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  1. What brand of ext. hard drives should i choose in order to store in dv format the 100 mini dv tapes i have?
    The only usable protocol for transfer i can use, is FW800 (i have the mid2010 corei7 iMac that has FW800 and USB2 ports).
    I need to have a drive to be used for TimeMachine backup software that comes along with my mac.
    And finally, i already have a WDigital mybookStudio 1TB, so for the 100 tapes im gonna need around 1.3TB but what brand drive do you reckon i should choose and why?
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  2. Mod Neophyte Super Moderator redwudz's Avatar
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    You might look at this WD drive, 2TB and has FW800 interface: http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=420

    But I wouldn't toss the DV tapes either. No media is 100% dependable.

    EDIT: Another external HD company that's been around a while is LaCie. http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10554

    That WD drive appears to be a 2.5 inch drive. I usually prefer a 3.5 inch drive for longevity. I'm not sure what brand of HDD the LaCie
    has internally, but you could probably find out on a LaCie forum. I still prefer WD drives.
    Last edited by redwudz; 9th Mar 2014 at 13:30.
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  3. Member PuzZLeR's Avatar
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    A choice in hard drive brand is less relevant when you backup, as any, even the "best", can crash at any moment, and there is no rhyme or reason to this logic among any debate. But, as one employee at LaCie said to me from his experience, "People who back up their data have less hard drive crashes.", which adds lots of food for thought.

    Originally Posted by redwudz
    Another external HD company that's been around a while is LaCie. ... I still prefer WD drives.
    If the O/P really needs a brand, I too can suggest LaCie and WD, as well as also Seagate, if any of their products meet system/price needs.

    Personally, I prefer LaCie for externals, and WD for internals.

    Originally Posted by redwudz
    But I wouldn't toss the DV tapes either. No media is 100% dependable.
    Yes, true - your content is never safe without backup, and the tapes themselves could be that crucial backup.

    However, as per tossing DV tapes, since DV transfer is 1:1, you can feel safer unloading the tapes after capture if clutter is an issue - but only after you backed up the data to at least a second drive.

    But that's just me. I even got rid of many VHS tapes as well after capture, even though the transfer was analog. Couldn't stand the site of them any longer actually.
    I hate VHS. I always did.
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  4. Thanx for the suggestions guys, but what about Timemachine? Maybe i should just get a "WD myBookStudio 3TB" to store Timemachine backups and the captured mini dv tapes store them all on the 1TB i already have! What do you say?
    I wish there was a WD with 4TB (fw400) to make it work for my backup, i think that would be better, storage wise!
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  5. Member PuzZLeR's Avatar
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    I say just get one that works with your system (Time Machine in this case), and that also fits your budget. The debate about which brand is better will be endless. As long as you backup regularly, who cares if one eventually crashes? As long as your data is safe, replacing a bum drive every once in a while (which could be only every couple of years) for a measly $100-$200 (depending on size) is a VERY small price to pay.
    I hate VHS. I always did.
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