LaCie external drive for Mac Mini

[coasteray]

I own a Mac Mini, and am considering a LaCie 1TB external drive, model number 301304U. It's the one designed by Neil Poulton, is a sleek black box with a blue light on the bottom. It has a USB 2.0 input and an on/off switch in the back.

I'd like to know which manufacturer really made the drive inside the LaCie box. I know LaCie uses different manufacturers, but I can't find out any information anywhere about which manufacturer's drive is inside this model, or other LaCie models in general. I guess the same can be said for many other hard drive companies. Heck, even Apple uses Hitachi. That's what came inside the Mac Mini (a 120GB drive), though I now have a 320GB drive inside.

I'd appreciate some help on this one. Thanks.

 

[gdbleb]

I can't answer your drive question but I will suggest that if you can afford it, do buy the tri-mode version of any external drive so you can connect via firewire 800 rather than USB. You will not regret it.
There are also some quad-mode drives that add eSata but the mini does not have that.

 

[FourCandles]

I would agree with gdbleb on the subject of interface (assuming your Mini has FW800; if it only has FW400 then the difference is less evident).

I have one of the black Neil Poulton LaCie drive enclosures and have opened it up to fit a HD. Personally I thought it not as well made inside as the LaCie d2 series, of which I have three. I'm also not convinced that the heat dissipation on the black plastic enclosure is sufficient. Obviously the cost is going to be different, but IMHO I'd go for the d2 in preference; you'll get FW800 and also eSATA should you need it in the future.

I believe LaCie use several HD manufacturers, as do Apple, and similarly you're unlikely to be able to predict which you're getting in a given purchase. AFAIK they don't even reveal themselves in Disk Utility - I have a d2 in which I've fitted a Seagate drive and it still shows as "LaCie d2 quadra Media".

 

[Mr Kram]

i have to echo d2 and FW. i have had 4 of these (3 currently) with no issue. i would also suggest the rack if you expand.

 

[speedwaygirl]

I'll admit that it's been a while since I bought a Lacie drive, but those I purchased between 2006 and 2008 were a nightmare! I used to work for a national magazine and all we purchased were Lacie externals: Burners and external storage. So I started doing the same at home. Of the three Lacie external HDD's I've owned, all have had their power supply replaced under warranty at least one time, some two. Lacie was great to work with, but once they are out of warranty, you are stuck with a drive and an unusable enclosure. The drives in question were two Porsche drives and an Ethernet Mini. If you search the net, you'll find a LOT of people that had the same problem. But hopefully they've replaced the type of brick that they were using. Can anyone confirm?

That said, I have a Lacie DVD burner that has been spectacular, but it uses a different type of power brick than the HDD's did.

 

[FourCandles]

...But hopefully they've replaced the type of brick that they were using. Can anyone confirm?
...

They've certainly changed the brick used for the d2s, when they changed from the solid wall d2 enclosure with the logo embossed in, to the one with the fluted wall for better heat dissipation. At this time the brick changed to being about an inch shorter and a little taller. The DC connector also changed from the DIN type to a barrel connector.

I have one of the old d2s and two newer; the older power brick runs much hotter than the newer, so that would fit with the older ones being less reliable I guess.

The black Neil Poulton one I have seems to use the newer type as per the newer d2s.

 

[speedwaygirl]

They've certainly changed the brick used for the d2s, when they changed from the solid wall d2 enclosure with the logo embossed in, to the one with the fluted wall for better heat dissipation. At this time the brick changed to being about an inch shorter and a little taller. The DC connector also changed from the DIN type to a barrel connector.

I have one of the old d2s and two newer; the older power brick runs much hotter than the newer, so that would fit with the older ones being less reliable I guess.

The black Neil Poulton one I have seems to use the newer type as per the newer d2s.

@FourCandles: So glad to hear that. I always stood behind Lacie and to have so many failures in short time was heartbreaking (and wallet breaking, too). Glad to hear that they have improved their power supplies!

 

[FireWire2]

As i remember it was Hitachi drive. But for the newer model they use a lower RPM HDD, dont know it's a WD or Seagate

 

[mangrove]

Definitely get a FW800 model and think about 2TB so you're covered further into the future as your needs grow.

I own 3 different Lacie and love them all.

 

[coasteray]

Thanks to everyone who has thus far replied. I appreciate the insights and information.

 

[Gordy]

I've a lacie quadra, I bought a cheap 320gb one then replaced the drive inside with one of my choosing. That way you get the drive you want. Slightly more expensive, but not by much in my case.

 

[RevolverSly]

Recently buy a Lacie d2 Quadra -the one with the aluminium heat dissipation design-, I also considered the Black Neil Poulton Quadra, but the aluminium -and the fact that both have the same price in my local retail- makes me take the decision.

So far work well, I have a little complaint about the noise that the spinning drive makes but at least there is no fan; and about the fact that the color of aluminium is darker than the Apple use for their products -even in the box look lighter-.

By the way, I wish to know if there is some way to turn off the blue light of the enclosure? and also I have troubles with the big button function; I assigned the function -through the system preferences panel who is installed- to open Plex, so if I want to stop using the Mac and turn on the HTPC just hit one button is enough, but that function is not by default active, I explain myself: when I turn on the enclosure and the drive is detected, I need to explore the drive, open the system preference panel, reopen, and just after that the button is active and works the way is suppose to work.

Some help, please? Thanks in advance

P.D. I connect through FW800, to a Mac mini late 2009, OSX 10.6.4

 

[FourCandles]

...I have a little complaint about the noise that the spinning drive makes but at least there is no fan;
...

I've found that a lot of the noise is transmitted through the base; try lifting it off the desk while it's working to see the difference. Try putting an old mouse mat or similar underneath it. Mine also seem to make less noise when vertical, on the stand, rather than horizontal.