USB harddrive fast enough for clients ?

[Fritzer]

Now this is a pretty silly question ...

When I'm shooting for advertising clients, I usually give the agency people, or the retoucher, a portable (bus-powered) harddrive with all the image files .

So far, I've been using only Firewire HDDs, due to the much higher transfer speeds compared to USB
Yet there are usually less than 6GB worth of files per shoot day (still life), including all the raws and a bunch of processed 16bit .tifs from my Aptus 75 .

Now I'm wondering if I could get away with portable USB drives instead - call me silly, but it's such a waste to buy the minimum 320GB FW drive every time there are just a couple dozen Gigs of files to hand over, even though the client is paying .

Do the agency people care if it's only USB ?

[Craig Lamson]

USB 2.0 = 480 Mbps
Firewire 400 = 400 Mbps
"Although similar in theoretical maximum transfer rate, FireWire 400 is faster than USB 2.0 Hi-Bandwidth in real-use, (55) especially in high-bandwidth use such as external hard-drives."
Wikipedia / USB.

Not really a lot in it, so I doubt they will complain - but if cost is an issue, then 2 DVD's would be a lot cheaper.

Or an 8 GB thumb drive....

I deliver via ftp.  Can't remember the last time I delivered a hard copy anything.

[Ken Bennett]

A USB hard drive is fine. Not sure many clients would understand the difference -- I see a lot of USB externals hooked up to really fast computers.

[Fritzer]

Thanks fellows, appreciate it .

I also do a lot of uploading to ftp servers, but there are many times when I just don't have the connection to upload more than a few GB, even over the night .

USB sticks - I don't trust the art directors with something that small . 

[yaya]

USB sticks - I don't trust the art directors with something that small . 

You can make them bigger: http://bit.ly/9qcU3J

[fredjeang]

My ftp is now rock solid (not just one single freeze for ages) since someone recommended me the FileZila software (and it's free, stable and fast).
Also, it is worth having a dedicated fast server. All PDF format. Make sure you have a cabled connection on the machine where the ftp is, no wifi.
Following these concepts I have zero error now.

What I do is that I create a space via ftp for X client where he-she can download the files. You can also create a secret code to access the files (arts directors love that because it seems a private club...we are to that point, yes). The client does not need any ftp software (because I'm amazed how clumsy and unproductive are sometimes the "person in charge of"), just any browser would work so a baby could do it.

The advantages over physical gadgets are enormous.

The less devices involved, the better IMO. And the less you will be physically involved with the agency satelites people "in charge of", the better will remain your health.

Cheers.

[geesbert]

I gave up on DVDs for file transfer a while ago. I bought half a dozen cheap, but nice looking USB drives from Amazon, branded them with my logo and now after a day of shooting my clients get all all the files but the outtakes, which I keep to proof ownership of RAWS.

loads of advantages:

- a full backup leaves me.
- much faster than burning two to four DVDs, so the clients and ADs leave the set quite quickly after the last shot, which is worth its weight in gold.
- clients love it, if it is a big production, I tell them they can keep the drive. It is funny to see, how happy they are after spending €20.000 on a production to go home with a €30 freebee.
- more professional looking than a bunch of handwritten recordables
- easier and faster to browse for the client.
- for smaller Data package i hav a couple of USB sticks, branded with my name, to give away
- all other data goes onto my server.


goining for cheap drives is not a problem at all, as it is not meant as storage. if that harddrive should cave in, I still have a double set of the data in my laptop and on an external drive, and once I am back in my studio I'll pull a third copy. So I can always courier another drive to the client/retoucher.

[Fritzer]

You can make them bigger: http://bit.ly/9qcU3J

Oh, that's just cheesy ...

Thanks for the replies again; I will get me a bunch of USB drives ; It's funny how even using the cheapest enclosures and harddrives I still can't build one that is less than even a pretty looking Lacie USB/2.5" HDD .