Improving external HDD performance

[digitalpencil]

Hi,
I use an external 300gb usb2 maxtor onetouch 11 with my ibook g4.
I use this for storage and video predominately as my internal is an iccle 40gb.
My problem is that I am suffering dropped frames during video playback and have to constantly transfer files to my internal for reliable playback.
Is this an issue with USB2 being too slow? I have no fw400 on the caddy..
The hdd is a 300gb maxtor, 16mb cache, 7200rpm, FAT32. I don't suffer this problem with my 60gb ipod (usb) so I'm thinking it is to do with the physical size of the drive, perhaps a defrag would help?

All help appreciated,
Thanks,
DigiPencil

 

[rvnguy]

Insure that USB 2.x is being used. This should provide xfer in the range of 480Mbits/sec.

This should be fast enough for most video as there are and I use a wireless connection for same. This is at about 108 Mbits/sec.

I have no fw400 on the caddy..

What is this in reference to? firewire???

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[paparazi]

Well it isn't an issue with USB2 being too slow as you have proved yourself by connecting a USB ipod without issues.

USB2 = 480Mbits/sec
Firewire 400 = 400Mbits/sec

So in theory the USB2 connection is quicker, in practice i have found the reverse to be true.
BUT that doesn't appear to be the problem here anyway.

Yes defrag but this is a weired one, it might just be a slight compatibility issue, no doubt Maxtor will state that there isn't one but if you can get an ipod to play movie's with out a glitche (and an ipod is esentially just another external hard drive) it's definately the maxtor that is at fault somewhere down the line.

See if you can borrow someone else's external drive to test.
Martin

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