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admin
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 Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:07 pm Post subject: NewerTech lowers prices on miniStack V2 |
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NewerTech lowers prices on miniStack V2
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Posted by: Fran
Newer Technology today announced new prices on its line of miniStack V2 FireWire external hard drive storage solutions available in capacities up to 750GB with prices starting at $114.99. "Add Your Own Hard Drive" 0GB kits are available from $69. In addition, the drives now include Prosoft DataBackup II for Mac OS X (a $59.95 retail value) and NovaStor NovaBACKUP for Windows (a $49.95 retail value). All NewerTech miniStack V2 solutions include: FireWire connecting Cable, USB2 Connecting Cable, Intech HD Speedtools Utility Suite, Intelligent thermal monitoring, Auto Power On/Off function with manual override, Built-In 3 Port USB2, and 2 Port FireWire Powered Hubs for connection of additional devices.
Price reductions on NewerTech miniStack V2 FireWire + USB2 Solutions are:
- 80GB 7200RPM w/ 8MB Buffer remains $114.99
- 160GB 7200RPM w/ 8MB Buffer remains $129.99
- 250GB 7200RPM w/16MB Buffer new price $149.00
- 320GB 7200RPM w/16MB Buffer remains $179.99
- 400GB 7200RPM w/16MB Buffer was $239.99, now $199.99 $40 Drop
- 500GB 7200RPM w/16MB Buffer was $259.00, now $249.99 $10 Drop
- 750GB 7200RPM w/16MB Buffer was $495.00, now $449.00 $46 Drop
http://www.123macmini.com/news/story/605.html |
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Yvan256
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Joined: 18 Aug 2005
Posts: 541
Location: Quebec, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm using a NewerTech miniStack v2 myself, and so far I had no problem with it. I usually add my own drive because of the prices of bare drives at Costco. |
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Ben Tex
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Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 1418
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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| The 400GB model seems like a decent deal. I still have my doubts about sticking something directly below my Mac mini that causes heat. The bottom of my Mac mini gets rather hot on its own. |
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wgriffiths2000
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Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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| I have been looking at these i have an eternal usb drive right now and it dose the job but i cant stand the power supply and i was wandering if this unit would be able to run off the power it gets from the firewire plug. |
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Fox
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Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 2629
Location: Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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Nope; the miniStack needs an external power source.
_________________
Mini 1: 2.3 ghz Core i5; 8 gb RAM, Corsair 240gb SSD, 500 gb Seagate XT
Mini 2: 2.26 ghz Core 2 duo, 8 gb RAM, 500 gb Seagate
Also a Cube, 13" MacBook Air, 20" 2.66 ghz iMac & 11.6" Acer 1810TZ running Ubuntu, Mint & openSuse |
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sakmaniac
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Joined: 27 Dec 2006
Posts: 55
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Is this device quiet? I've got an ADS Pyro drive box for an external and the fan sounds like a jet plane! |
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new_mac_guy
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Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Posts: 65
Location: Las Cruces, NM
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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I have an Acomdata mini format drive sitting on top of my mini. It is usually off unless I'm using SuperDuper to make a full copy (bootable) of my mini drive. Fine drive and I use the ports even if it is off. Only glitch: The power light on the front doesnt light up any more. When I turn it on I can hear it running though, very quitely. Tom in New Mexico
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Tom in New Mexico |
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TyPod
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Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Posts: 2184
Location: WI
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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| For the people who added their own hard drive, how hard was it to upgrade? This seems like the best option... |
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James T Kirk
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Joined: 23 Aug 2005
Posts: 757
Location: The Netherlands, Europe
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Ben_tex wrote: | | The 400GB model seems like a decent deal. I still have my doubts about sticking something directly below my Mac mini that causes heat. The bottom of my Mac mini gets rather hot on its own. |
That why I stuck acrylic rubber feet under my mini, makes a big difference, now it's does not, while I'm waitin for a new mini...
| TyPod wrote: | | For the people who added their own hard drive, how hard was it to upgrade? This seems like the best option... |
It is easy to lift off the white plastic cover and put the drive in. I guess you're not talking about the mini itself? 
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___________________Jim©
Now on Hackintosh in G5 case! |
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diulei
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Joined: 01 Aug 2005
Posts: 213
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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For those of you who have a Ministack - is it loud?
I'm torn between this and the LaCie.
I like the no-logo look of this one, not to mention it's cheaper. But I've heard the Ministack is loud and the LaCie is not. Any truth to this? The Mac Mini is basically silent - so when I'm using a computer all I can hear is the sound of my keyboard when I type... |
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TyPod
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Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Posts: 2184
Location: WI
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:28 pm Post subject: |
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| James T Kirk wrote: | | TyPod wrote: | | For the people who added their own hard drive, how hard was it to upgrade? This seems like the best option... |
It is easy to lift off the white plastic cover and put the drive in. I guess you're not talking about the mini itself? |
Nope. Not talking about the mini, talking about the MiniStack V2. I know it's fairly easy to upgrade, hence the many people who decide to take that route. I just thought it was a little more complex than just lifting the plastic off and putting the drive in.
Did you put your own drive in? If so, what drive did you put in? |
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devo
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Joined: 23 Jan 2005
Posts: 5274
Location: Dunwoody, GA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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| diulei wrote: | For those of you who have a Ministack - is it loud?
I'm torn between this and the LaCie. |
I would go with the LaCie if you want one with a preinstalled hard drive. I've never been that happy with my miniStack. The fan is annoying and the body feels a little cheap. I've had the chance to see the LaCie at B&H and it's made better. I also like how LaCie holds the Mac mini off its body. That probably helps eliminate a lot of heat transfer. If you already a spare drive, the miniStack barebones kit still might be something to consider. It's still decent for the money. But I'm telling you, the LaCie is just in a different class. |
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James T Kirk
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Joined: 23 Aug 2005
Posts: 757
Location: The Netherlands, Europe
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| Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 3:55 am Post subject: |
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| TyPod wrote: |
Nope. Not talking about the mini, talking about the MiniStack V2. I know it's fairly easy to upgrade, hence the many people who decide to take that route. I just thought it was a little more complex than just lifting the plastic off and putting the drive in.
Did you put your own drive in? If so, what drive did you put in? |
I run a 200 Gb Seagate Barracuda, already a somewhat older model. I had a 400 GB Seagate 16 mb cache in it, which is more silent. If you don't use the Ministack to boot from, it is usually quite silent, if you boot from it, you keep hearing the drive, some clicking and humming and the fan is around the same level. Not annoying but not as silent as the mini. The LaCie drives without fan are a little bit more silent, but it depends what brand drive is in them. The Hitachi is not bad, but I think the newer Seagates are a little bit more silent. The LaCie is made from better materials, the "crown" on top might help to dissapate heat somewhat but definately not enough. (I had the LaCie with a 160 GB Hitachi drive in it) If you want to keep it cool and silent, the only solution is to place a generic FW drive away from the mini and away from your ears, let's say on a shelf or under your desk or even in a ventilated closet and not on a resonating shelf! Especially if want to use it as a boot drive, that's the best solution. Maybe not the nicest, but the best. 
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___________________Jim©
Now on Hackintosh in G5 case! |
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sakmaniac
Member
Joined: 27 Dec 2006
Posts: 55
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 6:47 am Post subject: |
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| Isn't running an external drive without a fan a little dicey? I've had drives that have crapped out after a year that are in uncooled boxed… Usually Western Digital drives. |
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Fox
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Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 2629
Location: Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 6:54 am Post subject: |
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I have the earlier version of the miniStack (v1). I bought it without drive and intalled a 200 gig Samsung Spinpoint in it. The installation is very easy; much easier than anything you might install or upgrade in the mini itself. You remove a few screws to open it; nothing to finesse. Once open, the drive slides in easily and you just have to connect it to the IDE cable inside the drive (and the power cable as well if I recall correctly). Takes no more than 10 minutes.
As for noise, my experience is similar to that of James T Kirk. It's reasonably quiet, but not as quiet as the mini itself. The fan is audible, but not at all loud unless you're taxing the drive. The noise of the drive depends on your brand. I originally had a WD 200 gig drive in mine, and it made a lot of loud seek noises. I didn't like that so I sold the drive and replaced it with the quieter Samsung. I don't want to pan WD because I understand that their newer drives are much quieter. But the nice thing about buying a miniStack is you get to pick your drive.
I've had no experience with the LaCie and I don't know what brand of drives they use, so I can't comment on that model. One question I would have before buying one - is it easy to change the drive in the LaCie case if you don't like the one they supply?
_________________
Mini 1: 2.3 ghz Core i5; 8 gb RAM, Corsair 240gb SSD, 500 gb Seagate XT
Mini 2: 2.26 ghz Core 2 duo, 8 gb RAM, 500 gb Seagate
Also a Cube, 13" MacBook Air, 20" 2.66 ghz iMac & 11.6" Acer 1810TZ running Ubuntu, Mint & openSuse |
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