Should I buyt 1 TB or three 320 G's?

I'm thinking of buying an 1 TB external drive, so I'll have all my music, karaoke and video on one drive. Less to carry and plug in each time, but needs its own AC power source.

But then I saw the smaller 320 G external drive and thought about buying 3 of them and letting each "mode" have it's only storage space. More to plug in each time, but runs its power off a USB.

I'm all about having the best show possible (within reason), but with the least amount of set up and tear down time.

What do you think?

(Sorry about the mistake in the headline. Don't know how to correct it. (lol))

You will have issues plugging 3 un-powered drives into your USB bus.

I deal with these sorts of things everyday, and people just don't seem to get the fact, that the USB bus is limited in not only its bandwidth, but the amount of power it can provide.

I would stick with externally powered USB devices.

But if you have it all on 1,,, make sure you have a back up drive!

I'm thinking of buying an 1 TB external drive, so I'll have all my music, karaoke and video on one drive. Less to carry and plug in each time, but needs its own AC power source.

But then I saw the smaller 320 G external drive and thought about buying 3 of them and letting each "mode" have it's only storage space. More to plug in each time, but runs its power off a USB.

I'm all about having the best show possible (within reason), but with the least amount of set up and tear down time.

What do you think?

(Sorry about the mistake in the headline. Don't know how to correct it. (lol))


Id keep it separate in case you have a problem. That's just me...:sqbiggrin::sqbiggrin:

I would keep them on separate drives, but as Rick said, I would only buy externally powered USB drives.

Better yet, consider a FireWire external if your base and portable computers support it.

Cap have a point.FireWire wes designed for external hard drives and its much faster as USB2 connection which was in start designed for small things like USB keys and to download pics from cammera.
Now to youre question!
Depends how much music goes with you.You can also buy 2x500Gb Hard drives.One to go and one for back up.
Just me!

DJMarco : I've recently reached a decision crossroad as well.

I have a 750gb USB2.0/IEE1394 external with two identical 750gb external clones as backup. My video collection just filled the main external and I was contemplating upgrading to a pair of 1.5tb - 2tb external enclosures, one main and one backup.

Damn, those enclosures and drives come with a significant cost factor (for a reliable sturdy one, that is).

So, I've decided to add one more 750gb drive to the collection (I already own the empty enclosure) and split the video collection in half (A-L on one, M-Z on the other) and use the other three existing 750's to end up with 2 separate drives at 1.5tb total and an identical backup set.

USB (2) file transfer rates are 420 while FireWire (A) is about 400. I use the FireWire connection as (the part USB people don't tell you) it does not dominate the processor buss as does USB during file access and/or transfer and keeps multi-tasking an effective option.

Always go with external power. Not to say tb drives are bad.. but why put all your eggs in one basket. 2x500

There is really only one question it comes down to...

Do you want convenience (the 1TB) of one drive?
-OR-
Do you want reliability (3 x 320 = 3 times the chance of total failure)


I don't really like the fact all 3 are on USB power, because although it can be fixed, it's a hassle.

Here is the drive I just bought. I will be storing all my files on them with a 750 gb drive for back up. It spans so it reads all as one drive which is just the way I want it. So rick I have a question for you if this reads as one large hardrive even though its two but spanned will your program my drive is spinning keep it going. http://www.buy.com/prod/iomega-1-5tb-desktop-hard-drive-interface-usb-2-0-external-hard-drive/q/loc/101/205753538.html

I got it from another source for 375 shipped. Its a little loud but music will be playing most of the time This thing is brushed aluminum and very sturdy I love it.

Cap, you said:USB (2) file transfer rates are 420 while FireWire (A) is about 400. I use the FireWire connection as (the part USB people don't tell you) it does not dominate the processor buss as does USB during file access and/or transfer and keeps multi-tasking an effective option.

Yap that could be the reason that sailsman in my Computer shop recomended me FireWire externall Soundcard for my Studio PC and HD also.

DJ Marco : There's a real easy way to demonstrate the processor/buss differential, IEEE1394A [400mbs] vs USB 2.0 [480mbs].

Add/copy a 1gb file from an internal drive to each type of interface device. While it's copying to USB 2.0, do something in Word. Repeat same with copying that same file to FireWire.

Just to make the point even more obvious, delete that 1gb file from each drive, empty the Recycle Bin and watch how long it takes for each to empty.

Although USB2.0 is the most prevalent technology, the performance preference (to me) is clearly FireWire (or i-Link, as Sony calls it)

The People rest, your honor.

(Sidebar : Ordered the 750gb drive this morning and now I will have the video collection on two drives; one A - L and the other M - Z totaling 1.5tb. The other pair totaling 1.5tb will be backup. I'm not totally comfortable with just one backup so perhaps it's time to consider one biggy as the "God forbid the others die" third option.)

Cap is single-handedly keeping the hard drive manufacturers in business :sqlaugh:

Still don't know what the heck you do with all those files though...

Rick : Obsessive & Compulsive. If it's a Top 100 track, I gotta have it...period.

First records, then CDs, now videos.

Also, love to experiment. Buy something, test it/try it, and if it doesn't fit my needs, sell it. I used to take other people's word for things only to find that the blind try to lead the blind, only faster.

This video thing is quite an expansive and complicated technology and the newly found OCD quest is to learn it from the video people, not dabbling vid jocks (nothing personal to the vid jocks, you just think you know it.) This should easily take me to my 70th birthday.

It also doesn't help to be trilingually illiterate. I can't read in three languages.