would a usb 2.0 external hard drive work for hdtv recordings via eyetv and the hdhomerun? I just want to make sure that the write and read speeds would be adequate.

Thanks.
Adam

Adam, it would be easy enough for you to do a stress test yourself--you have the HD HomeRun and a Mac mini, right? Just change the location of your archive to the external USB drive, and test. It would take 30 seconds.

Then test recording two shows at the same to the USB external.

Then test recording two shows and playing back a third.

I've only done this to a firewire external, and not USB, sorry. My guess is a USB external couldn't handle 3 simultaneous HD in/outs--too much overhead. But it's just a guess--the only thing I keep on USB is iTunes.

If you don't have the USB external yet, just get something inexpensive but good from a Best Buy, like a 300GB Seagate Freeagent. Maybe $75. Plug it in and test--you can always return it and move forward if it can't handle it.

I bought a 750GB FreeAgent Pro with Firewire from Costco for $199. Works great. I also have a 500GB Firewire external and use it as my dedicated eyeTV drive. All recordings look great.

I bought a 750GB FreeAgent Pro with Firewire from Costco for $199.

That's a sweet model--excellent drive inside, can do eSATA, USB and Firewire, 5 year warranty.

But, did you test that Freeagent Pro over USB with EyeTV? That was the OP's question. We know firewire can handle record 2 + playback 1 simultaneously.

(By the way, the FreeAgent externals over USB do something most USB drives do not do with a Mac: they wake, sleep and spin down in sync with your Mac.)

Thanks for everyones help. I think I will just go the firewire route.