[Gllug] External USB HD recommendations

[Bob Giles]

Bob and everyone,
> I have to say that I have used several of these devices and they all 
> suck. I tried to think of a more politically correct way of saying
> it, 
> but I can't, they suck. Hooked up to USB, they perform "OK" but hook 
> them up to ethernet and they are so slow as to be unusable. You
> cannot 
> even play a simple mp3 off them they are so slow. Now, you can buy a 
> true NAS device, even one designed for the home / SOHO and it will 
> perform fairly well. Just check out smallnetbuilder.com for reviews.
> I 
> have the D-Link DNS-321 and it works fairly well. Not blindingly
> fast, 
> but I can play music, photos, or movies off it without any problem
> and 
> my backups to it run acceptably fast. Not too expensive either, I 
> bought mine for $100 (US $ as I am in the states) empty and have 
> populated it with a pair of Samsung 1Tb drives. I also have a Mac
> Mini 
> with two Maxtor 4Plus external drives hooked up via Firewire and the 
> performance to the mac is better than the D-Link but not so much as
> to 
> make much of a difference.

Andy,
Thanks for that and thanks for the pointer to smallnetbuilder.com - a
useful site.

>From a personal point of view, I am not looking to stream movies from
such a drive. I merely want it as a mass storage device accessible to
all of our machines dotted around the house. Images would make up the
majority of files. 

The original poster did not say what his intentions were. If I recall
correctly and in fairness, he did specify a USB external drive. - It is
I that digressed to the ethernet offerings!

I have just checked out a review on the Buffalo Linkstation Live
HS-DH500GL which gives it the thumbs up for home use including playing
mp3s. Again, in fairness, the reviewer admits to not having attempted to
stream movies.

Clearly, your comments about full-blown NAS servers is the way to go but
for me at least, cost is an issue. (The bank balance will permit such a
purchase but 'The Chief Fairy' would probably take inflict severe pain!)

Still, who knows what will happen when the UK gives in and joins the
common currency! (Just kidding - gentle flaming only please!)

Regards,

Bob G
Corfu

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