ok, so I'm still cutting my teeth in the Dj Business. Currently i have all my songs on my pc and DJ with them off of their. But I was thinking about using an external and use that when I perform. Should I? I've heard mixed things, I've heard DJ's say the HD will crash in the middle of my set, and on the other hand I have heard that is the best way to go. Help Me out! I appreciate you all
External HD or Not for live show?
- Thread starter Chandrez
- Start date
There are pros and cons to using them...
Given a choice, I would use an internal. If I had to use an external due to size limitations, I would use an eSata drive.
Given a choice, I would use an internal. If I had to use an external due to size limitations, I would use an eSata drive.
It's not an issue of size, I just didn't want to bog down my laptop with a bunch of songs, I for some reason felt it may make the computer run slower. And then I hear about dj's that use an external when they DJ, so I'm not sure if that's the route I should go.
No, you won't bog the machine down by having more music on it. Just keep the drives defragged regularly, if you add and remove a lot of songs.
The simpler you keep your setup, the less chance of things going wrong.
The external drives are great for backups, but understand that if your internal drive crashes, you won't be able to boot it up anyway, without another bootable media.
I use both an external drive in one lap top and the internal on another, you won't get bogged down with the internal and it's less stuff to carry around and connect. Either way we go back to a key word BACKUP, if one of the components fail (It's not an if thing, it's a when thing) you need to have something to get you out of the bind.
Unless you have a massive internal, you would need an external anyway. Whatever you use, you are going to have a backup. I would think it ideal to have two identical externals that are rotated from gig to gig. But,
I'm still using cd's, so what do I know?
I'm still using cd's, so what do I know?
Massive? Not necessarily. Without video, I want to know why anybody needs more than 100GB. I keep all the music I use in 320 CBR, on a 32GB flash drive with plenty of extra space. ( assuming mp3 format, that is )
I use external. Never had a problem.
But I use FireWire and a Macintosh. Either, or both, of those may be a factor.
But I use FireWire and a Macintosh. Either, or both, of those may be a factor.
Backup, we don't need no stinkin backup!!!!
On my rig I use two 250gig externals. One for the laptop and one for HD2500. Both mirrored. I have a 100gig inside the laptop and a 40gig inside the HD2500. I just bought a 650gig My Book for $69 on black Friday that I use as my master at home. I also have a 350gig I bought last year on black Friday. Hold on, I have one more. I subscribe to Carbonite.com. All my music and other files are stored off site for $50 a year. Yea, I've got me some backup just in case.
On my rig I use two 250gig externals. One for the laptop and one for HD2500. Both mirrored. I have a 100gig inside the laptop and a 40gig inside the HD2500. I just bought a 650gig My Book for $69 on black Friday that I use as my master at home. I also have a 350gig I bought last year on black Friday. Hold on, I have one more. I subscribe to Carbonite.com. All my music and other files are stored off site for $50 a year. Yea, I've got me some backup just in case.
My tower has a 250 and a 320gig h/d. The 250 is full and the 320 has a good start.
I'm not the type to just bring the "hits" I like to play the stuff you don't hear at every event, And i do a ton of bar work....Totally different animal.
I carry the whole disc, not cherry picked songs....Do i play everyone of them??
No Way....But if someone wants to hear a cool B-Side...I got it.
You think i carry too much music,I think you don't carry enough
My new laptop has a 320 GB internal and the other has a 160 GB internal and a 250 GB external, now if I start doing video (soon) I'll get a pair of 1 TB drives and should be set for some fun. As backup all my files are in 4 external drives that are updated everytime new stuff is ripped and 2 sets of DVD backups. I've had stuff crap out for no reason and for me it's better to go into "overkill" rather than complain about not having enough.
Oops, I forgot about my desktop which has 2 HD's, 1 250 & 1 160. The 160 has bad sectors so that's on it's way out. And I have a 200 gig external sitting on the self. I bought it two years ago on black Friday for .............are you ready for this.....................$15 at Staples.Backup, we don't need no stinkin backup!!!!
On my rig I use two 250gig externals. One for the laptop and one for HD2500. Both mirrored. I have a 100gig inside the laptop and a 40gig inside the HD2500. I just bought a 650gig My Book for $69 on black Friday that I use as my master at home. I also have a 350gig I bought last year on black Friday. Hold on, I have one more. I subscribe to Carbonite.com. All my music and other files are stored off site for $50 a year. Yea, I've got me some backup just in case.
I've been using an external hard drive for more than 5years. Initially i used an 80gb usb powered one, now i'm using a 250gb hard drive, and so far, i've never had any glitches in my live gigs 
so i guess you could close your eyes and go for a live gig with your EHD
so i guess you could close your eyes and go for a live gig with your EHDAll my music i need for a gig is internall.Externall HD is with me in Backbag for any case and a Copy of VDJ is also on externall HD.So if my Lapy crush(never happend)i have 40gb mp3 player for backup.If i cant repair the laptop i can borrow a laptop or pc and plug in my externall.It is much easyer to find a Computer in hotel or whereever as Music.
I carry two laptops to all shows. The older one (which I use the most) has 160 gig of space and the newer one has 300 gig. I am currently using between 30 and 40 gig on each. Like Jacob I am looking at doing video soon so I will be looking in to a couple of Terrabyte drives
The only drive I have ever had fail was a Iomega 500 gig external less than a year old. It was one of my backups. Fortunatly I am backup paranoid. I have 2 desktop machines here with the whole library on each, two offsite that store all the music also, the two laptops, and two sets of DVDs with the library burned to them. Then there is always the originals.
The only drive I have ever had fail was a Iomega 500 gig external less than a year old. It was one of my backups. Fortunatly I am backup paranoid. I have 2 desktop machines here with the whole library on each, two offsite that store all the music also, the two laptops, and two sets of DVDs with the library burned to them. Then there is always the originals.
External for over 5 years. Not ever a problem. I keep and exact copy of the drive with me at all times. I also have an emergency list on my internal hard drive.
My music library is currently about 200 GB that I use on a regualr basis. My complete library is pushing 1.7 terabytes.
Karaoke is 168 GB and my music videos are 2 TB.
To keep everything I am just under 4 TB.
My show drives are 500 GB they have Music and Karaoke on them.
Music videos are on 500 GB drives also I have all the most played on one drive, the odd stuff on a second. and 2 drives of songs I probally will never play.
My music library is currently about 200 GB that I use on a regualr basis. My complete library is pushing 1.7 terabytes.
Karaoke is 168 GB and my music videos are 2 TB.
To keep everything I am just under 4 TB.
My show drives are 500 GB they have Music and Karaoke on them.
Music videos are on 500 GB drives also I have all the most played on one drive, the odd stuff on a second. and 2 drives of songs I probally will never play.