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Hi all,

Great to be paid to sleep in isn't it

After the helpful replies to my last question about CF cards, I have been looking at the PD7X as an alternative to buying massive cards. (By the time I fill that, CF cards should be about $1 per GB)

I like to research before buying anything (hence I bought a D70 rather than certain unnamed other entry level DSLRs). Sorry this isn't specifically a D70 question.

I have read that the PD7X has no voltage regulator between the battery and hard drive. I am not overly concerned about low batteries causing an emergency unload because this is unlikely to cause any significant problems (although not an impressive design decision by any stretch). I am concerned that 4 good alkaline AA cells that could actually produce 1.5V a piece under that current would produce 6V which is a bit nasty to a device expecting 5V. Should I just use rechargable 1.2V cells? What do you do to make sure you don't blow up your drive?

If I do get it, I intend to transfer while plugged into AC which thankfully is regulated, but I know I will get lazy and think the 5m walk to the powerpoint is too far, and why would they put batteries in it if you couldn't use them? Or is there a better designed similar device in my price range.

Adam

I second this question as I am considering getting one of these or more CF cards for OS holiday.

What to people recommend as a good PSD in the lower price range (is AUS$300 or under too much to expect?).

leigh999,

leigh999 wrote:I second this question as I am considering getting one of these or more CF cards for OS holiday.

What to people recommend as a good PSD in the lower price range (is AUS$300 or under too much to expect?).

I am pretty sure this same subject came up last weekend, and that this was one of the solutions:

http://www.jaldigital.com.au/catalog/pr ... cts_id=247

Cheers,

This is an ultra stupid question but ... with the one 'copy' button does that mean that when you go to download your card for the third or fourth time it just adds the files on the end. It doesn't copy over the existing files?

And are these things reliable - if you were using it over a couple of weeks with multiple downloads from your CF card before you get to download your PC no one has had experience of it failing/corrupting?

leigh999,

leigh999 wrote:This is an ultra stupid question but ... with the one 'copy' button does that mean that when you go to download your card for the third or fourth time it just adds the files on the end. It doesn't copy over the existing files?

And are these things reliable - if you were using it over a couple of weeks with multiple downloads from your CF card before you get to download your PC no one has had experience of it failing/corrupting?

I can't help you with this question, as I do not have the device.
Logically thinking about it, it would most probably create a separate folders on the 40GB HDD prior to down loading each CF card.
Please wait until someone comes along who has the device and can provide advice.

Goodbye for now,

are you able to upload files from the device back into the cf?

leigh999 wrote:This is an ultra stupid question but ... with the one 'copy' button does that mean that when you go to download your card for the third or fourth time it just adds the files on the end. It doesn't copy over the existing files?

Nope..when you pop in a new card and press copy, the HDD creates a new folder name i.e CRD0001/CRD0002 - it's that simple. I always wait until my card is full, then copy across to the hdd.. hope this helps,

Geoff.

And always remember: PSD is just a toy and temporary solution for you to keep your take of the day. It's not safeproof to hold your image until you get home after 1 or 2 weeks trip.
You have to train yourself to backup your works everyday by copying to DVD or CD as a second copy.
No one can give you any type of assurance that your PSD will spin up the next morning.

I bought this drive before I went to Borneo so I used it every day for 2 weeks in varying conditions. I wouldn't even consider using alkaline AA batteries. We bought 2000mAH rechargables and that was enough to get through one day at least! I was using a 1 GB and 512 Mb CF card. I always use the AC adapter when transferring images as the it's not worth wasting the batteries.

Prior to this we used the X-drive (original). The transfer speeds on the PD7X are sooo much faster! We used the X-drive for 2 overseas trips prior to this one and day to day usage. So far I have not had any issues with either drive but others may have. As Birddog says though, you can't guarantee it won't stop working. You can buy the PD7X for under $300 including the HDD.

Birddog114 wrote:And always remember: PSD is just a toy and temporary solution for you to keep your take of the day. It's not safeproof to hold your image until you get home after 1 or 2 weeks trip.

Birddog114 - If that is the case how do you deal with a 2 week overseas trip. Do you try to find local photo labs willing to download your flash card and burn to CD? I don't have a laptop and wouldn't want to carry one around if I did.

Nicole wrote:I bought this drive before I went to Borneo so I used it every day for 2 weeks in varying conditions.

Nicole - Further to my comment to Briddog did you hold the images on the device for the two weeks until you were able to get home and download them?

Thanks guys!

With my case, I do whichever way of which I have a second copy of my take on the DVD or CD for my safe keeping and leave all at the base.

The best thing to do is: have more spare CF cards take them along with you and shoot entirely day, then do the transfer in the evening at your base, I don't think you will use 2 x 1Gb Cf cards in one day with NEF (RAW).

I do carry the PSD along with my trip but hardly done any transfer during the day which I learned in the past, and didn't carry it with me recently cos I have 4 x 2Gb + 4 x 1Gb Astone or Transcend card with me all the time. I always ran out of my juice prior to fill up the cards, and those cards are quite lighter than carry the PSD.

P.S: you can keep your pics in those PSDs in many weeks as you like but beware of something may happened and you have no way of getting them back, as: lost the PSDs, the Hdd inside the PSD is dead, or files corrupted, it's worth to check it all the time.
I do pay my attention on all my pics prior to transfer them into the PSD by deleting the non-keepers, double look on the DVD or CD, to make sure you're right with them, prior to format the CF cards for a new session.

So Birddog,

In my case I will be travelling overseas and I won't have a laptop or anything to download at my base/hotel at the end of the day (I won't fill more than my 1GB card in one day).

I need to buy something to back up to. If not the PSD because that will mean keeping the pics on it for at least two weeks - would you recommend a portable standalone CD/DVD burner? Then I can back up to a CD/DVD at the end of each day and keep those CD/DVD with my luggage.

Really appreciate your advice...

I didn't see my pictures again until I got home from the trip. We also took the X-drive and for pictures I really wanted i backed them up on the X-drive as well. We travelled on some pretty bumpy roads for long periods of time and I was concerned about the HDD failing. It's just a risk you take. In the end I didn't have any problems and everything was fine.

I'll be travelling overseas again towards the end of the year and I plan to just take the PSD again due to luggage restrictions.

leigh999 wrote:So Birddog,

In my case I will be travelling overseas and I won't have a laptop or anything to download at my base/hotel at the end of the day (I won't fill more than my 1GB card in one day).

I need to buy something to back up to. If not the PSD because that will mean keeping the pics on it for at least two weeks - would you recommend a portable standalone CD/DVD burner? Then I can back up to a CD/DVD at the end of each day and keep those CD/DVD with my luggage.

Really appreciate your advice...

Then looking for the Apacer product:
DISC STENO CP200 COMBO MEDIA COPIER is around $275.00
http://www.apacer.com/apacer_english/pr ... _cp200.asp

Thanks for your help guys (and the other thread that suggested I look at this device). I ended up getting the PD7x through jaldigital. Delivered to my desk in under 24 hours.

Now I just need to fix my PC so I don't get a blue screen every time I plug it in

(don't panic, it isn't the device that causes it directly, Nero crashes it too, and even Add Remove Programs sets it off. Now I am in the process of removing the stuff I don't need before backing it up)

It does work on our old win98 box, my work win2k box, and another work winxp box, I am just dying to plug it in with usb2 (so I need to address my box).

Adam