15 replies to this topic

[mrmac]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of doing a few upgrades to my desktop PC which is a dual boot system for general desktop stuff as well as a DAW (I dabble in a little music production).

So I thought first upgrade could be an SSD (especially for the DAW side of things) however I know NOTHING about them, what to look for etc.

Can anyone recommend what I should be looking at? Don't want to spend the earth but also want something quick and reliable.

Thanks for any advice.

Cheers.

--
Shane

[logifuse]

The Intel drives tend to be more expensive, but are top performers & are well regarded for reliability.

I'm using an OCZ in my bedroom HTPC (completely passive system) & it's been good, but doesn't have much work to do, so I can't really say if it would be good for a desktop.

Justin

[skypilot]

I have a OCZ in the MediaCentre PC and have had so (Until I posted this and Murphys law will be invoked?) for a while now without any problems. I also have an Intel in my main desktop PC for the last 4 or more months. I know I liked at the time of installing, the Intel and how well it all went and the tools that were/are available to manage it. I would go with another Intel.

[dwebkombi]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of doing a few upgrades to my desktop PC which is a dual boot system for general desktop stuff as well as a DAW (I dabble in a little music production).

So I thought first upgrade could be an SSD (especially for the DAW side of things) however I know NOTHING about them, what to look for etc.

Can anyone recommend what I should be looking at? Don't want to spend the earth but also want something quick and reliable.

Thanks for any advice.

Cheers.

--
Shane

My experience with OCZ is 1 fail from 3used, and corsair 1 failed from 2 used.
My next SSD will be Intel which seem to be highly regarded.

Best advise I can give is take a regular image, that way you are back up and running very quickly

[logifuse]

I had a Patriot one in my main HTPC for a while. Was using it for the live TV buffer. Died eventually (probably less than 2 years use).

Justin

[dgaust]

Was using it for the live TV buffer. Died eventually (probably less than 2 years use).

Using an SSD for a live tv buffer probably is probably one of the best ways to destroy one quickly. I don't think the patriot you were using had TRIM either did it?

[logifuse]

Using an SSD for a live tv buffer probably is probably one of the best ways to destroy one quickly. I don't think the patriot you were using had TRIM either did it?

Spot on. I knew it wasn't recommended, but saw it as a reasonably short term proposition (not that short though). No TRIM or useful tools from Patriot. They pretty much disowned the model 5 mins after releasing it.

I use a RAM drive now (my buffer is limited to 3.5GB in 4TR).

The rewrites thing has always annoyed me about SSDs. Here's a hard drive, just don't use it like you use a hard drive.

Justin

[TiggerK]

The modern SSD's have a long life, even if used a lot. OK TV buffering will accelerate it, but the Intel drives have a nice monitoring program that takes care of the TRIM, as well as optimising your system and telling you the expected lifetime remaining. My one year old Intel SSD in my everyday (non MC) PC still shows 99% remaining.

Get the Intel 520 Series to get the longest life. Great drives. 330 series are ok if you need biggest capacity for the dollar, but the 520 have longer lifespans (5 year warranty vs 3). The Samsung 830 series are widely regarded as solid too, but with the Intel drives so good, I have no need to change.

For me.
OCZ 1 out of 3 failed
Corsair 2 out of 2 failed
Intel 0 out of about 50 sold so far failed - I now only sell Intel.

Cheers
TiggerK

[skypilot]

I use a fast USB drive for my live TV buffer rather than the SSD and if not the USB I would use one of the hard drives (rather than the SSD). Works well - every now and again it spits the dummy but a scan for bad blocks fixes that and away we go again.

Edited by skypilot, 31 July 2012 - 10:49 PM.

[mrmac]

Cheers for all the advice...

Looks like a 120GB Intel 520 for me then

[skypilot]

as well as optimising your system and telling you the expected lifetime remaining. My one year old Intel SSD in my everyday (non MC) PC still shows 99% remaining.


Cheers
TiggerK

How/where do I get that information? Would love to see what mine says. I have the "Intel rapid storage Technology" program installed and cannot see ant thing there.

Edited by skypilot, 01 August 2012 - 06:47 PM.

[TiggerK]

Intel Solid State Toolbox....

LINK

Cheers
TiggerK

[Raptor]

I use a RAM drive now (my buffer is limited to 3.5GB in 4TR).
Justin

Hi Justin
Can you give me a bit more input on your set up here please? Is your RAM drive a software version that uses part of the ram on your mb or is it a card that takes ram sticks, much like the old I-Ram pci cards?

Thanks
Chris

[logifuse]

Hi Justin
Can you give me a bit more input on your set up here please? Is your RAM drive a software version that uses part of the ram on your mb or is it a card that takes ram sticks, much like the old I-Ram pci cards?

Thanks
Chris

It's a software RAM drive that uses 4 of the 8GB of my RAM (specifically upgraded to 8GB for this). Dataram RAM Disk - freeware. There are a couple of other free software options too.

Here's my post about setting it up (this was when I was using MediaPortal's TV server rather than 4TR): http://www.pcmediace...hifting-buffer/

Justin

[Raptor]

It's a software RAM drive that uses 4 of the 8GB of my RAM (specifically upgraded to 8GB for this). Dataram RAM Disk - freeware. There are a couple of other free software options too.

Here's my post about setting it up (this was when I was using MediaPortal's TV server rather than 4TR): http://www.pcmediace...hifting-buffer/

Justin

Good stuff. Thanks mate.

Chris