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Divx · Feb 20, 2001, 11:13 AM

I'll have my G4 in about 2 weeks, and I dont know what option I should go with. My college has installed a zip drive into nearly every computer they have - but in all honesty 100mb is very limiting - on the other hand I dont know anyone with a 250mb zip drive - is it worth the extra $80 ? Just about any computer running today has a CD drive, so I could just burn and go, but this obviously wouldn't let me save additional work at school.. etc etc.. I think the only true option is to buy both an external Zip and CdRW drive. Should I go USB or FireWire? Any suggestions?

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Ti 500mhz.512mb.20gig

snodman · Feb 20, 2001, 11:27 AM

The problem with the 250 meg Zip drive is that the 250 meg Zip media can only work in the new drives. You would still be stuck using 100 meg media for stuff you move back and forth between computers at home and at school. For speeds sake I'd recommend a fireware CDRW. Stay away from the really high end new 10xRW drives since few CD readers will read the new 10xRW media. Most mainstream affordable firewire CDRW drives are about 10x4x32.

snodman · Feb 20, 2001, 11:30 AM

Another thing about the 250 meg Zip drives. Yes they do read and write to 100 meg media, but the backwards compatibility is a bit of a hack and they are much SLOWER using 100 meg media than the old (cheaper) Zip drives are.

WDL · Feb 20, 2001, 11:46 AM

I have 4 Macs and 3 Zips - all have worked extremely well for me.

I don't worry about the size of backups etc., since they interleave
seamlessly.

Additionally I have the freedom and flexibility to take my Zip with
me when we visit out daughter (500 miles) and use it on her Mac
via the Guest feature. Small, easy to carry with you.

There are many critics of the Zip, but I'm not one since I've had
flawless service from them.

Additionally, when I once accidentally erased my HD (don't even
ask how) - I was completely restored and back in business in
13 minutes.

WDL

Divx · Feb 20, 2001, 06:40 PM

Sounds like Zip is the way to go. Ill stick with the 100mb, put the $80 into a nice pair of klipsch speakers

So regarding the Cd burner.. Yamaha or Formac ? I'll be going firewire as it appears to be a lot faster. Thanks again for the feedback!

Cipher13 · Feb 21, 2001, 04:16 AM

Forget zip - CDRW can do everything Zip can do, and better.
More computers can read CDR's, faster to write, faster to read, you can burn PSX games, backups, audio CD's, increased capacity, and so forth.

Yahama is without a doubt in the world the best.
I recommend the Yamaha 8824 FireWire, or the Yamaha CRW2100 FireWire, which is 16*10*40 or something.
I'd take the 8824 myself due to cost.
Yamaha is simply unparalleled.

Cipher13

wumeng · Feb 21, 2001, 10:06 AM

I think it depends on what your needs are. If you want a more permanent (or semi-permanent in the case of CD-RW due to the rewritable nature) solution, e.g. for archiving MP3 rippings, documents, etc., go for the CD-RW drive. If, on the other hand, you want a drive that will allow you to shuttle files between two locations, and these two locations might both need to modify the file and save it to disk (and assuming they're not network connected), the Zip can be quite good.

Feb 21, 2001, 10:12 AM

save your pennies, get both, that's what i did, internal zip 250 in my tower, and a QUE! Fire external, couldn't be happier

wumeng · Feb 21, 2001, 12:28 PM

Originally posted by Wetsponge:
save your pennies, get both, that's what i did, internal zip 250 in my tower, and a QUE! Fire external, couldn't be happier

Well, I was looking at it from the point of view of somebody who didn't have the money to get both -- of course if one has the cash to burn (no pun intended), getting both is the ideal solution.