is a 2,5″ USB 3.0 Hard Drive good enough for Full HD 50i video?

Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy

is a 2,5″ USB 3.0 Hard Drive good enough for Full HD 50i video?

Posted by Angelo Favia on March 19, 2013 at 5:59 pm

Hi,

I have to edit some private videos with Final Cut Pro, and due to my old drive is dying… I am considering to get Hitachi Touro Mobile Pro 1TB USB 3.0 (7200 RPM & 32MB Cache) for this project. According to Hitachi this is the same 2,5″ drive installed on those G-Drive / Raid minis.

I have a very small budget right now, and that’s why I can’t consider an SSD drive or even something from G-Tech.

Could somebody tell me if something like the Touro Mobile Pro can be good enough to handle Full HD 50i Videos?

Thanks for your answers… and best Regards,

Angelo F.

Angelo Favia replied 12 years, 3 months ago 4 Members · 9 Replies
9 Replies

Shane Ross
March 19, 2013 at 6:27 pm

As long as you have a USB 3 connection on your computer too. Meaning it needs to be one of the newer MacBook Pros (2012), iMacs (2012) or MacMinis (2012). If your computer has a USB 2 connection, then the drive can only perform at USB 2 speeds, and USB2 doesn’t work with FCP for smooth playback of HD.

Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
Angelo Favia
March 19, 2013 at 6:40 pm

Hello!

Yes, I am using an 27″ iMac (late 2012)
Massimo Alberto croce
March 19, 2013 at 10:01 pm

It seems that the maximum speed is 100MB/sec. not enough for uncompressed hd, fast enough for compressed HD (ProRes, DNxHD, DVCProHD)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDxpOmOO9to

Massimo Alberto Croce
Video Editor, Colorist, Pro Tools Editor
massimoalberto.croce@gmail.com

Some contents or functionalities here are not available due to your cookie preferences!

This happens because the functionality/content marked as “Google Youtube” uses cookies that you choosed to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.
Angelo Favia
March 20, 2013 at 11:47 am

Well, that video doesn’t show the Pro version of the drive. In any case, I will be working with compressed HD video
Angelo Favia
March 20, 2013 at 11:54 am

Well, that video doesn’t show the Pro version of the drive. In any case, I will be working with compressed HD video
Angelo Favia
March 29, 2013 at 9:16 pm

So, I ended up giving the Touro Mobile Pro a try, and I must say: It works as I spected with Final Cut Pro X and 50i and 25i HD video (16Mbps) from a consumer camcorder.

And according to the Blackmagic drive test software (or whatever the name is) the drives reaches and average speed of 125 MB/s (read and write)
Morten Slemdal
January 24, 2014 at 5:34 pm

still satisfied with your Hitachi?

Is this the drive you bought?

https://www.deal.no/deal/default.asp?page=vare&ProdusentID=0S03560&ref=Prisjakt.no&utm_source=Prisjakt.no&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=0S03560
Angelo Favia
January 29, 2014 at 3:58 pm

Hi, yes I am still satisfied with it and have already edited footage from a Sony NEX FS100.

Actually, I bought a second Touro Mobile Pro to store only the FCP X Projects and Final Cut Pro 7 Render Files, so I can use the first one for Events or Footage only.

And yes, that item from that link is the right hard drive. Just make sure you are buying the PRO version. 😉
Angelo Favia
January 29, 2014 at 4:00 pm

Hi, yes I am still satisfied with it and have already edited footage from a Sony NEX FS100.

Actually, I bought a second Touro Mobile Pro to store only the FCP X Projects and Final Cut Pro 7 Render Files, so I can use the first one for Events or Footage only.

And yes, that item from that link is the right hard drive. Just make sure you get the PRO version.

Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up

Creative Communities of the World Forums