1TB External HD connected to 2x Computers?

Alias_Omega

Is this possible.?

I would like to be able to connect an external hard drive to 2 devices, one would be the main house computer and another a media device.

Both should not be turned on at the same time, so i was thinking that i could use one of these -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-AM-Male-M-2-AM-Male-M-Extention-Y-Splitter-Cable-/280595965473?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4154d2a621

Then i ask, what would be the outcome if both devices are online at the same time.

Alias

free4440273

you might be better off buying a NAS device - the Ethernet port will allow multiple machine attachments/ viewable by all machines/ more configurable too / :cool:


Netgear do a nice one/

BackOnTrack

I can't view ebay from work but for external storage to be shared between devices I would suggest buying a NAS, I have a readyNAS Duo that I use exactly for this. A NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a small box that you put hard disks in and connect to your network and it can be accessed by any device you attach to your network, I use it to story music, movies, photos, documents etc.

They are really easy to setup and you just attach them to your router with a network cable and you can then access the NAS from your devices.

JasX

Alias_Omega wrote: »

Then i ask, what would be the outcome if both devices are online at the same time.

That Y cable would be completly unsuitable, you should be looking at the NAS route.

The 'outcome' would be you have the power rails of the two machines connected together, you'd get a very high current and fair bit of heat generated before whichever of the two machines had the less robust PSU blew up....

.....you could take bets on which one would go first..... :cool:


...also whether you just blew the fuse, the PSU, or did serious damage to its components :T

gaming_guy

....................

JasX

gaming_guy wrote: »

If you do go for a NAS, forget the netgear stora (very poor reviews)

Humm, my googling bought up some fairly positive reviews of the stora..... techradar, an AV forums post... any words of caution?

-I've actually just ordered one (£70) on the back of em :undecided ...cancellation/DSR time?

John_Gray

Alias_Omega wrote: »

I would like to be able to connect an external hard drive to 2 devices, one would be the main house computer and another a media device.

You can do this by directly connecting the external hard drive to the 'main' PC which is on more of the time than the other, then SHAREing the device so that the other PC can see it, and read and write from/to it.

Obviously the main PC must be on when the lesser-used PC needs to access the external hard drive.

I assume that you have already set up networking such that each PC can 'see' the other on the network?

gaming_guy

....................

diable

As mentioned go for a NAS Buffalo is also worth looking into.

JasX

gaming_guy wrote: »

Yes:

Cheers gaming,

Think I'll stick with the Stora for now...

Partly on price (£70 vs £150+)... also as its being purchased for my not hugely techie father wanting to give NAS a go, not sure how much use he'll actually make of it but keeping it simple is probably best and is something vaguely useful to do with a couple of spare 250-500 GB HDDs I have lying around on shelves

If it bombs with him and I get my hands on it I've seen hints of hacked firmware to play with and can always just pull out the drives and access them directly if I get stuck

Alias_Omega

Thanks for the replies.

As i thought, it cant be done so i will have to make do with unplugging and reconnecting the leads. The media device cannot take a network cable, so unpractical as i now have purchased, and am using the 1TB HD.

Alias