SCSI Hard disk recording

  • Thread starter Thread starter rmh132
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rmh132

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Hi,

I am currently running Cakewalk Sonar on my notebook computer, PIII 900Mhz, 256 MB RAM, and recording via a USB Audio Interface.

With the hard drive built into my notbook i can usually manage 15-20 tracks without too much slowdown. Im aware that the spindle speed of my internal hard disk is probably below 5400RPM. Because of this, i bought an Ultra SCSI 10 Gig external hard drive from La Cie, with a spindle speed of 7200 RPM. It supposedly allows for transfer rates of up to 20 MB/sec. I will most likely be using Adaptec's Slim SCSI 1480, which allows connectivity of Ultra SCSI devices to a laptop computer, as a SCSI adapter. Im curious if anyone has any remarks on whether this sounds like a good plan or not, and if a 20MB transfer rate is adequete for projects containing 20-24 tracks.

One other question. Other than track count, what other advantages does having an additional hard drive deditcated solely for audio files have?

thanks,

rich
 
20 megabytes/sec in itself is way more than enough.
However, this 20 MB/s is the amount an ultra-scsi interface in theory is able to handle.
You didn't specify the exact brand and type of the hard disk but I expect that the hard disk won't be able to sustain transfer rates of this magnitude.
The important factor in the equation is the minimum sustainable transferrate. The transferrates drop when the hard disk is getting fuller and fuller because data then will be written on parts closer to the center of de disk where transferrates are lower.

Also very important. what's the sample rate you're going to use? 48khz/16 bits, 96 khz/24 bits?

The hard disk may work just fine though. Hard disk recording does not stress a hard disk as much as many probably would think.

If you'd give us the brand and type of the disk, I may be able to trace some specs. I've got a bunch of benchmarks lying around of numerous disks.
 
Specs

Here are the spefications taken from La Cie's website.
It is unknown to me whether or not La Cie manufactures the drives themselves, or simply puts them in enclosures and resells them. If that is the case, i think that the drive is most likely a Maxtor or a Seagate, Ultra-SCSI HD.

capacity: 10GB
rotational speed: 7200 rpm
interface: Ultra SCSI
buffer size: 2MB
average seek time (write): 9.1ms
sustained transfer rate: up to 20MB/s
dimensions(HxWxD): 2.5x8x11"
weight: 6 lbs.
system requirements: Depends on user's SCSI host controller.
Mac OS 8.6 & 9.x, Win 95/98/98SE/NT/2000/Me, Unix
 
sampling rate

Thanks for your help,

also, i am recording at 48Khz/16 Bit
 
16bits / 48 kHz.
24 tracks in this bit/samplerate equals to approx. 2,2 MB/s.
If this hard disk can't handle 2,2MB/s, it's either prehistoric or broken.

Go for it.
 
Not the HD

I would guess the USB interface is the bottleneck in your original configuration. i don't have too much practice in laptops, but I would imagine a Firewire card and an external IDE HD would offer similar performance. I just can't see forking out the money for a SCSI drive when you can have great performance from a ATA-66/100 or FireWire/IEEE-1394 which can theoretically transfer up to 400M/bits or 50MB/sec.

It might be worth checking out.

Dick
 
If USB is only used for the audio interface (like 2 channels in, 2 out) then it won't be a bottleneck at all.

An IDE hd can't be connected to a firewire interface just like that. It will need some sort of converter.
I fully agree that it may be an option to check out, especially because it will give better upgrade path in the future (ultra-scsi is still great for hd recording, very reliable yet obsolete technology).
 
I agree christaan, the FireWire would require a PCMCIA card which come with external laptop HD's. Only using two channels though, it would be overkill. I'm still stuck in the desktop DAW and mixer mentality with more than 8 I/O.

Good call. Nice form :D touche hehe
 
Evildick said:
I agree christaan, the FireWire would require a PCMCIA card which come with external laptop HD's. Only using two channels though, it would be overkill.
Click to expand...

I'm back :)

Overkill? Not really. He can still run 24 tracks in lets say Cooledit Pro, mixed down to 2 for playback through USB. He'd definately need something faster than USB like firewire or scsi (or USB 2.0)to manage those 24 tracks.

It's storing 24 tracks, simultaneous played back through 2 channels, right rmh132?
 
i'm thinking about getting a notebook in the next day or two...a 4200 RPM internal drive should be good for 8 tracks at 24/41?
 
j said:
i'm thinking about getting a notebook in the next day or two...a 4200 RPM internal drive should be good for 8 tracks at 24/41?
Click to expand...

If it's a brand new laptop, I would definately not worry about it.
 
thanks for the reply...guess you know i meant 24/44.1.....what about current drives on the market? i was looking at the ecs desknotes and you can buy one without hard drive , cpu or ram...you can get a desktop type p4 cpu and ddr pc2100 ram, but you have to use a notebook hard disk.

here's a link for the system : http://www.pcwave.com/desknote-a928.html
 
You can't expect top of the bill performance from a notebook drive but nowadays they're all fast enough for 8x 24/44.1.
 
USB Interface

Hi,

thanks for all your help guys,

The SUSB interface is not a bottleneck, not in the slightest, im mixing 24 tracks down to two through Cakewalk Sonar, (this is a slighlty old laptop guys, not a g4 Powerbook running through a MOTU or anything like that). I dont have a firewire port (or USB 2.0), but i do have a brand new ultra SCSI drive. all i need is a pcmia card to connect that to my pc. from what you guys have told me, 24 tracks of 16bit/41.1 Khz requires 2.2 MB/sec, and the disk has a spindle speed of 7200RPM with a 20MB/sec maximum transfer rate.

Again, i already own the hard disk, it is external. I just need to fork over 150 bucks for a pcmia card that will serve as a SCSI adapter, because my laptop doesnt have one built in.

thanks,

rich
 
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