Best External Harddrive For The Field?

ShamrockFilms

ShamrockFilms

Well-known member
I have been recommended to buy the 1 TB Mercury Elite Pro. I also have to buy a Mac Laptop to make sure the footage is getting in there before I clear the P2 Card.

What external harddrive do you recommend and why?
 
I have been using a 500g G-Drive, not a G-Raid, for my external field drive. Haven't had a problem yet. I use the P2 log to ensure all my footage made it to the drive before formatting the P2 card.
Didn't want to go RAID on the field because of the added things that could go wrong in the field. Keep your platters to a minimum and you will save yourself grief down the road.
 
About the HD, we've used "local" brands that I'm sure you don't get in the US so I can't recommend a brand. However, always duplicate the data before erasing the p2 card. In other words, buy 2 identical drives and copy the contents of the p2 card on each drive before erasing.

Then, remember when you'll buy your Mac laptop that the last generation of MacBooks don't have PC Card slots. You may need to get an older Powerbook G4 that will accept the P2 cards.

Hope this helps.
 
I put a 500G Seagate Barracuda into an aluminum Macally external firewire case last week to go with the laptop. So far so good.

- John
 
I am intrested Ullanta in how your workflow is with this Glyph? I have never heard of it before.
 
It all depends on what you class as "in the field". Do you mean on a set where you have ac power at the ready or do you mean in the field?
I use G-Raid drives when I have power (although they will be shipping a mini, bus pwered raid soon)
Then for the times when power isn't available I use a FW 400 bus powered drive from acomdata to copy the contents of the P2 card to. I verify the clips are there using HD log (The new update of FCP will do this now) then I erase the cards. This drive is small and portable, up to 100gb capacity, but it's only a 5400rpm drive. It is mainly for temporary storage 'till I get back to the hotel, home or wherever power is available and then I copy over to the G-Raids. Hooked up to a 17" 1.5ghz G4 Powerbook, I have actually used it for simple edits while sitting on a plane at 30,000 ft. So it will play 720/24pn DVCPro HD footage.

http://acomdata.com/hdp/fs.html
 
My workflow? Very project-dependant. They get the biggest workout on opera recordings... I usually have a DVX and HVX hooked up to separate powerbooks, each with a Glyph GT050, and a ProTools rig recording 16-20 tracks to another GT050. After each performance, I back everything up to "lesser" drives. For a typical 3-hour performance, that's about 160GB. Currently I have a tape backup in the DVX, and a multitrack backup of the audio (Fostex VF160), but no backup on the HVX... I'll need a CinePorter for that....

In Post, I use the Glyphs as well, unless I need to clear them out for the next gig before production is done....
 
I use G Technology for all my video needs, very fast and very quite since they have a fanless coling system. I use Lacie for my archiving needs.
 
Check their website - http://www.glyphtech.com

My oldest Glyph drive has been in almost daily field use for over 5 years with never a glitch or complaint. I have three others acquired over the years, also with never a problem. They are designed to be extremely quiet (important for my audio work) and ultra-reliable, and fast (Glyph specially modifies the firmware of their drives and FW interfaces specifically to suit A/V production needs. All drives come with 3-year overnight replacement warranties - that should tell you about their commitment to quality!

Really, I've used over twienty brands of external HDs, and nothing compares to the Glyphs for reliability, silence, or speed.

I haven't used 'em, but they have RAIDs and bus-powered drives as well that I'm sure refelect their usual excellence.
 
SomewhereinLA said:
I use G Technology for all my video needs, very fast and very quite since they have a fanless coling system. I use Lacie for my archiving needs.
Click to expand...

Fan noise is not necessarily the issue - even the fanless drives chirp and whirr grind, some (such as the g-drive) pretty loudly... and I must say, I've had heat-related problems with the G-drive (albeit in hot weather under a heavy load). Fans are there for a reason... I've rarely had the fans in the Glyphs kick on, but I'd rather thay do that than plotz.
 
Been very happy with wiebetech small bus powered 120gb 7200rpm drive. It's FW800 and everything I've ever had from Wiebe has been great!
 
Just Remember To Have 2 Drives..incase One Fails.
It's Happened To Me In The Field. Better Safe Than Sorry!
 
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