[mikefly]

Hello everyone, I'm a guy that has like 15 external drives filled with client's photos, video, files, etc.. from 10 years of freelancing in media production.

It's confusing and often difficult to locate a file when I need to go back to it. I notice my MBP slows down when it has more than 5 drives plugged into it - so I'd love a solution that would create an updating index of all files on all drives, so that I could easily locate which drive they are on without having to plug them all in. I don't really need much more than top-level directories (maybe second level too would be nice).

Does anyone have any recommendations?

 

[Paddy]

I'm not surprised your poor MBP starts to creak and groan with 5 drives attached!

A couple of questions: how big are all these drives? Have you considered a server? Is everything backed up??

There are some very costly digital asset management programs out there ($2000 and up) but they're geared more to ad agencies and newspapers etc.

The one I'd suggest, based on reviews etc. (haven't used it personally - I find Lightroom does all I need) is iView Media, which became Microsoft Expression Media for 3 years or so and last June was bought by PhaseOne.

Medium Format Camera Systems and Raw Converter Software
Browsers vs. Cataloging Software | iView Multimedia (see last paragraph in particular...)

 

[macintosh doctor]

extensis has a product.. check your their site I think it is called profolio...