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eSATA - DIRECTV recommended list

576K views 4K replies 404 participants last post by  mjfoxtrot 
#1 ·
Can I increase the recording capacity of my DVR?

For folks that are adding HDD capacity to their receiverss, DIRECTV has added the following FAQ to their web page:

DIRECTV.com
Yes, you can increase the recording capacity of your DVR or HD DVR simply by connecting an external hard drive with greater storage than the receiver's internal hard drive.

First, make sure you have a compatible receiver. Check the model number inside the small door located on bottom right corner of the front of the receiver. The model number should read either R22 (DIRECTV Plus® DVR) or HR20 or above (DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR).

You'll need an external hard drive that uses an eSATA connection. The following hard drive models are recommended:

  • Western Digital 500GB (model WDG1S5000)
  • Seagate 500GB (model ST30500SCA109-RK)
  • Western Digital 1TB (model WDG1S10000)
  • [STRIKE]Seagate 1TB (model ST31000SCA109-RK)[/STRIKE]

Follow these steps to connect the external hard drive:

  1. Turn off your receiver by unplugging the power cord. (Do not rely on the power button.)
  2. Look for the port on the back of your receiver labeled SATA.
  3. Connect the eSATA hard drive with an eSATA cable. Make sure the cable is firmly connected on both ends.
  4. Turn on the eSATA hard drive and give it several seconds to spin up to speed.
  5. Plug in the power chord of your receiver.

When your receiver reboots, it will automatically see the newly-connected hard drive. The hard drive inside your receiver will be disabled.

You now have expanded recording capacity. With a 1TB hard drive, you can record up to 200 hours of HD programming.

Please note: We offer this tip because we want to help you get the most out of your DIRECTV experience. It is recommended for advanced users who are comfortable working with electronic hardware. This modification of your DIRECTV system is not officially supported by DIRECTV.
 
#3,127 ·
mocarob said:
So the only issue you had with the Fantom was the documented slow remote issue?
How much you want for it?
Wait, where can I find this documented slow remote issue? Is that standard with the external drive? That was the only problem I had found. I tried googling for that issue when it first cropped up. I came across a video of someone showing how to build an external enclosure out of the box the WD AV-GP drive comes in. That guy was pretty adamant about using an AV drive which I took with a grain of salt, but when I found one for only $80 I figured that might have been the prob.

Anyway, thanks for all the replies-- where can I find out the slow remote issue-- I've found articles about folks complaining about it and others suggesting they get an external drive, but my remote has no problems at all on the internal drive-- just the fantom drive.

Oh-- I forgot to mention that I'm very leery of the original Hitachi in the FD enclosure. My daughter didn't like the blue led so she stuck a shirt over the whole drive. I discovered it about 10 hours later and removed it and the drive was *hot*. I know heat can lead to HDD probs, so that was another reason for me to want to switch to a new drive. I've been planning to stick the Hitachi in a computer and hope it lasts. When I swapped out the drive I simply disconnected the led.
 
#3,129 ·
I saw a post in another thread somewhere (can't find it now) where they used a duplicator.

Here are a couple links to duplicators:

http://biz.tigerdirect.com/product/itemKey/102232998
couldn't find a manual on this one.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=914115&gclid=CMnk5bHYssICFeRDMgodencA6Q&Q=&is=REG&A=details
and the manual of this one is here:
http://aleratec.net/pdf_guides_directory/hdd-duplicators/1-1-usb-3-sata-hard-disk-drive-duplicator-dock-350123-QSG.pdf

I'm also a Mac user but when I did mine a couple years ago, I used a pc laptop, gparted and 2 external drive enclosures. Also had to buy a card for the laptop to read the 2 sata drives. Lots more money than these duplicators.
 
#3,130 ·
Cloning a drive won't work. You need to use a proper copying technique. It would leave him with several issues.

Laxguy... You need to find a friend who has a pic. You don't need an OS as long as you have two esata ports and you use the gparted disc to boot the computer. Just use the entire original instructions in the copy thread.
 
#3,132 ·
inkahauts said:
Cloning a drive won't work. You need to use a proper copying technique. It would leave him with several issues.
See posts 3028 and 3029 which state that cloning will work (I'm on my iPad otherwise I would paste them).
 
#3,133 ·
HofstraJet said:
See posts 3028 and 3029 which state that cloning will work (I'm on my iPad otherwise I would paste them).
Thanks, but I can't be sure they refer to cloning in the strict sense we mean, and particularly for Macs. Both of them are technically savvy, but again, cloning can be used loosely or tightly.
 
#3,134 ·
The duplicators I linked to above (at least the 2nd for sure) do not require a computer at all. It is all contained and done within the device and copies sector for sector. The video about the 2nd one says it is a exact copy as one would expect.

If a duplicator would work, I'd sell my 2 enclosures, dual input esata card and do something with the PC laptop.
 
#3,135 ·
HofstraJet said:
See posts 3028 and 3029 which state that cloning will work (I'm on my iPad otherwise I would paste them).
Cloning will not work for sure if he is going to a larger drive, it would still think he has a smaller drive. So he'd gain no space.

And results will vary for it working at all, some machines will let it, some won't, it has to do with some of the fine points in how it denotes a drive for a specific DVR.

I wish it was so simple, I really really do...
 
#3,136 ·
inkahauts said:
Cloning will not work for sure if he is going to a larger drive, it would still think he has a smaller drive. So he'd gain no space.

And results will vary for it working at all, some machines will let it, some won't, it has to do with some of the fine points in how it denotes a drive for a specific DVR.

I wish it was so simple, I really really do...
I don't doubt you, but I would like to hear from the posters I referenced to see why they suggest it would work.
 
#3,138 ·
HofstraJet said:
I don't doubt you, but I would like to hear from the posters I referenced to see why they suggest it would work.
If you search for the right thread about how to copy and replace the hard drive in there they give you the specific reasons. (It's a big thread though) I don't think the ones talking about it where being quite so literal and I am not sure either have ever even tried either. I don't ever remember PEDS saying he has but it wouldn't surprise me either way.
 
#3,139 ·
Laxguy said:
Apparently not, but I have never had occasion to use an external till now. I am pretty sure I've read that getting it to boot off the external is automatic, just have to make sure it's spun up when you reboot.

Copying would be good, but I have only Macs and am under the impression I need Windows or Linux to do so. If I could use Terminal or an app, that'd be very handy.
Yup, as long as the External is powered up your DVR will use it if it is connected. Just shutdown, hook up external, then boot.

You can copy the drives using a Mac, it's just a bit more involved. If nothing else the gparted disk will boot up any machine.
 
#3,141 ·
P Smith said:
If your Mac is Intel based model, try to boot from cd or dvd Linux distro, there is good chance it will allow you make the copy if the model would have two SATA ports or you can add a card with the ports.
As inkahauts suggested in post 3130, this is a topic for a different existing thread (that the forum search feature didn't help me to locate) and has no place in an ostensibly hardware-oriented thread.

http://www.dbstalk.com/topic/140114-how-to-copy-and-replace-internal-hard-drive/

:backtotop
 
#3,142 ·
RunnerFL said:
He's right. Cloning will give you an exact copy of the original drive, including size. If you cloned a 1TB drive to a 2TB drive you'd only have 1TB usable.
Understood about the size - my post was unclear as that wasn't the point I was debating. inkhauts states that cloning will not work at all, but you and peds48 state that cloning will work. But as you astutely noted, this is a topic for the other thread. :righton:
 
#3,144 ·
Laxguy said:
Thanks, but it's not clear from the above that I will retain and be able to access recordings by moving the internal to an external position. (Of course on same box. I am very clear that there's no chance I can access anything on a different IRD.)
I didn't add that for you, I know you know that. Yes you can use any HDD recorded on the HR that did the recording. And you will see and be able to play the content.

Rich
 
#3,146 ·
hdtvluvr said:
How will you boot into the external if the internal is still in place? Won't the DVR boot to it first? Why not copy the programs from the internal to the external before installing it into the DVR?
Actually, you need an internal drive to use an external drive. There was a time that you could take the internal out and just boot up on the external device, but D* did something to the software and I don't think you can do that anymore.

Rich
 
#3,147 ·
Rich said:
Actually, you need an internal drive to use an external drive. There was a time that you could take the internal out and just boot up on the external device, but D* did something to the software and I don't think you can do that anymore.

Rich
I don't have an internal on my HR44, external alone works just fine.
 
#3,148 ·
Laxguy said:
Apparently not, but I have never had occasion to use an external till now. I am pretty sure I've read that getting it to boot off the external is automatic, just have to make sure it's spun up when you reboot.

Copying would be good, but I have only Macs and am under the impression I need Windows or Linux to do so. If I could use Terminal or an app, that'd be very handy.
What you're doing makes sense, to me. Here's how to do it (not just for you, but anyone else who's interested):

Connect the eSATA to eSATA jumper cable to the HR and the external device and never touch it again.

Plug in the external device with the HDD in it and wait a bit. 30 seconds is usually plenty of time for the external drive to spin up.

Plug in the HR and it should boot up on the external drive. It's really that simple.

If it doesn't work, PM me.

Rich
 
#3,150 ·
RunnerFL said:
I don't have an internal on my HR44, external alone works just fine.
I'm pretty sure it won't work on the two tuner sets. I don't have any need for a Genie, so I just know what I read about them. I'm kinda surprised that they took away that ability on the two tuner units but left it alone on the Genies. Or maybe it works again on the two tuner sets.

Rich
 
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