Fire Wire or USB for external hard drive?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Smed
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Smed

I'm running out of space!

I'm looking for an external hard drive that is plug and play so I can unplug
it from my machine and take it to my parent's house without having to
install new software/drivers.

I know a USB hook up is not a problem for this task but I don't know
ANYTHING about Fire Wire. How does it hook up? Will it work for what I'm
looking for? The price is a small difference so I guess I'm looking for
ease and speed.

Thanks!

Smed
 
Firewire (IEEE1394 or Sony calls it i.Link) is fast but it is more expensive
(the hard drive) than USB 2.0. The only problem you may have is that a lot
of computers were shipped with USB 1.1 & 2.0 connectors but not with any
IEEE1394 ports. You can purchase them from Best Buy and many other
suppliers if you don't have one. There are two types of connectors for
Firewire. One looks like an elongated D, in other words like a rectangle
with one end looking like >. The other is a much smaller port and it looks
like a B but the center of the indent doesn't go in very far.

You can see a picture of the 6 wire computer's port here
http://www.adaptec.com/worldwide/su...00_600x400.jpg&imageHeight=400&imageWidth=600.
Watch out for the URL word-wrap.

A picture of the cable can be seen here
http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INT...cc_Cables&CategoryName=acc_Cables_iLinkCables.
Again watch out for the word-wrap and also click on Enlarge to see a bigger
picture.
 
Many drives support both if you do not have USB 2.0 ports I would suggest
getting a firewire card. there are even firewire USB 2.0 combo cards.

Wayne
 
Smed said:
I'm running out of space!

I'm looking for an external hard drive that is plug and play so I can
unplug it from my machine and take it to my parent's house without
having to install new software/drivers.

I know a USB hook up is not a problem for this task but I don't know
ANYTHING about Fire Wire. How does it hook up? Will it work for
what I'm looking for? The price is a small difference so I guess I'm
looking for ease and speed.

Thanks!

Smed
Click to expand...





















FireWire is just another type of "alive" connection developed originally, I
believe, by Apple Computer. As you would think, requires different [though
very similiar] plugs/jacks/cables. Also called iLink [by Sony] and IEEE1394.
If you can afford it I recommend you buy an external with both types of
connection since you might find either available depending on which Computer
you want to use. Another advantage of the ability to use either FireWire or
USB 2.0 is that you can choose the type with more bandwidth available if
both types are available on the same Computer. I have My External Hard Drive
connected via FireWire since I have several other devices connected via USB.
 
OK.. I just checked and I do not have a Firewire port but I have 2 empty
slots were I could install one. How much of a speed difference am I looking
at here? This hard drive will mostly be used for music and family pictures.
I'm looking at this hard drive: http://tinyurl.com/6blsm and it comes with
both Firewire and USB 2.0 capabilities. Is this a good buy?

Thanks again...
 
I never thought about that (the TinyURL)... I'll keep that in mind...

thanks for the sites and advice!
 
You've received lots of good advice but if I may I bring the following to
your attention:

1. From a speed perspective there is nothing to chose between Firewire
and USB2
2. USB ports are to be found on virtually all machines whereas Firewire
is 'standard' only on portables.
3. Firewire enclosures are usually more expensive than comparable USB
enclosures
4. Firewire connectors come either in 6 or 4 pin (mini) types. The
connector on most portables, excluding Sony ilink, are of the mini or 4 pin
type and require an external power supply. This power supply can be from a
'power brick' or using a cable to provide power from a USB port.

I use a combo enclosure (firewire and USB) but unless you have a specific
reason for needing firewire I suggest a USB2 enclosure gives the 'best bang
for the buck'.
 
I agree with Wayne in other post. The drive is OK but you can get a
comparable drive much cheaper than what Tiger Direct sells for. Don't
forget, if you do want to install a firewire card in each computer you will
have to add that cost also. Do an online search for Firewire or IEEE 1394
PCI card and you will find many available.

Good luck.
 
Smed said:
I'm running out of space!

I'm looking for an external hard drive that is plug and play so I can unplug
it from my machine and take it to my parent's house without having to
install new software/drivers.

I know a USB hook up is not a problem for this task but I don't know
ANYTHING about Fire Wire. How does it hook up? Will it work for what I'm
looking for? The price is a small difference so I guess I'm looking for
ease and speed.

Thanks!

Smed
Click to expand...

Suggest you rethink what you appear to be saying. You appear to be saying
that you want to install software on an external drive and take the drive
and plug it into another computer and then use the software. If that is
what you intend, then it is not possible. When you install software registry
entries are made on the original computer and usually files are installed on
the original computer which will not be on the external drive. The software
will not work on the second computer.

I have a Maxtor One-touch external USB 2.0 drive requires Maxtor drivers to
be installed on each computer the drive is used. So check the information
on installing the external drive your buy.

If you just want to work on your data files on your parents computer and
that computer has compatible software installed for the data files, suggest
you consider a USB mini-drive that you can use to transfer data files. They
come in various storage sizes and are low cost. These drives are available
at a number of location.

Don
 
Don, if you look at his second post he says that the drive will be used for
pictures and music.

I also have a Maxotr one touch drive. You don't need to install the Maxtor
drivers IF you are using the drive as a portable hard drive. You only need
to install the Maxtor software if you are using the button on the drive to
create the backups. I use the 80 GB drive between work and home to
transport data files with absolutely no problem using Windows Explorer to
copy my files. Of course I don't have access to the button for backup
purposes unless I install the software.
 
LVTravel said:
Don, if you look at his second post he says that the drive will be used for
pictures and music.

I also have a Maxotr one touch drive. You don't need to install the Maxtor
drivers IF you are using the drive as a portable hard drive. You only need
to install the Maxtor software if you are using the button on the drive to
create the backups. I use the 80 GB drive between work and home to
transport data files with absolutely no problem using Windows Explorer to
copy my files. Of course I don't have access to the button for backup
purposes unless I install the software.
Click to expand...

Oops, sorry my error.

Don
 
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