Hyperdrive = Fast

I am going on a trip this summer and wanted an extra storage device to back up my FlashTrax. Since I did not need a review screen for tha back up device I ordered a 100 gb Hyperdrive.

Today I came back from a hike with 117 RAW photos on a 4 gb Extreme III card and decided to time the download time to my computer using a USB2 Sandisk card reader, to the Hyperdrive and to the FlashTrax. With the card reader I used the RawShooter Premium down load utiity so that I would get all files in one directory on my hard drive without a bunch of extra subdirectories.

Hyperdrive - 2:08
USB2 cardreader - 2:18
FlashTrax - 16:13

I knew the FlashTrax was slow, but I didn't realize it was that slow. Hyperdrive claimed to be fast, it turns out it really is.

How do you like using AAs? How heavy is the Hyperdrive? Are you worried about the lid breaking? I heard it's a bit flimpsy. Any problems with the CF sticking out too far and getting in the way while you're trying to continue to shoot?

I have been recently researching different PSD and have narrowed it down to the Hyperdrive, the Digimate II or the Nexto CF. Looking for the pros and cons of each. Obviously you find your Hyperdrive to be quite fast, as they claim it to be. Is there anything else you really like or dislike about it? Did you buy yours with the hard drive included, or did you put one in?

Any help with chosing would be appreciated!!

Oh, thanks for the first hand experience regarding the download speed comparison!!!

Yep, it's fast. I love mine.

I've been using it for about 8 months or so now with no real trouble. The doors work fine, and I have yet to have a problem with the CF card--even with most of my use during stage shows, so I'm almost blind inserting it. That also forced me to get used to the one-hand operation dpeending on the LED, works fine. IMHO this is one of the most useful photo accessories I've ever purchased.

Been considering one myself. A buddy of mine just got one and he was complaining about the start up time, said it counts up the drive size at every boot. Any comments on this? Any other annoying things about it?

I really like mine, but I had a helluva time dealing with these people for a replacement (stopped working after a month..just bad luck..I hope)!!
Having the option to use double AA's instead of a proprietary battery or non-removable battery was one of the biggest reasons I wanted it.
The lid is plastic, but I think its fine when used with care.
The CF slot is a little shallow. Be careful inserting and removing the card. The pins could get bent.
The boot up time is a non issue. You don't have to wait until it reads the available space. Insert the card, turn it on, download. It's automatic after 7 seconds of turning the unit on.

If you turn the Hyperdrive on without a memory card loaded it seems to remeasure the hard drive and takes quite a while. If you put the CF card in first and then turn it on the start up time is quite fast.

The CF card sticks out quite a bit in use. You want to be very careful when putting a card in to be sure it is straight. I certainly would not walk around doing something else while it is downloading. In any case, I like to take the Hyperdrive out of the nylon case so I can see the display when it is downloading. You can watch the file count and see the happy face display when the download is successful. Having lost 1 gb of important images on an Image Tank I used previously I want to see confirmation that the download was successful.

With four AA batteries and a solid aluminum case the Hyperdrive does not take any super light weight prizes. Still it is lighter and more compact than a lap top and the weight gives it a solid feel. Using AA batteries is handy. That makes the batteries interchangeable with my flash, GPS, pen light and other gadgets. It should always be possible to find four charged batteries somewhere.

The lid does seem a little flimsy, but the unit should continue to work if it did break. If the door on the battery compartment at the other end broke you would be out of business.

Thanks ScottE....appreciated.

Start up time hasn't bothered me. I have dealt with support once & while they took a day or so to reply, they were otherwise nice to deal with, no complaints.

If the door does happen to break, replacements are on the eastgear site, $1.50 each. Mine are still perfect & the battery door never gets opened anyway.

that Hyperdrive looks great, first i have ever heard of it, being able to get just the case alone and install any laptop drive is a nice feature! - if i ever fill my 3g's of CF's - this is next on my list, got a couple 30g and 40g laptop HD's lying around collecting dust.

I recently purchased the Hyperdrive and I'm confused on several issues.

Do you routinely recharge the NiMH AA batteries everytime you go out for a shoot?

Do you keep backup batteries?

What happens if the batteries run down before you transfer images to your computer?

I have not been recharging the batteries in my Hyperdrive, but carry some freshly charged batteries just in case. I don't know yet how long it can go on one charge. The literature says it will download 80 gb, but that could be a bit optimistic.

I always carry some extra batteries, just in case I need them for the flash, GPS or flashlight. Also I carry the connecting cables so I can run it off the car cigarette lighter or plug into a wall socket in a hotel room.

The hard drive in the Hperdrive does not lose its memory if you take out the batteries. Change the batteries before downloading to your computer, or hook up to a wall socket. I don't know what would happen if your power ran out mid way through a download. Computers do some strange things when that happens.

If it was done properly, it should not delete the file from the sources drive until it has a copy on the destination drive, this is how windows works with large files, this is why you could cancel a large transfer in windows before it is done and your file is still in your source location.

It looks nice! Like a device that functions how it's supposed to.

*not speaking from experience*

Yes, I try to make sure I start with a full charge.

Not yet (I should get a spare set)

You have to plug it in and/or recharge first. I always run off AC power when downloading. If the batteries go dead while it's sitting, no big deal--remember you are using a standard magnetic hard drive it only needs power to read or write the data.

I have had the batteries run too low to complete a download & it give an error message to tell you it could not complete. At that point, I just put it away & shot until I was out of CF storage. Went home, plugged in & downloaded as normal.

This is pretty much a foolproof device that just does it's job with minimal fuss.

BTW, the battery life claims seem to be pretty accurate from my experience. The couple of times I ran out was more because I forgot to recharge first, so it was low from a previous shoot & sitting for a while.

I have the pd70x and it realy is amazing,2gb=2min.