Best Memory Storage Tank?

[Dans_D60]

Hi ya all:

My eFlim PicturePad has served me well. But with larger files and the need-for–speed, it’s time to upgrade and replace. I’m looking for the best-in-class remote storage tank for temporary CF onsite copying and would like to have:
- A “real” USB 2.0 interface
- 40-60 gig drive
- Fast CF transfer
- Good battery life (the PicturePad is only good for 1-2 CF cards)

Suggestions?

Dan

[Bruce Watson]

The Epson P-2000 is a very good choice IMO.

Although I this is the first storage device I have used, I spent many hours researching the various models.

The overwhelming majority of personal use experiences and online reviews give Epson the nod.

This was corroborated by several others with multi unit experience that I communicated with on this and other forums.

My first two weeks using it have validated everything I had been told.

[iwatkins]

Another vote for the Epson P-2000 here as well. One of the best tools I've ever bought I would say.

Cheers

Ian

[tommykjensen]

Can the Epson display CR2 files?

[Bruce Watson]

Yes, it works with all Canon RAW formats. However, you cannot use zoom or slide show feature with RAW files, only view them in normal or thumbnail size.

[tommykjensen]

Yes, it works with all Canon RAW formats. However, you cannot use zoom or slide show feature with RAW files, only view them in normal or thumbnail size.

As long as the view function can be used to verify the photos have been copied I guess that would be good enough.

[johnnybfan]

Hi, not exactly the same subject but fairly close. Has anyone used the RoadStor CD-R/DVD burner/player? If it works as well as it's supposed to it sounds pretty nice. Any info? Thanks

[roleg]

Oh,oh I just order SmartDisk FlashTrax 30GB External Compact Flash Storage Drive (Refurbished) for $199.00. I understood it is risky, but I did.........very good price......

[Kostyanych]

The best PSD I have founded on the net is http://www.compactdrive.com
It doesn't have LCD to preview. But it makes it cheaper.
And it's one of the fastest PSD today.
I have read one person really transferred about 1Gb CF card about 36 times with one battery set.
And you always can use another set from you flash.

So, I am going to buy one. :)

Is there any other good PSD?

[dphotomania]

I just ordered the 80 gig pd7x. It sounds like it can handle what my need.

[blackviolet]

i'll give another nod to the p2000. i've had mine since just before xmas and it's great as a photo storage device. it's also great for watching divx and other mpg4 movies. it sucks for listening to mp3s, so get an ipod or zen for that.

btw i made an external battery pack (even though i got a spare internal battery for free) so i can watch movies or browse through images for hours.

2 pet peeves:
- adding images to an album renames files into 8.3 format
- it's not pictbridge compatible

[lomond]

P-2000 for me.
I weighed up the competition and came down on the side of the P-2000 because it has a superb 640 x 480 screen resolution.

[Longwatcher]

I am going to disagree with everyone. As you already have the Picture Pad. Get the AA battery pack if you can find it and keep the Picture Pad for now.

My reasoning:
The Epson is not much faster at transfering card to Epson then the Picture Pad. It is a bit faster, but not significantly enough to justify it on that basis.

You are at best only gaining a little bit of extra storage (depending on which Picture Pad you have (I have a 30GB myself)

You already can view all but CR2 format files and you can shoot RAW+Jpeg if you need to view the image on the device. I really like being able to see if I have the files, but it is rare when I need to view the image.

The only good reason I can see to get the Epson is it also plays music :-)
unless you can't get the battery pack for the picture pad, then I can perfectly understand you desire to upgrade.

The Epson is better, but I don't think it is that much better to justify the cost at this time. They need to increase the GB another 20 and significantly speed up card to device transfer.

On the other hand if you Picture Pad breaks go with the Epson.

Just my opinion after doing some research.

[pierrot]

I have an X's Drive Pro 40Gb which is enough for my needs. OK it is slow at transfering a 2Gb CF to HD, but not problematic since I have many smaller cards to shoot with in the meantime.
I do not need to watch my pics on any crappy (even VGA) small LCD as I shoot mailnly RAW.
It has a fast USB2 interface and is a breeze to use as an external HD or all-in-one cards reader.
And it plays music fairly well ;)

[S230]

I just ordered the 80 gig pd7x. It sounds like it can handle what my need.
I had been using the PD7X for over 4 months now and not problem yet. Cost was a factor. The unit is quite cheaply constructed but works for what I need it for. It logic and power consumption is good enough for the task. It does not just copy JPG's but EVERYTHING from the card. i sometimes have short clips or files such as drivers, etc and it copies directly from the CF card to the hard drive. The cost of the casing is approx. $150 CND when I got it and hard drive separate. Get the BEST possible hard drive you can afford because you don't want to regret losing valuable data. I actually bought 2 (Myself and my friend) so when we are out on the road, I backup onto both for verification. The transfer rate is very fast. IMOH, if I am out during a photoshoot on the road taking photos, I don't want to be spending time going through them. If I do want to, I would then view it on my notebook. The drive can also be used as an external hard drive which is really neat.

[S230]

just to add, the PD7X uses 4 batteries and when fully charged, it can last quite a while if you plan on just only transferring files required.

[CoolToolGuy]

Oh,oh I just order SmartDisk FlashTrax 30GB External Compact Flash Storage Drive (Refurbished) for $199.00. I understood it is risky, but I did.........very good price......

I have a 20gb Flashtrax. The Epson is newer, and it may be a better choice than the Flashtrax (may be), but the Flashtrax is not a bad choice, just older technology.

Have Fun,

[R1 Kid]

just to add, the PD7X uses 2 batteries and when fully charged, it can last quite a while if you plan on just only transferring files required.

Clarify please. It can use only 2 batteries or it only uses 2 batteries (assuming you are talking AA's) Only reason I ask is because all I see is pics showing 4 AA batteries.

After looking into these options I grew very fast to like the PD7X. Instead of carrying around 10 X $130 CF cards I can keep two and use this for a much more efficent way of collecting pics. Example: most wedding take what approx 800 to 1000 pics? Thats a whole lot of CF cards shooting in RAW format.

[bigrob]

it sucks for listening to mp3s, so get an ipod or zen for that.

Why is the Epson rubbish for MP3s?

[Jon, The Elder]

BIGROB- The built in speakers are pretty primitive. It was designed primarily for photo viewing and the MP3 was an afterthought. It is a GOOD photographers tool first.
I use mine to show proofs and clients buy from it on-the-spot. The EXIF info display makes it all worthwhile.
If you are on a budget - then go somewhere else cause it ain't cheap. I believe once Epson sees how popular it is - they will spend some time on opening up the software possibilities.

[tommykjensen]

BIGROB- The built in speakers are pretty primitive. It was designed primarily for photo viewing and the MP3 was an afterthought. It is a GOOD photographers tool first.

Hmm, maybe its better with attached earplugs? Just curious as I just ordered one myself for the photo storage but playing MP3 is a nice addition.

[Webster]

BIGROB- The built in speakers are pretty primitive. It was designed primarily for photo viewing and the MP3 was an afterthought.
The built-in speaker on the ipod is pretty weak, too. All I can get it to do is click, and I had to return two of 'em to get it to do that!

[lomond]

I'm no expert on MP3 audio quality but I thought my Epson P-2000 was as good as my MD Walkman.
Oh well, maybe it's time for a hearing aid. :cry:

[bigrob]

BIGROB- The built in speakers are pretty primitive. It was designed primarily for photo viewing and the MP3 was an afterthought. It is a GOOD photographers tool first.
I use mine to show proofs and clients buy from it on-the-spot. The EXIF info display makes it all worthwhile.
If you are on a budget - then go somewhere else cause it ain't cheap. I believe once Epson sees how popular it is - they will spend some time on opening up the software possibilities.

Thanks for that setiprime. I ordered the Epson last week after seeing a recommendation in this thread http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=61551

£294 from Amazon in the UK. Scheduled for delivery sometime between 21st & 30th March. I checked out the prices in the UK and everyone says they are in short supply, so those like www.warehouseexpress.co.uk (http://www.warehouseexpress.co.uk) that do have them in stock wouldn't price match amazon. For £35 I'll wait.

Does anyone who has the Epson reckon you'll be able to put a bigger disk in a few years, or would that be a factory job? I guess if it is a factory job, then Epson wouldn't do it as they will be doing ones by then with 200Gb hard disks in them!!!!

[CyberDyneSystems]

I am impressed with the specs for the pd7... battery life and transfer speed.

MyDigital Dsiscount is carrying them.. I might have to give one a try.

[blackviolet]

soundwise, the p2000 is fine - it's about as good as mp3 players get. but what it doesn't have is the robust capabilities for using playlists, including the software (native or 3rd party) for filtering and managing what you listen to. also, the controls aren't the greatest for listening to mp3's either - where the ipod and zen have the controls intuitively placed, and easily accessible. also, there is no remote, so if you want to change songs, etc. you have to do so on the unit itself.


40 gigs is quite fine - i keep several movies on mine and still have plenty of room for offloading photos. it's pretty quick off the usb2 to transfer data on and off. that said... i'm sure when the 'p3000' comes out, i'll have a hand at swapping the drive for a 60. it depends on whether i can ghost the OS onto the new drive - and whether it addresses 60 gigs. it looks like the case will open with tiny screws.

bigrob - you'll quite enjoy it!

[roleg]

I have a 20gb Flashtrax. The Epson is newer, and it may be a better choice than the Flashtrax (may be), but the Flashtrax is not a bad choice, just older technology.

Have Fun,

Thank you. What do you do with battery life.It is good? Do you use car charges? Or did you buy additional one. Share your experience with shortly, please. Thank you again.

[S230]

Clarify please. It can use only 2 batteries or it only uses 2 batteries (assuming you are talking AA's) Only reason I ask is because all I see is pics showing 4 AA batteries.

After looking into these options I grew very fast to like the PD7X. Instead of carrying around 10 X $130 CF cards I can keep two and use this for a much more efficent way of collecting pics. Example: most wedding take what approx 800 to 1000 pics? Thats a whole lot of CF cards shooting in RAW format.
You are correct. Typo.. It's 4 batteries. Guess I am getting old.. :(
the PD7X is not as sophisicated at the other units available but it certainly does the job and fast. Definitely cost is a big bonus. :)

[S230]

Also be aware of battery life of different units. Many offer very short life. The more bells and whistles, the more drain. The Epson and also other units that have viewers and MP3 are quite a drain on the batteries. Personally, if I travel I prefer 8 pcs of AA batteries and don't want to carry a "CAR" battery with me.

[Bruce Watson]

Actually, one of the strong points of the Epson and the main reason I bought it is the battery life. It is very impressive.

[ScottE]

The Epson P2000 sound ideal, except that it is only 40gb. I shoot RAW and often shoot 2 to 4 gb of photos a day if conditions are ideal. If I was on a trip for longer than 2 weeks I would be concerned that a 40gb hard drive would not be big enough.

I currently use an 80gb Flashtrax and have not had any problems. If Epson would bring their P2000 out in an 80gb or larger version, I would consider making the switch because of the better viewing screen and battery life.

Scott

[malla1962]

PD7X sounds like a winner to me,where can you buy them.

[hiaw]

I've used the Archos Gmini 220 for almost 6 months now and I loved it. Okay, it's not a dedicated PSD, it's more a mp3 player. But it is possibly one of the fastest transfer device from compact flash. I think it took an average of 10 minutes per 1GB (Sandisk Extreme).

advantages:
- compact
- fast to transfer files CF->PSD & PSD->computer
- great battery life (maybe good for 15GB transfer)
- durable (dropped it couple of times)
- plays mp3!
- cheap! (USD$250)
- use it as your portable hard drive for data

disadvantage:
- plays mp3 (you might used up your battery life before transfering photo, resist the temptation)
- takes only compact flash or the mini harddisk thingy from IBM (although a adaptor can be purchase for other media)
- don't even think about previewing on that low low resolution B&W LCD
- can only find them in 20GB version although 40GB is "suppose" to be available. :angry:
- can only view image in B&W, and very slowly.

I love this device. very convinient. just have to resist listening to mp3s if you wish to use it as PSD. One thing that annoys me the most is the fact that I've used up half the space for mp3s already so not much space for photos. :p So if you can find the 40GB version. I'll love to have one.

But do check it out, bought mine from B&H. :laugh:

[hiaw]

Actually, I'll add one more disadvantages and it applies to most PSD.

External batteries! I mean I would not mind carrying a couple more batteries for the PSD if it would allow me to keep my data. The worst thing you want is to have a dead battery and have nowhere to charge it.

I always carry 3 fully charged battery with my 300D wherever I go. I would love to do the same with the PSD as well. Even just to keep my mind in peace that I would not run out of space.

[blackviolet]

i agree with that one. in addition to the two internal batteries, i built an external battery pack for my p2000 using 8 AAs (some in parallel, some in series). i use it on the plane to watch movies (the stand is a must to watch them, otherwise you get a crook neck). it will also partially charge the internal battery packs.

on my last two trips, i haven't carried the ac adaptor for it :)

[dphotomania]

PD7X sounds like a winner to me,where can you buy them.

you can get ir from mydigitaldiscount.com excellent rating from resellerrating.com, so its a safe place to buy.

I ordered it Sunday and got it yesterday. They were fast, but then again, I am ordering from NY and ship to NJ. :p

[Pekka]

About Epson P2000; is there a command to low level format a drive in the device? Reason I'm asking is that usually those devices use FAT32 which is a big problem: you can not format over 20GB FAT32 in XP and if you even once format it to NTFS you can not format back to FAT32 at all. Only way to format e.g. 40GB FAT 32 disks is to get a PC with Win 98.

If someone knows a tool which lets you do 40GB FAT32 in XP, now is a good time to post the link :)

Related to above: has anyone opened the Epson: how is the hard drive attached. I have 20GB and 40GB drives to swap (done that wth X'sDrives).

[blackviolet]

i'm not game to open it...yet.


if epson doesn't want to pay microsoft FAT royalaties, they could be using something like reiser-fs or any of the other ones out there.

with the xdrive it was easy - it comes with the appropriate software and they sell a driveless 'kit'. the p2000 didnt come with any low-level format software.

ah... remember the good ol' days in dos - formatting wfm or rll drives using debug!!! i loved my 5 1/4" seagate 10 meg drive!!! but i digress (again!)...

[S230]

I think it comes down to $$$ how "FAT" your wallet is and how much "Thinner" you want it to be. If you have the cash, get the Nikon Storage unit. Heard good things about it but then again it's not cheap. I personally think if you want an MP3, get a proper one like an I pod specifically made for that. I would not feel comfortable playing my MP3's or handling the same drive which contains all my valuable photos.

[hiaw]

i agree with that one. in addition to the two internal batteries, i built an external battery pack for my p2000 using 8 AAs (some in parallel, some in series). i use it on the plane to watch movies (the stand is a must to watch them, otherwise you get a crook neck). it will also partially charge the internal battery packs.

on my last two trips, i haven't carried the ac adaptor for it :)

Interesting idea. Can you shine some light as to how you build one of this battery pack?

[blackviolet]

it's basically 2x 4AA battery holders, connected in parallel to a plug which fits the unit. it cost me about $6 AUD. then i checked it with a meter and it was spot on with the adaptor.

[MDJAK]

I was very glad to see this post. I wanted to ask a question about my P2000 but was afraid it would be off topic.

When I connect mine via USB to my stinkpad notebook, All I see on the Epson screen is a message saying it's connecting. It doesn't go away. I've successfully transfered photos to it from the computer so I know it is reading it.

What do you see on the epson screen when it is connected?

[blackviolet]

hopefully this is fixed in the firmware. if you plug it in to ac (or my battery pack), it goes away. but yeah, as you say you can still transfer images to it...

[MDJAK]

I have it plugged in to ac when I do it and the message just remains on the screen.

[blackviolet]

hmmm - it must be a different message than the one i'm thinking of. when you are connected, you don't get the menu screens, album previews, or anything - just a dark screen with some text (and if i remember, an icon). that could be what you are seeing. i don't have it in front of me at the moment. if so, that is normal.

[MDJAK]

No, you're right. I'm looking at it right now.

"Connecting to a PC.
do not turn off power or disconnect the USB
cable before the operation is complete.

Up top it says pc peripheral mode.

I'm glad to hear that is normal. I thought something was wrong.

I just transfered a bunch of different photos to it quickly and easily. I revealed the folder location in explorer through photoshop, created a new album on the epson, then cut and pasted. worked fine.

thanks
mark

[R1 Kid]

I agree that the P2000 is an excellent device. Call me old school, but I want lots of storage and I want extremely fast transfer rates (well as good as it can get anyway). I think I'll try out the PD7X 60 Gig 7200 RPM HD. I carry my laptop around with me everywhere I go and the PD7X acts like another folder on a computer so letting people see the pics after a shoot takes about 2/3 minutes longer, but the "WOW" effect is much greater on a 17" LCD.

Actually I would go pick up a P2000 if it was a bit faster and larger. I like the idea of having a viewing screen at all times. My method will work for now till some more bank roll comes in.

[blackviolet]

17" laptops leave a big bulge in your pocket... :p

i use a tablet or laptop for wow factor onsite. but the p2000 is quite quick for taking images off the card and then showing to a client/customer. and the screen is absolutely amazing - visually almost better than my dell d600.

btw the p2000 also shows up as another drive...

[S230]

Keep in mind that the PD7X is dependant on the kind of Hard drives used. The more cache the faster and without hesitation. I personally would go for either Hitatchi or Toshiba with 8 to 16mb cache onboard. This will make the transferring extremely fast. As to speed, I think at 5400rpm should be sufficient and should not consume as much power as the 7200rpm. I use the drive purely as CF Storage and when I go home or use on a computer as an external drive, I normally would use the AC adapter that goes with it. What I am really impressed at the package that comes with the drive is that they even throw in a screw driver which is great. :)
Wished they make the quality a little better because the plastic is easy to break off. :(

[Marvinspu36]

I had put in an order for the PD7X but ended up canceling it after running accross a notice on the US Distributor's home page. Click http://www.compactdrive.us/ see the notice.

I just didn't want to take a chance with my hard drive or my valuable photos. It will probably work fine, I just didn't want to take a chance.

[S230]

I had put in an order for the PD7X but ended up canceling it after running accross a notice on the US Distributor's home page. Click http://www.compactdrive.us/ see the notice.

I just didn't want to take a chance with my hard drive or my valuable photos. It will probably work fine, I just didn't want to take a chance.Wow.. thanks for the update. I had no idea... I am just glad that the two I purchased is still good and working. Though one had the door broken as mentioned but other than that, no additional problems. But IMHO, I would probably pick up another one if it's dirt cheap. Since most people will stop buying and some will sell, I am hoping to pick a cheap one up. The drive itself is excellent piece of technology. Just have to be careful becasue of it being cheaply built.

[S230]

here's a cut and paste of the specs before they remove it.

http://www.compactdrive.us/spec.html

http://216.109.117.135/search/cache?p=PD7X&toggle=1&ei=UTF-8&u=www.compactdrive.us/&w=pd7x&d=578292ACEE&icp=1&.intl=us

With PD7X you are able to copy 30 GB of data easily on a set of Sanyo 2300 mAH NiMH batteries. It takes only 4 minutes to COPY 1 GB of data from CF to PD7X, which is at least 2X faster then any other Portable Storage Device ( PSD ) including photo bank ( photoBank ), gMini, DigiBin, Tripper, XDrive, X-Drive Pro, Image Tank, Imagetank G2, Nixvue, Qcool, Efilm.


- PD7X is designed for professional photographers
- Support for almost all types of memory cards
- Ultra fast download speed: over 4 MB/second.
- The longest lasting PSD in the world
- Uses 4 reloadable AA batteries, much more convenient for travellers!
- Uses normal 2.5" laptop hard disk, supports up to 100 GB hard drive.
- More and more photographers are using Compact Drive PD7X ( CompactDrive ) to backup their valuable images

[tommykjensen]

- More and more photographers are using Compact Drive PD7X ( CompactDrive ) to backup their valuable images

How can You say that when the device has ben discontinued?

Anyway, I just received the Epson P 2000 and its cool.

My impressions sofar are excellent.

- excellent lcd, much better than the one on any digicam I have had/has
- extremely fast copy between device and pc
- slow copy from cf card to device :(

The Epson get my thumbs up!

[hitech]

I bought this on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3874672172&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

With a 80GIG HD

VOSONIC X's DRIVE II model 2160 cost 89.99
80GB Notebook Hard Drive 4200RPM Cost 125.00

VOSONIC X's DRIVE II+ VP-2160 PORTABLE STORAGE UNIT

USB 2.0 High speed compatible
A standard-alone, Plam size and rechargeable storage device.
Support SM, SD/MMC, MS ,MS Pro and CFType I/II,MicroDrive, Mini-SD (with adapter) ,RS-MMC (with adapter),MS Duo (with adapter),MS Pro Duo (with adapter).
Infinite memory & storage expansion configuration with internal Hard Disk
Black and White LCD displays working status ( no picture preview ).
Fast & easy file transfer and storage with a simple button operating.
Feature

Support Memory Card Interfaces SM, SD/MMC, MS ,MS Pro and CFType I/II,
MicroDrive,Mini-SD (with adapter) ,RS-MMC
(with adapter),MS Duo (with adapter),
MS Pro Duo (with adapter).

LCD Amount of battery power
File transfer status
Main Storage (HDD) Capacity Indicator
Memory card / HDD error indicator
USB Access
Charge Status

Hard Disk 2.5 inch ( 2.5" HDD 9.5mm ) Unlimited Capacity ( Any 2.5" HDD )

DC Power Internal Power: Li-ion rechargeable battery
3.7V x 1 (1100mA)
Model Number:Fuji-NP60
External Power : 5V adapter (2.5A)

Supply Voltage N /A

Supply Current N /A

Rechargeable battery life 3.7V x 1 (1100mA) Model Number:Fuji-NP60


Download interface USB 2.0 interface port
( Backward compatibility with USB 1.1 )

Music Playback N/A

Files System Support Standard FAT 12/16/32

PC Peripheral USB 2.0 interface port


OS supportability Windows98/98SE; Win 2000 (with device driver)
Linux Kernel version 2.4 or above without driver
Mac OS 9.0 with driver ; Mac OS 10.01 above
without driver

Accessories Power Adapter / USB Cable / User's Guide /
Driver Disc/Carrying Bag

Operating Temperature. 0。C ~70。C

Storage Temperature -40。 ~70。C

Humidity 90% RH

Weight 230gr ( Included 2.5? HDD & battery pack )

Dimension ( L*W*H ) 116 x78x23mm

[Kostyanych]

How can You say that when the device has ben discontinued?

Who told?

[tommykjensen]

Who told?

http://www.compactdrive.us/

[S230]

How can You say that when the device has ben discontinued?

Anyway, I just received the Epson P 2000 and its cool.

My impressions sofar are excellent.

- excellent lcd, much better than the one on any digicam I have had/has
- extremely fast copy between device and pc
- slow copy from cf card to device :(

The Epson get my thumbs up!
I just had "Cut and Pasted" from the web site.

[Kostyanych]

http://www.compactdrive.us/

Thank's! I didn't know that.....
Let's have a look at the new one soon. :)

[Kostyanych]

Btw, read another site: http://www.compactdrive.com/

It looks like there are some durty games behind all this... :(

[EricKonieczny]

http://www.archos.com/products/overview/gmini_400.html


http://reviews.designtechnica.com/images/reviews/2046/20041114_1245361.gif

http://reviews.designtechnica.com/images/reviews/2046/20041114_1245362.gif

A revolutionary next generation hard-drive based audio player featuring the industry's first color LCD and advanced features such as photo viewing, gaming and video playback for the ultimate musical entertainment experience.

The Gmini400 goes way beyond music to bring long awaited features such as a color LCD for viewing photos and videos, a built-in CompactFlash™ reader for storing photos and data, and the ability to play games. Capacity: 20GB 1.8" Hard Disk - Store up to 300 hours of music, 200,000 photos or 80 hours of MPEG-4 videos*. Interfaces: USB 2.0 high-speed, compatible USB 1.1, PC & Mac . Built-in CompactFlash™ Type I slot to accept CompactFlash™ memory cards or optional 4-in-1 CF adapter. Music playback: Stereo MP3 decoding @ 30-320 kb/s CBR & VBR, WMA (Including copy protected files with Microsoft PD DRM), WAV (PCM & ADPCM). Music recording: Stereo sound in WAV (PCM & ADPCM) format. Game engine: Mophun™ game engine - Playback on TV. Photo viewer: JPEG (except progressives) or BMP - Download JPEG images through CompactFlash™ slot. Video playback: MPEG-4 SP with MP3 or ADPCM stereo sound, up to 640x400 @ 30 f/s, AVI file format. Reads XviD and DivX®** 4.0 & 5.0. Play Music Video in MPEG-4. Display: 2.2" LCD 220x176 pixels, 262 000 colours and TV output. AV connections: Stereo analog Line In (via adapter included). Composite Video/ Earphone / Analog Line Out jack, SCART for European version. Built-in microphone. Battery life: Up to 10 hours for music or 5 hours for video on built-in LCD. Scalability: Download firmware updates from www.archos.com (http://www.archos.com) Power source: Internal: Rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries. External: AC charger/adaptor. Dimensions: Approx. 10.6 x 6 x 1.7 cm (4.2" x 2.4" x 0.7"). Weight: 160 g (5.64 oz). System requirements:PC: Pentium® III 800 MHz or higher, Windows 98 SE, ME, 2000 or XP. 64 MB RAM (128 MB recommended) with USB port and CD-ROM drive.
Mac: 9.2 or X (10.2.4) USB Manager version 1.2 or higher with USB port and CD-ROM drive.
http://www.archos.com/products/overview/gmini_400.html

[tommykjensen]

Btw, read another site: http://www.compactdrive.com/

It looks like there are some durty games behind all this... :(

Yeah so it seems.



Official Statement regarding compactdrive.net (18th March 2005)

EastGear (Singapore) Pte Ltd is the Manufacturer and International Sales Representative of the CompactDrive PD7X.

It has come to our attention that several websites that claim to be the distributors of CompactDrive have stated to have “discontinued the supply of CompactDrive PD7X” due to “high failure rate”

The statements can be seen at:

www.compactdrive.net
www.compactdrive.info
www.compactdrive.us
www.compactdrive.jp
www.compactdrive.co.nz
www.compactdrive.co.uk
www.compactdrive.com.tw

We wish to state for the record that ALL of the above domain names and websites are owned by one single entity, the former New Zealand Distributor for CompactDrive PD7X which goes under the trading name of CompactDrive International Co. Ltd / Top International Limited / Heard Park Group of Companies (here from referred to as Heard Park)

Heard Park has no point in time represented any distribution channels for the CompactDrive PD7X other than within New Zealand itself. Heard Park have been sanctioned previously because they insist on misleading consumers and companies by pretending to be distributors of other countries (namely United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Taiwan) and parallel importing into these countries when their distribution area is only limited to New Zealand.

We hereby denounce all statements made by Heard Park as totally false and erroneous. We wish to state for the fact:

That till this very day, Heard Park has not returned a single unit to the manufacturer for repair due to failure of any kind.

The manufacturer has always listened to end users feedback and kept in close contact with our distributors. We have never “given up or ignored” issues pertaining to the unit’s reliability. In fact, the CompactDrive is one of the most reliable portable storage device in the market. Till this day, no user has ever lost any images or data as a result of any systematic reliability problems.

As recent as 11th March, 2005, Heard Park was still in correspondence with the manufacturer to export stock to EU. The order was delayed indefinitely due to disagreement in payment issues.

As of Christmas 2004, Heard Park has a very low stock count and has not reordered since. They have complained about poor business due to increasing competition from other distributors in the region and on the Internet.
We urge all discerning readers to see past the product discontinue statement as a veiled attempt to discredit and tarnish the product and product brand name and at the same time, to promote a competing product.

The CompactDrive PD7X was never discontinued at any time. In fact, all other distribution channels around the world are enjoying brisk and healthy sales of this product. The CompactDrive PD7X continues to be the fastest selling portable storage device in Asia, Europe, US and the rest of the world.

The CompactDrive continues to be one of the best portable storage devices in the market. It has the world’s fastest transfer speed as well as longest battery life in the market. In fact, the CompactDrive PD7X recently won the prestigious DIMA (Digital Imaging Marketing Association) 2005 Innovative Digital Product Award, at the recent PMA (Photo Marketing Association) International 2005, held in Orlando, the biggest photo equipment trade show in North America.

[S230]

This posting is becoming more interesting to read as it leads into a conspiracy theory... :)

[bigrob]

Just phoned Amazon Uk - it may get dispatched tonight (fingers crossed).


Just wondered what is the case like for it - any pics?

Has anyone found a UK/US site for the firmware upgrades.

Is it easy to check what firmware you have?

Hurry up Amazon !!!!!:D

[bigrob]

It's going out tonight - please deliver it tomorrow :evil:

[Bruce Watson]

Just phoned Amazon Uk - it may get dispatched tonight (fingers crossed).


Just wondered what is the case like for it - any pics?

Has anyone found a UK/US site for the firmware upgrades.

Is it easy to check what firmware you have?

Hurry up Amazon !!!!!:D

Hi Rob,

Are you ordering the Epson? If so, the updates have not appeared on the North American sites as of today, but can be obtained from the Japan home site.

www.luminous-landscape.com has links and instructions on the install.

[michael.luczkow]

I have the archos AV420 and I LOVE IT!

also doubles as an MP3 player, divx player and VCR. :-)

[pwaldo]

Apple will begin shipping their Camera Connector for the iPod Photo (compatible with 30G, 40G, and 60G models) in 1-3 weeks.

Carry your tunes and create slide shows (complete with music) all without your laptop.

This is my choice for a memory tank.

Though the technical details are scant, it apears to work connected directly to both cameras and to media readers. I believe that it supports USB 2.0.

Here's a link with the details (and other links, too):

http://playlistmag.com/news/2005/03/22/cameraconnector/index.php

++ Peter

[joeseph]

Interesting that the website compactdrive.co.nz seems to be run from an office of accountants (going by I/P address and whois lookup)
the plot thickens...

[gasrocks]

I have an X-Drive II and am quite happy. Of course, I had a specific plan upon buying it. The built in bty is only good for about a 4GB download. But, I plan on leaving it in the car and running it on an inverter (which I have in all vehicles.) Gives me another 60 GB (size I bought) storage. No reviewing, no verification of data but it is CHEAP and realiable. If they are important pix, copy twice.

[S230]

I have an X-Drive II and am quite happy. Of course, I had a specific plan upon buying it. The built in bty is only good for about a 4GB download. But, I plan on leaving it in the car and running it on an inverter (which I have in all vehicles.) Gives me another 60 GB (size I bought) storage. No reviewing, no verification of data but it is CHEAP and realiable. If they are important pix, copy twice.
This is where the PD7X shines but unfortunately poorly built. The unit has data verification and also battery life is amazing. I copied more than 10GB of data and still have plenty of juice remaining. Eventhough the speficiation says can copy more than 28GB, I normally recharge the batteries halfway.
I guess the makers never thought the unit to become so technically advanced so they probably decided to build cheap units and sell as much as possible before shutting down and take off. If they knew there would be a good future, they would stick around to the next generation.

[kiwimichael]

Hi

Regarding the CompactDrive PD7X - it looks interesting. While searching for reviews I found an interesting discussion at the Dpreview forum -
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1023&message=10164896

Please note that the discussion took place in Sept 2004.

Cheers
Michael

[S230]

Hi

Regarding the CompactDrive PD7X - it looks interesting. While searching for reviews I found an interesting discussion at the Dpreview forum -
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1023&message=10164896

Please note that the discussion took place in Sept 2004.

Cheers
Michael
Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

[pwaldo]

Finally, Apple has posted some of the details for the iPod Photo Camera Connector...

How to use the Camera Connector:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301059

What iPod Photo update 1.1 includes:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301113

Some facts:

- The interface to the camera (or media reader) is USB 2.0. (You supply the cable)
- Can "unload" RAW as well as video files (though can't display them).
- You can later transfer the files from the iPod to your PC/Mac for processing. (iPhoto not required.)

Not bad for an MP3 player! (The 30/60G drives aren't too shabby either!)

++ Peter

[KenE]

Anyone hear when P-2000s might be back in stock? One site I checked showed April 4, but I don't remember which that was. None of my email inquiries have been fruitful (standard "we don't know, but check back often!" response).

I've seen a few stores that look like they have them, but are charging high $500-600+.

Thanks!

[Blade]

Hi i use the 80Gb SmartDisk FlashTrax bought a spare battery as well just in case, great storage tool,

[R1 Kid]

Hi

Regarding the CompactDrive PD7X - it looks interesting. While searching for reviews I found an interesting discussion at the Dpreview forum -
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1023&message=10164896

Please note that the discussion took place in Sept 2004.

Cheers
Michael

I don't know what to believe. I hear strong cases both for and against the PD7X.

[rokclimbertx]

so it appears that the only one that reads canon raw files is the epson?
thanks

gonna answer my own question to a point... the smartdisk flashtrax also supports most canon raw files...

since these are the only 2 that really interest me i won't look into the others but i'm sure someone here will have the info...

[Overexposed]

KenE - I have been looking for the Epson P-2000 too

Calumet's web site states they expect them in on April 4th, but I wouldn' count on it

http://www.calumetphoto.com/resources/images/icons/domains_us.gif

Inventory Information

Status

Epson P-2000 Storage Viewer 40GB
Epson

(IM5700) View Product Information (http://www.calumetphoto.com/ctl?PAGE=Controller&ac.ui.pn=cat.CatItemDetail&ac.item.itemNo=IM5700)


http://www.calumetphoto.com/resources/images/icons/syn_icon_expected.gif Expected from Vendor
This item is on order and expected at our primary warehouse in Chicago.
Date Expected: Apr 4, 2005


Stock (http://javascript<b></b>:popUp('ctl?PAGE=Controller&ac.ui.pn=common.IncSel&ac.ui.if=text/stockKey.jsp&ac.ui.pt=PU', '600','550'))IMPORTANT: The stock information provided here is updated daily and is current as of early Apr 1 2005 8:15PM

http://www.calumetphoto.com/resources/images/buttons/syn_btn_close.gif (http://javascript<b></b>:window.close())
http://www.calumetphoto.com/resources/images/trans1x1.gif

Privacy Info (http://www.calumetphoto.com/ctl?PAGE=Controller&ac.ui.pn=common.IncSel&ac.ui.if=text/privInfo.jsp) | Security (http://javascript<b></b>:popUp('ctl?PAGE=Controller&ac.ui.pn=common.IncSel&ac.ui.if=text/security.jsp&ac.ui.pt=PU',250,250)) | Legal Stuff (http://www.calumetphoto.com/ctl?PAGE=Controller&ac.ui.pn=common.IncSel&ac.ui.if=text/legal.jsp) | Browser Info (http://javascript<b></b>:popUp('ctl?PAGE=Controller&ac.ui.pn=common.IncSel&ac.ui.if=text/browserInfo.jsp&ac.ui.pt=PU',250,250))
©Copyright 1998-2002, Calumet Photographic, Inc. (http://www.calumetphoto.com/ctl?PAGE=Controller&ac.ui.pn=compinfo.CompAboutUs&topic=ContactUs) All Rights Reserved.

[KenE]

Due date for the Epson P-2000 has been changed to April 29th on Calumet's web page. Will be too late for my week in Moab in early May :confused:

[blackviolet]

all of the problems you guys have been having - i'm glad i got mine on boxing day from yodobashi :)
in fact i was there a few days ago and they had quite a few of them!!!

[Citizensmith]

I don't know what to believe. I hear strong cases both for and against the PD7X.

I think the unit certainly seems to have issues. When you have to add in the cost of case and a hard drive it isn't even that cheap. And then you put in 4 new alkaline batteries and stand a chance of frying your new hard drive. Or try and read a microdrive and stand a chance of files being corrupted as you pull too much power.

And then there is the issues of which website to believe. Sure it looks like dirty tricks, but if the other sites were really lying then why hasn't the 'real' company sued for copyright infringement (use of the other domains) and then to get a retraction of the false information. Assuming it is in fact false.

Think I'll be steering well clear.

[KenE]

I finally found a stock of P-2000s, but it was too late- I'd just ordered an 80GB SmartDisk Flashtrax for a pretty good price, about $430 with the $50 rebate until the end of April. froogle.google.com is my friend.

Anyways, Pro Photo Supply in Portland has a few P-2000s if anyone's looking. They're asking retail. Layed my hands on a demo unit and it's a very nice machine. Kinda glad I got about double the capacity in the Flashtrax- it also comes with a remote control if the pics on Newegg are accurate. Works with .CR2 files like the Epson.

Ken

[khenn]

For those of you who have the PD7X...

When a CF card is inserted into the unit, does it go completly in so that the door is able to shut the whole way? If so does it use an eject button similar to the DSLRs?

Kris

[S230]

For those of you who have the PD7X...

When a CF card is inserted into the unit, does it go completly in so that the door is able to shut the whole way? If so does it use an eject button similar to the DSLRs?

Kris
Nope... it just simply plug into the unit with half hanging out. So far, i have no problem with it as long as I am patient and read the instruction on the screen. The transfer rate is extremely fast and power consumption is efficicent.
I agree that newer units are better built and more fancy but the PD7X's technology was quite amazing.

[khenn]

S230,

Some people have commented on how cheaply the housing of the pd7x seems to be made. If the CF card is "hanging out", then the door must remain open while the copy is in progress. Do you have any concerns about this? Is the door/hinge strong enough? I'm just thinking........ if you have it in a shirt pocket or suit pocket would it be safe?

Kris

[S230]

S230,

Some people have commented on how cheaply the housing of the pd7x seems to be made. If the CF card is "hanging out", then the door must remain open while the copy is in progress. Do you have any concerns about this? Is the door/hinge strong enough? I'm just thinking........ if you have it in a shirt pocket or suit pocket would it be safe?

Kris
I personally don't have any of these problems because whenever I copy files, I always lay the unit flat on the table and leave it alone. Yes, the card does stick out but it's no problem when you are not moving it around. When i travel with it, I would put it back in the carrying case that comes with the unit. The housing is cheaply built but I don't plan on dropping it... :) I hope this info helps. Are you buying one?

[khenn]

Are you buying one?

Well, I'm seriosly considering it. I want a storage solution, but I don't think it is important to be able to review the images on the unit as long as I can verify that everything was copied sucessfully. Any suggestions on where to buy them? I've seen a few people mention mydigitaldiscount.com. What do you suggest?

Kris

[S230]

Well, I'm seriosly considering it. I want a storage solution, but I don't think it is important to be able to review the images on the unit as long as I can verify that everything was copied sucessfully. Any suggestions on where to buy them? I've seen a few people mention mydigitaldiscount.com. What do you suggest?

Kris
Depending on where you live. I got mine in Canada from a store just north of Toronto.
Check out www.3hdigital.com. Unfortuantely I don't remember the store name but they sell things on ebay.
The irony is that this device had won awards recently but not sure anymore what is true or not.
http://www.3hdigital.com/index.html
http://www.compactdrive.com/reviews.htm

"The CompactDrive PD7X recently won the prestigious DIMA (Digital Imaging Marketing Association) 2005 Innovative Digital Product Award, at the recent PMA (Photo Marketing Association) International 2005, held in Orlando, the biggest photo equipment trade show in North America."

[lancea]

When I started reading this thread I never imagined I'd find so much intrigue about the CompactDrive - and someone in my own country is at the heart of it :o. The CompactDrive has a major advantage in taking AA cells (I hate having to carry multiple chargers), but then I read the comments about the voltage applied to the hard drive - so moving on to alternatives ...

While the Epson P-2000 seems to be the favorite it is expensive (and hard to get). I'm really looking for storage without the bells and whistles. If I search eBay for "photo storage" it comes up with the "Foci Media Buddy". It's got a few extra bells, but is relatively cheap. Has anyone bought one and liked it?

[Torpedo]

It's going out tonight - please deliver it tomorrow :evil:

bigrob, did you get it (P2000) then?
I'm thinking about getting this, and Amazon UK is still the cheapest. They are still quoting 1-2 weeks delivery, too.

[Tomasz Dziechciarz]

What is a good price for EP-2000??? And when?

[tim]

The PDX7 sounds perfect for what I want, but with the reports of poor build quailty and an out of spec power supply to the hard disk, I don't think I want to risk my valuable photos to it. Anyone know of anything similar - an image tank with no fancy expensive preview screen, with decent battery life and fast transfer speeds?

Maybe i'll just buy more CF cards.

[alan sh]

bigrob, did you get it (P2000) then?
I'm thinking about getting this, and Amazon UK is still the cheapest. They are still quoting 1-2 weeks delivery, too.

Amazon UK are shipping them now - mine arrived a week ago.

Alan

[Kenkejas]

Can U tell where 'north of Toronto' I could find such item (PD7X) ?

[PJ Saine]

My personal experience is with 2 different devices. With my Canon D60, I used a Nixvue Digital Album 20G model. (www.nixvue.com) Very reliable. It helped me as I shot for my New Hampshire Rock Portraits book (www.blueplatepress.com), as well as when shooting in India & China. I still have it and use it for smaller jobs.

When I upgraded to the Canon 20D, the files were larger (shooting Raw + large .jpg) and I purchased a 60 gig Compact Drive PD7 unit. Pros: Reliable, bigger battery, faster upload, USB 2.0 download. Cons: the protective plastic covers on the end were either off (loading end) or cracked and covered with electrical tape (battery end) in the first use [2 weeks in Myanmar (Burma)]. Good unit, poor design/construction of endcaps. I purchased directly from their website at: www.compactdrive.co.nz - a vendor that no longer supports the unit.

I found this out while I was photographing on Easter Island. I tried to download a card, and got an "error 07" message. Not sure what that was, so went back to town, found an internet cafe, tried to access www.compactdrive.net (where the unit was purchased) and find that they had discontinued support. No support or error code list found after an extemsive Google search of related terms. I plugged the unit in back at my hotel room, thinking maybe it is power related. Same error message. For additional room on my CF cards, I ditched bracketed exposures - leaving only 'best one' - thankfully it was the last day of the trip. Back home - plugged unit in. No info on screen, though it sounds like the hard drive is spinning. No lights on PDX7 worked. I bought a new hard drive enclosure, removed the hard drive, and recovered the images from the drive.

I no longer recommend this unit.

Hope this helps!

PJ
www.pjsaine.com

[lancea]

I no longer recommend this [PDX7] unit.

Hope this helps!
Yes it does thanks! I'm still hoping someone has tried the Foci Media Buddy as it appears to be a reasonable alternative to the low-cost PDX7. Otherwise, untill the P-2000 comes down in price I think additional CF cards is not a bad idea at all ...

[R1 Kid]

I have to agree with PJ Saine...

I went to my local Wolf Camera and they had a P2000 in stock. Can you believe it!!! Bad news is it was promised to another store about 4 hours away :( Just my luck. However luckily I have a very loving wife and she went back to the store and asked for their directory of other Wolf stores around the state. She called several stores till she found one. Then handed the phone to the manager and asked them to ship it to her store. So now I'm on standby for about 2-3 days till it gets here. That was Sunday. My wife talked to her today and she said it in in transit to her store now. Woo-hoo! I tell her all the time.. "I couldn't do this without you".

I thought I would share this little tech. my wife found. Waiting a few days and doing a little leg work is far better than waiting till "possibly some time in May".

[S230]

Can U tell where 'north of Toronto' I could find such item (PD7X) ?
I don't have the exact store name but if I find it, I will post it here.

[tim]

Yes it does thanks! I'm still hoping someone has tried the Foci Media Buddy as it appears to be a reasonable alternative to the low-cost PDX7. Otherwise, untill the P-2000 comes down in price I think additional CF cards is not a bad idea at all ...

Do you have a link to that product? A quick google didn't find it.

[Kenkejas]

found some reviews about storages:
http://fhoude34.free.fr/PortableHD.htm
guy is happy about PD7X :eek:, see link inside review.

One of my friends got:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3880129449&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1
he is also happy but proprietary battery lasts only 4x512Mb CF.

IMHO there is no need to have MP3 player: it is not safe for hdd to have vibrations while it reads/writes. So playback is possible just in quiet position. I think it is better to have separate dedicated only for MP3 device with no directory or file name limitations. Most of devices providing photobank and MP3 saves all MP3 in one folder and no custom lists available.

Can someone recomend any store in Canada (Toronto) selling storing devices, pleez... ???

[Kenkejas]

Has anyone tried:
http://printerboyweb.net/pro_stuff/LOOK/index.php

seems cheapest one, batt - external wired, could connect directly to your camera.

[steven]

Has anyone tried:
http://printerboyweb.net/pro_stuff/LOOK/index.php

seems cheapest one, batt - external wired, could connect directly to your camera.

No verification!:(
Any stroage device I would be interested in would have to have a way of verifying the images were correctly transfered.

[Kenkejas]

No verification!:(
Any stroage device I would be interested in would have to have a way of verifying the images were correctly transfered.

IMHO CRC is for that:confused:! In general USB transfer is with a little errors always as well as any network transmissions, but in low harware level there is CRC information and piece of information is requested/sended again. Or you mean something else?

[steven]

IMHO CRC is for that:confused:! In general USB transfer is with a little errors always as well as any network transmissions, but in low harware level there is CRC information and piece of information is requested/sended again. Or you mean something else?

See you point about CRC but I always like to have a binary diff check between copy and original. I have to admit in my 20+ years of working with computer I have only seen this fail a handfull of times but still I have seen it fail.

But a bigger point is:
You need some way of checking to see that all of the images transfered.
e.g. That the transfer process did not abort part way throught due to connection or power issues.

[Kenkejas]

You need some way of checking to see that all of the images transfered.
e.g. That the transfer process did not abort part way throught due to connection or power issues.

Exactly! The reason I am scared of LOOK device is that batterys and card reader are wired externaly. Not big deal if USB card reader looses connection but what about power for HDD? IMHO PD7x looks more solid.

[S230]

Can U tell where 'north of Toronto' I could find such item (PD7X) ?
I had found the store where I bought my unit. It is:
Xeon Trading Inc.
151 Bentley Street. Unit 12
L3R3X9
(905) 415-9929

Hope this information would help.

[Kenkejas]

Hurray,

found INOi HD182:
http://www.inoi.com/English/HD182.asp

TigerDirect.ca has it. Does anyone has experience with it ???? IMHO 600 mAh Li-Ion batt maybe will not drive long, but for day or two will be enough.

There is another interesting solution if someone has external HDD:
i.Perris Mobile Technology U2 OTG USB 1.1 Copier
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=1265850&sku=I302-1006

UPDATE: have asked several questions of INOi customer support and got prompt response (seems to be OK device):

Q1: is flash updatable?
A1: Yes, it has most updated firmware but also it is updatable (if necessary).

Q2: how much this device can upload from CF in real life conditions per one charge?
A2: upto 2.5GB currently in real life conditions.

Q3: what brand HDD is in there?
A3: Hitachi

Q4: does warranty covers HDD failure/bad sectors?
A4: Comes with 1 year limited warranty, except for the battery, which carries 6 month warranty.

Q5: how files uploaded from CF to device? Does each upload creates separate directory?
A5: Just one click, copy, will uploaded image file in CF to the device. Each upload creates a separate directory.

Q6: what happens if power goes too low during copy?
If the power goes too low during copy, it LED light will indicate the power is lower.

Q7: is there any web location to read happy customers reviews?
A7: So far not much reviews came out yet because this is new product.

[tim]

Does anyone know of a store that has the Epson P-2000 in stock, and will ship it to New Zealand reasonably quickly? I don't care where the store is, US, Asia, it makes no difference to me, so long as they ship to here.

[digitalamateur]

When I started reading this thread I never imagined I'd find so much intrigue about the CompactDrive - and someone in my own country is at the heart of it :o. The CompactDrive has a major advantage in taking AA cells (I hate having to carry multiple chargers), but then I read the comments about the voltage applied to the hard drive - so moving on to alternatives ...

While the Epson P-2000 seems to be the favorite it is expensive (and hard to get). I'm really looking for storage without the bells and whistles. If I search eBay for "photo storage" it comes up with the "Foci Media Buddy". It's got a few extra bells, but is relatively cheap. Has anyone bought one and liked it?
i bought a 40gb media buddy and so far i really like it. :lol: transferred a full 256mb CF card in about 3 minutes – which is ok with me. There is no picture viewing, but that’s enough for me as I just need it for copying over my pictures.
More product info here: http://www.digitalfoci.com/media_buddy.html

oh and I really like the blue aluminum casing (look different from other products i saw)

on their company website the 40gb is listed for 249, but I got for just 199 on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43450&item=7525653312&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

also I contacted digital foci about replacing the battery etc and found their customer service pretty good.

[kram]

How is the battery on the media buddy? I am looking at the 40GB one for my 3 week Europe trip.

[digitalamateur]

media buddy uses a 900mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery. in their manual they claim a battery life of 1.6 hours... but i haven't let it run out so far to know for sure. i use it primarily for transferring my pictures over and not for listening to mp3s, so i just need to use it for a few minutes for each transfer and it would last for a few days for me. when I see one bar left on the battery icon, I just recharge it at night.

The battery is replaceable; you just need to unscrew the back cover to do it. Digital foci said they’ll have one available soon, but I’m sure it’s not too hard to find a compatible one if you need an extra battery.

btw, if the ebay link doesn’t work, try search for ‘portable photo storage’ and it should come up.

[Kacey3]

how do you deal with the 8.3 file naming structure for MP3 storage on the Epson? that would drive me absolutely bonkers! I mean, other than that, it looks incredible, but I can't have all my MP3 file names truncated, it would be maddening.

If there's a way around this, please let me know because I've spent a week staring at a hundred different devices and a thousand different reviews trying to find the perfect storage.