Portable Digital Storage

[WadeM]

Hey Gearheads,

This seems like the place to ask a question about Portable Storage (more so then replying in a general thread like I did ).

~

I'm looking @ getting some form of portable storage before my trip OS in November.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/digi_accessories.html (1/2 way down) is where I've been reading reviews of what's decent and what's not. Reading that, the Digital Album from Transend appears to be the stuff, but that's from 2004. We're now in 2005.

If cost was no option, but functionality, reliabilty and durability are the main 3 points I'm after, what would you suggest? I'm going to be backpacking for a month. I guess 40gig drive should do me. It doesn't need 2 play mp3's or have a massive screen.

Is Birddogs's Epson the must get or is there something else?

I think we're entering the second generation for such devices, so there should be something out there that's proved it's worth.

Thanks for your time,
--Wade

[Nnnnsic]

I don't think the Epson is all the fantastic a box, but I'm usually biased against a lot of Epson gear so that should be noted (Dad has the Sony, Sigma and Dell bias... I have the Epson, EA, and iPod bias).

I think you should take a look at units like the Archos.

[birddog114]

WadeM
Few threads are on this board lately.
Epson, iPod, Vosonic, Archos etc...
They're on the market like the mobile phones, you have to think and make sure which one is your most wanted, though all devices have all their pros and cons and their difference value in your daily needs + taste.
I love my Epson P-2000 and my Epson 2100 printer, soon will be side by side with the Epson 2400.

[mudder]

G'day Wade,

I purchased the PD7X PSD with 40Gb drive and think it's a bewdy, copies a 1Gb card in approx 3 mins, no screen, basic functionality. New model has much improved battery life and I believe a more ruggedly built exterior (their was a common issue with the plastic bits)... Check:
http://www.jaldigital.com.au/catalog/de ... ath=27_100

This is just one example, there's probably swags of 'em out there now...

Cheers

[WadeM]

Yeah Birddog, I've seen quiet a few threads around.

Without actaully using or owning the items it's hard to know how reliable, functional and durable they are. In the other threads I read here and now even this 1, there's a +1 for the Epson, Acros and PD7x and a -1 for the Epson, and a few commonly resolved issues (IE -1) for the PD7X.

If it's a matter of which features you want like on your mobile phone. My desired features are 40gig + reliability, functionality and durablity.

I was hoping there'd be a few models I could be told to generally steer clear of, and a few models to keep looking at.

--Wade_

[Glen]

Wade

http://fhoude34.free.fr/PortableHD.htm

Try the above for some good comparisons.

I have the first PD7X and it has been good for me, but I acknowledge there are some intrinsic technical issues. The second version is better. I will be getting the Epson when available as I like the screen and truly believe if I was doing a wedding or taking those once off photos in the Himalayas I would use 2 different back up devices (yes truly) as all these things use portable hard drives in them, and all hard drives fail, it is just when. Bring on the 64GB compact flash and I can sell my storage devices

[MHD]

boy... there sure are a lot of PSDs out there...

[huynhie]

boy... there sure are a lot of PSDs out there...

Yes... I just realised that too

[shutterbug]

Have a look at the Nexto-CF, simple and fast. http://www.savitmicro.co.kr/eng/product/storage/storage_nextocf.htm

[wile_E]

Have a look at the Nexto-CF, simple and fast. http://www.savitmicro.co.kr/eng/product/storage/storage_nextocf.htm

I'm intrigued vince... do you have one yourself?

[birddog114]

Have a look at the Nexto-CF, simple and fast. http://www.savitmicro.co.kr/eng/product/storage/storage_nextocf.htm

I'm intrigued vince... do you have one yourself?

Dear Mr Tokina,
They're all no good! save up yourself for something difference

[wile_E]

I'm actually really wanting a P2000 Birdy... is there stock of these in Oz yet?

As I'll be travelling in mid-August, I can only really wait till then before buying... I was going to ask you about these tomorrow!

[birddog114]

I'm actually really wanting a P2000 Birdy... is there stock of these in Oz yet?

As I'll be travelling in mid-August, I can only really wait till then before buying... I was going to ask you about these tomorrow!

I might have the answer for you tomorrow about the Epson P-2000/ Not direct answer on this board, you'll find some surprises!

[shutterbug]

I'm intrigued vince... do you have one yourself?

No I don't have one, still looking around, just want one for travelling, not for business. I do not backup on my job, I just prefer to get more CF's

[shutterbug]

I'm actually really wanting a P2000 Birdy... is there stock of these in Oz yet?

As I'll be travelling in mid-August, I can only really wait till then before buying... I was going to ask you about these tomorrow!

I might have the answer for you tomorrow about the Epson P-2000/ Not direct answer on this board, you'll find some surprises!

hmmmmm.....I got 2 appointments tomorrow morning, wish I could attend the mini meet

Well if they both book me.....the P-2000 might be in my bag in Christmas?

[robboh]

I might have the answer for you tomorrow about the Epson P-2000/ Not direct answer on this board, you'll find some surprises!

Hi Birdy,

I know that you are pretty happy with your Epson. Just wondering if you could talk about a couple of things.

One of the things I would want to use something like this for is reviewing pics in the field. Now, I have read the Epson has a very nice screen and so should be good for this. However, it wont zoom RAW, which to my mind makes it fairly difficult to check things like good focus and sharpness of pics. Whats your feeling on this.

Since it doesnt handle RAW zoom, I guess you could shoot in RAW+JPEG. How does it handle this?? Does it show the RAW and JPEG as two seperate files, or is it possible to configure it so that it only shows the JPEGs when you are reviewing??

Cheers
Rob

[birddog114]

I might have the answer for you tomorrow about the Epson P-2000/ Not direct answer on this board, you'll find some surprises!

Hi Birdy,

I know that you are pretty happy with your Epson. Just wondering if you could talk about a couple of things.

One of the things I would want to use something like this for is reviewing pics in the field. Now, I have read the Epson has a very nice screen and so should be good for this. However, it wont zoom RAW, which to my mind makes it fairly difficult to check things like good focus and sharpness of pics. Whats your feeling on this.

Cheers
Rob

I'm happy with it and I shoot with D2x 12mp and always shoot RAW, JPEG is a big NO NO to me. In the field, you don't need or having time to view your bad and good photos, I never want to zoom RAW, even wiith the LCD on the camera, none of any zoom will tell you anything, nor any other devices support you this. I have a quick look at the LCD after shot.

Since it doesnt handle RAW zoom, I guess you could shoot in RAW+JPEG. How does it handle this?? Does it show the RAW and JPEG as two seperate files, or is it possible to configure it so that it only shows the JPEGs when you are reviewing??

As said above, I NEVER shoot JPEG and NEVER ever like to do it, but as fas as I known, it shows RAW and JPEG as two separate folders

[WadeM]

Glen: Thanks very much, exactly what I was after.

Birddog: Should I buy whatever I'm after through you, or just go to the shops? I don't mind paying a bit more to keep it in the community...

--Wade

[birddog114]

Glen: Thanks very much, exactly what I was after.

Birddog: Should I buy whatever I'm after through you, or just go to the shops? I don't mind paying a bit more to keep it in the community...

--Wade

WadeM
Yes, you may with condition

[Glen]

Wade, we usually end up paying quite a bit less to keep it in the community. You must have 30 posts up an post an image to access the bargains but read this for an example. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. http://www.d70users.com/viewtopic.php?t ... 0+cheapest

[WadeM]

000hhhh I do see I've met both those conditions *big grin*. To keep this place running I don't mind even paying more then I would @ shops. To get it cheaper is an amazing bonus!

I'll send you a PM when I've decided on device then

--Wade

[Glen]

Wade, pm Gary at your convenience and he will give you full member access. These bargains are courtesy of Birddog 114 and gstark provides the backbone for all of this. How good is life?

[birddog114]

000hhhh I do see I've met both those conditions *big grin*. To keep this place running I don't mind even paying more then I would @ shops. To get it cheaper is an amazing bonus!

I'll send you a PM when I've decided on device then

--Wade

This place doesn't make any profits nor getting any benefits from the sales, it's independence and funded by GStark, run by two admins and few mods, we breath air to live and use our brains to work the way out.
To keep this site running we need the support and esteem from members by posting, helping or supporting each other as same "brothers in hands" or " Band of brothers".

[WadeM]

as off topic as this thread now is, this is an AMAZINGLY cool place :p

--Wade

[gstark]

I'm actually really wanting a P2000 Birdy... is there stock of these in Oz yet?

As I'll be travelling in mid-August, I can only really wait till then before buying... I was going to ask you about these tomorrow!

I might have the answer for you tomorrow about the Epson P-2000/ Not direct answer on this board, you'll find some surprises!

This sounds promising.

Hopefully I may be well enough to drive agian tomorrow; I've spent the last two days at home because of my too persistant coughing spells bringing on slight dizzy spells.

[fozzie]

Gary,

Hopefully I may be well enough to drive agian tomorrow; I've spent the last two days at home because of my too persistant coughing spells bringing on slight dizzy spells.

I would like to wish you a speedy recovery.
The Merc is feeling very lonely

[big pix]

Hopefully I may be well enough to drive agian tomorrow; I've spent the last two days at home because of my too persistant coughing spells bringing on slight dizzy spells.

Gary hope you get better......... dizzy spells while driving is just not nice....or safe

cheers
bp

[birddog114]

This sounds promising.

Hopefully I may be well enough to drive agian tomorrow; I've spent the last two days at home because of my too persistant coughing spells bringing on slight dizzy spells.

Gary,
Hope you get well soon, that aslo explains your absent in the last two days on this board. At least not many posts from you.

[gstark]

One of the things I would want to use something like this for is reviewing pics in the field. Now, I have read the Epson has a very nice screen and so should be good for this. However, it wont zoom RAW, which to my mind makes it fairly difficult to check things like good focus and sharpness of pics. Whats your feeling on this.

Since it doesnt handle RAW zoom, I guess you could shoot in RAW+JPEG. How does it handle this?? Does it show the RAW and JPEG as two seperate files, or is it possible to configure it so that it only shows the JPEGs when you are reviewing??

The screen on the Epson is superb, but think about what you're saying here; it doesn't really make too much sense.

Typically, you would want to check the focus of your images images imeediately after shooting, while you're at the scene, with the card in the camera.

To view the images - and check focus - on a PSD, you'd need to remove the card from the camera and insert it into your PSD, and then probably transfer the files before reviewing them.

Think about the impact that would impart upon your shooting workflow. Not really a practical solution ...

[gstark]

Hopefully I may be well enough to drive agian tomorrow; I've spent the last two days at home because of my too persistant coughing spells bringing on slight dizzy spells.

Gary hope you get better......... dizzy spells while driving is just not nice....or safe

Exactly.

[gstark]

This sounds promising.

Hopefully I may be well enough to drive agian tomorrow; I've spent the last two days at home because of my too persistant coughing spells bringing on slight dizzy spells.

Gary,
Hope you get well soon, that aslo explains your absent in the last two days on this board. At least not many posts from you.

I've been here, but mainly just reading.

But I've been taking it very easy at home.

[glamy]

As I said before, I was happy with the performance of the Coolwalker while on holidays.
Cheers,
Gerard

[Chazman1981]

HI
I to have the PD7X with a 40gig drive and its great, my bro has one as well and he has been using his for the last 3 months in mexico and london.

i found this website which has a heap of cheap stuff like the portable drives and 80x cf cards for 70bucks

the website is

http://www.mydigitaldiscount.com/

i have ordered a few things from there

Check it out

[BBJ]

did i tell you i love my Xdrive

[robboh]

i stlll have trouble trusting my pics to a HDD

[glamy]

So do I!
Gerard

[MHD]

then what do you trust to?

all media have problems..

[robboh]

The screen on the Epson is superb, but think about what you're saying here; it doesn't really make too much sense.
Typically, you would want to check the focus of your images images imeediately after shooting, while you're at the scene, with the card in the camera.
To view the images - and check focus - on a PSD, you'd need to remove the card from the camera and insert it into your PSD, and then probably transfer the files before reviewing them.
Think about the impact that would impart upon your shooting workflow. Not really a practical solution ...

Im certainly not saying that this would be useful for a general workflow or even general shooting, but in situations where you either cant revisit a location, or have the opportunity to sit down, review and reshoot if necessary, it would be useful.

A couple of examples I can think of would be:

* overseas trip to Paris where you are out and about, or didnt take a laptop overseas with you (ie only using the P2000). Shoot. Stop at a Cafe for a coffee. Download, review and revisit anything you REALLY want a pic of but arent happy with the inital shot. Same thing for if you are staying multiple days in the same city. Review at night and revisit next day if desired.

* motorracing where you are after GOOD pics of specific cars, or shooting to sell like BBJ. Clubracing usually also has multiple heats and a lunchbreak between practise and the heats. Quick review during lunch then gives you an idea as to cars you want to make sure you get some more shots of in the afternoon during racing.

I got caught out similar to the second one at my last motorrace. Most of the pics I chimped looked good in the D70 (zoomed right in) and then either too little DOF or else slight camera shake; Granted it was my first decent attempt at this stuff, but a quick look over the pics during the lunchbreak would have let me know that my technique was crud and I could have tried different things during the afternoon sessions to try and improve.

If you cant zoom in enough to check focus/DOF/shake, then whats the point of having a screen, except to look at overall composition or to show someone a slideshow? Which is why I asked Birdy if the screen was good enough to check such things without having the ability to zoom, or if he shot RAW+JPEG to get around the zooming issue with RAW.

Cheers
Rob.

[robboh]

then what do you trust to?
all media have problems..

Agreed.

I dont particularly trust any of it, but I trust some things more than others. Also, there are other factors other than pure reliability which come into play. Which is why Im having a hard job coming up with a general solution thats reliable enough to make me happy in most situations (eg day or extended trips, where power may or may not be available, time between places where backups are possible, weight and bulkiness, photos reviewable etc etc).

CF, being solid-state, is a little less susceptible to physical damage like the HDD's. A CF card should survive a reasonable drop, whether a PSD would is debatable.

CFs also holds less data; Id rather lose one CF card than have a HDD with 20 days of trip photo's go south, but its not viable from a $$$ point of view to have a world trip's worth of CF cards.

A laptop with 2x offline CD backups is a reasonable surety, but a very bulky/heavy option. Airlines are getting very harsh on weight limits with the rising fuel prices.

A PSD only means finding a place where you can get someone to download and backup to CD's. Id imagine kinda difficult in the middle of Africa somewhere.

Basically, Ive worked in IT long enough to have seen some very serious data losses due to various backup methodology failures and HDD failures. More than enough to make me very paranoid about lost data.

At home, most of my more important data is usually sitting on 3 different HDD's over 2 different computers and an offsite portable HDD as well. This is then also copied over to 2 CD/DVD archives, again one offsite. I also recreate those CD/DVD archives about once a year.

And you know what?? I still dont feel that my data is particularly secure. HDD's die (less often than older drives) and get corrupted. CD's get scratched and 'go bad' over time. Actually, Im down to 2 main HDD's at the moment as the one in my 2nd puter died a little while ago, which is making me a little more uncomfortable as well.

Rob.
The Data Paranoid!!

[WadeM]

robboh, I know your kind. The kind where Raid5 isn't good enough.

I've seen my fair share of drives go (in IT also), but there is a practical limit of backups. You can always backup the backup, to the n^th degree.

Media dies, everything dies, but when travelling around the world, and needing portable storage what are you going to do? Bring a SAN with you? I don't think so.

My iPod (which is of course a 2.5inch notebook HDD, same as the PDS'), has copped over 1.5 years worth of general wear and tear. From sitting next to a subwoffer in a club, to dropping it turned on and off, to kicking it, to just walking around. My laptop has also suffered from the same abuse over the previous 1.5 years. Neither have skipped a beat.

You can't go around thinking the sky's going to fall in, but I do agree, you shouldn't place full trust in the drives either. Buying a car saying it will break down after a day isn't a normal attitude, but they break down all the time. Buying a PDS and saying it's going to break down after a day is not normal either.

I plan on using a PDS, and hopefully burn some DVD's on the trip @ netcafe's to back it up. And then transferring to my PC/Lappy ASAP when I'm home.

--Wade

[stubbsy]

Guys, there's also the Apacer Disk Steno which takes your CF card and burns it to a CD or DVD without the need for a PC.

[robboh]

robboh, I know your kind. The kind where Raid5 isn't good enough.

 LOL!!
It does pretty much solve the hardware side of things, though not corruption or the 'oops I shouldnt have deleted that' factor. But thats what backups are for :8

I've seen my fair share of drives go (in IT also), but there is a practical limit of backups. You can always backup the backup, to the n^th degree.
Media dies, everything dies, but when travelling around the world, and needing portable storage what are you going to do? Bring a SAN with you? I don't think so.

Agreed. Actually, the only server failure Ive seen recently due to dead HDD's was when a customer dilly-dallied around about replacing a HDD in a RAID5 array, and then lost a second drive... oppps...

My iPod (which is of course a 2.5inch notebook HDD, same as the PDS'), has copped over 1.5 years worth of general wear and tear. From sitting next to a subwoffer in a club, to dropping it turned on and off, to kicking it, to just walking around. My laptop has also suffered from the same abuse over the previous 1.5 years. Neither have skipped a beat.

Yeah, my iPod has stood up to a hell of a lot of abuse as well. Rattling around in the car, being dropped (before I got a cover on it so it now has a nice chip out of it ) etc. Dont have a laptop (this is part of the whole pondering thing - whether to get a PSD or a laptop) so cant comment on that, but the old man has had 2 laptop HDD's die on him in the last year and ends up paying excess baggage everytime he jumps on a plane.

You can't go around thinking the sky's going to fall in, but I do agree, you shouldn't place full trust in the drives either. Buying a car saying it will break down after a day isn't a normal attitude, but they break down all the time. Buying a PDS and saying it's going to break down after a day is not normal either.

Agreed regards the sky falling, however if a car breaks down, it usually just stops (new ones dont often break to the point of being dangerous) and you have a lost opportunity (ie going somewhere). If you PSD breaks down, its likely that you have lost your data and the situation you are using that PSD in is likely to be where the data is relatively irreplacable.

I plan on using a PDS, and hopefully burn some DVD's on the trip @ netcafe's to back it up. And then transferring to my PC/Lappy ASAP when I'm home.

Im still pondering (and probably will be for a few months yet ), but this is the likely option for me as well. I never go into cyber-cafes so not sure what facilities for this sort of thing that most of them offer.

I guess for me its just the 'data is in one place' and that is something I have spent my working life avoiding, so its a hard leap of faith for me. Especially given the relative reliability of HDDs (though they are definitely far more reliable these days).

Plus there is also the whole cost equation of the relative worth of a laptop v's a PSD and whether the added benefits of the laptop (regular computing, disk burning, being able to PP if desired when bored etc) are worth the extra $$$ and bulkiness to carry. The ideal would be both, but thats getting into serious $$$, more bulk, and I have a LOT of expensive interests

[WadeM]

robboh: Let me firstly say thanks for gentle reply. I re-read what I wrote, and it was all fairly harsh; not my intent.

Let me share an experience I've had with Laptops
I backpacked Europe last year for 1.5 months. For that I took a laptop with me to backup all my data (It was just a standard laptop in weight - 3kg's). By the end of the trip I was nearly dying from carrying this extra bag that weight a measily 3kg's but I couldn't put it anywhere where the weight was distributed well. I wanted to kill the thing.

I've looked @ getting an Apple 12" this time around, but the cost and weight VS a dedicated unit still make it unfeasable.

Net cafes from my personal experience last year have firewire/usb input with cd burners. I will be carrying a CD with the drivers needed (if any) for the PDS, as well as about 15-20 blank cd's to do backups whilst sending blog updates back home.

--Wade

[robboh]

Guys, there's also the Apacer Disk Steno which takes your CF card and burns it to a CD or DVD without the need for a PC.

Stubbsy,

I forgot to mention this option. This is what my cousin-in-law uses. He does a lot photojournalism overseas for charities/churches in places like Thailand and disaster sites.

Pity he uses Canon

[robboh]

robboh: Let me firstly say thanks for gentle reply. I re-read what I wrote, and it was all fairly harsh; not my intent.

Not a problem Wade, and it wasnt taken in harsh intent either.

Let me share an experience I've had with Laptops. I backpacked Europe last year for 1.5 months. For that I took a laptop with me to backup all my data (It was just a standard laptop in weight - 3kg's). By the end of the trip I was nearly dying from carrying this extra bag that weight a measily 3kg's but I couldn't put it anywhere where the weight was distributed well. I wanted to kill the thing.

Three kilos's is 3 kilo's and every gram extra is noticeable after time. Just ask trampers why they will willingly pay hundreds of $$$ extra for a tent thats 500g lighter.

I've looked @ getting an Apple 12" this time around, but the cost and weight VS a dedicated unit still make it unfeasable.

Been looking at PowerBooks v's iBooks myself, though would love a 15"; would be able to sell the PowerMac G5 then.

Net cafes from my personal experience last year have firewire/usb input with cd burners. I will be carrying a CD with the drivers needed (if any) for the PDS, as well as about 15-20 blank cd's to do backups whilst sending blog updates back home.

Hmmmm. That makes a PSD much more of a viable option then, though any place Im likely to go in the next couple of years is likely to be fairly back-water technology-wise. I wonder if there is anyway of using something like the disk steno in conjunction with the PSD. That would be a good compromise.

[shutterbug]

The nexto-CF is avaliable soon at http://www.powerinnumbers.com.au/

[cordy]

Guys, there's also the Apacer Disk Steno which takes your CF card and burns it to a CD or DVD without the need for a PC.

Does it display RAW files? I cant see any mention of the images it supports when i was browsing the specifications page

Chris

[birddog114]

Guys, there's also the Apacer Disk Steno which takes your CF card and burns it to a CD or DVD without the need for a PC.

Does it display RAW files? I cant see any mention of the images it supports when i was browsing the specifications page

Chris

The Apacer Disk Steno only a device to let you burn your imag from a CF card straight to the CD or DVD, not required a PC nor displaying any images in any format.

[cordy]

Actually

Disc Steno CP300 Portable Photo DVD Burner, Image Viewer and Media Player is an Easy-to-use, Multifunction Device


The CP300 combines the functionality of a CD/DVD player, a portable storage device with built-in 7-in-1 card reader, a USB 2.0 high speed external card reader, and a go anywhere media player for viewing photo slideshows and movies. Completely functional without the need for a PC, the CP300 offers a high quality color TFT-LCD, IR remote control, rechargeable lithium battery and the ability to output photos directly to a printer.

[birddog114]

Yes, I clarify:
The CP300 with a tiny LCD, similar or smaller than the LCD on your D70, what image or slide show you want to view on it? the only way: is connect it to the PC or TV then you can view your photos with comfy.
It does not support RAW.
The only device which I know, have and am using supporting RAW, is the Epson P-2000, maybe other devices, but I can't tell cos I don't have and use it.