SD card to expand iMac memory

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My iMac has a 256GB SSD which is about half full. Most of my media (photos, videos, etc) including my iTunes library is stored on 4 external Samsung T5 SSDs (total capacity of 1.25TB).

My photo and video collection is growing and rather than buy yet another SSD and a larger hub to plug it into, I was wondering about the feasibility of moving my 175GB iTunes library onto a SD card.

Has anyone else done this? Will there be any noticeable issues or things that would make this not such a great idea? I don't use the iMac's SD card slot for anything at the moment. I know I could buy a larger hub and another SSD, but I rather like the thought of utilising the otherwise redundant SD card slot.

thanks, Nick
 

krs


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Great topic!
I wonder what opinion other members have on that subject.
I wouldn't use an SD card as long term reliable storage unless I had another backup, but I have used microSD cards playing continuously in a Mini music player for many years without any problems.
Still - I feel that SD cards are meant more for shorter term storage
 

chscag

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Has anyone else done this? Will there be any noticeable issues or things that would make this not such a great idea? I don't use the iMac's SD card slot for anything at the moment. I know I could buy a larger hub and another SSD, but I rather like the thought of utilising the otherwise redundant SD card slot.

If you should decide to go that route, buy a reliable SD card. In other words, not one of those el cheapo cards that are advertised. And, backup your iTunes library often.

Member "krs" is correct about not relying on SD cards for long term storage. I have had them fail without warning.
 

IWT


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@nickyr

As a keen, amateur, but otherwise hopeless photographer, I have to say that SD cards are fragile and prone to occasional spontaneous reformatting. I only use them in my cameras and leave them in there. I transfer photos via cable to my iMac; never remove the cards. I also reformat the card after each shoot.

Your purposes are different in that you are looking for longish term storage, frequent usage and you will be handling the card more often. As Admin chscag said, go for a top quality product. Even then, I would strongly advise a separate backup of your large iTunes library. I would never trust a card as a sole source. If you accept that premise, then why not just go for a couple of EHDs - one for daily usage and one as a backup.

Ian
 
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thanks for the replies

just to confirm, my iTunes library is backed up three times - time machine, an external HDD and an iPod

As a semi-pro photographer I'm used to handling SD cards and only use reputable, reliable ones (SanDisk is my preferred brand) and touch wood I've never had one fail. I always use a card reader to transfer images (not the one in my iMac but an external one). So any SD card I get will just be left permanently in my iMac.

During my research into this I came across dedicated expansion devices for MacBooks such as these.

Would something like this be a better, more stable or reliable solution than a SD card?

thanks all again :)
 

IWT


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You make very good points, nickyr.

My comments were directed to any others following this thread, now or in the future. You obviously have a sound Backup strategy and you handle cards on a regular basis. That's great. Not everyone does.

The Amazon link you posted looks good to me. High-end quality, designed for MacBooks and apparently robust re dirt, dust, water damage etc.

Thanks for posting back.

Ian
 

krs


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During my research into this I came across dedicated expansion devices for MacBooks such as these.

Would something like this be a better, more stable or reliable solution than a SD card?

This Transcend jet Drive Lite is just a good quality SD card in a different package designed so that it doesn't stick out when plugged into the Mac like a regular SD card would.
Still has the same potential failure rate as an SD card if you read the reviews
Amazon.co.uk:Customer reviews: Transcend JetDrive Lite 330 256GB Storage Expansion Card

Reminds me of the days when DRAM manufacturers were peddling special memory cards for the Mac different from Windows.
For a premium price of course.
In those days, there actually was a difference in some parameters of the memory chips used which was not listed in the typical RAM specs, but when I investigated this Transcend device a while back for my own use, I came to the conclusion that the packaging was the main difference compared to an SD card.
 
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quick update - I went with an Integral 256GB SD card. This now houses my iTunes library along with some movies and TV shows. All seems to be working just fine, but it is all backed up to another hard drive so...

on the subject of hard drives, I've just had my first one ever fail on me. It was a photo back-up with around 2.5TB of RAW images on it :-(
 

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That's bad news Nicky. This is part of the reason I have always gone for maximum storage on internal HD's. Not that itvwould have been any help in your case just saying. When the first Mac Book came out with 128Gb and I saw people buying MBA's with the same I knew what the upshot would be. I had people coming to me for storage solutions left right and centre. Living in a holiday destination like Bali I had tourists who had bought a MBA 128Gb before their holiday and filled it in the first week with movies, photos and music. I blame the salespeople who did not inform them that 128Gb might be inadequate for their needs. An external HD solves the problem in one way but creates others with availability and portability.


Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums
 
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This is something I've wondered about as my Photos library expands (46,435 images and counting). I want instant access and not to have anything attached to my MPB on a usb cable etc.
 
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The Trancend adapt fits into the sd card slot on the right side of my MacBook, I have 180gb card in the adapter.It sows up in finder as Trancend or what ever you name it.
Good Luck.
 

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The Transcend adapter was discussed in this thread briefly before.
It's no different than a normal SD card except for the form factor which makes it mount pretty much flush - but the storage technology and reliability is no different than an SD card.
 
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My iMac has a 256GB SSD which is about half full. Most of my media (photos, videos, etc) including my iTunes library is stored on 4 external Samsung T5 SSDs (total capacity of 1.25TB).

My photo and video collection is growing and rather than buy yet another SSD and a larger hub to plug it into, I was wondering about the feasibility of moving my 175GB iTunes library onto a SD card.

Has anyone else done this? Will there be any noticeable issues or things that would make this not such a great idea? I don't use the iMac's SD card slot for anything at the moment. I know I could buy a larger hub and another SSD, but I rather like the thought of utilising the otherwise redundant SD card slot.

thanks, Nick
Will the SD card, be the only copy of the data on it? Or will you be backing it up, or cloning/copying it, as well
 
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nickyr
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Will the SD card, be the only copy of the data on it? Or will you be backing it up, or cloning/copying it, as well

it's backed up three times Bob - 2 external hard drives and an iPod
 

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