The company I work for is considering using hard drives on our on-board PC-based computer for mass transit buses. This is based on my suggestion that the hard drives appear to be reliable in an automotive environment, using my empeg experience as a reference (60 GB running for 3 years without a hitch).

So, I guess I'd like ask what other users have experienced: Maybe some of the original empeg team could share some of their experiences in servicing the empeg.

I appreciate any feedback you may be able to provide.

Cheers,
Phil

********************************************************************************************
********************************************************************************************
Note: I made a few typo's on the "Warmest temperature" question (thanks Mark)

If you are using degress F:
30C = 86F
40C = 104F
50C = 122F
60C = 140F
********************************************************************************************
********************************************************************************************

I registered 3 failures. 2 Fujitsu and 1 IBM Travelstar. Each of them 30GB drives.

The temperature conversions given are entirely inaccurate.. For example, 40C is actually about 104F, not 86F.

Thanks Mark.
Cut-and-paste error on my part - corrected.

Phil

For the temperature : you say : less than 30 C, and then the second option is : 40-50C. So you leave a 10C gap. I would have picked 30-40C if the option had been there.

I don't think a 100-percent uptime, 100-percent installed system on a city bus can be compared to the empeg. My empeg gets pulled out of the car except when I'm driving. For instance, it gets really hot and really cold in my car when it's parked, I'd assume the same thing would happen on a city bus...

Mmm.. still looks incorrect to me now.

Cheers

Good point - I guess I missed that one. Anyone know if you can edit a poll? I looked around and didn't see any way to do it.

Thanks,
Phil

Good point Tony. I leave my unit installed 95% of the time, but I know a lot if not most people take it inside with them.

Add another question to the list...

Rob,
Were the failures catastrophic or gradual? Any idea on what the actual failures were?

Thanks,
Phil

I had 2 faliures, both 30GB Fujitsu drives. My 3rd 30GB Fujitsu though has been solid for a year and a half now. Both went into the click of death pretty suddenly.

The Fujitsu drives just died one after another. The IBM drive is still in my Viggen Mk2 and has some problem when spinning up. You will hear it getting power but about half the time the drive refuses to move the head (just judging by sound).

Travelstars have been the best in my opinion.

Sounds like you want to talk to a sys admin from the Highway Patrol.

If memory serves, we used Toshiba, IBM and Fujitsu drives. As far as brand differences go I found them all to be as reliable as each other.

We did have a lot of Fujitsu drives fail, but that may have been down to the spindle pressure problem and the fact that we manufactured more players with those drives.

Players with good drive mountings and intact cables rarely had problems, at least while they were within the warranty period.