recommend external hdd to use for a HD TV

[Stefan_7]

tv is 32w705c sony

I need an external hdd of capacity 500gb or 1tb to use to watch videos from on the tv

usb3.0

do these external hdds work on tv without separate power cable? my tv has 1 usb 800 mA ( hdd rec)and a 2nd of 400 or 500 mA. I cant find how strong the usb must be to feed these WD hdds.

im trying to decide between WD Elements Portable 1tb and the my passport ultra. I like that the ultra has 1 year more warranty ( I guess it means it is better built) but the elements is cheaper. Ultra also has encryption but I dont really care about that

 

[Boogieman_WD]

Hi there, Stefan!

Portable drives (2.5" HDDs) get enough power from USB ports so there's no need for external power source.
Both drives are equally well built, but offer different things. As you've already mentioned the WD Passport Ultra features hardware encryption and also the backup software - WD SmartWare Pro (you can find more about it here - WD SmartWare).
Basically it's up to you to decide if you'll need the extra features or not. If you don't want hardware encryption and +1 year warranty and WD SmartWare, your best option would be WD Elements. It's a basic, but reliable external drive which should do just fine for the intended purpose.

However if your TV supports 4K Ultra HD, you might want to consider the "My Passport Cinema" drive. You can check it out here: My Passport Cinema.

The important thing is to get the device that suits your needs and budget best, so don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
Boogieman_WD

 

[rajazone007]

Why don't you try Seagate Backup Plus Slim External/Portable Hard Drive (Cause I'm currently using it.). Its USB 3.0 Capable and it does not need any external power. It'll do the job you need.

WD is also a nice choice. In fact its more reliable than Seagate. 😉

 

[JaredDM]

Don't waste your money on an overpriced My Passport Cinema, that's just a marketing gimmick to sell overpriced drives to people with a really high audio video budget. The simple fact is even the highest framerate 4K video only requires 68MB/s to keep up, and that's assuming no compression (which there always is). A simple cheap USB 3.0 Toshiba Canvio drive, or WD elements, or HGST Turo is all you need. Just avoid anything made by Seagate or Samsung for externals (Samsung externals are often Seagate) as their failure rates are through the roof.

Don't get me wrong WD My Passports are good drives, however they do tend to be power hungry and some TV USB ports actually have a hard time powering them. Which is why I usually recommend the Toshiba's.

 

[Stefan_7]

got the 500gb elements

it seems to work well

plugged it in, copied 5 big files ( 90gb) with an average of 70MBs ( peak 94). 25C temp. Tried some tests in hddscan and hdsentinel trial and it's all green.

is it ok to leave it connected to the tv all the time? does it go to sleep after a while?

for removing from PC dont these things have an eject option like with usb sticks? i just straight unplug it?

 

[Boogieman_WD]

Congrats on the new drive.

Basically you should have no issue with the drive connected to the TV at all times. About the sleep mode, it mainly depends on the device you've plugged it in (e.g. TV, console, computer, etc.) and how its USB ports have been set up. However if you leave it inactive for some time it should enter a stand-by mode where the white led starts flashing on and off.

Cheers!