Why USB 2 for Komplete 8 hard drive?

A message for the NI hardware technology team.

I am interested in Komplete 8 ultimate edition on a hard drive but am seriously put off by it being on a USB 2 drive.

Surely USB 3 isn't prohibitively expensive and would offer faster access and therefore a higher sample transfer count.

Why on earth are you using old technology for this. Your decision to stay with USB 2 has limited its usefulness and am put off buying it because of it. I am however interested in the same product on USB 3.

It would be great to hear an explanation from the NI team themselves, rather than have other users offer vague possible explanations, though I doubt it will happen.

Be brave NI....speak up.

 

As I understand the drive is purely a stand-in for DVD discs, not a drive to run the samples from. I am not 100% sure though as I am still waiting on my K8U delivery...

 

Not sure if that's the case at all.

As far as I can gather, the drive is there to circumnavigate installation from DVD so you can start using the software immediately. Therefore, your computer is accessing the drive from the word "go".

Yes, you can move the data over to a faster drive should you wish to but then what's the point in buying a pre-installed hard-drive?

Wouldn't it be a lot better for hard drives to be USB 3 so it can get the most out of the sample packs? which by far make up the majority of the required space.

As mentioned before, they're not greatly more expensive than USB 2 but make a huge difference to access speed.

Did you know you can buy a 3tb USB 3 hard drive in the UK for under £130.

 

From the Knowledge Base:

 

OK, well that clears that up. What a waste of a drive though. It could actually be working in our favour but it's not.

Perhaps the NI team would care to change their approach, so that it's sold on a drive that expands everyone's computer set-up.

 

I think it's because 240 gig of content is something like 50 dvd's to load. They had to go to a hard drive for install just because it's so huge.

 

Yes, I realise that but i'm saying it would be good were we able to use that hard drive for accessing the samples on the hard drive whilst making music.

Once you've installed the samples on your computer, it becomes an object you put back in the box and not something useful. Seems like a waste to me.

 

You put your software dvd disks back in the box and never look at them again, right? Yes it would be nice but probably is just a matter of cost. The software's price tag would go up if they put a 7700 rpm 500 Gb external drive included. Just a simple matter of business economics to try to keep the price down from a product that is pretty expensive to begin with. Also, not everyone (including me) has a use for an external hard drive - so that would also be a waste.

Of course you could always just go out and buy an external drive yourself, if that's something you'll think you need. I think we'll start seeing more companies packaging software on cheap hard drives, just because the software is getting bigger all the time and disk media is starting to get obsolete (sad to say).

 

So what if the price is £30 higher or more. It's obvious I can't use my DVD's as a drive but this isn't the case with an actual real physical hard-drive.

In the end, NI aren't actually paying for the Hard-drive.....we are, so i'd like more than an extra lump of metal when I part with my money. It's only a step away from being a worthwhile item.

I don't think I should be expected to buy another external drive when i've just paid for the one in K8.

 

sijarvis I hope you are really about the hard drive.
You are looking at it totally wrong.
It's not a hard drive it's an install disk based on the size of the large size of the install.
NI is not charging you for the drive no more so than charging you for DVDs not sure why you say they are.
As so one tried to explain you install your software and put your installation disk away until you have to do a re-install.
The hard drive is no different.
If they allowed you to run from the disk it would also give a higher potential to disk failure thus loss of your installation disk.

 

Alternatively, if they allowed users to run from the disk as well as having a downloadable back-up on the NI site, then it wouldn't matter so much if the original drive failed.

There's no guarantee that the current drive will last, though i'm sure it comes with a warranty.

I've not said they're charging more for the drive than the DVD's (although a drive is definitely more expensive than a set of DVD's), what I am saying is, their cost is incorporated in the asking price, so like it or not, we ARE paying for this hardware and I would personally be happier paying for hardware that I can use and not something which goes back in the box until it's needed again.

 

I guess it's a lot faster to compile the installation files on one hard drive and then clone it than it is to compile on dozens DVDs and then having all those DVDs pressed in some duplicating facilities.

Since time is money, I'm almost convinced that's it's cheaper for everybody to use a hard drive for installation purpose with such larges programs, including the user.

As far as USB 2 is concerned, it's fast enough for installation. You could always remove the drive from it's enclosure and put it in an eSata external enclosure or a hard drive eSata docking station; very easy to do.

 

On the contrary my friend, I couldn't be more happier about disks being on their way out. I mean, when's the last time you built and new computer or even just installed Windows? How many disks did you need to go through? Last time I did it I didn't need any, and I've never had as much software as I do today. So much faster and easier.

Back in the day you'd have to dig up a dozen cd or like 40 floppy disks to install everything, now I just make a bootable USB stick from a Windows 7 image I have on my HD and when I'm done installing, I'll erase the USB stick and use it for other stuff.

Try installing Battery 3 from DVD. That's like an hour of just listening to you DVD drive spinning the disc. What a waste, good thing I got the B3 Libraries on my HD so I can just copy them to Program Files\Battery 3\ after installing the software. Everything else I can get direct from Native's site, no more swapping DVDs.

With software being available for online purchasing, prices come down as the previously mandatory retailer has become optional and in many cases obsolete. Also when you redownload your software after a Windows reinstall or whatever, you get the latest version. With the DVDs you install the old version first, then still go do the download.

I'm loving the death of the disc

 

I hope your music is not as bad as this post. Obviously 2.0 is still being used in the audio instry for a reason. Thomas already answered why their is no usb 3.0. Use the search engine.

 

I think you guys is missing a really good point sijarvis is trying to say. He didn't mention this in his first post but read on a little and you'll find - You should be able to run your samples from the external harddrive.

Then you don't need to buy another harddrive just to use what's on the harddrive with the pre-installed samples

That would be awesome. But of course you should be able to choose an install that actually copies everything to your harddrive of choice during installation.

Then both the people who want their samples on an internal harddrive and the people who want to have their samples on the external harddrive would be happy! (we have paid for it, why not use it?)

I don't think the cost for a faster harddrive would be that big, if NI is designeng the harddrives themselves anyway. (I don't know if they do that, just a guess)

 

Well done Oscar. I re-read my original post and yes, I did miss saying that I would like to access the samples directly from the drive, not just have it as an install disc. I did originally think the information was accessible and therefore we were being offered a practically useful drive, which is why I didn't say anything.

And it's exactly as you said, you pay for the hard drive when you buy (in)Komplete 8, so to then have it put back in the box and not used until you need to install again is wasting a well engineered slab of high technology.

Still no answer from the NI team.

 

This is a user forum.
Also, there's nothing (apart from common sense, hopefully) stopping you formatting the hard drive and then copying your Libraries over there. Of course then you won't have any backup. And good luck persuading NI to let you redownload 240gigs of content.

 

I'm not buying Komplete 8 as it stands. If i'm going to buy a hard drive, then I want it to be an integral part of my system, not an expensive door stop.

I still think my suggestion is a good one and would happily try persuading NI into changing their tack were they ever to respond.

 

I agree with you siljarvis, the harddrive could be so much more, and it should. They are bragging about that it comes with it's own harddrive, but in the past they didn't brag about komplete coming with it's own dvd's. (but as i recall, they did brag about how many dvd's, but that's not my point.)

I think you'll find better luck in contacting NI using their support on their site. Their support have always been very good to me. (but i've heard stories where they haven't. So hopefully they'll listen)

 

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I can't believe the whining and whinging going on in this thread... how many of you actually have K8U? You guys can not understand HOW MUCH NICER it is to be able to plug in the little drive, start the install, walk away and come back in an hour or so when it is done. I know I was thankful for not having to babysit the install and switch out like 30 DVD's or something. THIS IS A GOOD THING.

You guys are talking about a sub $50 SLOW external USB hard drive here as part of a $1000+ production package. Have you guys ever TRIED to run something like Sessions Strings Pro, or SEVERAL instances of Sessions Strings Pro from an external USB Drive? Good freaking luck, your load times will be horrendous.

If you really want to install K8U to the external hard drive, all you have to do is copy the install files to your computer first, then run and point at the external as a install target. Would I suggest it? Absolutely not. Go ahead, give it a shot, you can't screw anything up permanently. You can always get rid of the install and put all your installers back on the external drive.

But I can tell you now, if you are doing serious Kontakt work, you DO NOT want your samples on some 5400rpm external USB 2 drive.