# Recommendation for large desktop drive?



## GaleDribble (Dec 30, 2014)

Looking for a good reliable and affordable 2TB or larger desktop drive. What does everyone here recommend? It will constantly be written to, and once full, old data will consistently be purged and replaced with new data.


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## drmike (Dec 30, 2014)

Say what?

Sounds like some DVR contraption use to me.

There are a bunch of NAS feature targeted 7200RPM 64MB cache drives out there.  All of them will work fine for you.

I buy whitelabel cheaper models often for that use and no issues yet.  Depends on what I can find the official brand versions at though.


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## GaleDribble (Dec 30, 2014)

That is correct. The current drive is too small to retain enough data for it to be relevant to use if I leave town for a week and return to find my car vandalized as has happened in the past. It appears to only be capable of holding about a day's worth of data now.


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## GaleDribble (Dec 30, 2014)

I have found 4TB drives, I did not know they made them this large to be honest as I have not shopped for a desktop drive in many years. Care to recommend a good 4TB drive for $160 or less?


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## MCH-Phil (Dec 30, 2014)

I have 9 4TB WD Purple drives in different locations that are running great.  32 channel security systems.  Work wonders in my experience.  ~$180

Let me ask what kind of resolution is your camera?  I ask because I've had the same issue but then noticed I was storing the video with a huge bitrate.  I have crappy camera's so it's not a worry, I can set the record quality to the lowest setting and not lose anything.

Also are you recording 24/7?  Or just when motion is sensed?  If you are going 24/7, I highly suggest going motion sensing.

1x 4TB disk is lasting ~18 months in this fashion.


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## GaleDribble (Dec 30, 2014)

MCH-Phil said:


> I have 9 4TB WD Purple drives in different locations that are running great.  32 channel security systems.  Work wonders in my experience.  ~$180
> 
> Let me ask what kind of resolution is your camera?  I ask because I've had the same issue but then noticed I was storing the video with a huge bitrate.  I have crappy camera's so it's not a worry, I can set the record quality to the lowest setting and not lose anything.
> 
> ...


It's a 720p setup, though I have just changed to record at a lower frame rate during normal instances and record higher frame rate when motion is detected.


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## MCH-Phil (Dec 30, 2014)

I'd assume you are playing with a percentage of change in images to decide when to record vs not.  If so, once you get a handle on that, set the FPS for non motion times to 0.  Mine are all 480x320.


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## drmike (Dec 30, 2014)

Amen to the motion-only recording.   Rather necessary when doing high res rates and bunch of cameras and for the space constraints otherwise.

This year I am upgrading to a new non-computer based dedicated recording device / brain for my cameras.   Tired of allowing Windows in space for powering the CCTV system   Cameras are fine, the card and computer and Windows, it makes me want to vandalize something myself.  That damn computer.


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## MCH-Phil (Dec 31, 2014)

I'm still rocking dual core PC's for my camera servers.  Don't think about them much, they are rack mounted etc etc.  Good quality.  Supermicro IIRC.


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