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Using a USB key instead of a hard drive

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vrf:

Here's something else to chew on:

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/store/embedded_storage
http://www.logicsupply.com/index.php/cPath/47_67

This was something I'd considered for my cab, but in the end I decided to go with a regular hard disk.

Oh, and I have to agree with Chad. USB thumb drives (even 2.0) are nowhere near as fast as the slick new SSDs. But those also cost an arm and a leg.

Kaytrim:

One thing about a pen drive vrs an IDE drive is that it is more durable physically wise.  If you drop a hard drive you chance crashing the heads on the platter.  With a pen drive there is no damage from dropping it as there are no moving parts.  This is a definite benefit for a portable system.

Kaytrim:


--- Quote from: vrf on March 28, 2007, 11:12:54 am ---Here's something else to chew on:

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/store/embedded_storage
http://www.logicsupply.com/index.php/cPath/47_67

This was something I'd considered for my cab, but in the end I decided to go with a regular hard disk.

Oh, and I have to agree with Chad. USB thumb drives (even 2.0) are nowhere near as fast as the slick new SSDs. But those also cost an arm and a leg.

--- End quote ---

What you have linked there is a perfect example of a portable arcade machine.  All you need is a TV or PC monitor.  The mini itx boards from Via have TV out already built in.



ChadTower:


Definitely good for use with cabs that do not have a built in monitor.  Monitors are more fragile than hard drives.

vrf:

Agree about the no moving parts thing. Solid-state drives are the future, but they're not really in the mass market range yet if you need a large amount of storage. In the meantime, regular platter drives work pretty well in laptops, which shouldn't take any more of a beating than a portable cab.

Errmm... maybe...

So... about a solid state drive. How much would be enough? I know "all da romz" go well over 100 gigs, but lots of those games are crap. How much would "only the good stuff" take up?

I suppose that question depends on your game tastes...

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