[LAU] External USB 2 HD for real-time recording

[Ralf Mardorf]

On Sun, 2013-03-10 at 00:32 -1000, david wrote:
> On 03/09/2013 07:31 PM, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
> > On Sun, 2013-03-10 at 02:58 +0100, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
> >> #!/bin/sh
> >> # /usr/local/sbin/no-spind
> >> count=0
> >> echo 0 >/run/media/rocketmouse/u1.1tmp/.no-spind.counter
> >> while lsusb -d 1058: >/dev/null; do
> >>    sleep 300; ((count++))
> >>    echo $count >/run/media/rocketmouse/u1.1tmp/.no-spind.counter
> >> done
> >> exit
> >
> > This does work as expected, I just wonder if here's the need to spin
> > down the drive from time to time, since it's plastic-covered, it perhaps
> > could become too hot. It's just a little bit warm at the moment, not
> > hot, IMO there is no risk of overheating.
> 
> I use a Nexxtech NX2 external drive case, with my laptop's old standard 
> 2.5" hard drive in it. The case is aluminum and does an excellent job of 
> keeping the drive cool.
> 
> Always wondered why people felt the need to by external drives when you 
> could get a better external drive housing and put the drive of your 
> choice in it ...

My dealer's USB2 case:
http://www.reichelt.de/Gehaeuse-fuer-Laufwerke/2//index.html?ACTION=2&GROUPID=5268&SEARCH=geh%E4use&SHOW=1&ARTIDS=%2C&START=0&OFFSET=16&&SID=12UTxom38AAAIAAHpscB0368adf4cb676d83cd1ffb1686637c545&LANGUAGE=EN
     79.30 €
+ >  50.00 € already for 1TB
----------------------------
  > 129.30 €

Other dealers are still around 25.00 € for a 3.5" SATA/USB 2 case, so it would be around
     75.00 € still for 1TB

http://www.reichelt.de/Internal-HDD-3-5-8-9cm-SATA/2/index.html?;ACTION=2;LA=2;GROUPID=720;SID=12UTxom38AAAIAAHpscB0368adf4cb676d83cd1ffb1686637c545

The WD I bought:
http://www.reichelt.de/External-HDD-3-5-8-9cm-/WDBAAU0020HBK/3/index.html?;ACTION=3;LA=2;ARTICLE=101545;GROUPID=722;artnr=WDBAAU0020HBK
     95.90 € for 2 TB (but around 1 TiB, maybe 1TB would be ok), but
             this was the absolute price limit for me. In the next three
             years I might do schooling to became a registered child
             care worker (I'm a 46 years old audio engineer but can't
             stand this business ;), so I won't have enough money in the
             close future.

If spinning down all the times or using a script to prevent against
spinning down should shorten the lifetime, than indeed it would be
smarter to buy a case, since I don't know if I can open the WD case and
replace the drive. I even don't know it it's SATA inside. 14 days sale
or return, it was delivered at 2013-02-28, so I still could give it
back. I will not give it back, but test it, but I wouldn't order it
again.

The counter is at 105, so it's running > 105 * 5 minutes IOW > 8 hours
and it's just a little bit warm. Heat isn't an issue, but perhaps
continuous operation, the count of turns, I'm not sure if those drives
have the same motors as internal drives.