New iMac User With Two Questions

[Snowydove]

Hello....I just purchased an iMac and added additional RAM and am happily learning how to use it...I love it! I had been a PC user for many years, but always longed for a Mac. Finally, I was able to get one

I have two questions and I would appreciate feedback:

1. What type of DVD media do I need to purchase for my iMac (DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW)? Also the same question for the CDs. Is there any particular format the Mac requires, or can I use any format?

2. What kind of external hard drive do you recommend? I tried a Toshiba but it would not show up at all in Disk Utility or on the desktop, so I returned it. Before buying another HD I wanted to get the opinion of other Mac users who have external hard drives that work well with the Mac and I can just plug in without having to format (either Firewire or USB) and immediately use with Time Machine. I have a 500 GB hard drive so I would think 1 TB should be sufficient for an external drive.

Thanks in advance!

~Paulette

 

[Mac'nCheese]

1. Any format is fine, AFAIK.
2. I have two imacs, both backed up with different Western Digital hard drives. Never had a problem with them.

 

[Spike88]

For my 2010 iMac, I bought a pre-formatted Mac compatible external Western Digital HDD and connected via FW800 port. It was pre-format for Macs and I simply plugged it in (and it worked). Think is was $20 more then the Win xx compatible external HDD. See signature for more details.

.

 

[rocknblogger]

I have a 2TB eGo that was pre-formated for Mac. It connects via FireWire 800 so read/write times are pretty darn good.

Good luck and enjoy your new Mac

EDIT: I realized after submitting my reply that there are a number of eGo drives. Here's the one I'm referring to
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003HIXOOQ/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1320887678&sr=8-1

 

[Wyvernspirit]

I have 2 External hard drives connected to my Computer.

1) A Seagate External USB 2.0 500GB Hard Drive, Originally Windows Format, Quick trip through Disk Utility to reformat, use for time machine till I can afford something bigger, probably another usb HD as Firewire is expensive.

2) Western Digital My Book Studio Edition 1TB (connected though Firewire 800), came Mac formated, 2 Partitions, 1 a backup boot drive, the other holds my music and video files.

Both work Fine, the My Book a bit better, but I used the Seagate for the My Books purpose before I got the My Book and it still handled the load, if a bit more sluggishly.

I am not sure why you are worried about getting a mac formatted drive, all things being equal yeah (I got a great deal on my My Book) but usually you pay a premium for mac formatting and you dont really get anything for it. The only possible exception is that it seems many Firewire drives seem to come Mac Formated as Windows users dont seem to get them as often as Mac users. I prefer Firewire, Firewire 800 When I can get it.