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Recomend me a USB HDD
dhutch - 19/2/13 at 10:19 PM

My 120gb usb hdd appears to have gone bump, fortunately it was only used to back up what is on the desktop, some of which is also on the laptop, however I now needs replacing.

USB 3 appears to have arrived, which seems a no brainer when looking at 1TB sort of sizes but does anyone have any recommendations of brand/model. Would rather something reliable than cheap. Else I shall just buy what ever is 'most popular' on scan.co.uk like last time.



Daniel

loggyboy - 19/2/13 at 10:27 PM

Defo want usb? NAS is much quicker and versatile. Options were discussed here a few week s ago.

loggyboy - 19/2/13 at 10:30 PM

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/38/viewthread.php?tid=178329
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=178132

dhutch - 20/2/13 at 12:32 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
Defo want usb? NAS is much quicker and versatile. Options were discussed here a few week s ago.
quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/38/viewthread.php?tid=178329
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=178132


Its a valid point (and thanks for the links) I guess in the first instance I was just going down the 'replace what I had' mentality. I also occationaly use it to take my data around with me, either to a freinds or if im working abroad (laptop only a little 14.5inch job and has a fairly small drive). Slightly naughty having a dual purpose as both backup and portable device, which may be why its failed as it has been moved around a lot.

It was a little Seagate FreeAgent Go , slim, bus powered, and nice looking. http://www.jrlinton.co.uk/images/products/zoom/1276191427-10440200.jpg />
So I was thinking somthing like this, as there doesnt appear to be any as sexy looking in usb3 atm.
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1tb-samsung-m3-portable-usb30-20-external-hard-drive-25-carbon-black-bus-powered-usb-30-20-pc-mac

Ive got one of the old linkstations in the cuboard at the moment, which came from my parents worked last time it was used, but was replaced with a newer one when it started making an increasing about of noise and I had thought of trying to find out if it was the hdd or fan.
Didnt realise they had come down quite as much as they have, and it would be an option, although my 'network' is currently a slightly adhoc collection of cabled, wireless, and a pair of powerplugs to get it upstairs, all centered around a bt homehub and btvision box.

Link from other thread:
http://www.ebuyer.com/291389-buffalo-linkstation-live-v2-1tb-1x-1tb-nas-drive-ls-x1-0tl-eu

It does also appeal to be able to watch films ive got on the computer on the tv without plugging the TV into the laptop with a d-sub lead (TV is an aging 2007 vintage plasma afair inhereted with the house) and also thought of down-sizing the TV to a secondhand 32 or 37inch tft/led to reduce its presence in the room, but equally I dont actually watch much TV, its mainly used by my two lodgers!

Can opened?

Work have also mooted that I might be going to India for 6months over summer which is a consideration, and may involve a new more 'desktop replacment' size laptop. Or atleast a sff pc as my 2ft high current desktop is prehaps a little large to fly about!


Daniel

loggyboy - 20/2/13 at 12:35 PM

I have that link station live NAS, is very good IMO. It can watch movies on TV, but it needs to be a 'networked' TV, ie there are no plugs on the NAS other than network and power.

coyoteboy - 20/2/13 at 01:00 PM

I use a NAS with a 64gig USB3 pen as my carry-around store. Can back up the carry-around by just plugging it into the NAS port and hitting "copy". Cost me about £300 all in for the mem pen, USB3 card, NAS and 2 2Tb drives running in RAID for safety (photos are backed up on the NAS).

NAS is housed under the floorboards these days as I don't trust it not to get stolen with all my pictures on it, plus it remains quite cool under there.

[Edited on 20/2/13 by coyoteboy]

dhutch - 20/2/13 at 01:17 PM

Cock, ive just lost me post through hitting the back button.

##

What I was going to say was.

Networked TV's, what am I looking for? Costs? I was thinking a budget of £200 for a secondhand telly, most of which I would get back flogging the 50inch plasma jobbie but could stretch to a bit more if it future proofed it. I also pay £4 a month for the very average bt vision (£50 a year) to add ondemand and recording ability which I used myself as what little TV I do watch i never watch live, even if its just starting watching it half an hour later to ffwd the adds!


Obviously a solid state pendrive makes more sense to carry around a lot, but I dont have to have anything on me daily at the moment and if im away for a month or so I do like the ability to have all my data on me if I want to pull up some photos or documents from a few years ago, all be it, infrequently.

Valid point about hiding the NAS drive. As you say, its the photos that are irreplacable.
It proberbly also makes sense the have some form of offsite or atleast isolated backup (lighting strike, housefire etc).

I have looked at cloudbased solutions but have some concerns of the security and to a certain extent durabiliy of the data. Both from external sources trying to access the data and from the company responsable going bust. Partly this is fear of the unknown obvisouly, but not without grounding.

I noticed that the Synology nas box claims to be able to provide remove access. What are peoples thoughts on this?

http://www.ebuyer.com/288176-synology-ds212j-2-bay-nas-enclosure-ds212j


Daniel




[Edited on 20/2/2013 by dhutch]

loggyboy - 20/2/13 at 04:37 PM

I beleive the term is DLNA (or DNLA?) for a tv that can link with a pc/server/nas.

My 4 yr old panasonic 42 plasma has it, basically, if it has a network connection it should work.
The other option as mentioned in the links I posted is a RasberryPi, which I do quite fancy myself, thats basically a mini PC that can connect directly to a TV/monitor, network, USB & SD card and can be run when you put an OS on a SD/USB card. That would be a good way to watch Iplayer and stored media without the need for a networled/DLNA/smart TV.

jossey - 20/2/13 at 05:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
Defo want usb? NAS is much quicker and versatile. Options were discussed here a few week s ago.


not convinced myself.

my nas is setup wireless nd i only get 1.2mb per sec

loggyboy - 20/2/13 at 06:17 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jossey
quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
Defo want usb? NAS is much quicker and versatile. Options were discussed here a few week s ago.


not convinced myself.

my nas is setup wireless nd i only get 1.2mb per sec


Sounds like your wireless is fuubard - 1.2mb/s is low usb 1 speeds! I get better speeds than that from my Nas over the remote internet connection.

coyoteboy - 20/2/13 at 06:33 PM

quote:

ot convinced myself. my nas is setup wireless nd i only get 1.2mb per sec


Doesn't make sense to run a NAS wirelessly, hard wired is the only way and preferably over a gigabit router. Sit it behind a guaranteed surge protected isolator.

Offsite is a luxury I can't justify and my data quantities wouldn't allow, I'd be permanently uploading/downloading.

dhutch - 21/2/13 at 04:35 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
I beleive the term is DLNA (or DNLA?) for a tv that can link with a pc/server/nas.
Ok, i'll look out for that, I head read about it but didnt know how accepted a standard it was.
Although I used to tinker with computers/software etc, simce i left school and certainly now ive got the house to work on i have far less time for it and much prefer a robust plug and play solution than a tinkering solution!

geoff shep - 21/2/13 at 08:04 PM

In answer to the original question - I have a couple of these WD My Passport drives.

500 Gb for £50, 1Tb is only £65, they are powered from the usb port so no external power and very portable, look good too.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007UOW80O