Setup:
The setup is simple, as it is a plug and play operation that doesn’t make use of any software. Just plug it in and power up. There are no locations to secure anything with screws, as the cover just clicks into place. There is no spring action or relative fanciness here, just two small plastic nubs that flex and then snap into little notches. At first the cover was stiff and awkward to open and close, but it seems to have loosened up a bit after some repeated use.
Inside the drive opening on the dock there is nothing to see but the SATA connections and an ejection lever. The ejection system is simple; push down the "button" and the lever pushes the hard drive up. There is no locking mechanism that it disengages. With that being said, you can also just pull the drive out without the lever's help.
The underside of an installed hard drive is left completely unguarded, opening the possibility for unwanted contact and damage to the PCB. I would be much more comfortable using this docking station if it completely shielded the hard drive. There is more protection than on the original BlacX, but as you can see in the images below, the PCB is not 100% covered. Having the back open also leaves a chance for a liquid accident to happen; a spilled drink, a leak from the ceiling, a forgotten open window when it’s raining, or somebody that spits profusely when they talk could all jeopardize the drive.
I noticed that there was a little wiggle room in the cavity where the HDD sits. The cavity isn’t very deep, and when the hard drive is inserted with the cover up the drive still isn’t completely confined. Observe the two images above. The above left image shows a normal insertion, while the above right image shows the drive inserted and then given a gentle push. The wiggle room there allows the drive to be moved about a quarter of an inch; enough movement to cause the drive to disconnect.
