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View Full Version : Numark D2. Which HDD and format?



samuelchristian
30-11-2009, 11:29 PM
I have now received my D2 and I am very happy with it :cool:

Unfortunately my external HDD is not accepted by it, only my flash drives. I have done the firmware update and that does not help. It is a Transcend Storejet 25 formatted in FAT.

Would formatting it to NTFS make it visable or do I just need to buy another HDD? To be honest I could do with another anyway so what drive would you recommend that is compatible and not too expensive? I only need 80gb.

When I get a new hard drive should I format it in NTFS and then run the library software on my pc to use the full search functions and then use flash drive for playlists and crates?

Sorry a lot of questions but I know that a couple of you are D2 masters.

Penfold42
30-11-2009, 11:32 PM
Is it a powered hard drive?

I'm not sure if they need to be powered with the D2. :o

samuelchristian
30-11-2009, 11:35 PM
Is it a powered hard drive?

I'm not sure if they need to be powered with the D2. :o

It does not have a seperate power cable if thats what you mean. It must take all the power it needs through the USB lead.

Penfold42
30-11-2009, 11:39 PM
It does not have a seperate power cable if thats what you mean. It must take all the power it needs through the USB lead.

That might be one problem - also, NTFS might be the format you require but i'm sure someone will be along to let you know.....also have you RTFM? :)

samuelchristian
30-11-2009, 11:41 PM
Aha, thanks a lot Tony you made me do some thinking there and I realised that the Storejet came with a USB lead which had 2 connectors on it, which must be to allow it to draw more power than just through 1 :) I dug out this lead and its all working nicely now even though it used 2 of the available USB ports on the D2

Thanks

Penfold42
30-11-2009, 11:44 PM
Aha, thanks a lot Tony you made me do some thinking there and I realised that the Storejet came with a USB lead which had 2 connectors on it, which must be to allow it to draw more power than just through 1 :) I dug out this lead and its all working nicely now even though it used 2 of the available USB ports on the D2

Thanks

No problem. :)

..and thanks Steve :sj:

samuelchristian
30-11-2009, 11:48 PM
Yes I read the other threads about the D2 but got confused a little with so many opinions. The main bit I did not understand was that if I use a HDD formatted in NTFS which by the sounds of it is better for me as my drive is 250gb can I then store cue points, playlists and crates for the files which are on the HDD on a diferent media such as a flash drive?

Excalibur
01-12-2009, 12:08 AM
Yes I read the other threads about the D2 but got confused a little with so many opinions. The main bit I did not understand was that if I use a HDD formatted in NTFS which by the sounds of it is better for me as my drive is 250gb can I then store cue points, playlists and crates for the files which are on the HDD on a diferent media such as a flash drive?

Ask Vectis. He's the oracle. Format your HD in FAT32, and store everything you want on there. But: Backup, backup, backup, backup.

Jiggles
01-12-2009, 12:12 AM
FAT32 NOO! NTFS means it wont corrupt as easily if power goes down.

Excalibur
01-12-2009, 12:27 AM
FAT32 NOO! NTFS means it wont corrupt as easily if power goes down.

Callum, I'll give you three guesses what system a sceptical mistrustful old northern git uses on his, for that very reason. ;) Vectis is a fan of HTFS+, though I've got no idea what it is. :confused:

Jiggles
01-12-2009, 12:52 AM
Callum, I'll give you three guesses what system a sceptical mistrustful old northern git uses on his, for that very reason. ;) Vectis is a fan of HTFS+, though I've got no idea what it is. :confused:

HTFS+: Laymens terms Macs NTFS. :D

Yes I remember the phone call or was that someone else. :D

Excalibur
01-12-2009, 08:00 AM
HTFS+: Laymens terms Macs NTFS. :D

Yes I remember the phone call or was that someone else. :D

Yes Callum, I was that DJ! :D Thanks for your help. Everything since seems to have formatted itself/ been found automatically.

Right folks, you appear to have two choices. (Assuming your machine supports both)
NTFS: Safe, stable, but can't store cue points etc. Also slightly less helpful when searching. ( If goes back to the beginning of the search when you go back one step. FAT32 devices don't)
FAT32: Stores cue points, searches better, but may lose data if there's a power cut/noise limiter.

You pays your money.................................
I'm considering changing one drive to FAT32, as a trial. If I do so, I'll let you know how it goes.

Vectis
01-12-2009, 08:07 AM
If you're constrained by Windoze, then consider splitting your music onto two devices - for example, I have a 160GB bus-powered (just the one USB slot) Freecom Toughdrive plus a 4GB memory stick - and NTFS the main drive using the Librarian software on the PC to build the index, and FAT the smaller one. Use the smaller one for new downloads etc. and occasionally sync the two together - which I seem to do annually.

If you have the luxury of OSX, then use HFS+ instead of NTFS.

And take a backup. But you must leave the backup at home unless you have enough ProDub credits to carry duplicate content to gigs.

Excalibur
01-12-2009, 09:27 AM
If you're constrained by Windoze, then consider splitting your music onto two devices - for example, I have a 160GB bus-powered (just the one USB slot) Freecom Toughdrive plus a 4GB memory stick - and NTFS the main drive using the Librarian software on the PC to build the index, and FAT the smaller one. Use the smaller one for new downloads etc. and occasionally sync the two together - which I seem to do annually.

If you have the luxury of OSX, then use HFS+ instead of NTFS.

And take a backup. But you must leave the backup at home unless you have enough ProDub credits to carry duplicate content to gigs.

:youdaman: I expected no less from you Vectis. :D However, two points, first I have to move the new stuff across on around a weekly basis, rather than annually. Secondly, I thought you could leave the spare drive in the van, as long as you didn't connect it to the playout rig? Of course, if you do connect it to the playout, you'd have to immediately go online, and buy a licence for the extra tracks. ;) :D

rob1963
01-12-2009, 09:32 AM
Secondly, I thought you could leave the spare drive in the van, as long as you didn't connect it to the playout rig?

That's also what I thought.

Not only in the van, but even in an odd job box on the table behind you at gigs.

:whistle:

Excalibur
01-12-2009, 09:55 AM
That's also what I thought.

Not only in the van, but even in an odd job box on the table behind you at gigs.

:whistle:

That's dangerous. Rob agrees with me. Guess we must both be wrong then. :D

rob1963
01-12-2009, 09:57 AM
That's dangerous. Rob agrees with me. Guess we must both be wrong then. :D

:D :D :D

Let's be honest, a back-up hard drive wouldn't be much use at home or outside in the van!

Excalibur
01-12-2009, 10:05 AM
:D :D :D

Let's be honest, a back-up hard drive wouldn't be much use at home or outside in the van!

Stop it Rob, you're not allowed to post two sensible ideas in one day. ;)

Vectis
01-12-2009, 11:42 AM
I thought you could leave the spare drive in the van, as long as you didn't connect it to the playout rig? Of course, if you do connect it to the playout, you'd have to immediately go online, and buy a licence for the extra tracks. ;) :D

So long as you live in the van (like I do ;) ) then yes, you can leave it in the van :D

The whole Produb and backup thing is extremely pedantic; if indeed you have two exact copies of the same data then what reasonable magistrate judge/magistrate is going to cane you?

Solitaire Events Ltd
01-12-2009, 11:44 AM
So long as you live in the van (like I do ;) ) then yes, you can leave it in the van :D

The whole Produb and backup thing is extremely pedantic; if indeed you have two exact copies of the same data then what reasonable judge is going to cane you?

None and it wouldn't even get to a judge to begin with.

Use a bit of common sense. ;)

Excalibur
01-12-2009, 07:52 PM
None and it wouldn't even get to a judge to begin with.

Use a bit of common sense. ;)

Oh come on mate, there you go again, imposing unreasonable conditions on us. :D :D :D :D

Penfold42
01-12-2009, 08:35 PM
Oh come on mate, there you go again, imposing unreasonable conditions on us. :D :D :D :D

Speak for yourself. :p

Excalibur
01-12-2009, 08:51 PM
Speak for yourself. :p

Well if I've got to be sensible, that'll remove 97% of my posts. :( :( :(

samuelchristian
03-12-2009, 02:28 PM
Had a good play with the D2 now and I'm very impressed. I got it as a back up to my Virtual DJ laptop system but I have a feeling it may become my main system!

rob1963
03-12-2009, 03:01 PM
Had a good play with the D2 now and I'm very impressed. I got it as a back up to my Virtual DJ laptop system but I have a feeling it may become my main system!

Glad to hear you like it, Samuel.

Several of us on this forum use them as our main playout system & swear by them.

Welcome to the club!

:D

Vectis
03-12-2009, 03:26 PM
Had a good play with the D2 now and I'm very impressed. I got it as a back up to my Virtual DJ laptop system but I have a feeling it may become my main system!

That's exactly what happened to this previously staunch OTS user. Enjoy!