Laptop DJs - Mobile HDD?

[G3N3R4L]

This is a question for anyone who's using a laptop and uses a mobile HDD.

I'm looking into getting one to store mp3s on for use with serato. I'm looking for recommendations / advice on the subject.

a couple of provisos:

- mac HFS+ compatable
- needs to be portable (bus powered)
- obviously needs a decent amount of space and speed


a main point of confusion for me is: i have firewire 800 and firewire 400 capability on my macbook, as well as USB 2.0

if i can't find a HDD that suits me with firewire 800, and i have to settle on the other two options, does it matter if i choose FW or USB? (they seem to be pretty comparable for speed rates)


Thanks in advance

[G3N3R4L]

I'm looking at this one seriously..

small.. 250Gig capability.. small and aluminum cased...

LaCie - Hard Drive, Design by F.A. Porsche - USB 2.0 and FireWire

only thing is that its firewire 400/USB 2.0 only.

[Gusto]

picked up a 500GB lacie HD for $129 at Futureshop today (on sale, the 230GB of the same drive is $180). USB 2.0. preformatted with FAT32 for Windows/OSX usage but can be formatted for HFS.

[Gusto]

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...93&catid=23795

[Phrenetic]

i dont use external drives. there too un-reliable...

but if you absolutely need to go that route i recommend getting a nexstar enclosure. it is aluminum and will dissipate heat, heat kills computer parts.

depending on your medium i would go for a raptor drive. you need high disk rpms in order to transfer data faster. i have never heard of a usb powered external hard drive. but i could be wrong...

[rawb]

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS (I HAVE LISTED THEM BELOW)
1) HARD DRIVES ARE FILESYSTEM INDEPENDENT, SO YOU SHOULD BE OKAY, BUT WHY WOULD YOU FORMAT THE DRIVE HFS+? IT WOULD BE A BETTER IDEA TO DO IT FAT32 IN CASE YOU NEED TO PLAY OFF A WINDOWS LAPTOP SOMETIME. HFS+ OFFERS LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT

2) IIRC, FIREWIRE ALOWS YOU TO POWER LARGER/FASTER DRIVES
USB TOPS OUT AT ABOUT 5400RPM/250 GIGS DEPENDING ON # OF PLATTERS

HUGS AND LOLLIPOPS

[G3N3R4L]

Originally Posted by Gusto

picked up a 500GB lacie HD for $129 at Futureshop today (on sale, the 230GB of the same drive is $180). USB 2.0. preformatted with FAT32 for Windows/OSX usage but can be formatted for HFS.

is that bus powered by the USB? or does it need its own plug in AC power source?

also, the speed of USB 2.0 doesnt seem to be any problem?

[G3N3R4L]

about the HFS+ .. ive just read that they perform better for macs..

if the gain is insignificant.. then i dont really need to do that .. i can leave it at fat32 if im sacrificing windows compat for almost no speed gains

[Phrenetic]

usb 2.0 has never really hiccuped with me in ableton live. just make sure you load whatever your doing into yer ram

[rawb]

Originally Posted by Phrenetic

i dont use external drives. there too un-reliable...

but if you absolutely need to go that route i recommend getting a nexstar enclosure. it is aluminum and will dissipate heat, heat kills computer parts.

depending on your medium i would go for a raptor drive. you need high disk rpms in order to transfer data faster. i have never heard of a usb powered external hard drive. but i could be wrong...

DISREGARD ALL OF THIS NONSENSE

[Phrenetic]

Originally Posted by rawb

DISREGARD ALL OF THIS NONSENSE

booooooooo

[Gusto]

external ps. i'm pretty impressed with the speed but i've only had it for an hour. but for that price it's worth checking out.

[G3N3R4L]

Originally Posted by Gusto

external ps. i'm pretty impressed with the speed but i've only had it for an hour. but for that price it's worth checking out.

im looking at the dimensions on futureshop site.. looks pretty beefy..

the aluminum finish is really growing on me but i think the size might be a bit too much for really being mobile.. same with the external ps..

im going to have to suggest that for my buddy who needs just a regular desktop back up HDD.. thanks for the headsup!

[rawb]

I WOULD RECOMMEND LEAVING IT FAT32

I HAVE USED MY EXTERNAL IN USB 1.1 PORTS (DUDES OLD LAPTOP) AND PLAYED SONGS IN SERATO NO PROBLEM, I DONT THINK STRAMING MP3S FROM IT WILL BE AN ISH, UNLESS YOU ARE DOING A LOT OF OTHER BACKGROUND READING/WRITING TO THE DRIVE

[G3N3R4L]

yeah i think its going to be a dedicated serato mule. at least while serato is being used i know that mp3s playing will be the only r/w to the drive.

if thats the case.. USB 2.0 and FW400 should be fine.. and the model i linked above even has an additional USB plug just to help with power if theres not enough coming in on the one bus

that may be the one i shoot for.. thanks a bunch for the help guys!

[G3N3R4L]

its just a shame that it doesnt have a blue LED... im a sucker for blue LEDs

[Gusto]

ya its got an orange light though. to be honest it's kind of dim but it's something.

[Drazkers]

You seem to love bus powered setups, alot of Dj forums note that the more bus powered devices means the more unstable your system may become. Its not for all systems, but a sudden crash can go down. firewire strains the system less then usb tho.

[G3N3R4L]

its more about only wanting to have to plug in one item (the laptop) while playing at a party.

makes things less complicated if you dont have to scrounge for that extra plug in spot

[dj_soo]

i suggest Firewire - on your mac, using FW eats up less of your CPU usage. That and it just produces better sustained transfers than USB (even if USB 2.0 is theoretically faster).

For serato, it shouldn't matter too much, but you will likely feel the difference when you start transfering large amonts of files.

I have a 2.5" firewire drive, they seem like they're hard to come by actually so I ended up having to get my own enclosure and drive. Costs a bit more than your standard too...

[project.one]

If your going to spend money on a setup, why not just buy a dedicated laptop and then not have to worry about carrying around extra gear such as a Mobile HDD? The less you have to carry and lug around with you, the better, is it not?

[rawb]

DUDE, HAVING AN EXTERNAL WITH ALL OF YOUR MUSIC ON IT MAKES LIFE SO MUCH SIMPLER

WHEN I GO OVER TO SPIN AT A FRIENDS HOUSE/WITH SOMEONE ELSES SETUP ALL I DO IS PLUG IN MY DRIVE AND GO TO TOWN, NO NEED TO BRING 5 DIFFERENT LAPTOPS TO THE PARTY AND SWITCH BETWEEN ALL OF THEM

[G3N3R4L]

Originally Posted by project.one

If your going to spend money on a setup, why not just buy a dedicated laptop and then not have to worry about carrying around extra gear such as a Mobile HDD? The less you have to carry and lug around with you, the better, is it not?

well i already have the laptop.. and it was in response to my desktop pc dying. so it kinda has to serve both purposes.

its got 160HD internal. So i dont think im in dire straights right now to go external. but im just planning ahead a bit.

and thumbs up to what rawb said.

[dj_soo]

btw, my external saved my ass a couple of times - went through two HD failures in rapid succession. I keep my shit backed up, but only like once every 2 months. Having all my music setup on a separate drive saved my ass a couple of times.

Also, as a mac user, you have the option of Fast User Switching which can allow you to set up multiple iTunes libraries (if you use that to organize your tunes) via multiple user accounts.

[project.one]

Originally Posted by rawb

DUDE, HAVING AN EXTERNAL WITH ALL OF YOUR MUSIC ON IT MAKES LIFE SO MUCH SIMPLER

WHEN I GO OVER TO SPIN AT A FRIENDS HOUSE/WITH SOMEONE ELSES SETUP ALL I DO IS PLUG IN MY DRIVE AND GO TO TOWN, NO NEED TO BRING 5 DIFFERENT LAPTOPS TO THE PARTY AND SWITCH BETWEEN ALL OF THEM

Na, makes sense. Didnt think of it that way.