Mass Storage for Vacation????

d-og · Jun 22, 2004

Don't forget: Hard drives aren't a safe way to store your data when traveling. Unlike CF cards and CDs, HDs don't like being dropped, bumped, soaked, etc... perils that you're more than likely to run into on vacation! So relying on one single device that fragile isn't wise.

The solution: A CD burner... with a CF card slot... that can operate without a PC!

Like this one:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=306635&is=REG

You don't have to carry a laptop around, and you're able to make redundant backups -- e.g., on a trip, keep a set of CDs in your luggage and send another home, just in case -- and a great idea if you're afraid of getting robbed.

A HD, once dropped, is nothing but a doorstop. A device as mentioned above beats any other device for data security. CD-R media are cheap and available everywhere, which makes redundancy affordable.

Kind regards, d-og

d-og · Jun 22, 2004

anthony rayner said:
Who has one of those CD burner units that have a CF card (and sd
card?) slot that allows you to directly burn the CF to a CD? They
usually only allow a 512card to be copied (maximum) because they
cannot span two cd's with the extra data (ie 1GB can't be copied to
two 700MB CD's).

«The CP-200 can span multiple CDs when the data being copied exceeds the capacity of the CD. The CP-100 would simply abort under these conditions.»
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/disc_steno_cp200.html

I am seriously considering ordering such a device for my next vacation. I layed out the rationale behind it in my post further below, see:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1031&message=9274451

Randy Ketchum · Jun 22, 2004

Can you link it pls? I tried a search on that website and it found nothing.

jjdig said:
Marcus Beard said:

Has a 40Gb hard disk - very reliable and cheap. Took in in
Thailand, Spain, Japan

Marcus

Lou Dina said:

I'm going on vacation soon and need a mass storage solution. I
shoot RAW and have two 512 MB compact flash cards. That only gives
me about 100-120 shots.

I don't have and don't want to buy a laptop. I'm just curious what
people have used to store their images while away on vacation.

All suggestions welcome.

Thank you,

Lou
http://www.pbase.com/lbdina

Click to expand...

--
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/beardy_m/

Click to expand...

--
Joe
http://jjdigphoto.com/gallery/albums.php

--
http://dreamer.smugmug.com/

NormanAllen · Jun 22, 2004

d-og, you are right. I love my Gmini 220 still, but that device you posted looks interesting. Do you have that ?

d-og said:
Don't forget: Hard drives aren't a safe way to store your data when
traveling. Unlike CF cards and CDs, HDs don't like being dropped,
bumped, soaked, etc... perils that you're more than likely to run
into on vacation! So relying on one single device that fragile
isn't wise.

The solution: A CD burner... with a CF card slot... that can
operate without a PC!

Like this one:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=306635&is=REG

You don't have to carry a laptop around, and you're able to make
redundant backups -- e.g., on a trip, keep a set of CDs in your
luggage and send another home, just in case -- and a great idea if
you're afraid of getting robbed.

A HD, once dropped, is nothing but a doorstop. A device as
mentioned above beats any other device for data security. CD-R
media are cheap and available everywhere, which makes redundancy
affordable.

Kind regards, d-og

d-og · Jun 22, 2004

Norman L. Allen said:
d-og, you are right. I love my Gmini 220 still, but that device
you posted looks interesting. Do you have that ?

No, but I guess I am getting one soon. I'll go on vacation for 3 weeks in august, and have been looking around for image storage solutions. The Disc Steno is by far the best.

I just read a review at Steve's site, you might be interested too:
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/disc_steno_cp200.html

Kind regards, d-og

MarcosV · Jun 22, 2004

It's up to the user to decide just how safe hard drives are. After all fragile hard drives hasn't stopped people from traveling with laptops. You should be avoiding dropping your lens and camera bodies too.

What I didn't like about the CD PSUs is that they weren't portable enough for me. A hard drive based PSU is quite small; I can swap it for my flash unit or telephoto zoom. All of the CD PSUs are a bit wider with a shape like portable CD mplayers. Not quite compatible with a number of smaller camera bags.

The big thing though is that it would be a bit awkward for me to use a CD PSU in the field. Downloading from 1 GB CF or 4 GB MD cards, I'd have a number of CD swaps to perform.

If I was doing all my transfers in a hotel room with lots of time, CD PSUs would be my preferred storage medium for all the reasons others have stated.

Another note, though not as critical: CDs can warp when hot and you don't know if you got a bad batch of blanks (especially if you have to buy them while in a foreign land). That means you'd want to perform data verification with every burn, since any given blank could be bad. With hard drives, you do a thorough check before you leave home and then put "trust" in your handling skills and the 3 to 6 G impulse shock ratings the manufacture specs quote.

The best solution would be having enough CF cards for the day and a DVD PSU or laptop with DVD burner at the hotel. I personally can't afford the equivalent of four to eight 1 GB CF cards right now. Since I'm not a pro, I'd rather take the risk of loosing pictures with my PSU setup and continue to save for a better lens.

Marcos

d-og said:
Don't forget: Hard drives aren't a safe way to store your data when
traveling. Unlike CF cards and CDs, HDs don't like being dropped,
bumped, soaked, etc... perils that you're more than likely to run
into on vacation! So relying on one single device that fragile
isn't wise.

The solution: A CD burner... with a CF card slot... that can
operate without a PC!

Like this one:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=306635&is=REG

You don't have to carry a laptop around, and you're able to make
redundant backups -- e.g., on a trip, keep a set of CDs in your
luggage and send another home, just in case -- and a great idea if
you're afraid of getting robbed.

A HD, once dropped, is nothing but a doorstop. A device as
mentioned above beats any other device for data security. CD-R
media are cheap and available everywhere, which makes redundancy
affordable.

Kind regards, d-og

Jackson Lo · Jun 22, 2004

it is a POS. Good thing they are going to give me a refund at the store without worrying about shipping etc.

I found that I had to reset the thing way too often. Like you, the damn thing would not shout down without me hitting the reset button. I kept a tooth pick in the bag just for that purpose. Now, it would not turn on and transfer file without the AC adaptor plugged in. (it would power up when connected with USB, but the PC would not see the HD) So, it is not just a battery issue. Even if it is a batter issue, I only had the thing for less then 3 months.

I just would not trust it.

JLO

Bluesky said:
CPUWHIZ13 said:

Get it from radioshack, Basically an X's Drive with a 20gb hard
drive in it. Its less than 200 bucks, works great. Simple and
staight forward. Basically a hard drive with a card reader in it.
Can't beat the price. I have one and I love it.

Click to expand...

I wonder if yours is the same as mine, which is called digital
photo library (I/O magic). If yes, maybe you could help me with a
problem:
When never I connect it to my PC, it transfers file alright, but it
will never shut down properly. I have to wait until its power went
out, and then recharge it before I could use it normally again !

If you know of any way to shut it down properly after file
transfer, it would help me a lot !

Thank you in advance
Tuan

Michael Soo119924 · Jun 22, 2004

My problems are usually as such:

1. space
2. speed (upload into the drive, upload into the computer)
3. battery life
4. removable battery
5. AC in other countries such as 220V in asia.

If it can solve these, I'll be a happy camper. anyone?

MS

Phil Hurst said:
One word of warning...

Make sure you are never too far away from a mains socket, the
battery life on nearly all portable storage units is not that
great, without previewing I can download a 1gb microdrive three
times before I get a low battery warning, just something to bear in
mind.

HTH

Phil

draklava said:

I use a 40gb Flashtrax. It works pretty well and lets you preview
the pictures (and play mp3's).

It is a bit pricey - there is a 20gb model that is cheaper. There
are also other similar products which all do the same thing.

The smartDisk website is here
http://www.smartdisk.com/Products/DigitalMultimedia/FlashTrax.asp

Let me know if you have specific questions and I'd be glad to help

-jason

Click to expand...

--
Phil
**************************
http://www.pbase.com/philh04
**************************
Equipment list in profile

--

MS

http://forum.soocool.com - SF Bay Area Photography Club for field trips
http://www.soocool.com - Explore life beyond the norms

Bluesky123510 · Jun 22, 2004

Jackson Lo said:
it is a POS. Good thing they are going to give me a refund at the
store without worrying about shipping etc.

I found that I had to reset the thing way too often. Like you, the
damn thing would not shout down without me hitting the reset
button. I kept a tooth pick in the bag just for that purpose.
Now, it would not turn on and transfer file without the AC adaptor
plugged in. (it would power up when connected with USB, but the PC
would not see the HD) So, it is not just a battery issue. Even if
it is a batter issue, I only had the thing for less then 3 months.

I just would not trust it.

JLO

Thank you for the info. I got to test mine more. As CPUWHIZ mentioned, I think I must test disconnecting the cable from it, not the cable from the PC. But in general, I agree it' s a flaky piece of junk, I' m glad you got a refund for it.

Go for something better.

Tuan

NormanAllen · Jun 22, 2004

I'm not about to go and sell my Gmini 220 (I love it for other reasons other than the backup features), but the Disc Steno looks like a winner! Let us know how it is when you get it.

d-og said:
Norman L. Allen said:

d-og, you are right. I love my Gmini 220 still, but that device
you posted looks interesting. Do you have that ?

Click to expand...

No, but I guess I am getting one soon. I'll go on vacation for 3
weeks in august, and have been looking around for image storage
solutions. The Disc Steno is by far the best.

I just read a review at Steve's site, you might be interested too:
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/disc_steno_cp200.html

Kind regards, d-og

Lou Dina · Jun 22, 2004

Holy Mackerel, folks. What a response. I guess I have some research to do. Thank you everyone for the incredible outpouring of advice and suggestions.

Regards,

Lou
http://www.pbase.com/lbdina

robwalcott · Jun 22, 2004

1gb compact flash will give you a total of 200 - 240 shots (counting your already owned 512's)
Might that be enough?

I know this is a simple answer, but sometimes it is over looked. It is a heck of a lot less hassel and a lot less risky.

$.02

Lou Dina said:
I'm going on vacation soon and need a mass storage solution. I
shoot RAW and have two 512 MB compact flash cards. That only gives
me about 100-120 shots.

I don't have and don't want to buy a laptop. I'm just curious what
people have used to store their images while away on vacation.

All suggestions welcome.

Thank you,

Lou
http://www.pbase.com/lbdina

Phil Hurst · Jun 23, 2004

Agreed I had forgotten that fact, thanks, however it is still wise to be not too far from a mains source.

Phil

Todd Meyers said:
-Todd

Phil Hurst said:

One word of warning...

Make sure you are never too far away from a mains socket, the
battery life on nearly all portable storage units is not that
great, without previewing I can download a 1gb microdrive three
times before I get a low battery warning, just something to bear in
mind.

HTH

Phil

draklava said:

I use a 40gb Flashtrax. It works pretty well and lets you preview
the pictures (and play mp3's).

It is a bit pricey - there is a 20gb model that is cheaper. There
are also other similar products which all do the same thing.

The smartDisk website is here
http://www.smartdisk.com/Products/DigitalMultimedia/FlashTrax.asp

Let me know if you have specific questions and I'd be glad to help

-jason

Click to expand...

--
Phil
**************************
http://www.pbase.com/philh04
**************************
Equipment list in profile

Click to expand...

--
Phil
**************************
http://www.pbase.com/philh04
**************************
Equipment list in profile

Phil Hurst · Jun 23, 2004

AFAIK you should have no problems here, no portable storage unit is that speedy, however I always download onto the flashtrax now and then plug that into the computer and write the raw files straight to a CD from it with no problems, I also convert directly from it.

You have to keep them well charged, however a days shooting should not cause any problems.

Batteries are removeable easily so carrying spares is not a problem.

Have used mine with North African power supplies with no problem. However I'm UK with a 240V supply which isn't that far removed from the 220V of Asia etc.

HTH

Phil

Michael Soo said:
1. space
2. speed (upload into the drive, upload into the computer)
3. battery life
4. removable battery
5. AC in other countries such as 220V in asia.

If it can solve these, I'll be a happy camper. anyone?

MS

Phil Hurst said:

One word of warning...

Make sure you are never too far away from a mains socket, the
battery life on nearly all portable storage units is not that
great, without previewing I can download a 1gb microdrive three
times before I get a low battery warning, just something to bear in
mind.

HTH

Phil

draklava said:

I use a 40gb Flashtrax. It works pretty well and lets you preview
the pictures (and play mp3's).

It is a bit pricey - there is a 20gb model that is cheaper. There
are also other similar products which all do the same thing.

The smartDisk website is here
http://www.smartdisk.com/Products/DigitalMultimedia/FlashTrax.asp

Let me know if you have specific questions and I'd be glad to help

-jason

Click to expand...

--
Phil
**************************
http://www.pbase.com/philh04
**************************
Equipment list in profile

Click to expand...

--

MS

http://forum.soocool.com - SF Bay Area Photography Club for field
trips
http://www.soocool.com - Explore life beyond the norms

--
Phil
**************************
http://www.pbase.com/philh04
**************************
Equipment list in profile

wimster · Jun 23, 2004

I had some problems with the X-DriveII, the fully-charged battery drained within 10 hours while being switched off... luckily I was able to recharge it with a standard nokia cellular charger.

The battery keeps draining however, looks like I've got to take it back to the shop.

Marcus Beard said:
Has a 40Gb hard disk - very reliable and cheap. Took in in
Thailand, Spain, Japan

Marcus

Lou Dina said:

I'm going on vacation soon and need a mass storage solution. I
shoot RAW and have two 512 MB compact flash cards. That only gives
me about 100-120 shots.

I don't have and don't want to buy a laptop. I'm just curious what
people have used to store their images while away on vacation.

All suggestions welcome.

Thank you,

Lou
http://www.pbase.com/lbdina

Click to expand...

--
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/beardy_m/

Han Phil Vahn · Jun 23, 2004

apparently, it's the best here in korea....
--
Regards,
Han Phil Vahn

Nikon D70, AF-S 18-70mm & 50mm 1.8
Sony DSC V1
Sony HVL1000
Sony CD 400

Bugler · Jun 23, 2004

The X-drive pro gets my vote. I used mine for the first time this weekend to shoot 600 raw wedding photos. It was fast, portible and easy to use.

I purchased mine from newegg.com for about $200. That was $99 for the x-drive pro and about $108 for the 40gb harddrive that just plug right into it. Very easy to set up and to use.

A microdrive will not help you as it will fill up fast. A 40gb will hold thousands of raw photos.

Lou Dina said:
I'm going on vacation soon and need a mass storage solution. I
shoot RAW and have two 512 MB compact flash cards. That only gives
me about 100-120 shots.

I don't have and don't want to buy a laptop. I'm just curious what
people have used to store their images while away on vacation.

All suggestions welcome.

Thank you,

Lou
http://www.pbase.com/lbdina

jjdig · Jun 23, 2004

It looks like they are sold out of them. I bought mine about a month ago. At the time they also had the xdrive pro, but I can't find that either. Maybe you could contact customer support to see if they will be getting them back in. Also try searching google for the xdrive II, when I was looking there were a lot of places that had it.

Randy Ketchum said:
jjdig said:

Marcus Beard said:

Has a 40Gb hard disk - very reliable and cheap. Took in in
Thailand, Spain, Japan

Marcus

Lou Dina said:

I'm going on vacation soon and need a mass storage solution. I
shoot RAW and have two 512 MB compact flash cards. That only gives
me about 100-120 shots.

I don't have and don't want to buy a laptop. I'm just curious what
people have used to store their images while away on vacation.

All suggestions welcome.

Thank you,

Lou
http://www.pbase.com/lbdina

Click to expand...

--
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/beardy_m/

Click to expand...

--
Joe
http://jjdigphoto.com/gallery/albums.php

Click to expand...

--
http://dreamer.smugmug.com/

--
Joe
http://jjdigphoto.com/gallery/albums.php

MrBister · Jun 23, 2004

I've had the above unit for a month or two now and I like it alot - and it's really fast and allows you to transfer files both ways.

I bought it without HDD and got a 60GB really cheap from another store. Check it out here:
http://zebramedia.biz/default.php?cPath=74_26

Do a google to find the product homepage.

Jonas

Lou Dina said:
I'm going on vacation soon and need a mass storage solution. I
shoot RAW and have two 512 MB compact flash cards. That only gives
me about 100-120 shots.

I don't have and don't want to buy a laptop. I'm just curious what
people have used to store their images while away on vacation.

All suggestions welcome.

Thank you,

Lou
http://www.pbase.com/lbdina

Pev · Jun 23, 2004

Have one as well great device.

Bugler said:
I purchased mine from newegg.com for about $200. That was $99 for
the x-drive pro and about $108 for the 40gb harddrive that just
plug right into it. Very easy to set up and to use.

A microdrive will not help you as it will fill up fast. A 40gb
will hold thousands of raw photos.

Lou Dina said:

I'm going on vacation soon and need a mass storage solution. I
shoot RAW and have two 512 MB compact flash cards. That only gives
me about 100-120 shots.

I don't have and don't want to buy a laptop. I'm just curious what
people have used to store their images while away on vacation.

All suggestions welcome.

Thank you,

Lou
http://www.pbase.com/lbdina

Click to expand...

Mass Storage for Vacation????

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