500Gb External HD

[leowyatt]

So we need to get one of these. Can anyone suggest any good ones under a budget of £80. I've seen this (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/128465) but am not too sure. Never ordered anything from Ebuyer.

[Daz]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000OS54TA

Get it from Amazon then :) You wont find it much cheaper than that, if at all.

[leowyatt]

Cheers Lozza, just been reading the reviews on amazon and alot of people aren't happy :(

[Davey_Pitch]

I have 2 of those drives and I've had no complaints whatsoever, very good drive as far as I'm concerned :)

[leowyatt]

cheers guys I'll get one then

[Mark]

For all the complaints, how many customers didn't have a problem? It tends to be those that have problems that make the noise, not those that don't. The drive in that does also look a bit sealed in so I'm not sure how warm it gets.

Mind you, I too have had a nearly new WD drive (not one of those) commit suicide - though I had about 6 other identical ones that were fine.

[Davey_Pitch]

We have good taste Lozza :D

[leowyatt]

well I have good taste too now ;)

[Mondo]

I went for the Mybook 2 in the end, mostly due to lack of room to put it and the vertical arrangement suits me more.

[Del Lardo]

Anyone care to explain the difference between
this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Elements-500GB-External/dp/tech-data/B000OS54TA/ref=de_a_smtd

and

this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Essential-500GB-External/dp/tech-data/B000WP0NM8/ref=de_a_smtd

and

this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Essential-USB2-0-External/dp/B000EXZB0M/ref=pd_sbs_ce_1

apart from the £10-£20 price difference all the important specs
Capacity: 500 GB
Interface Type: Hi-Speed USB
Data Transfer Rate: 480 Mbps
Average Seek Time: 8.9 ms
Spindle Speed: 7200 rpm

seem to be identical

[Mark]

Same (or similar) disks, different packaging. In other words, you're paying for the fancy box.

[Del Lardo]

Same (or similar) disks, different packaging. In other words, you're paying for the fancy box.

Well work is paying so I'll go for the prettyest one ;D

[Dymetrie]

Well now I have a spare 200GB drive to play with I've been thinking about getting an enclosure to put it in...

Have found this (http://www.digitalpromo.co.uk/sumvision-zengo-35-sata-multi-media-centre-digital-playerrecorder-enclosure-with-card-slot-retail-p-2825.html) which looks pretty funky :)

I know that I could just get a HDD enclosure for about £20-£30, but I like the idea of the whole mediaplayer thingummy as well...

Anyone got any thoughts? Or maybe anyone found a better one for about the same price?

[leowyatt]

Anyone care to explain the difference between
this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Elements-500GB-External/dp/tech-data/B000OS54TA/ref=de_a_smtd

and

this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Essential-500GB-External/dp/tech-data/B000WP0NM8/ref=de_a_smtd

and

this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Essential-USB2-0-External/dp/B000EXZB0M/ref=pd_sbs_ce_1

apart from the £10-£20 price difference all the important specs
Capacity: 500 GB
Interface Type: Hi-Speed USB
Data Transfer Rate: 480 Mbps
Average Seek Time: 8.9 ms
Spindle Speed: 7200 rpm

seem to be identical

Well the last 2 have on/off buttons which might help.

[Desmo]

Well work is paying so I'll go for the prettyest one ;D
In that case, I'll take a fancy one too ;) :D

[Mondo]

Anyone care to explain the difference between
this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Elements-500GB-External/dp/tech-data/B000OS54TA/ref=de_a_smtd

and

this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Essential-500GB-External/dp/tech-data/B000WP0NM8/ref=de_a_smtd

and

this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Essential-USB2-0-External/dp/B000EXZB0M/ref=pd_sbs_ce_1

apart from the £10-£20 price difference all the important specs
Capacity: 500 GB
Interface Type: Hi-Speed USB
Data Transfer Rate: 480 Mbps
Average Seek Time: 8.9 ms
Spindle Speed: 7200 rpm

seem to be identical

None of them have aon/off switch, at least not according to WD's site, the Silver version (office edition does however), the difference in those 3 are basically this.

Ths silver one is call the elment because of the metal enclosure and supposed to be more durable. The black one with the green ring is the Mybook MK1, first version that came out about 2/3 years ago. The darker Black version with the blue LED is the latest Mybook 2, it came out a couple of months ago. None of them have fans in, and the Mybook are in plastic enclosures. Mybook 1 has a older bigger USB plug where Mybook 2 uses the mini USB plug socket.

[leowyatt]

This might be a daft question but would it be possible to connect this drive to 2 separate machines at the same time and use it on both? I.e the 360 has it connected and a PC so the PC can download tv shows, etc and then the 360 can play them? Saves faffing round with cables & sockets.

[Del Lardo]

Nope as there's only one USB port. If that's the kind you're looking to do then an enclosure with an ethernet port could be the best bet.

[leowyatt]

Well I'll just make do for the time being as it's about to be dispatched ;D

[Daz]

Not to the 360 :)

[Daz]

Hey I stream all my media over the network just fine :p

[leowyatt]

I'll just buy a really really long usb cable ;D

[leowyatt]

Have just reserved one of these (http://www.comet.co.uk/cometbrowse/product.do?sku=371335) and got it for £62.99

[Rich_L]

Have just reserved one of these (http://www.comet.co.uk/cometbrowse/product.do?sku=371335) and got it for £62.99 Good choice :)

We have 3 of these, look very cool, was half-tempted to pick up another one :D

*edit*

Damn you, just reserved another one for pickup tomorrow :p

[leowyatt]

muhahahahhaha