Epson P-2000 Multimedia Storage Viewer Reviewed

[James Fee]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.activewin.com/reviews/hardware/pmc/epson_p2000/' target='_blank'>http://www.activewin.com/reviews/hardware/pmc/epson_p2000/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"For those of us photographers who like to take hundreds of photos while we’re out and about in the country it can be quite a bind to have to carry around a laptop when we want to take our pictures off of our memory cards and onto a hard drive. Admittedly you could go out and pay over the odds for a 4GB flash card but not everyone can afford such high level cards at the moment. In steps Epson with a fantastic little device called the P-2000 (rubbish name aside). The Epson P-2000 is basically a 40 GB hard drive which allows you to not only store photos, but also play music and movies. The best bit though is that it also has the ability for you to plug in your Compact Flash or SD Memory cards into the top of the device and copy them directly to the P-2000. The P-2000 also supports other memory cards via a CF adapter that is available separately."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/P2000.jpg" /> <br /><br />Do people really buy these thing? I see many reviews, but I've never run into anyone who owns one. If you own the Epson P-2000 or a similar device tell us what you think of it.

[Chris Gohlke]

I just don't think they can price these appropriately that they make sense for most people. You can get a 1 GB CF for a little over $50 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820160138). If you need more space than a couple of these can provide for a days worth of shooting, you are probably a pro, in which case the added benefits of using a laptop (more space, bigger screen, and it is actually a computer so you can edit, etc.) is worth the extra bucks (laptops can be had pretty cheaply these days).

[Jason Kravitz]

I had a flashtrax (see my review on this site) but found I didn't use it much since I always lugged my laptop around. Now I am going on vacation next month and don't want to bring my laptop and I kind of wish I still had the flashtrax (even though I have about 6gb of CF cards) it's still nice to have the option of more space on the go.

I think for people on extended trips where a laptop is not practical these little devices can be quite handy.

[Damion Chaplin]

My GMINI400 is very similar, although it's a media player first and a photo dump second. It was the clincher that sealed the deal for me. With my GMINI400 and my SMT5600, I no longer need a laptop when I travel. Both items fit in the smallest pocket on my bag and they're certainly lighter than my old 7.5-pound laptop.

Can't vouch for Epson's product though.