Thinking of getting a NAS drive....

Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:22 pm

LORD! GARTH! wrote:

nice score mr gig, check out this found while hunting around for firmware mods.

http://www.grandideastudio.com/portfolio/hard-drive-coffee-table/

That is awesome!!

LORD! GARTH! wrote:

but this is cool too

http://web.archive.org/web/20100317234842/http://twistedmods.com/article.php?artid=261

Hmmm, bit too risky for me that is Shocked

LORD! GARTH! wrote:

your new toy has a usb 2.0 port, i havent tried it yet but i just got a new drive dock and im hopeing i can plug it into a media server usb, and just swap bare HDD drives from off a rack, if not it has to plug into the big box under my desk, but usb is gettin scarce there Laughing

Yup, it does everything i need it to...really pleased with it. The only downsides are:

Fan - very loud
Wireless file copying - very slow

oh, and it wasnt free Laughing

Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:47 pm

i know its brand new, but there may be firmware about for it.
all the iomega file servers ive looked at use a linux based kernal in the firmware. not sure about this but you may be able to swap the 1TB in the server for a 2TB. I see 2 usb ports, and if you have a usb hub you may be able to expand on ports. another cool option is usb over rj45 extension set
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812156020

dont mistake this for an rj45 ethernet adapter with a usb connection to pc
your usb cables are good for about 15 feet, you can extend usb device to about 150 feet away on rj45 cable.

im not saying precisely this product, but as an example this is an option if you want to put accesory devices in remote locations
just found this it seems to cover all the options for usb
http://www.lindy.co.uk/tips/USBGuide.html

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 2:03 pm

Seeing as how i have loads of spare ata drives just lurking about, i ordered myself a Dremel kit Smile

brilliant link and idea.

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 2:16 pm

i might add to that i mouse, the window is one thing so you can see the head armature moving, but check out the idea of mounting a drive activity led facing into the drive case so it will illuminate the interior of the drive Idea

also i have to clarify the usb extension via rj45 thing. you cant just solder some rj45 connectors onto some usb connectors and get anything usefull. the extension cables im mentioning have a little electronic bit to them.
USB only goes about 15 feet then the time it takes for signal to pass that distance of cable is about the same as DATA timeout for the usb controller, about 5ns, the extension works by pinging the usb controller, so you can use a longer cable, and rj45 is a retail available cable from the shelf or you can crimp your own ends to a 150 foot length of cat5 or cat6 and use the usb transciever dongles you CANT use these across a router however, you have to use a USB server at the router.

im posting about this cuz im thinking mr gig may want to put his auxillary drives in a remote location so there isnt a thousand boxes, in his living room.
There are other uses as well like a WIFI adapter can be sheltered in an old jam jar and mounted on a rooftop tower, or your cheap webcam can placed in a remote location and you save the bulk and expense of an ip cam

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:35 pm

LORD! GARTH! wrote:

im posting about this cuz im thinking mr gig may want to put his auxillary drives in a remote location so there isnt a thousand boxes, in his living room.

Thanks mr garth....you is correct about the thousands of boxes and cables in the living room!! I have to say that the triangular bit behind the TV is particularly horrific at the moment.....theres wires belonging to DVDplayer, BDplayer, XBox, Router, New Iomega Box, WD external Drive, Seagate external drive, HDMI splitter (genious invention), and then Laptop power cords, mobile phone chargers, Home cinema speaker wire, RJ45's, USB's are dotted around the room too....the list goes on lol and they are mostly all coming from the dusty bit behind the tv....out of sight out of mind....until i need to untangle the mess when something needs plugging in Laughing

Just had to unplug the iomega box and seemed to lose all the files i had transferred? Connected to computer with usb and it proceeded to re-install driver software....then aftwr a reboot the files re-appeared again. Odd....

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:59 pm

got any pics?

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 4:59 pm

Dusty...

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:24 pm

not bad you can still see the floor. do you rent, or own the place? you could cut a heating vent size hole and throw a lot down in the basement and hang it in the rafters, then pop the vent in when its time to go Wink

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 1:34 am

you are full of clever ideas mate lol we are moving in the next month or so and will have a think about cable routing at the new place...i had thought about having externals under the floorboards, but not sure if its wise, thinking they could overheat if they were too confined maybe?

A lot of places we are looking at have under-stairs storage, so was thinking of routing cables into that space. Your vent idea would work very well for that too Very Happy

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:09 pm

a storage cubby can give you some good physical security, so some palooka has to find it to steal it. heat is a problem in very tight spaces like if you stuffed a bunch in an old PC case. if you feel like spending on a crimping tool: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crimp-plugs-Cat5e-Network-Cables/dp/B000NOOOQ4

And the rj45 ends

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00004Z5TO/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2/279-5207690-8551124?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_r=073H9T7AN920CKX64DJJ&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_i=B000NOOOQ4

you can crimp your own cable

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S6cjJS5y1I

that way you drill small cable size holes instead of rj end size holes, thread the cable then crimp the end on.

youtube link has info for the wire color sequence, and you dont really need the tester, you just need steady hands to hold things in place while you insert the cable to the end piece. they dont mention anything like a reinforcing collar, or a boot for the cable end, but they not gotta haves, un less you wanna start manufacturing snazzy cables and reselling them Wink