電腦硬碟的 SATA 跟 ATA 有何分別?

ATA是AT Attachment的縮寫，意思是AT電腦上的附加設備。ATA可以使用戶方便地在PC機上連接硬碟。 ATA標準從1994年至今共經歷了7代標準，現在簡述如下： ATA-1（1994）：是最早的IDE標準。 ATA-2（1996）：是EIDE的標準，支持PIO3,4和DMA 1,2傳輸方式，最大數據傳輸速度為16MB/s。 ATA-3（1997）：引入了SMART和安全特性，沒有制定新的傳輸標準。 ATA-4（1998）：著名的“UDMA33”標準。引入了新的ATA命令和協議，最大數據傳輸速度為33MB/s。 ATA-5（2000）：增加了一些新的ATA命令。最大數據傳輸速度為66MB/s。 ATA-6（2000）：UDMA100。 ATA-7（2002）：UDMA133。 你所說的ATA是廣為使用的IDE和EIDE設備的相關標準。

SATA 就是Serial ATA :點對點串行ATA 它因為有更輕薄、更靈活的的接線 支持熱插拔、功耗更低、安裝簡便性、內部散熱以及驅動器配置方面帶來很多的好處、數據傳輸速率更快等優點

AT Attachment with Packet Interface (ATA/ATAPI) is a standard interface for connecting storage devices such as hard disks, solid state disks and CD-ROM drives inside personal computers. The standard is maintained by X3/INCITS committee T13.
ATA/ATAPI is the result of a long history of incremental technical development. ATA/ATAPI is an evolution of the AT Attachment Interface, which was itself evolved in several stages from Western Digital's original Integrated Drive Electronics interface. As a result, many near-synonyms for ATA/ATAPI and its previous incarnations exist, including abbreviations such as IDE which are still in common informal use. With the market introduction of Serial ATA in 2003, the original ATA was retroactively renamed Parallel ATA (PATA).






圖片參考：http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Ata_20070127_002.jpg/150px-Ata_20070127_002.jpg


圖片參考：http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/ATA_on_mainboard.jpg/150px-ATA_on_mainboard.jpg


ATA connector on the left, with two motherboard ATA connectors on the right.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Technology_Attachment
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA, IPA: /ˈseɪtə/, /ˈstə/ or 'sɑːtə) is a computer bus primarily designed for transfer of data between a computer and mass storage devices such as hard disk drives and optical drives.
The main advantages over the older parallel ATA interface are faster data transfer, ability to remove or add devices while operating (hot swapping), thinner cables that let air cooling work more efficiently, and more reliable operation with tighter data integrity checks.
It was designed as a successor to the Advanced Technology Attachment standard (ATA), and is expected to eventually replace the older technology (retroactively renamed Parallel ATA or PATA). Serial ATA adapters and devices communicate over a high-speed serial cable.

圖片參考：http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/SATA_ports.jpg/200px-SATA_ports.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

兩樣不同的制式, 最主要在速度上分別, 隨著HD D容量越來越大, HD的速度相應要求提高, 所以有SATA的制式出現.