External hard drive for laptop?

(shutupandboard)

Is anyone using an external hard drive with a laptop for VIDEO EDITING?
I've got a new gateway laptop with only a 40gig HD. I would like to work off an external HD and i'm not sure if it will cut the mustard. Anyone doing it?

I have a spare 120gig HD to use with an external enclosure. It's 7200 rpm with a 8mb cache. But if i hook it up through firewire or usb 2 will it still work?

(toolfan) · (toolfan) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 07-07-2004, 7:00 AM

i would definately use the firewire.

(thelakeisglass)

I don't know anything about hard drive speeds and stuff but if the HD has firewire I'd think that it must be fast enough for DV because that is what firewire was developed for. USB isn't fast enough for DV.

I use a PowerBook G4 and a Lacie 250 gig external firewire HD. When I looked into it, I was told that this is the way to go - video data on the external HD with the editing program on the internal HD. This is better than having the internal HD try to access both the program and the data because one HD has a greater chance of errors / dropped frames.

(salmon_tacos) · (salmon_tacos) **Join Date: Jan 2003** 07-07-2004, 8:12 AM

Just FYI, USB 2 is faster than Firewire (480 Mbps vs. 400 Mbps).

(toolfan) · (toolfan) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 07-07-2004, 11:01 AM

ok. theoretically.

http://www.frozentech.com/article.php?story_id=27&section_id=11

read the posts as well.

are you editting with AVID by chance?

(salmon_tacos) · (salmon_tacos) **Join Date: Jan 2003** 07-07-2004, 2:02 PM

That's interesting. I guess if you have to buy a separate card, Firewire 800 is really the way to go. Still, you might get by with the built-in USB 2.

Either way, I love it when people get all passionate about technology like, "Firewire kicks USB's ass 'cause it's more rad!" or "Macs are so much cooler than PC. PC's are for losers!" Oh, wait...actually, I hate that.

(shutupandboard)

Thanks for the....UHH... information.

. I should have clarified my question. I was really asking how the performance was WORKING with the video through Firewire and USB2.

I did just pick up a HDD enclosure. http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=17-145-316&depa=0

BTW PC's kick serious ass and long live Bill Gates!

(Message edited by shutupandboard on July 08, 2004)

(thelakeisglass)

Man you are one sick puppy LOL

BTW PC's kick serious ass and long live Bill Gates!