SamUK

iTrader: (1)

Just bought this NAS Box:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149510

Main reason for the NAS box is to host my Data such as pictures, documents and near 1.6TB of Films that i will stream off to the TV using the WD Live player across the network. No heavy use as it will mainly only be me using the NAS box.


Need to buy two 2TB drives. only near 5 are supported and i have short listed to these two:

WD: Slower but more greener
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/183971

Hitachi: Faster but from what i haveread little noisy
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/171763

They both cost near the same, the slower drive has a bigger cache..

I was thinking of the slower one, as it will save on power consumption etc.

Any thoughts?

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I'd plump for the Hitachi. But I suppose it depends on if the processor in the NAS can take advantage of the extra speed, same with the network (if its only 100bm or 54MB wireless, that'll be the main bottle necks. If you run gigabit LAN, then maybe hard drive speed maybe more crucial).

If it proves to be noisy, one can stick it on a PC and run winAAM, then set the noise profile to "quiet". The last Hitachi Deskstar I had (only 500meg) turned out to a right clunky thing, depite being quite fast. Ran WinAAM and set it to quiet mode and its now barely audible (albeit slightly slower).

(link: http://www.withopf.com/tools/aam/ download at bottom of page, don't worry about the German, it is in English as well).

My NAS currently runs a Seagate Pipeline and a Barracuda (both 1TB). They are both quite clunky when accessing, but I'm yet to check which AAM mode they are set on. I have the NAS stuck in a cupboard ontop of a pad of paper to keep it quite and stop the vibration.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

As for power consuption. I wouldn't let that bother you, out of boredom, I've just checked the tech specs:

Hitachi (page 29): http://www.hitachigst.com/tech/techl...MSpec_r1.2.pdf
WD (page 2): http://image.ebuyer.com/customer/pdf/UK/D183971.pdf

Difference in idle wattage is 3.8watts
Peak difference in loud mode is 5watts (quiet mode 2.5 watts)

Plus the Hitachi claims to do a low RPM idle mode where it uses 2.9watts (less than the WD idle).


Anyway if the difference is 3.8 watts and say it was running 24/7 (which it won't as the drive will spin down when idle). If you pay 10pence per KW/h, it'll cost 29.2pence more per month, or £3.50 a year. If you set the power profile properly (shut down at night, etc.), it'll use far less power.

Lesson: Dont be drawn in by marketing BS

SamUK

iTrader: (1)

wow..thanks for that...you must be bored!

the Hitachi it is...

SamUK

iTrader: (1)

Also

All will be connected via a 1GB switch.

It will be on a wall mounted shelf along side the Ps3, WD player and the computer...

I just re-read your 1st post about your NAS and vibrations etc...

suba

how about those samsung hard drive (spinpoint? F2? F3?). heard a lot about them for NAS use. any good?

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, I have two identical Ready NAS duos. Nice little units, but the hard drives do echo through the chassis and through anything solid the NAS is placed on (hence the pad of paper). Especially if the HD fixing screws happen to work loose ( ).

Speedwise both drives are adequate IMO. But noise is hard to judge, it depends on how noisy the environment around it is. At work, I can barely hear the NAS thats 2m away (just a faint buzz from the cooling fan), but at home my main PC is near-silent, so the NAS that was sat next to it was very noticeable (hence why it was relocated into a cupboard).

Being honest without trying either specific drive, I'm just going on previous experience with the brands. Hitachi do tend to be a bit more no-thrills with their marketing than WD. I suppose it depends what noise irritates you more (motor noise/whine or head access noise/clunking).

boomer

I wouldn't touch WD out of principle ever since they decided that they could determine which of your files you could access off your drive that you payed for with your money - see Western Digital drive is DRM-crippled for your safety (Because you are a dirty criminal scumbag)!!!

mb