Additional Hard Drive Questions

[Jan Hough]

Here I go into another new adventure…(I feel like Bilbo Baggins).

I have a Dell Dimension 8400 (3.6 ghz Intel Pentium 4 Processor 560), 1 gig RAM.

The hard drive capacity is 71.5 gig; I currently have 36.7 free–but, could probably clean things up and come up w/a lot more freespace.

I am copying VHS files via the ADS Pyro A/V link and editing w/PE3. Once I finish the edit, I will burn the DVD and remove all associated files from my pc.

I feel that my hard-drive is plenty large enough for my day-to-day pc usage (minus video editing).

My questions:

If I am working on just one VHS at a time and plan to delete the project after burning, could I possibly get by w/the 36.7 freespace I currently have? The VHS files are old home movies and are probably less than one hour max per tape.

Is there a calculation for determining how much space is required per hour of VHS?

If I need to buy an additional hard drive, will an external work as well as an internal?

According to Jack Falbey (who in a previous post said he will help me w/this (YEY–I’ll need it! )) said I will need a SATA II internal drive. But, I am hoping I can get by w/an external (?).

Should I go w/a Dell drive? Other recommendations?

Thank you, Jan

[Chuck Engels]

The capture will take up 13gb per hour of video, then there are render files and preview files and audio files....
There may be enough room for 1 or 2 tapes but you are cutting it very close.

Adding an external drive is easy, get one that is just USB (this will be cheaper than USB and Firewire) you don't need a Firewire drive.
You can capture directly to the drives connected USB, I have with my Dell Dimension 8300 and it works just fine.

An additional internal drive would be the best however, they are very easy to install as long as your system is capable of holding multiple drives.

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

Aesthetically internal is best (IMHO). Costwise, internal should be cheaper. Just my opinion.

[Steve Grisetti]

Internal SATA drivers are very fast and extremely easy to install.

But, for an external, as Chuck says, a USB2 will work.

[Jan Hough]

Thank you for your advice.

Can you recommend a couple external and internal drives and I'll do some research re price, etc.

Any that I should stay away from?

[kodebuster]

Over the holidays I picked up a 750 gig USB external drive for $169, plus $6 shipping, and no tax.

This was a year end, blue lite special, but they run these all the time (the manufacturers vary).

Model was a Seagate Freeagent USB.

A 750 gig drive for $175 bucks, that's 23 cents a gig, not too shabby IMHO.

I picked it up online at Fry's Electronics (http://www.outpost.com)...

[Chuck Engels]

That hard drive Kode got at Frys is a great deal, you can also pick up a Western Digital MyBook Essential 500gb for around $100 if you watch for sales at Office Depot and Staples.

[kodebuster]

Benefits to consider with the USB/Firewire externals:

If you have multiple PC's (as I do), projects and data can be easily moved between them, just plug and play.
This is sometimes faster and easier than moving large amounts of data between networked PC's.
You don't have open up the PC and screw with cables, power, or BIOS settings to do this.

Downside:

Internals are cheaper and usually much, much faster than externals.

As all things in life, there are always trade offs...

[Bob]

One of the nice things about Dell is that they provide a service manual for the customer that tells you in detail how to intall things like a new sata drive. For your model, the service manual is at http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/s ... /index.htm

[Jan Hough]

Thank you all so much.

I'm home today because of the snow so....I have time to do lots of research.

Thank you Thank you Thank you