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External USB drive - fast enough to display HD content?

E

EmptyG

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 16, 2007
187
0
Hi all :) I am getting my new MBP in less than a week (woohooo!) and I had a question about speed rates to an HDTV...

I have an external drive that I have almost full of HD files (.ts files, actually). I am planning on hooking my MBP up to my HDTV via the DVI connector, and would like to be able to play my .ts files from the external HD, through the MBP, to the HDTV set I have.

So basically it would be:

(.ts files) --> MacBook Pro --> out to HDTV via DVI->HMDI.

Is this as easy as it sounds, or will there be lag from the USB drive (yes, it's USB 2.0). If it is possible, I am going to get a new external drive with more capacity (current one is only 80GB).

Thanks for any help! :)
 
I Think So

EmptyG said:
Hi all :) I am getting my new MBP in less than a week (woohooo!) and I had a question about speed rates to an HDTV...

I have an external drive that I have almost full of HD files (.ts files, actually). I am planning on hooking my MBP up to my HDTV via the DVI connector, and would like to be able to play my .ts files from the external HD, through the MBP, to the HDTV set I have.

So basically it would be:

(.ts files) --> MacBook Pro --> out to HDTV via DVI->HMDI.

Is this as easy as it sounds, or will there be lag from the USB drive (yes, it's USB 2.0). If it is possible, I am going to get a new external drive with more capacity (current one is only 80GB).

Thanks for any help! :)
Click to expand...
I am unfamiliar with that file type. I play EyeTV recordings & mp4 encodes from them from USB2 drives on my Quad to HDTV successfully. Should do fine.
 
I PLAY .mov HD files from my external USB 2.0 Drive. I also edit all my FCE and Soundtrack and Livetype files from it. So it should be fine.
 
Thanks!

Great, thank you for the replies. If anyone is interested, after I get my MBP I will post back how it went. :)
 
you should be fine editing/playing back all hdv and even dvcpro 720p60. your going to have a hell of a time trying to do anything uncompressed at 1080p tho.
 
I've had problems in the past with USB2's bottlenecks, so stick exclusively with FireWire unless I'm transporting MS Word documents somewhere :rolleyes:

It's been so bad in the past for me and others I know, that for the last good few years I've not recommended anyone get a USB2 drive if they can afford the FW equivalent.

If you can, I'd say go for the FW or FW800 option - it's quite a lot faster anyway (especially FW800) ;)
 
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