models.

I have personally seen some of the testing that went on behind the scenes when we were putting the "finishing touches" on these products, and am quite impressed at how well they perform. If you don't already know, 80PLUS certification in the case of power supplies is the assurance that it runs at 80% efficiency over 20%, 50% and 100% of rated load - in other words, the power supply works "smarter" and not "harder".

In the News: DVIEXTFIBLC Long Range DVI Extender

Ken — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 11:45:00

There's a great write-up about the StarTech.com DVIEXTFIBLC Long Range DVI Extender in the June edition of Sound & Video Contractor magazine, detailing some of the benefits and industry applications that this product offers. The article discusses several competitive models as well, but we are very pleased with how our product "stacks up".

If you'd like to have a look at the article, you can check it out here!

New Photo Galleries Now Online!

Paul — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:34:00

Over the past few months, our web team has been working on a photo gallery for several of our product lines, in order to provide a "Virtual hands on" experience. We'll be adding galleries for every product we offer, but until then, feel free to check out the following product categories, where you'll now be able to take a closer, more comprehensive look at some of the products we offer:

A/V Signal Converters

A/V Signal Extenders

A/V Signal Switches

A/V Signal Splitters

KVM - Enterprise switches

KVM - Desktop switches

To view the gallery, simply open the product page you are looking for, and on the left-hand side, click on "View Photo Gallery" under the standard-sized picture of the product. When the gallery page loads, you'll notice several different thumbnail pictures that allow you to click through to a larger, high-res image!

StarTech.com - your mobile computing specialists!

Ken — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 09:08:00

If you've been checking out our New Products page, you may have already noticed that we've added two new ExpressCard and two new CardBus cards, based on some of the suggestions we've received from our resellers and end users. I've only had a chance to try out one of the cards (EC13942), which proved very useful when I was attempting to edit some of the video files I had shot over the first few weeks of summer.

Remember - if you have suggestions about products you think would be helpful, send them here. We're always looking for new technologies to help round out our product lines!

The new face of StarTech.com!

Paul — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:33:00

You've likely already noticed the facelift we've given the site in order to create a more comfortable web environment, including access to our most commonly visited sections directly from the start page, a "Feature Products" section detailing some of our newest and hottest products, more easily accessible links to our main vertical markets, and of course a direct link to our Tech Lounge. We hope you find these updates helpful in your search!

Looking to keep your AMD CPU cool?

Paul — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:17:00

If you are finding it tough to find a CPU fan that is compatible with specific AMD processors, we've uploaded a handy compatiblity list that details the fans, heatsinks and coolers we offer that can help keep your AMD CPU running cool. Download a copy here: AMD Fan Compatibility List

A cool trip with some lasting memories...

Ken — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 19:56:00

This past week, I had the chance to use a couple of the new products we recently launched, on a family trip. They were released with notebook users in mind, so this was my opportunity to actually sit down and "test drive" some of the products we offer - the SLIMDVDRW8U2 and NBFAN.

NBFAN came in particularly handy at times when I wasn't driving - the notebook I was using has never overheated to the point of failure, but I definitely noticed the fan doing its job, which gave me the peace of mind of knowing I didn't need to take breaks from what I was doing to let the computer cool down. The multi-speed setting is also a nice added touch - it's not an overly noisy product to begin with, but knowing that a quieter setting was available meant not having to remove or disconnect the fan when I did get into situations where I didn't want to draw attention to the fact that I was using the computer.

SLIMDVDRW8U2 was also a major convenience on the trip, as was justified by the sheer volume of digital photographs taken. The notebook I was working from is a couple of years old, and didn't have a built-in DVD-burner...so it was nice to be able to dump the pictures we had taken on to a disk in order to leave a copy for the rest of the family. Realistically, there were a couple of workarounds I could have gone with in order to provide copies - I could have used a lower resolution setting, or burned the pictures (over 300 at roughly 3.5Mb a piece) onto multiple CDs - but there's something to be said for being able to take high quality photographs and keeping them all on a single disk, especially when the images will eventually find their way to a printer.

This really does make hard to find easy!

Paul — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 09:46:00

You may have noticed that we recently changed our tagline from "The computer professional's source for hard-to-find parts" to "Making hard-to-find easy". After a great deal of brainstorming as to our true mission, we realized that while we really are a definitive source for hard-to-find parts, we are most proud of making the parts you need easy to find. We really do have a huge selection of products; so, we are always looking for ways to simplify the search for the right solution. Our most recent endeavor involved a project that will make searching for products even easier than before.

The new tool can be found in our Patch cable and Serial card sections, providing a simple interface that allows users to filter queries based on commonly used search criteria such as cable length, color and type (for cables), and bus type and number of ports (for serial cards). It's a great addition, and is sure to come in handy - we realize that finding the right products can sometimes be like looking for a needle in a haystack.except now, you've got a really, really strong magnet!

The evolution of server remote control

Paul — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 10:13:00

Be sure to watch the New Products section for a listing of up and coming SKUs. Of particular interest is the SV1115IPEXT External Server Remote Control over IP - building on the success of its predecessor (SV111IPEXT), this product offers the same control and reliability, with the addition of a few of the features our customers asked for, including On-Screen Display control, and USB connectivity.
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Finding WiFi hotspots just got a lot easier!

Paul — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 14:02:00

Check out the Press Room, where we've added an announcement for the launch of the WiFi Detective! This little device shows great promise for mobile internet users, especially folks looking for quick access to hotspots without having to unload their notebooks in the hopes of finding access. I was lucky enough to take one to a conference I attended a week or so ago, and couldn't have lived without it, especially at the airport!
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Welcome to Paul & Ken's Tech Lounge

Ken — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:34:00

As the name implies, this "lounge" of StarTech.com will be reserved to provide insight on new and upcoming products, special promotions, industry trends and a variety of other topics, to give you a good idea of what's going on at StarTech.com as we continue to help our customers.