Data Bank PS4

Demon_Skeith

Demon_Skeith

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Not too long ago, it would have been hard to imagine filling up a game console with more than 500GB of stuff, but many of us have already reached that point. At CES, Nyko announced the Data Bank for the PlayStation 4, which both replaces the internal drive and allows 3.5" drives to qualify as internal storage. Basically, it means you can use larger and cheaper hard drives.

Assuming this press photo is close to the final product, what's neat about the Data Bank is how it fits with the PS4 design. There's even an LED that lights up when the hard drive's memory is being accessed. No dangling cables to hide, no external drives to potentially become unplugged.

Though PS4 does technically "support" external hard drives, it cannot be used for game installations or save data, so the functionally is pretty limited. The Data Bank is potentially a nice middle ground, even though replacing the PS4's internal drive really isn't that hard.

While Nyko is waiting on a patent, the Data Bank's planned for the "first half" of 2015.

Nyko revealed a few other accessories at CES, but the Type Pad stands out. Am I the only person who fell in love with and used Xbox 360's tiny keyboard add-on? I was actually sending messages to people! I never do that on the Xbox One or PS4, but maybe the Type Pad helps out.
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more here

I don't like the look, but bigger HDD is tempting.


Hands on via IGN:

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/01/07/hands-on-nyko-data-bank
 
I think the hard drive would also run a little bit cooler because it is raised above the PS4's console. 

3.5 inch hard drives are also faster, and cheaper than most regularly price 2.5 inch hard drives which consoles use as storage these days.

I think it would look nicer if the Data bank was as wide as the PS4, and it can use two or more hard drives as one hard drive like how some more expensive desktops, and server computers can use 2 or more hard drive to create 1 big virtual hard drive for faster read and write speeds, and have two copies of the same file on the computer on different drives for backup purposes.
 
They installed it, but they didn't say they actually tried it out. Which is why they said they couldn't give it full endorsement.

I don't really care for how it looks but having the extra storage space would be a massive benefit. (500GB is not enough at all when games can take anywhere from 20-40GB and you only really have about 400GB accessible.) My question is how easy is it to pass data from one PS4 drive to another? I mean if you start games on a drive then decide later to update... do you have to transfer it first? Or will the PS4 format the hard drive (like the PS3 did when changing drives)? Or how can you transfer your stuff?
 
I wonder how hard it will be to make your own Data bank by just plugging in a long Sata cable, and Sata power cable into the PS4's internal drive and power ports for the hard drive, and plugging the other end of the cable into a 3.5 inch hard drive which is mounted outside of the PS4.

I bet if you own a 3D printer, and have a SATA drive cable, and drive power cable you can probably make something similar to the DATA bank.

E-Sata for desktops, and laptops was basically just an extension Sata data cable which let you connect External Sata drive from outside the computer case to your motherboard hard drive SATA ports, but you needed to use your own power adapter or an extension power cable from your computer's internal power supply because SATA cables don't carry power over the cables.

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Demon_Skeith said:
I imagine it would work Froggy, but wouldn't look as nice.
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I agree it won't look as nice unless you know how to make a nice case for the hard drive by using a 3D printer, or know a skilled craftsman who will make a nice hard drive case.
 
froggyboy604 said:
I agree it won't look as nice unless you know how to make a nice case for the hard drive by using a 3D printer, or know a skilled craftsman who will make a nice hard drive case.
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both options are sure to cost more than buying the data bank.
 
Yes, both option will cost more. I think it probably will be better to wait to see if there are better looking alternatives to the Data bank made by other companies like Madcatz, or Gamestop.
 
I think in a few months to years, there would be more affordable alternatives storage banks on eBay, Amazon, and other stores since these adapters don't really seem hard to make for game tech companies to make.

Maybe Sony would release a better looking Data bank since many PC owners have spare  unused 1TB 3.5 inch drive from their old desktop computers after they upgraded to a 2-4TB drive.
 
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