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Question

External hard drive for backing up video data

by Feb 10, 2014 12:02AM PST

I am a PhD student who collects my data using a Go Pro video camera. I have a couple questions I need answered about backing up my video.

For starters, I need to know how big of an external hard drive to get. I will collect 8 50-minute video sessions a day, five times a week for 16 weeks. So 32,000 minutes or around 533 hours of video. What size of external hard drive should I get?

Next I will obviously want to have multiple external hard drives for all this data. I'm currently planning on getting three external hard drives. Since I'm a student these ideally wouldn't be overly expensive. What brands do you suggest? I'm open to getting three different brands of hard drive if that's the best solution.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Discussion is locked

11 Posts
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Clarification Request
Are you connecting to a desktop or a laptop ?
by VAPCMD Feb 10, 2014 8:29AM PST

If a desktop and you have open drive bays...you might save some hassle by getting internal drives vice external HDDs. Externals work but have more points of failure....the external case electronics, the case, the cables, the AC adapter and don't forget handling.

VAPCMD

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Answer
Let's use Netflix to see how much data that could be.
by Forum moderator Feb 10, 2014 12:12AM PST
http://www.gci.com/kb/netflix-movie-and-data-usage tosses out about 2.3GB per hour.

I can't guess how you will encode your content but you have your camera so you would know what each hour consumes. You might be upset that you have almost all your answers in your own hands. But let's go with 3GB per hour to be safe.

8 times 3 is 24.
24 times 5 is 120.
120 times 16 is 1,920GB.

So you'll need a 2TB drive to hold that much. You can redo the math if need be.

Each brand can have a bum model or you can experience some issue just from the usual reasons so backup is key.

I use SyncBack (the free version) to keep such work backed up.
Bob
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Answer
(NT) get as much drive space as you can
by Feb 10, 2014 3:27AM PST
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Answer
I think size is the easy part.
by Feb 10, 2014 5:52AM PST

It's the other variable of this equation needs to be look at also. What format will the video be save (or capture) to the harddrive of your computer? Will this be the same format to be save? If it is, then look at the size of the file and calculate.

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Answer
Understand what happens above 2.2 TB
by Feb 10, 2014 6:05AM PST

In addition to the good info on the size of the data you've already gotten, you should be aware of what happens when you get above 2.2 TB drives. Unless you're familiar with the details about the difference in drive formatting and Windows support, I suggest you buy 2 TB drives or smaller. There've been a lot of discussions about this in this forum that you can go through if you wish, but personally I've kept to 1 and 2 TB drives because I'm going to let somebody else pioneer this new set of variables. This way you can stay with the tried and true NTFS formatting.
You didn't mention which version of Windows you'll be using, so I'll just say you should be sure you're running Windows 7 or later.
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Good luck.

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More details
by studentresearcher Feb 18, 2014 9:17PM PST

My data contains confidential information therefore I cannot use any kind of cloud backup. I will be adding software to the hard drives to encrypt the data to protect said information. Additionally I am a visiting researcher so I don't know the exact computer I will have access to. My plan is to take all three externals to host institution then take two back to my home institution and leave one at the host. I believe I will be working with a PC at the host and I have a Mac at my home institution.

I appreciate all the feedback, I think 2 TB sounds like the correct choice. Now the question is what brand and model would everyone suggest? I am currently in the UK and will be traveling to the US so right now I have the option to see where I will get the best price.

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Be aware I see many LOST IT ALL with that encryption.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Feb 18, 2014 9:40PM PST

But time after time folk ignore what has happened to others and dismiss that without backups and in the case of encrypted content, unencrypted backups they are not going to get any sympathy when trouble strikes.

It's bad enough when there are no backup copies but when the last and only copy is encrypted then you send them on their way.
Bob

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How to handle this
by studentresearcher Feb 21, 2014 11:23PM PST

I can leave the hard drive that I leave at the host institution unencrypted but the two I take with me must have encryption due to the confidential data stored on them. How would you suggest I handle that?

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(NT) You just did.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Feb 22, 2014 12:45AM PST
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Buy in US
by Willy Feb 20, 2014 3:31AM PST

Unless you a sweet deal, then expect a better price and options here in the US. I suspect, the VAT will hurt you but if used to an extent as being used, it might be OK to mail back once done. I also, suggest as others the typical 2Tb maybe OK for any Windows setup but 3Tb is just that more available storage. As always, backups are required and in your case at least 1 more to be safe because US and UK locations. Now, as for brands, we did a little posting not too long ago and Hitachi got the big OK over WD and Seagate. Seagate was the poor loser as shown by real world results. Check the post on it:

http://forums.cnet.com/7723-7588_102-611492/some-facts-reliability-stats/?tag=contentBody;threadListing

Read it and follow the advise they offer. It's pretty good, IMHO. You may want to check "robustness or ruggness" if that is something wanted. Most, 3rd party brands really use Seagate, WD, Hitachi or Toshiba(owns Hitachi now) inside case so take too in your decision.

good luck -----WIlly Happy

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Thanks Willy.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Feb 20, 2014 3:38AM PST
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