[Marius]

Im not sure I understand you correctly here. Since I copy the files cover the network to the BDP through to the HDD, I thought it to be faster to do it directly to the HDD's in the BDE. the 100mb network bottleneck in the BDP makes it slower than a gigabit network connection?

As for Backup: right now I rip and copy from my Macbook to the BDP, and then delete the files from my Macbook. Only to send backup commands through the various software to backup the HDDs to my network-drives dedicated for that purpose. Would be very convenient to be able to do that without the BDP1 powered on, so a network-connection is needed for that.

Just a wish, no command... I feel is very comfy having that option. Convenient.  A LAcie network Space MAx (4tb USb and Gigabit network), but in Bryston quality.

Marius

And please correct me if Im wrong in this, just getting into file swapping over the network, and being seriously about backing up. Since it is a real hassle sometimes to have those flac files tagged correctly with the right album art, I'd hate to lose that in case of a Hdd failure....

If the goal is to add these drives to the BDP's USB inputs, it's rather difficult and expensive challenge to provide two unique ports to a HDD such that it you can access it VIA USB and Ethernet at the same time.  Your assumption that it will be faster isn't necessary true...keep in mind that a NAS is always slower than USB HDD connected up to an actual computer (BDP).  Even with the BDP acting like a NAS, there's a really good chance it will be faster than standalone NAS that use ARM or even slower CPUs.       

in other words, there's is no need to complicate the BDP.  Why would you ever need to back up the enclosure?   All your music files should be already backed up before it even hits the BDP.  ...  How would you even restore it?

Again, there's no need to over complicate this.  Your existing computer should be backing up the data, not the enclosure. 4 2.5" drives plus housing overhead and a 2" for the power cord and 1" for the USB port, would be pretty tight to add another.  Perhaps stacking or setting them vertically will allow more, but one could also purchase two.

[Marius]

Simple indeed, as long as we have the option.

Great,
Marius

If you want it to power on & off independantly then simply don't connect the 3.5mm trigger cable.

[Marius]

Hi James,

The BDE would be connected to the top USB at the back, so the bottom could still be used by a non-selfpowered HDD? Would make it very flexible in case anyone brought along his HDD, or we had to do a test run with another HDD for why ever reason.

Could you make an extra set of powered USB-ports for powering external HDD'S?

Thanks.

Marius

[terrycym]

What's the point?
1. You're complicating it unnecessarily
2. You already have 3 other USB ports on the BDP-1

[Marius]

well, that depends on ones needs I quess.
I have experienced some serious power issues with the USB ports/HDD's, so an extra set of heavier powered USB ports would not seem an extreme luxury.

the 2 front usb ports and the top back port share their power, and are over-asked for rather easily. Since James is designing a BDE especially (amongst others) to overcome those power issues I thought I'd ask.

Marius

What's the point?
1. You're complicating it unnecessarily
2. You already have 3 other USB ports on the BDP-1

[skunark]

Im not sure I understand you correctly here. Since I copy the files cover the network to the BDP through to the HDD, I thought it to be faster to do it directly to the HDD's in the BDE. the 100mb network bottleneck in the BDP makes it slower than a gigabit network connection?

As for Backup: right now I rip and copy from my Macbook to the BDP, and then delete the files from my Macbook. Only to send backup commands through the various software to backup the HDDs to my network-drives dedicated for that purpose. Would be very convenient to be able to do that without the BDP1 powered on, so a network-connection is needed for that.

Just a wish, no command... I feel is very comfy having that option. Convenient.  A LAcie network Space MAx (4tb USb and Gigabit network), but in Bryston quality.

Marius

And please correct me if Im wrong in this, just getting into file swapping over the network, and being seriously about backing up. Since it is a real hassle sometimes to have those flac files tagged correctly with the right album art, I'd hate to lose that in case of a Hdd failure....

Lacie's NAS is really slow when comparing throughput against an actual computer, what makes you think the HDD enclosure would even get a gigabit port if the BDP didn't.   Ethernet is rarely used for a device like the BDP which really makes this a non-issue.

The BDP isn't a backup solution and neither is your computer or even a RAID enabled NAS.  For any files you download please back them up to a CD/DVD or even another HDD or thumb drive dedicated for this task, along with any CDs you have ripped.  Please do consider investing in a proper backup for your media and other data files.   For MACs this is practically free with just the cost of a second drive and even online backup solutions are rather cheap here in the states for $5 /month for unlimited data (including usb drives i.e. backblaze).    If you can afford to purchase Bryston gear, there's no excuse not to have a proper backup.

Edit:
BTW: Today's lacie network drives respond no different then the one I had five years ago, you can't use both USB and the Ethernet port at the same time.. The one I owned I can verify that, but the ones today, i'm just going off of the user's guide, furthermore you are asked to create a USB share as well. Guessing the lacie user permissions solution is playing into that.    So again that solution is real expensive, and much more than what Lacie is doing on their network share.     

Funny thing about that Lacie Network share, it was so slow that I couldn't even use it to stream music or video to a HTPC I was building running Freevo and MythTV..   I gave the enclosure to a buddy, it took him a week to decide that he didn't want it and gave it to another friend that broke it down for the two drives inside.    I find Lacie a worthless company, but that event wasn't the reason I now refuse to buy their products today. 

[terrycym]

Marius, you have USB power issues, you could get a powered USB hub
http://usb-hub-review.toptenreviews.com/

[Marius]

HI Thanks for this. have to analyze your suggestions, but still:

what makes you think the HDD enclosure would even get a gigabit port if the BDP didn't. 

I miss it on the BDP, so thought a gigabitport on the BDE would be an option to repair that.

The BDP isn't a backup solution and neither is your computer or even a RAID enabled NAS.  For any files you download please back them up to a CD/DVD or even another HDD or thumb drive dedicated for this task, along with any CDs you have ripped.

Just as I planned to do, I thought to a dedicated HDD. I don't want to use the BDE as a backup, but as my first place of storage, which has to be backed up as you describe. Wouldn't a gigabit network interface make that so much easier? And faster?

For MACs this is practically free with just the cost of a second drive

solutions for MAC seldom are free....unfortunately. As are Bryston gear. But they are so nice to work with. 

[Marius]

Thanks, looking for that indeed.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/H4776VC/A this looks nice.

Ill check the reviews first though.
Marius
thought the BDE would make a great USB hub....

Marius, you have USB power issues, you could get a powered USB hub
http://usb-hub-review.toptenreviews.com/

[Marius]

Good to read that, went to the store the other day, and the guy could not confirm the Lacie, could be seen as a HDD in the first place, let alone be read/written to using USb/ethernet at the same time. Made me weary already. Your remarks about speed make me definitely want to see in action before even contemplating buying one.

Marius

Edit:
BTW: Today's lacie network drives respond no different then the one I had five years ago, you can't use both USB and the Ethernet port at the same time.. The one I owned I can verify that, but the ones today, i'm just going off of the user's guide, furthermore you are asked to create a USB share as well. Guessing the lacie user permissions solution is playing into that.    So again that solution is real expensive, and much more than what Lacie is doing on their network share.     

Funny thing about that Lacie Network share, it was so slow that I couldn't even use it to stream music or video to a HTPC I was building running Freevo and MythTV..   I gave the enclosure to a buddy, it took him a week to decide that he didn't want it and gave it to another friend that broke it down for the two drives inside.    I find Lacie a worthless company, but that event wasn't the reason I now refuse to buy their products today.

[skunark]

solutions for MAC seldom are free....unfortunately. As are Bryston gear. But they are so nice to work with. 

Time Machine?    Works rather well with a USB or FW HDD plugged into it.   No need to purchase any additional SW even makes restoring an OS or migrating to a new mac very simple.

The Bryston Enclosure will make a great USB hub if it has the same quality power supply as the other Bryston gear components.  If Bryston drops in a switching power supply, then there would be no advantage when comparing to a 4TB USB drive other than looks.

[Marius]

Yes, Time machine works nicely indeed, but I find it lacking in setting options. DropSync you mentioned in another thread http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=99776.msg1016882#msg1016882 is very versatile too, as are Apple's Backup app and SyncTwoFolders, each with their respective quirks.

Thanks for the tip!
Marius

Time Machine?    Works rather well with a USB or FW HDD plugged into it.   No need to purchase any additional SW even makes restoring an OS or migrating to a new mac very simple.

The Bryston Enclosure will make a great USB hub if it has the same quality power supply as the other Bryston gear components.  If Bryston drops in a switching power supply, then there would be no advantage when comparing to a 4TB USB drive other than looks.

[skunark]

Yes, Time machine works nicely indeed, but I find it lacking in setting options. DropSync you mentioned in another thread http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=99776.msg1016882#msg1016882 is very versatile too, as are Apple's Backup app and SyncTwoFolders, each with their respective quirks.

Thanks for the tip!
Marius

I don't believe Apple's .Mac/MobileMe backup is still available, pretty sure they aren't allowing new users.  I actually use a Makefile and rsync, so to me that's perfect but it's not a GUI and I realize most won't be able to understand that approach.

Keep in mind that TimeMachine is a snapshot style backup, where SyncToy/DropSync are mirroring the data between local and/or remote folders.  Those solutions have the advantage of only copying files that have changed since the last backup which greatly decreases the time it takes to do a backup or synchronizes files.   

There isn't a perfect backup solution.. which is why I do the following:
1) Always keep have a physical read-only medium:  So keep the CDs, burn your hi-res to a DVD
2) TimeMachine: set it and forget really, it will save you from both dump-user-tricks and hardware failure
3) Online backup: Very slow on the initial backup and very slow to restore, but consider this the only way to safeguard against theft and fire if my primary backups are lost.

Also my focus is only to back up my data, not the applications that I can re-download or the OS that I can easily recover.   If need to back up the OS and Applications, make sure you do have TimeMachine running.

[Marius]

Hi Skunark, I'll keep your post as a primer on Backing up. Thanks for this.
Don't suppose you could elaborate on Makefile/rsync, maybe on a separate thread? Fyi here http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/9925/apple-backup is Backup.app, and on my Macbook still doing its job. Only thing is it won't Backup anything other than on the source computer, (like a distant BDE for example) that's where DropSync or SyncTwoFolders come in handy.

On Topic of the BDE: what about USB3 and Thunderbolt connectivity. That might really speedup loading those HDD's.


Marius

I don't believe Apple's .Mac/MobileMe backup is still available, pretty sure they aren't allowing new users.  I actually use a Makefile and rsync, so to me that's perfect but it's not a GUI and I realize most won't be able to understand that approach.

Keep in mind that TimeMachine is a snapshot style backup, where SyncToy/DropSync are mirroring the data between local and/or remote folders.  Those solutions have the advantage of only copying files that have changed since the last backup which greatly decreases the time it takes to do a backup or synchronizes files.   

There isn't a perfect backup solution.. which is why I do the following:
1) Always keep have a physical read-only medium:  So keep the CDs, burn your hi-res to a DVD
2) TimeMachine: set it and forget really, it will save you from both dump-user-tricks and hardware failure
3) Online backup: Very slow on the initial backup and very slow to restore, but consider this the only way to safeguard against theft and fire if my primary backups are lost.

Also my focus is only to back up my data, not the applications that I can re-download or the OS that I can easily recover.   If need to back up the OS and Applications, make sure you do have TimeMachine running.

[Alpha10]

Hi Folks,

Yes the cosmetics would match the BDP-1 and the screws to remove the front panel would be hidden on the side so not visible from the front. 4 LED's on the front to show drives that are powered.

I am trying to keep the costs down so there would be an internal 6 amp power supply and a 4 t0 1 Sata to USB hub (chip) and a single USB out.  The 4 USB drives would be stacked 2 per side so we could have a single rack space enclosure.  I am concerned about cost so i do not want this to get too complicated.

james

James, you have hit the perfect solution in my opinion, that is just what I envisaged. Brilliant.

where do I sign up? 

Cheers

[nikon]

James

How are things going on the drive enclosure

What would be the anticipated price range and availability date 

[James Tanner]

James

How are things going on the drive enclosure

What would be the anticipated price range and availability date 

Not well - price is in the way but still looking at options.

James

[Alpha10]

Not well - price is in the way but still looking at options.

James

Hi James, I am sure some of the great and good minds on here are more than happy to bounce ideas around, if you have some options you want to share?

Cheers

[Alpha10]

Not well - price is in the way but still looking at options.

James

Hi James, this topic has just come up in the UK again today, any news?

 I was thinking the other day that there really is no need to do anything fancy with the case/hinges etc, just leave it like the BDP where you just have a dozen screws to take out, pop the drives in and re-do. Simple!

Cheers

[terrycym]

I was thinking the other day that there really is no need to do anything fancy with the case/hinges etc, just leave it like the BDP where you just have a dozen screws to take out, pop the drives in and re-do. Simple!
Cheers

I second that emotion