WTA external HD

[shahir]

don really know about computer stuff..so any advice is really appriciated...thinking of getting an external HD for all my picture in my laptop..so would this one work? can use usb port?

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=701964&hl=external+hard+drive

thanks :)

[CompMac]

As always, I will start with the budget. Do buy something within your budget.

Price wise, the bigger the size, the better RM/GB you will get. A branded 500GB external HDD with exclosure nowadays costs less than RM1/GB. Get SATA HDD as they are now the standard.

Connection wise, the standard for PC will be USB2.0 but there are also Firewire400, Firewire800 and e-SATA. There is also NAS but it's much more expensive. It's best to get an enclosure with more than one type of connectivity option so that you can still use it should one of them is damaged or broken.

Get a 3.5" size should you just want it as a backup and it won't be carried around while get the 2.5" if you want mobility. 3.5" enclosures will need a power adaptor while 2.5" enclosures will use one extra USB port as power.

Hope this helps. :)

[shahir]

thanks bro CM :)
maybe looking around the 80GB or 120GB range...

thanks
Shahir

[dr_shivan]

Shahir,

U have to look at the bigger picture. Let's say a RAW file is 10MB, 80-120GB will not hold that many photos. 3.5" HDD's are the way to go. 1TB 3.5" price now is RM635+-, and I got 2 units myself :p
Before I dive into photography, my 80GB was a lot of HDD since I don't BT nor download stuff. But since, my HDD has been dropping like flies and I'm only into my 1st year of photography.

If price is no issue, go BIG.

[feicipet]

Best strategy is to calculate how much per megabyte at the price you're buying. I can say quite safely, that you won't be getting much bang for your buck if you get an 80GB hdd compare to a 300GB or 500GB.

[shahir]

dr shivan
waaa..is RAW really that BIG?
never shot in RAW..only in JPEG only hehehehhe

dr shivan/feicipet,
so how big would be considered okay? thinking of going serious on photography..so 300GB would considered good? my funds is quite limited la right now...

thanks all for the advice :)


Item(s): Western Digital My Book Studio ( External Hard Drive )


Price:
320GB = RM330 (Courier fee only RM8, East Malaysia Courier Fee Only RM20)
500GB = RM499 Nego
1000GB = RM849 Nego (Courier fee only RM8, East Malaysia Courier Fee Only RM20)
Warranty: 5 Year warranty( 1 to 1 swap if HDD problem )
Official Website: http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=374


http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/646684

[dr_shivan]

Shahir,

Where's your location? If you are near PJ, SS2 area, head over to ComputerWar.
3.5" SATA 7200RPM
500GB = RM 265
750GB = RM 398
1000GB = RM 625

External casing will be another 100-200

[shahir]

dr shivan
i'm located at JB...want to find computer stuff susah jugaklah..lagi lah i'm quite stupid when comes to all this HDD, RAM, ROM...hahahahah LoL..

and a silly question...why need external casing?
the SATA HDD don't have casing? it's like those computer hard disc?

[feicipet]

RAW is about 10-12 megs per image...

you don't really have to spend a lot in one go... get a casing + a hard disk (whatever you can afford) first... make sure that you are able to change the hard drives in the casing... if you don't mind the trouble, when you run out of space, just get a new drive n swap in the new drive into the casing... keep your old drive in a safe place... for neat organization, catalog your old drives indicating the dates when the pictures were taken...

3.5" drives are more value for money but they're bulky and not very portable... I tend to stick to 2.5" (laptop-sized) drives... 'cos I prefer to bring them around...

if you use a 3.5" hard drive casing, make sure it comes with an external power supply... I've had very bad results with 3.5" drives failing due to insufficient power from my laptop USB transport...

and for more money-saving... be more selective of the images you keep... I'm not a good photographer, and I can safely say that 90% of the images I take will never see the light of day again once archived :)


dr shivan
waaa..is RAW really that BIG?
never shot in RAW..only in JPEG only hehehehhe

dr shivan/feicipet,
so how big would be considered okay? thinking of going serious on photography..so 300GB would considered good? my funds is quite limited la right now...

thanks all for the advice :)



http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/646684

[feicipet]

dr shivan
i'm located at JB...want to find computer stuff susah jugaklah..lagi lah i'm quite stupid when comes to all this HDD, RAM, ROM...hahahahah LoL..

and a silly question...why need external casing?
the SATA HDD don't have casing? it's like those computer hard disc?

brother... Sim Lim kat Singapore tu dekat je kan? :) and the prices are quite comparable...

SATA HDD is "those computer hard disc" so it's not good to expose them :) so you need an external hard drive casing to protect it and so that you can tukar to another PC bila bila masa... moreover, your typical PC can only support maximum of 4 SATA drives so swapping will be eventually necessary...

[dr_shivan]

JB, yeah I know your problems over there.. I used to be in JB for a month during my unemployment days.. A dvd writer would cost me like 200-300 but in kl its only 80 bucks..

[shahir]

bro feicipet
SIM LIM? penah dgr..tp blum penah pergi..only have been tu Funan near Peninsula Plaza...mmm..maybe can look around there? but now RM to SG exchange rate is like killing me...been long time haven't cross the causeway... :)

dr shivan
yeah..huhu kasihan saya.... :(

[feicipet]

bro feicipet
SIM LIM? penah dgr..tp blum penah pergi..only have been tu Funan near Peninsula Plaza...mmm..maybe can look around there? but now RM to SG exchange rate is like killing me...been long time haven't cross the causeway... :)

dr shivan
yeah..huhu kasihan saya.... :(

Cuba compare harga kat sini (http://sg.hardwarezone.com/priceguide/priceguide.php?id=237) dulu... then decide whether it's worth it to make a trip there... the trip is not expensive... if you take bus #170 from Larkin, you will go all the way to walking distance of Sim Lim Square (10-15 mins max)... just walk over, buy, walk back to bus station and take bus back... I also bought my camera, CPL filter and CF cards from a shop in Sim Lim...

[shahir]

Cuba compare harga kat sini (http://sg.hardwarezone.com/priceguide/priceguide.php?id=237) dulu... then decide whether it's worth it to make a trip there... the trip is not expensive... if you take bus #170 from Larkin, you will go all the way to walking distance of Sim Lim Square (10-15 mins max)... just walk over, buy, walk back to bus station and take bus back... I also bought my camera, CPL filter and CF cards from a shop in Sim Lim...

feicipet
thanks for the price list...
couldn't open map for Sim Lim..so take 170 to end (queens street) then can walk to Sim Lim? is it near bugis junction? i usually take MRT..

anyway thanks again.. :)

[feicipet]

feicipet
thanks for the price list...
couldn't open map for Sim Lim..so take 170 to end (queens street) then can walk to Sim Lim? is it near bugis junction? i usually take MRT..

anyway thanks again.. :)

queen street is nearer to SLS than to bugis junction... think of Queen st, Bugis Junction and SLS as a triangle :) if you can't find a map, just ask around when you reach there... location of SLS is pretty much common knowledge to the ppl there...

Note: do not be confused between Sim Lim Square and Sim Lim Tower... you are looking for Sim Lim SQUARE...

[shahir]

queen street is nearer to SLS than to bugis junction... think of Queen st, Bugis Junction and SLS as a triangle :) if you can't find a map, just ask around when you reach there... location of SLS is pretty much common knowledge to the ppl there...

Note: do not be confused between Sim Lim Square and Sim Lim Tower... you are looking for Sim Lim SQUARE...

yeah yeah...i heard about sim lim tower too...
cool...thanks for the direction bro feicipet... :D