-
External backup drives – any recommendations?
Hello,
I am currently using a Maxtor 300GB FW400 hard drive with Retrospect software to back up my 500GB Mac HD (nothing from the media drive). It’s full!
So, while there, I saw that LaCie has a NAB show special on the 500GB Big Disk Extreme with Triple Interface (FW800, FW400 & USB2). This special continues until Friday (May 5th) for $319 and shipping starts at $15. I also looked at the G-Tech drives, but they do more than I need them to and are price for what they do (more) as well! I’ve never had many problems with the Maxtor, but they are $70 higher for their 500GB OneTouch III which has FW800 as well (that would be how I would hook it into the Quad – my AJA Io LA is using one of the FW400 inputs).
Does anyone have any recommendations? How is the LaCie Big Disk Extreme – good, bad? Anyone know where I can get a better 500GB External with FW800 for a better price?
Thanks in advance!
-PatG5 Quad 2.5 Desktop with 4GB Ram, 500GB HD & Fiber Card ~
30″ Cinema Display & 17″ Sony SVGA ~
Swift Data 200 Internal 1.6TB SATA II RAID 0 ~
AJA Io LA ~
Final Cut Studio ~
Sony UVW-1800 Beta-SP ~~~P D Post Productions, Inc. ~
TV~DVD~VHS~CD~WEB
for Corporate Communications, Commercials, Infomercials, Television Programs, Family Occasions since 1983 ~
E-mail **@****st.com ~
Website http://www.PDPost.com ~
Business/Cell Phone (847) 275-5671 -
4 Replies
-
We’re had good luck with the 1TB Lacie Big Disk Extreme drives. FW800 used.
-
i have a 500 bigdisk from lacie and know this, the drive is striped, so if one drives dies both do, but they are halfway decent, i preferthough to build my own drives, it’s more cost effective. and more customizing is available.
Aaron Zander-Student editor
If it’s out there and it does somethign to something,
teach me how to use it
Powerbook g4 1.5 GHz (it might not be big, but i can take it on set
fcp 5, ae 6.5pro adobe cs2 -
You can buy excellent enterprise level 300gb hard drives for just $121 https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144237
and a firewire enclosure for $30 – $50. Why the heck would you want to spend twice that for drives in a sealed enclosure? -
[PDPost] “I also looked at the G-Tech drives, but they do more than I need them to and are price for what they do (more) as well!”
Don’t dismiss the G-Raid drives just because of their price. I have 5 of them and they are rock solid. They run just aobut 24/7 and we have yet to have any issues with them. If you are looking for just a backup drive that you will connect, transfer files and then shut down then I would suggest going to Newegg.com and buying a drive and enclosure, but if this drive will be powered up and connected to your machine then I would recommend something like the G-Raid (a drive with fans) that can hold up under the strain. I know that a lot of people like LaCie drives and many of them have never had any problems with them but I have. And based on the hardware and customer service that I received from LaCie I will NEVER buy another one.
[PDPost] “which has FW800 as well (that would be how I would hook it into the Quad – my AJA Io LA is using one of the FW400 inputs).”
Bear in mind, if you hook up this drive to the system firewire bus that came with you Mac and have your AJA plugged in you will only get firewire 400 speed out of the drive. The firewire bus slows to the speed of its slowest component. To get FW800 speeds you have two options, 1) disconnect your AJA when using your external drive, or 2) add a PCI FW800 card to your Mac.
For what its worth and good luck.
Ken Summerall
Wellwater Productions
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up