LaCie Rugged All-Terrain 500 GB FireWire 800/ FireWire 400/USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive 301371 by Lacie
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Digital camera reviews of LaCie Rugged All-Terrain 500 GB FireWire 800/ FireWire 400/USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive 301371
Digital camera Review: Good but could be better
Summary: 4 Stars
2 things. First I cannot get the drive to power up over USB alone, I need the extra USB power cable. It does not matter which PC I connect to (I have 6) or if it is a powered USB hub or not. I just cannot get the drive to come up on USB without the extra USB power connector. That is annoying as it takes 2 USB ports then, one for power and data one for just power. On a side note I made an adapter that allows me to power this with 4 AA batteries so as to avoid needing the extra USB cord.
Secondly the orange cover, while sort of cool and easy to locate is really really bright in my everyday use of this. It really stands out and while in coffee shops etc it really draws attention. I would have liked another option at time of purchase, and am not about to spend even more money to get another color. I just cover the orange in duct tape which also makes people think its broken and not worth stealing, thereby solving my problem all together, but I would have liked to not have to cover this in duct tape to get that effect.
The firewire is great, but honestly I see almost no difference in speed on firewire 400 and USB 2.0. I have not tried the firewire 800 yet since I don't have the right cable for that one, but I suspect that it will be no different, we are limited by the slow internal hard disk inside there. At some point when SSD HDs are cheaper I will replace the internal 500 gig drive with an SSD HD giving the ultimate in protection, reliability, speed and power savings. Just imagine a solid state drive inside this little armored box with USB and firewire connectivity. Awesome. Now if it only also offered eSata it would almost be the perfect solution.
Digital camera Review: Good but there are better drives
Summary: 3 Stars
I have been using this drive as my main photo storage drive and it travels with me to workshops and on trips. So far it has not failed. But I have been worried as this drive is extremely hot and stays hot as long as it is connected to the computer. As I write this review, I am backing up this drive to a new Western Digital 500 GB passport. Both drives have been on for the same length of time and the Lacie is very hot and the WD is not. The backup process has been very slow as I have a lot of data. The WD is smaller and while it does not have the orange protection, I bought a nice neat protective pouch for it. It will probably become my travel drive of choice.Digital camera Review: Good external HD
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this when my 14" ibook HD was dying to back up my files, music, etc. This works with the older model ibooks that feature the Firewire 400 connector along with the Firewire 800 and USB 2.0 that are on the newer Macbook/Macbook Pro. The external HD works seamlessly with my Mac, although if you are backing up a 14" ibook you might need to push the Firewire 400 cable hard into the back of the drive to get it to mount on the ibook.
Other than that it works quickly and competently. Good product for those who backup work at home and the office as you can just toss in your notebook bag.
Digital camera Review: Good for a while
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought this drive just a few months ago and it has failed me. It began as a loving relationship, it took care of my projects, I treated it well. But I have been betrayed by this rugged thing. I can currently hear it spinning, but I am not able to see it on my computer. This is a serious problem Lacie. FIX YOUR PRODUCT! I'm not the only one with this issue. I have heard multiple similar stories from my colleagues. Until the problem is fixed, I won't be buying a Lacie Product again. Again, I loved it, until it stopped working....only a few months....bad hard drive. BAD!Digital camera Review: Good solution
Summary: 5 Stars
This worked seemlessly with my daughter's macbook and was very useful to her in editing videos with Final Cut.