Replacing leased modem with router vs separate modem?

[videobruce]

I have a eMTA (for phone) which TWC won't let you own for some, no doubt stupid reason.
I don't feel like paying $8+ each month for use of their integrated modem even tough they don't charge extra for use of the eMTA which I would still have (more stupidity).

Four questions:
1. Pros & cons of a separate modem vs a router (other than if one or the other function of the router goes down you have a problem).
2. Input on a Netgear N450 router (on TWC approved list).
3. Whichever I go with, my other concern is dropping the modem portion lease on the eMTA until I establish a problem free replacement. Will TWC allow their 'modem' to remain active until I determined my replacement is ok??
4. Can modems or routers that have a USB port be used to host a HDD for network storage?

I'd rather not have three devices hanging on the wall (eMTA, modem & existing Linksys 54 router), but I'm concerned about reports of stability of a combo function router. (crashing, lockups etc.)

Input?

 

[Fardringle]

1. Generally, combination units work well, but not as well as good quality separate devices.
2. I've had good results from most recent Netgear routers, but as with all electronics, some specific models are better than others. Do you have a particular one in mind?
3. You'd have to ask them that. Comcast usually deactivates the previous device as soon as a new one is activated and provisioned on an account. But even if TWC does that, it shouldn't be any trouble to have them reactivate the old one if there are any problems.
4. Yes, but I've never seen or heard of one that does a good job of it. While it can work, it's usually slow and unreliable.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I've got a friend with an older, discontinued router with a USB port on it, which he has connected an external hard drive for the specific task of playing movies off of. He has had no issues with it.

I would tend to seek out experiences from those that have actually had experience with them instead of buying into hearsay. Since data being pulled off the storage device is compressed, the amount of necessary bandwidth is typically low. And if it is so low to meet the tight networking limitations then I would think USB2 is more than capable of delivering sufficient bandwidth for <50Mbps content being streamed to a decoder.

 

[videobruce]

Fardringle;
The model was listed in #2
When you say 'slow' are you referring to "streaming" HD or SD content? If so, that is not a issue.

Thanks for both replies. More research apparently (which is why I posted here).