Need a portable ext HD for Macbook Pro

Im learning FCP on my laptop and want to store footage on ext HD. While I am an editor, I'm not a gear head (thanks for keeping the computer speak simple). I plan on using the laptop for personal projects like DV shot family videos, but the goal is to get up to speed on FCP for job opportunities. I went with the laptop so I could learn on my down time at my news job.

Thank you for suggestions.

JJH

So you want to keep it pretty teeny tiny and not hook up a big fat FireWire Raid to lug around. Then pretty much any external Firewire Drive from pretty much any manufacturer will do ya fine. Course here you will her bad things about some of them.

A good compromise is the G-Raid Mini

[www.g-technology.com]

Its tiny and also a Raid.

Michael Horton
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I use a two drive external SATA enclosure and Express-34 SATA controller card from FirmTek.

Much more reliable than Firewire and can be used as RAID 0 or JBOD when connected.

[www.firmtek.com]

I've had good luck with a portable, bus-powered drive from

[eshop.macsales.com] aka Other World Computing.

Click on "Mercury On-the Go." They offer a wide selection of USB, FW400, FW800 and eSATA combos with a choice of drive capacities. Drives include a full set of cables too. The FW800 cables are snug into my MacBook Pro. An AC adapter is also included. They ship from Chicago area and I get one-day standard UPS delivery to Indianapolis.

Phil Cramer
Indianapolis

Let me second that recommendation for OWC. I've used several of their drives and they're really solid. I'm currently using a bus-powered, FW800 drive that runs at 7200rpm -- fast enough to cut DV. If you ever plan on editing on a plane (it happens) the bus-powered drives are worth it!

JK

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SCQT! Self-contained QuickTime ? pass it on!

Second the G-raid mini - excellent - but i've had a great experience with the Lacie firewire bus powered drives (yes I know a lot of folks hate the lacies - but I think they pointed to the desktop powered drives which I haven;t used) -- have about a dozen lacie portable drives and never had a glitch - great for airplane editing - also Weibetech makes rock solid bus powered mini 7200 drives as well

Lacie portable drive

Weibetech portable Drive

Quote

but i've had a great experience with the Lacie firewire bus powered drives

Drive units inside LaCie units are junk IMHO (Maxtor / WD usually). Agree with G-Tech suggestion. Not keen on bus-powered anything though. Airplane editing? A flight is sleepy time, man

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Quote
grafixjoe
Airplane editing? A flight is sleepy time, man

Says you. I'm going to FL this weekend and that's at least 8 hours in the air I can use to get something done!

_______________________________________
SCQT! Self-contained QuickTime ? pass it on!

Yeah Joe -- you with your big computing Iron back home - we shoot something in LA -- get on Hard Drive - fly 5 and 1/2 hours back to DC and I've got a rough cut ready for action when I land! bring an extra MacBook Pro battery and I'm productive the entire flight -- everybody's happy!

You guys work too hard

I hope you charge back the client for the "flight productivity" You guys with your sexy "Mile High Edit Club"... where you gonna put a hot FW drive on a plane anyway...between your legs? I am just kidding, of course... it's great use of downtime on long flights

I personally prefer to make use of my stinkin' highway commute and edit on I-4 on the way to and from the studio in my Jeep. I have my Macbook Pro open on the dash and a SATA RAID on the passenger seat. I have an I/O HD velcro'd on top of the dashboard and a DVCPRO HD deck in the glove compartment. I get a lot done

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

You've seen this 'mobile studio' from Geek My Ride, yes?

The Specs

Two Apple Xserve Dual 2.3GHz G5 1U server with Dual Fibre Channel
Apple Xserve RAID 5.6 TB Drive Capacity
Q-Logic 16-Port 4Gbit Fibre Channel Switch
Apple Xsan Shared Storage Software
AJA IO capable of Analog and Digital capture of video in a variety of formats
Netgear 24-port Gigabit Ethernet switch, with integrated jacks in-dash
Apple Airport Base Station dome light
Dual LaCie 19-inch Displays
42-inch LCD Screen
Custom iPod in-dash integration
Bose QuietComfort 2 Noise-Canceling Headphones
Mackie 1602 Audio Mixer
3000 Watt Power Inverter
All completely self-contained

Built on a Lexus IS300
3.0-liter, twin-cam, 24-valve in-line 6 engine
Certified Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV)
215 hp @ 5,800 rpm, 218 lb-ft torque @ 3,800 rpm
Top speed of 143 mph
17 x 7.0-in graphite-polished alloy wheels with 215/45ZR17
Valentine One Radar Locator
Garmin StreetPilot 330c GPS Unit



Getting a bit old now, but still funny!

Where is the steering wheel?

Scott