Topic: external harddrive recommendations?

[d swing]

Looking for an external drive...anyone have any recommendations?  I'm looking for a 160 or bigger depending on price (trying to get < $1 per gig).  I know a couple of years ago it was cheaper to buy and external kit and an IDE drive than a pre-assembled external.  Is this still the case?  TIA.
 

[Ray76]

I have had this crossfire: http://www.theboyz.biz/product_info.php?products_id=38630

I use it for all of my torrents, and audio stuff, and havent had a prob in a year and a half..Great device. Highly reccomended.Good Luck!
Ray

[d swing]

Thanks for the rec, +T...can you daisy chain these with usb 2.0?  It looks like you can with firewire but I'll be using usb.  I'm thinking that'll I'll be purchasing more in the future and would prefer if storage only takes up one usb port.

Anyone else have thoughts?? 

[Ray76]

http://www.smartdisk.com/Products/Storage%20Products/Hard%20Drives/CrossFire.asp
looks to me like maybe so, but Im no guru..At any rate, I love mine!+T backatcha!
Ray

[nic]

I got a lacie 160 firewire drive last month for $120 at compusa.
will probably get another one shortly for the girlfriends emac...

[DCDireWolf]

I need one too, but unfortunately only have regular old usb to connect with.  can these usb2 harddrives use usb as well?

would it make a difference in a recommendation?

[MattD]

Regular USB = S L O W. Get a USB2/FW PCI card and enjoy the speed boost to external drives.

[DCDireWolf]

i'm told my dell isn't able to upgrade to usb2.  maybe it's time for a new pc.

[Tall Adam]

DONT BUY PRE ASSEMBLED! waste of money! i asked this same question a few months back (january) and did the research, wound up getting a 200gb drive for ~90 after rebates, case was 30 from new egg. putting an external together takes 2 minutes. buy a bigger drive and a cheap case, and enjoy!

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

can these usb2 harddrives use usb as well?

would it make a difference in a recommendation?

Yes, a USB2 device will talk on an older USB port.  You're transfer speed will be limited to that of the slowest controller on the link.


It really would not make a difference in my recommendation, which is to get an enclosure that supports both USB2.0 and Firewire.  That gives you the most flexibility for moving the device between machines.  It may seem like paying for support of two protocols is a waste of money.  But one day you'll take that drive someplace where they have only the protocol that you can't support.  Get a dual protocol enclosure.

[DCDireWolf]

thanks for the advice!  plus T to all.

[Tim]

I got a 250 gig from Compusa last weekend for $90... spent another 40 or 50 on a firewire case. keep an eye out for local sales, dnsaclks tipped me off to that one...