External hard drives or memory sticks

[LooseBoots]

As the sites that allow you to download films and TV prefer you to keep them on your computer for a while to " seed " what do members recommend to use for storing them on an external drive / memory stick. Plus where is the best place to buy, here or UK?

[Bert]

What I use is a hard drive and combined media player (little black box) so you store them on the unit (comes with remote) and then leave it plugged in the TV and watch like you woulda DVD. When you want a new one you have down loaded just plug it into your PC and drag and drop into it. You can then leave it streaming as long as you want. When you are fed up with it just delete it like any other file.

There are a few on the market but I personally use Western Digital. It saves messing about and is simple and painless. They sell them in PC world back in UK and I would imagine are available on the island somewhere.

check it out here

http://www.wdc.com/en/

[LooseBoots]

Thanks for the info.

[smithscorner]

As I am quite often travelling between here and the UK I keep my media files on six 32gb usb sticks (can be picked up at very keen prices in the UK or on amazon/ebay) it makes them very transportable and can be used on the move in a laptop or direct in the usb slots of most HDTV's. I keep a a backup on my desktop in the UK, just in case!

[kbasat]

when buying an external hard drive, also keep in mind to always pick up a 2.5" version(smaller) as opposed to 3.5" version. 2.5" external hard drives can be powered via the USB port whereas the latter one would require you to carry a separate external power adapter.

K.

[JBA]

I tried at first with a memory stick but the capacity is useless if you start with HD movies and impossible for Blu-ray (Avatar blu-ray is 40gb for example). Also, many memory sticks can only be formatted for FAT32 which gives a maximum file size around 4gb regardless of the total capacity.

I now have a Samsung 2.5" 650gb external drive which simply plugs into a USB slot either on the computer or on the tv. It is self powered whereas the larger capacity 3.5" drives require a mains power source. I got it from Laconic for 300tl - quite a bit more expensive than the UK but I didn't have to wait for somebody coming out.

My tv happily reads Windows directory structures and, more importantly, will interpret NTFS formatted drives which gives me an unlimited file size. However, if your tv won't read NTFS then none of this will be helpful.

Regardless of keen UK prices for memory sticks, the £ per GB ratio is far better on external drives. My 650gb is the same as 20 x 32gb memory sticks and I am sure they would cost more than 15tl each quite apart from the nightmare of trying to remember what each one contains - they don't have a lot of room for a written label.

[LooseBoots]

I have found laconic to be rather expensive. I bought a power cable from the shop next to Mr Pound ................it was twice the price in Laconic.....!!

[JBA]

LooseBoots........I entirely agree, Com-Aks are the best computer shop around, but they didn't have what I wanted at the time. Somebody returning to the UK had 30 or so good films and the BBC's Blue Planet on their laptop and I was anxious to copy these.

Normally I use Com-Aks for all my computer needs. Apart from their very extensive product range and, as you say, their excellent prices, they also have a very good repair team. Incidentally, they manufacture their own cables and will make up anything you need in 24 hours.

I fully endorse your recommendation.

[wanderer]

I agree with Kemal regarding the smaller drives not needing power the one problem that you have is heat in summer
The drives do not cool well and with ambient room temperatures at 30c + you could suffer burnout with constant use
For £10 you can get 32 gig stick for £11 which can cover a couple of weeks selected viewing
You can get 3 TB for £100 or 2TB for £70 which you can use as the master storage and not suffer with the overheating
I appreciate that these are UK prices but the sticks can come in the post
http://www.ebuyer.com/store/Storage/cat ... --External
http://www.ebuyer.com/store/Storage/cat ... ash-Drives
Personally I have 2 1TB storage for the mass storage
1 320gig Freecom usb drive for when we are in Cyprus for a month
Plus a 32gig stick

[PapaBravo]

JBA, where is Com-Aks please??

[andrew4232]

next to mr pound

[Philoz]

Hmmm,Andrew,where is Mr Pound?
Please don't say it's next to Com-Aks!

[JBA]

One problem with this site is that it doesn't hold members' location so it is hard to know from where to give directions.

However, Mr. Pound and Com-Aks are on the right 200 metres heading towards Lapta from the main Girne roundabout. That's the roundabout with washboard fountains. There is a carpark behind both stores.

(And if you want to know where Lapta is Philoz then please consult Google maps.)

[andrew4232]

opposite the original starling super market opposite mr pound

[Philoz]

Thank you guys

I am now sure I can find it.

Now,where is Girne again,Is it near Kyrenia?

Joke