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Please Recommend Me a Good Drive

D

dangfx

Gawd
Joined
May 2, 2001
Messages
707
I've been searching for an external hard drive, but haven't really been able to find what I'm after.

I need an external USB drive, preferably portable (2.5" desired). I will be using it to play movies via my Roku XS, so I need it to be 7200rpm (what's up with companies not publishing the RPMs any more??). I am looking in the 1TB-1.5TB range, and I'm looking to spend under $100. Even when I find something that seems acceptable (like the Seagate ST310005EXA101), I read a whole bunch of reviews that tell me it will die after a year. I don't want to lose my entire film collection after a year!! VHS would never have done this to us!! :)
 
Why do you think you need 7200rpm. Roku will not tax any drive. Heck even if you stream 1080p bluray rip we are talking at most 50mbps and since this is media streaming random access times is not that critical.
So pretty much any drive should work.
As for reliability none of them is the answer. If that is a concern make backups.
 
You could always buy a separate enclosure and separate drive to make your own external drive. Frequently the enclosure is the weak component in external drives from the two major manufactureres.
I know that's going to be impossible with your required drives size and budget though.

I too agree with m1abram that a 7200 RPM drive is overkill for your needs. A green drive will have no problem transferring your movies.
 
I'm not transferring the movies, I'm playing/streaming them from the drive. I'm not sure if that's what you meant.

Not into using an internal/enclosure setup.
 
What do people think of the STBV2000100? How does Seagate's warranty compare to WDs and Toshiba, or lesser-known companies' reliability like Buffalo and Silicon Power?
 
It's not 2,5" like you asked. Usually external drives only have 1 year warranties. Make backups.
 
dangfx said:
I'm not transferring the movies, I'm playing/streaming them from the drive. I'm not sure if that's what you meant.

Not into using an internal/enclosure setup.
Click to expand...

Yes I was referring to playing them. That even makes it less of an issue unless you plan to watch your movies faster than real time ;)
 
I wouldn't sweat getting a premium external drive if it is acting as a source for the Roku. Grab two 2TB drives for around $99ish each and rotate them.
 
I would make sure that any external drive that you get DOES NOT have a mini plug. Too many broken connector stories.
 
If you are getting a 2.5" drive then you will not find any with a full size B plug, from what I have seen they are all mini or micro. In addition, if you are just buying a new drive now, buy a USB3 even if it is a few bucks more expensive because if your current computer doesn't have USB3, your next most likely will.
 
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