[Lebodde]

I need to get a 160gb external FW drive for video editing, This will be used with an iMac 17inch 1Ghz.

After a lot of searching on this site, I decided against getting a separate drive and enclosure and assembling. I'd rather go for a complete package. (Less hassles to deal with one mfg if something goes wrong.) I have narrowed it to the following:

LaCie d2 for $189 http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?id=10022
LaCie Porsche design for $169 http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?id=10110
and OWC Mercury Elite for $219 http://eshop.macsales.com/Catalog_Pa...le=&Template=1

Both LaCie are 2mb buffer drives while the OWC is an 8mb (WD I believe). The OWC presents itself as a very quiet drive which is very important to me as the iMac is almost completely silent even when accessing the HD.

I wonder what the difference is between the two LaCie drives as it looks like the drive itself is the same. Is it just looks?

I would also like to know how quiet the LaCie ones are. Expecially compared to the OWC which seems to focus on that aspect. I would imagine that since all 3 uses external power bricks, there would be no need for fans inside the enclosures and therefore they should be similar as far as noise, right?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[angelmb]

Hi, I own a LaCie d2 80GB, it is very quiet, I have a 17" PB. I don�t know about the OWC one, but... avoid WD hard disk (8MBcache), I have one, it is incredibely noisy, I had it inside my PowerMac, and finally get it out and place it on a LaCie cdrw case I hav (the previous metallic/blue, not the d2), and it is almost all time off, noisy as hell.

I preffer the d2 design instead of porsche ag design, just my opinion. You can place it horizontally and vertically, don�t know about the porsche one.

[Dr.Michael]

Originally posted by Lebodde:

Both LaCie are 2mb buffer drives while the OWC is an 8mb (WD I believe). The OWC presents itself as a very quiet drive which is very important to me as the iMac is almost completely silent even when accessing the HD.

I discussed a similar problem in another thread.

Sarotech or Lacie external case

The decision for a case and a separate hd means you can control what hd you get and buy a quiet one.

With lacie you never know whats inside.

But in the meantime I found out that you can also buy the d2 box without hd (at least here in europe). Maybe thats the best solution.

[angelmb]

Originally posted by Dr.Michael:
But in the meantime I found out that you can also buy the d2 box without hd (at least here in europe). Maybe thats the best solution.

wow!, that surprises me could you give more info, please?, maybe I could put that noise WD inside, at least, the d2 looks pretty nice, thanks in advance.

[Dr.Michael]

Originally posted by angelmb:
wow!, that surprises me could you give more info, please?, maybe I could put that noise WD inside, at least, the d2 looks pretty nice, thanks in advance.

Hi,

I checked this again at cancom.de. But I was indeed fooled. For 149$ they offer a 80 GB hd in the d2 case. So it was the case with the smallest drive inside and not the case alone.

But it might be worth to buy a lacie and, if the drive is too loud, sell the drive at ebay and get a good new drive.

This will cost only a little additional money.
But please read my thread. There was also a tip from a member who found a case without fan that worked well.

Michael

[angelmb]

No problem Dr. Michael, I found a site here in Spain that has (I think) great prices on LaCie stuff, check them:

d2 burner dvd+r+rw-r-rw/cd 8x firewire -> 173 �

external hd d2 120 GB 7200 rpm firewire -> 140 �
....................... 160 ..................................... -> 154 �
....................... 200 usb2 / fw 800 ............ -> 204 �
....................... 250 firewire ...................... -> 209 �

external hd porsche 80 GB 7200 rpm firewire -> 107 �
external hd porsche 160 GB 7200 rpm firewire -> 144 �
external hd porsche 250 GB 7200 rpm firewire -> 194 �

I was really looking for AppleCare at a good price for my 17" PowerBook, and found that these guys have it 100 � under the Apple Store�s price tag.

www.todohard.com

[Lebodde]

OK, I'll answer my own question.

I ended up calling LaCie directly and here is the deal: Both are exactly the same except for the cosmetics of the enclosure. The only difference is that since the d2 is all metal while the Porsche is 50% plastic, the d2 might be a little better at absorbing the noise...

The guy also indicated that they are planning on moving all the FW800 to the d2 enclosures and leaving the FW400 to the Porsche one.

Now we know.

[Dr.Michael]

Originally posted by Lebodde:
OK, I'll answer my own question.

I ended up doing this too.
There seem to be only few people around here who use external drives.
Thanks for the info.

Michael

[angelmb]

I run Panther from my d2 LaCie, and the start up time is blazing fast !

[pgolf]

Both LaCie are 2mb buffer drives while the OWC is an 8mb (WD I believe). The OWC presents itself as a very quiet drive which is very important to me as the iMac is almost completely silent even when accessing the HD.

The OWC Elite for $219 uses a 160GB Hitachi DeskStar 7K250. According to the Product Specs under Standard mechanism.

[Mac Zealot]

As I've always known it, Lacie LOVES IBM/WD/hitachi drives...

I avoid those thigns like the plague. *shrug* Whatever you say though..

[Immortal K-Mart Employee]

We have 2 D2's at work. They are very quite and made totally our of metal. I read a review that said the Porsche ones are made from plastic and feel cheap.

[mmihalik]

Originally posted by Mac Zealot:
As I've always known it, Lacie LOVES IBM/WD/hitachi drives...

I avoid those thigns like the plague. *shrug* Whatever you say though..

LaCie has not used IBM/Hitachi drives for some time now.

LaCie now use Maxtor and WD.

Mike