how much Hard Disk space needed?

[zoranb]

I have about 100 mini-dv tapes (60min)! I want to capture them to dv format, how much space is needed for them in order to be stored on a hard drive?

[jagabo]

~13 GB per hour. So about 1.3 TB.

[PuzZLeR]

You're good to go with a 1.5TB hard drive, however get a 2TB since prices today for each are about the same (or sometimes cheaper for 2TB). And get a second one for a backup if you plan on chucking those tapes.

[zoranb]

what does chucking mean?

[Cornucopia]

Throwing them away (into the garbage). http://www.thefreedictionary.com/chuck

Scott

[zoranb]

Ok thanx Scott

Now regarding the stuff i already have. There is a 1TB MybookStudio (usb2, 2xfw800, esata) that im currently using as backup with TimeMachine and i have a 27" iMac mid 2010). You think getting a 3TB MyBookStudio would be ok for storing my 100 mini-dv tapes, or would it be an over kill?

[Cornucopia]

Well, the 1TB isn't quite big enough. A 2nd 1TB drive added to the first would probably do it.

Sure, the 3TB drive is "overkill", until you want to add more stuff (which ALWAYS will happen), and then it isn't. It's Parkinson's Law (as related to computers): "Data expands to fill the available storage."

So, if you can afford the 3TB (or similar), go for that.

Scott

[jagabo]

A 3 TB drive would be most cost effective on a $/TB basis. Two 2 TB drives would give you a second drive to back up all those videos.

[OllieTSB]

Also note that drives greater-than-2tb have special computer requirements - most new computers handle those capacities fine, but older ones and 32-bit machines can have issues. Some manufacturers offer trick-drivers to solve those problems, but I'd recommend great caution applying trick-drivers to such a base-level operation as writing and reading from hard-drives. Future compatibility will be the biggest concern - move that drive to any other computer, and you may have effectively volunteered to lose it all. The 2Tb external drives work with just about every computer out there, and will in the future.

But just yesterday, I saw the Hitachi 4Tb for $159 - almost wholesale prices!

[zoranb]

Also note that drives greater-than-2tb have special computer requirements - most new computers handle those capacities fine, but older ones and 32-bit machines can have issues. Some manufacturers offer trick-drivers to solve those problems, but I'd recommend great caution applying trick-drivers to such a base-level operation as writing and reading from hard-drives.

Is my mid 2010 iMac okay with this issue?

[jagabo]

But just yesterday, I saw the Hitachi 4Tb for $159 - almost wholesale prices!

Frys has them for $149 right now: http://www.frys.com/product/7057131

Clearing out space for the 6 TB drives?

By the way, some say HGST drives are the most reliable: http://blog.backblaze.com/2014/01/21/what-hard-drive-should-i-buy/

[OllieTSB]

Zor, since Macs always proclaim they are the greatest at everything - ! However, the very-useful UEFI bios didn't arrive en masse on PCs until 2011. Still, we have Server2003 and 2005 installs with 4Tb drives, too, but we understand those drives will never EVER be migrated to some other hardware platform. I'd hate to argue that some concrete date alone is the determinant.

[zoranb]

Ollie im sorry to say that o didn't understand a word!

[OllieTSB]

The only answer will be "Try it and find out."

[PuzZLeR]

Yes, there is a 2.2TB barrier with hard drives. But older, smaller drives will be backward compatible with the newer machines as was pointed out. You can't lose with either in the more distant future.

However, yes, I will say to avoid those drivers that expand compatibility among drives >= 2.2TB. They are only reliable if on the same machine forever, but will be problematic in any migrations in the future.

what does chucking mean?

Throwing them away (into the garbage). http://www.thefreedictionary.com/chuck

We use the term "chucking" alot more here in Canada it seems. Thanks Cornucopia for clarifying.

[zoranb]

Yes, there is a 2.2TB barrier with hard drives. But older, smaller drives will be backward compatible with the newer machines as was pointed out. You can't lose with either in the more distant future.

However, yes, I will say to avoid those drivers that expand compatibility among drives >= 2.2TB. They are only reliable if on the same machine forever, but will be problematic in any migrations in the future.

Is my mid2010 iMac okay with this issue? How can i check to be certain?

[jagabo]

An older computer will be able to use a 3 or 4 TB drive, but it will only see it as a 2 TB drive.

[zoranb]

Will these be an issue? I ask specifically about these because they are supposed to be working for macs!

[OllieTSB]

Z, you really need to send this question to the vendors WITH your very specific and precise Mac model number, along with the OS version level. Be very precise and exact about these. Ask them "will my Mac use your larger-than-2Tb capacities?" We have no idea without all of this precise info, PLUS we can't "guarantee" anything to you. Only THEIR guarantee can mean something to you - THEY will be the ones supporting it - or replacing or refunding money. Not us.

So, ask that question of the seller. I don't know what part of the world you're in, but if I have a chance to buy locally, I would, so that any troubles, replacements or refunds can be handled by a quick visit back to that store.

Your Mac may be too old to have a Thunderbolt port on it, so buying a product for that alone might not be worthwhile. Your Mac should make "Thunderbolt Port" very clear - it's a major marketing point. And if your documentation doesn't have that splashed all over it, then I'd suspect "no Thunderbolt port is included".

[OllieTSB]

And yet another caution. I do not recommend External Drives for active 'capturing'. The slow speeds of data-transfers - compared to an internal hard drive - can cause other issues and may degrade the capture-quality.

So, I capture to my internal drive and, then, if I need to free up more space, I move the video-captures to the externals during an un-busy time.

Also remember that the more capacity a computer offers, the more trash and crap may be stored! It makes for more difficult and time-consuming cleanups because users need to make many more choices of when and what to delete, save, etc. Sometimes, Huge Capacities aren't such a wonderful blessing!

[zoranb]

Z, you really need to send this question to the vendors WITH your very specific and precise Mac model number, along with the OS version level. Be very precise and exact about these. Ask them "will my Mac use your larger-than-2Tb capacities?" We have no idea without all of this precise info, PLUS we can't "guarantee" anything to you. Only THEIR guarantee can mean something to you - THEY will be the ones supporting it - or replacing or refunding money. Not us.

So, ask that question of the seller. I don't know what part of the world you're in, but if I have a chance to buy locally, I would, so that any troubles, replacements or refunds can be handled by a quick visit back to that store.

Your Mac may be too old to have a Thunderbolt port on it, so buying a product for that alone might not be worthwhile. Your Mac should make "Thunderbolt Port" very clear - it's a major marketing point. And if your documentation doesn't have that splashed all over it, then I'd suspect "no Thunderbolt port is included".

Yes you are correct in all your statements.
Yes my iMac doesn't have a Thunderbolt port on it. It was my mistake to post the TBolt version of the MyBookStudio drives. I wanted to post this, to state that there are large drives ready to play on the mac and there are equivalent ones, older, with FWire800 ports. I myself have the 1TB version, how wrong can WDigital be, by saying that the 4TB ones work on the Mac?

[zoranb]

And yet another caution. I do not recommend External Drives for active 'capturing'. The slow speeds of data-transfers - compared to an internal hard drive - can cause other issues and may degrade the capture-quality.

Thank you, yes i am aware of this, and i am not planning to use those large drives for active capturing, only for storing them at some point.

So, I capture to my internal drive and, then, if I need to free up more space, I move the video-captures to the externals during an un-busy time.

Also remember that the more capacity a computer offers, the more trash and crap may be stored! It makes for more difficult and time-consuming cleanups because users need to make many more choices of when and what to delete, save, etc. Sometimes, Huge Capacities aren't such a wonderful blessing!

All this being said, put me to think should i better just store the captured dv files to discs, either Blueray or DL, or what ever else is out there?

[jagabo]

100 hours of DV will requires 300 single layer DVDs. Do you really want to break your videos up into 20 minute segments and juggle 300 discs?

[zoranb]

Each mini dv tape contains 1hour of video couldnt that fit into a DLdvd or a BlueRay disk? I dunno you tell me!

[Cornucopia]

Even a 50GB DL BD-R disc still only holds 3 - 3 1/2 hours of DV material, which at best will get you down to ~30 discs.

Not a bad idea if part of your plan is to spread your backup risk by using media of different types (assuming you are ALSO storing a version on HDD). But you WOULD NOT be capturing to those discs, that would only be after the fact, during backup/archive operations.

And regardless, you still need to figure out WHAT your Mac can handle (and handle well).

Scott

[PuzZLeR]

All my PCs now have SSD internal drives - leaner and meaner. Never had issues with dropped frames during captures, even on the older PCs.

Although SSD drives excel in performance, and I recommend them highly for capturing, and for internal installation, keep in mind that due to their price/GB, and their impending doomsday, I do NOT recommend them for archiving.

As per archiving on optical media, empty CDs and DvDs have their issues, and BDs are even worse due to the much tinier grooves. Make sure you have backups. (I agree - DON'T CAPTURE DIRECTLY TO THESE DISCS).

Is my mid2010 iMac okay with this issue? How can i check to be certain?

As per Macs having the ability to handle drives greater than 2TB, they've been able to for years, and I'd bet as far back as 2010. However, no one can guarantee this for sure other than their Support Team (if still applicable to your somewhat older machine).

Then again - you can always try with a guarantee for exchange as was suggested.

[OllieTSB]

Z, if you're concerned about maintaining good backups over months/years, etc, then Optical Disks shouldn't be trusted by themselves. There is no "forever" storage media - hard drive surfaces probably have the greatest lifespan, but if the mechanism fails (and it will), then "magnetic quality of Read-Write surface" doesn't mean much.

The best backups will be a combination. Two hard drives instead of one, occasionally burning optical disks, too. No one strategy is a guarantee.

Then, there's always the comet striking Earth...

[PuzZLeR]

The best backups will be a combination. Two hard drives instead of one, occasionally burning optical disks, too. No one strategy is a guarantee.

I have a good one though - a USB docking station with two slots. You can easily back up to two drives this way, and you can just use the more inexpensive internal drives for it.

I'm sure though it goes without saying that you do NOT use this method for capture. Only for archiving.

Sure, the 3TB drive is "overkill", until you want to add more stuff (which ALWAYS will happen), and then it isn't. It's Parkinson's Law (as related to computers): "Data expands to fill the available storage."

The Law has certainly applied to me with the mentioned docking station. I have over three dozen hard drives now. Just placed an order for more.

And every order is supposed to be "the last one for a while".

...

Then, there's always the comet striking Earth...

As long as it doesn't hit my hard drives, I'm Ok.

(Sadly, there's some truth to that...)