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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Portable hard disk Compact Flash copiers
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 07/31/2003 11:03:24 AM · #1
I saw a while ago there exists small portable hard disk devices that can copy images from a compact flash to hard disk so the CF can be cleared and reused.

I think it was mentioned they were available in Oz. Are they available in the UK? Also, what are people's experience of them?

TIA,
Paul.
 07/31/2003 11:07:27 AM · #2
I think you are referring to an X-drive.. Not used one myself but am very interested..
 07/31/2003 11:13:19 AM · #3
Haven't used one either, but Scan should have the X-Drive at a reasonable price.
 07/31/2003 11:13:52 AM · #4

It seems the company that makes them also has a UK site:

//www.vosonic.co.uk/

I'll give them both a look-see and report back!
 07/31/2003 11:26:51 AM · #5
you could also try this://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh3/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=search&Q=&ci=3369
 07/31/2003 11:27:40 AM · #6

//www.card-media.co.uk/xsdrive.htm

Also sell the X-Drive and X-Drive II bundled with disks. They seem a little expensive, but you know it's all going to fit together and work I guess..
 07/31/2003 12:17:29 PM · #7
I have an X-Drive (the orignal version) and it works quite well. One bug I've found with mine though is if you've deleted any files off the card it doesn't copy any files. It will go through the motions and everything will seem fine, until you try to download to the PC.
 07/31/2003 12:23:57 PM · #8
rob, that seems quite a serious issue to me!
 07/31/2003 12:25:41 PM · #9
Hi mr Paul, I am Mieka.

I did have this xdrive and it was SO bad and SO slow and i did take it back to the store.

Today i have a Nixvue. It is a very easy and fast and it is a 60 gig.
I use it now for many month.
 07/31/2003 12:27:04 PM · #10
Originally posted by Alpine99:
rob, that seems quite a serious issue to me!


It's only serious when you don't know about it ;) 128MB card worth lost from holiday in Jan, live and learn as they say.
 07/31/2003 04:19:38 PM · #11
Thanks for the advice guys!

Not quite sure what to go for now! I wonder if they've fixed the firmware in newer versions of the X-Drive 1.. I don't really want to spend more on an X-Drive II.. :-/
 07/31/2003 04:27:05 PM · #12
I have a 20 gig xdrive II. My only issue with it is that it seems a little slow. Nothing I can't live with though. Since I got it in may, i've put about 4 gig worth of pics on it. I keep all raw photos on there as a backup to my cds.

Shari
 07/31/2003 04:40:06 PM · #13
I've just bought a stand alone CD writer , it can read all media cards.
Connected through USB II to the computer, acts as a card reader and/or CD writer at 24X.
As i will start to use it next days for a short trip, i have no really experience on it, but seems great, as i always make CD copys of all my pictures.
//www.apacer.com/apacer_english/product_html/disc_stone_cp100.asp
07/31/2003 06:44:03 PM · #14
The "place in Australia" was probably //www.powerinnumbers.com.au

They are mentioned a bit on DPReview as being cheap although I'm not sure how they compare when you add international shipping - I guess it doesn't hurt to look though. I know the X-Drive II had firmware updates to fix another fragmentation related problem, I don't know about the X-Drive I. I'll be buying an X-Drive II in a month or so, bfore I go on holiday.

Alternative products include the "Tripper" and several others. At the risk of confusing you there is much discussion on DPReview about them all. Go to www.DPReview.com and choose Forums->Storage&Media.
07/31/2003 06:53:01 PM · #15
I have the X-Drive and it has been nothing short of a dream so far. I've never had any problems copying the files when I've deleted some of the photos off the card. No complaints.
 07/31/2003 06:55:07 PM · #16
This information is important at this time of the year (vacations, etc.)
 08/01/2003 05:46:30 AM · #17
Originally posted by sparky_mark:
The "place in Australia" was probably //www.powerinnumbers.com.au

They are mentioned a bit on DPReview as being cheap although I'm not sure how they compare when you add international shipping - I guess it doesn't hurt to look though. I know the X-Drive II had firmware updates to fix another fragmentation related problem, I don't know about the X-Drive I. I'll be buying an X-Drive II in a month or so, bfore I go on holiday.

Alternative products include the "Tripper" and several others. At the risk of confusing you there is much discussion on DPReview about them all. Go to //www.DPReview.com and choose Forums->Storage&Media.


I bought mine from Powerinnumbers last autumn, cost including shipping to the UK was half the UK price. Also bought 128MB Ridata cards from there about a year ago, again about half the UK price. Definitely worth looking at.

Update
Sorry, brain has only just started working (caffine levels must be topped up). I haven't got an X-Drive, I've got an Image Tank/Bank.

Apologies to all, it's been a long week and I'm obviously suffering from "Arse-Elbow" syndrome ;)

Message edited by author 2003-08-01 05:57:31.
 08/01/2003 06:18:51 AM · #18
Originally posted by PaulMdx:
I saw a while ago there exists small portable hard disk devices that can copy images from a compact flash to hard disk so the CF can be cleared and reused.

I think it was mentioned they were available in Oz. Are they available in the UK? Also, what are people's experience of them?

TIA,
Paul.


I was looking at an X-Drive, but now I'm saving up for an Archos Video AV340. The main attraction is the 3.8" screen which would be much better for reviewing shots than the screen on most other similar devices. But the fact that it's an MP3 player, MPEG-4 player/recorder and portable USB2 hard disk drive is also attractive.

In the UK, John Lewis have to 20MB model on their web site. But if you're looking to save money (and don't mind losing your guarantee) check out //www.hotmp3gear.com/. I haven't bought anything from them, but the proprietor seems helpful over email.
 08/01/2003 06:24:14 AM · #19
HI Rob. I have an X-Drive, and I don't quite follow what you mean here. Do you mean that if you discard a few images within camera, they X Drive won't copy any of the files?

Thanks for the help.

I have had mine since Dec. 2002. Was a great tool for my vacation. Copied 2000 images totalling 3 GB.

Originally posted by robsmith:
I have an X-Drive (the orignal version) and it works quite well. One bug I've found with mine though is if you've deleted any files off the card it doesn't copy any files. It will go through the motions and everything will seem fine, until you try to download to the PC.

 08/01/2003 08:38:59 AM · #20
I just bought the 20 GB XDrive II .. It was on sale for US$209! I was going to buy a 512 MB Compact Flash Card to go on a trip with, but that would have cost me US$175! You do the math!

I have tested it, and it works great! I'm thrilled. The new USB 2 is the way to go.

Did I want to be able to view the images on a little screen? Maybe.. but could not afford that right now.. and I leave on my trip in a week!
 08/01/2003 06:03:39 PM · #21
I have just figured out today that my X Drive II, which I have never even used, is fried. The first time I tried to use it I put the Flash Card in it and it went through the motions of copying, the only problem was that it went on for hours and hours until the battery finally died. When I got home it wouldn't connect to my computer so I couldn't tell if it had even worked. Then I figured out the problem may have been that It hadn't been fully charged the first time. The reason for this was that the AC charger cord that came with it was for European outlets and not American, so I was forced to charge it with the car adapter on the way to my destination. So, I brought the thing to the store and bought US version of the AC charger cord, being very careful to get the right one. So, then I plugged it in when I got home. At the end of the day I went to check on it and the LCD screen was all black and looked like a laptop screen that has been broken. I thought maybe someone had stepped on it. They hadn't. Moments later, after unplugging it, the screen went back to normal. I tried putting a card in and it gave me a hard drive error message. Now it works with neither my cards or my computer and it was a gift and I dont know where from. Either way, they will say it's my fault it fried and not a manufacturing error. I'm very pissed off about this and now I need to find another option for my upcoming trip to Alaska. Needless to say, I will not be buying an X-drive, no matter how many more rave reviews I hear.
 08/11/2003 05:49:26 PM · #22
Early X drives did indeed fail to copy pictures from a card if any had been deleted on camera - and yes this was related to a fragmentation problem. We learned about this very early on and I find it liberating not to delete shots on camera in any case - I can hardly get a good impression of the shot on the LCD so it's easier to do it once I have everything on a PC anyway.

Later versions as well as the newer X drive model II had firmware that resolved this problem, hence many X drive users have no idea what some of us are talking about!

:o)

Agree it can be a little slow but it's easy to choose when to empty it (for me anyway) - we have two cards and just empty when we pause for coffee or lunch etc.

Message edited by author 2003-08-11 17:49:51.
 08/11/2003 06:02:29 PM · #23
I have an Archos multimedia Jukebox. It has 20gb, can connect with USB1/2 and FireWire, and comes with card-reader attachments for SmartMedia and CF. It can display photos and movies on its screen, and can both play and record MP3 files via the sound in- and out ports (can function as a tape recorder/dictation machine).

I got it about a year ago when my laptop broke just before I was leaving on vacation. My only complaint -- and it's an important one -- is that it sometimes fails to copy or corrupts files being copied directly from its reader module, especially in batch copying. As a backup/portable drive it seems to function perfectly. Hopefully later versions or a firmware revision will fix the copying problem.
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