# Hard Drive Suggestions **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 3, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-suggestions/484243 "2009-02-03T13:47:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-suggestions/484243/1 "2009-02-03T13:47:31Z")
I have a digital TV tuner (it gets digital cable) in my computer and now that I’m going to have to get cable, I was thinking of using my computer to record the TV shows. Thus I am looking for an external hard drive. After reading the online reviews about the various types I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions? I realize the people who don’t have issues with their hard drives probably don’t write great reviews so I am not sure I’d go with them all. But you never know. I definately want an external drive for the computer. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-suggestions/484243/2 "2009-02-03T14:57:48Z")
Western Digital or Seagate are generally good brands. If your computer has eSATA ports, definitely get an eSATA drive. Those transfer data at full internal hard drive speeds, instead of the substantially slower USB or Firewire speeds. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-suggestions/484243/3 "2009-02-03T15:58:58Z")
I went with [this WD drive](http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-GreenPower-Cache-WD10EVCS/dp/B0015VO9X2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1233676243&sr=8-1) for a similar application. I used it to upgrade the disk in my HDTivo. It’s not a blazingly fast drive, but it’s pretty ideal for PVR applications, with low-noise, low-power, and correspondingly reduced heat output. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-suggestions/484243/4 "2009-02-03T16:04:03Z")
[Newegg.com](http://Newegg.com) is a terrific source. Fast, reliable shipping, and a strong return policy in case it’s DOA. There’s also generally plenty of consumer reviews available on all the products. Some thing like [this](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136184), perhaps? (Oh, and whatever size you were thinking of, double it. I got an additional 1TB drive for my PC/DVR and I’m already feeling cramped.) ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-suggestions/484243/5 "2009-02-03T17:22:26Z")
I asked this same question about a month ago. The replies were quite helpful: > **[External Hard Drive](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=499514)** > > Santa brought me an external hard drive for Christmas. It’s quite a bit bigger than I need (1 terabyte!), and uses an external power source. Any recommendations for a relatively small (in size), USB powered external hard drive that I can “exchange”... ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-suggestions/484243/6 "2009-02-03T20:06:20Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > [Newegg.com](http://Newegg.com) is a terrific source. Fast, reliable shipping, and a strong return policy in case it’s DOA. There’s also generally plenty of consumer reviews available on all the products. Some thing like [this](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136184), perhaps? (Oh, and whatever size you were thinking of, double it. I got an additional 1TB drive for my PC/DVR and I’m already feeling cramped.) I was thinking of 500G and then ripping them to a DVD. Would it be better to get a 1TB drive? Or 2 500G drives? I keep hearing about high failure rates of these drives. I guess nothing is certain. My computer is pretty good \ so I’d just use the drive to store things Anyone have an opinion on space? ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hard-drive-suggestions/484243/7 "2009-02-03T20:11:56Z")
Ignore this post, for some reason it posted the same message again