Seagate is offering a new 8GB version of its tiny hard disc. The disc
fits in a Compactflash Type II slot, making it appropriate for most
digital field recorders.
The most attractive aspect of this device is its low price. The 8GB
drive's regular price is about $200, but I found that Seagate is
offering a $40 rebate if purchase is made by 1/23/06. That makes the
final price about $160.=20
That's amazing for 8GB of storage! An 8GB flash memory card from
Sandisk or Lexar costs about $800.
Here's the link to the page on Amazon.com=20
http://tinyurl.com/7598e
The Seagate 8GB drive wil work with with the digital recorders I
checked. One *not* compatible is the Edirol R-1. It's best to check
with your recorder's manufacturer to confirm it can utilize 8GB of
storage.
>From Seagate's specs, I'd estimate that the mircodrive's performance
will be similar to a 40X Compactflash card, in other words, sufficient
for two channel 24/96 recording.
For example, 8GB will hold 4 hours of stereo 24/96 (DVD Audio)
recordings. Or a whopping 24 hours of mono 16/48 (DAT quality) tracks.=20
Microdrives present a couple of issues. First, a small hard drive
uses up power faster than a flash memory device. Seagate rates the
8GB drive as requiring 350mA to run in most situations. A solid state
Compactflash requires 10mA or less. So battery life is an concern.
To address the power consumption issue, a microdrive cycles on and off
as its memory buffer fills up, which could create audible sounds while
you're recording. This would be an issue if the recorder will be close
to the mics.
Another issue is the warranty. Seagate offers a one year warranty.
Solid state Compactflash devices from companies like Sandisk, Lexar
and Kingston have "lifetime" warranties. This says something about
the durability of the microdrive.=20
Given these issues, I'd prefer to purchase a flash memory card. But I
can't ignore the value and storage capacity that this new Seagate 8GB
card offers.
--oryoki
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