I use my macbook pro 2.4ghz, 4GB RAM with a Western Digital "Elements" external hard drive 500Gb where all my videos are and every time I load a new video it usually takes a long time for the "WRITING TAGS" at the bottom to disappear from the previous video, if I load a new video during that message at the bottom occasionally the video will cut off for like 3 seconds (not every single time) or will freeze both circles for like 3 seconds as well and then resume it really messes up my set and I have to wait for that "WRITING TAGS" message to disappear at the bottom in order for me to load another video... any ideas what could be the problem? Last but not least, when using VIDEO SL in "OFFLINE" mode and trying to ANYLIZE FILES to buld up the BPMs and stuff it takes forever and is not as quick as it used to be, sometimes it would sit there and it wouldn't complete the task... any help or ideas very much appreciated.

Thanks

It's a known issue... Are you using FireWire from your external? You also need to make sure that external keeps nice and cool. I've got the same laptop and with 2.0 I've upped my audio buffer to 4 and have video set at medium. This keeps everything running reasonably smooth ( although it's annoying that it worked better in 1.9 and I could have all buffers and video output on best settings)

no firewire, WD Elements is usb 2.0, how can I keep my external nice and cool? I tried putting a fan directly to it but no luck it runs a bit warm and if that is the case I'm getting a firewire 800 later in the afternoon, running video at high and audio buffer at 5

I swapped the external hard drive to an aluminum firewire 800 case, works good... however at times it lags and and when serato is writing the tags on the video when loading the next video it cuts off for like 3 seconds... I'm running out of options

any ideas?

Diego,

I was having similar issues when pulling videos from an external usb 2.0. When I switched to firewire 800, my problems went away. Judging by what you've said, the problem is the usb 2.0 drive. Replace it with a Firewire 400 or even better 800.

Millz originally the drive was WESTERN DIGITAL "ELEMENTS" USB 2.0 so I went ahead open the case took the drive out, then I went to the store bought a case that has Firewire 800 ports, 400 ports SATA and USB 2.0 mounted the drive there it works good but I don't understand why the problem continues when it should go faster, unless the drive is 5400 RPM

right?

I would try a 7200 or higher rpm firewire 800

what if I buy a 1TB bare drive 7200 RPM and I mount it on the Firewire 800 case?

Never tried that, itll prob work, Im running a Maxtor 2tb for MAC enclosure and it works really nice fw800

well the case is from AccomData I bought it for 70 bucks and it gives you 3 options, firewire 800/400, SATA & USB 2.0... I'll just buy a bare drive at 7200 RPM 1TB and see what happens... right now I have a 500GB and I have a pretty good idea is 5400RPM that's why the Firewire 800 is not as fast

One thing that might be affecting you here: WD and some other drive companies sometimes put lower-spec drive mechanisms in their externals (compared to the similar bare drives they sell).

I fixed the problem though... went ahead bought an external 1TB Black Caviar 7200 RPM hard drive and it works like a charm... in fact you're right DJ Mark the hard drive WD put on the external was an ECO friendly green which means lower RPMs and poor performance, now videos don't lag I blaze thru them via Firewire 800 so no problems so far... thanks to all

I run WD Caviar Green 2tb that spin at 5400rpm over usb 2.0 with no issues at all and I am running nothing but videos, I am on PC though. I have used this configuration since the Caviar Green 2tb came out and play live at least 8 hrs every weekend.
I use my own external cases and am using a roesewill aluminum case that is fan cooled