Firewire or USB on an external drive

[Jeff Carpenter]

If you’re doing ANYTHING with video you should keep looking for a firewire hookup.

The speed of firewire and USB2 is the same when averaged over time. So a 100 MB file will copy in about the same amount of time on each drive. But the firewire connection will stay more consistent whereas a USB connection will hit higher points and lower points. Over time, they average out to the same amount of data in the same amount of time, but for video the low-points in USB means dropped frames.

That’s annoying while editing and downright unacceptable when it comes to capturing from tapes.

USB is great for things like iPods and cell phones and digital cameras. It’s even fine for hard drives that don’t need to capture and play live media. But if you’re going to edit any video, stick to firewire.

[13]

Most external HD enclosures require a power source

[Nelson May]

Cool thanks,

I saw some FW cases and they ran in conjuction with USB. Can FW power the notebook drive, or does it need USB to power it. I am trying to be able to take a drive and hook it up to my G4 at a coffee shop without having to carry ab powerbar.

Thanks,

[Jeff Carpenter]

The only drives I’ve seen that are powered by the data connection tend to be smaller and slower. Things like 10 GB 4200 rpm drives. Or, you know, the iPod, which goes up to 60 GB but is still very slow compared to an actual hard drive.

In other words, drives that are competing with keychain flash drives, not full sized hard drives.

For what you want to do I don’t think you’ll find anything that’s self-powered and meets your needs.

[Jeff Carpenter]

Ok, so it’s been awhile since I’ve looked this stuff up.

https://www.smartdisk.com/eWeb/smartdiskus/www/staticpages/fireliteporthdd.asp

Apparently you can get a 100 GB, 5400 rpm drive for $200 that powers itself from the firewire OR USB2 connection. They have them on Apple’s online store too.

Now, I still wouldn’t say this would be a fantastic video drive, but for all your other needs it might be just what you’re looking for.

And even for video, well, I woudn’t CAPTURE to it, but if you copied video data to it from another hard drive…you might be able to get a little bit of editing done without it being too annoying. I wouldn’t suggest it as a winning solution, but I wouldn’t say it won’t work at all.

[13]

is this Hard Drive from a Desktop G4 or a Laptop G4

[Nelson May]

Yes,

this is from a G4 an 80GB.

[13]

Yes I already understood that but is it from a laptop with a G4 Processor or a desktop with a G4 processor. A Hard Drive from a laptop not only is smaller phisicaly then one from a desktop, but has different data and power conections then those from a desktop.

If it is from a Desktop HD you will need a power source, however many external inclosures for laptop hard drives do not require a plug in power source.

is this Hard Drive from a Desktop G4 or a Laptop G4

[Craig Alan]

Try wiebetech.com. Great service and great products. Email weibetech and ask them about bus powered options. I think it’s always better to use a power cord while editing but see what they say or do a search here on the cow for bus powered firewire.

If you have been using your system drive to edit, now might be a good time to backup, erase, and reinstall. Keep your media on the firewire drive and your project files on your system drive.

[Nelson May]

Sorry laptop G4.