Good afternoon, i own a motorola DCT 3416-I and i am trying to quit this thing down. Its keeping me up at night, literally.

It constantly makes noise and i believe it is the hard drive making the noise and want to replace it with a super quiet laptop model to solve my problem. Is that possible and what is the biggest size it will take i know it has a 160GB drive in it now? can i slap a 500GB drive in it? Is it IDE or SATA? is the stock drive a 3.5" desktop drive or a 2.5" laptop drive?

Is there a fan in here that runs as well because it does make noise even when turned off that doesnt stop till i pull the plug from the wall but this sound is not as loud as when it is on.

Also can the USB and eSATA ports be used for added storage?

One more question what is the best way to go about opening the case, it seems to have some funny screws, can i just drill them out if needed? I should add i am a computer tech and have taken many courses on electronics so i am confident i will nto screw anything up it just has some really wierd screws holding the case on, its almost like they dont want you to open it.

Thanks alot guys!

The screws are 'standard' Nintendo security screws. Just get a security driver set at your local jobber.

Ths disk runs continuously because it constantly updates the firmware and the guide data. Unplugging the machine at night means that you obviously cannot schedule and overnight recordings but, more of a hassle, the system has to re-initialize your DVR every time you plug it in and the guide data will be missing for up to a few hours.

Currently the machine firmware will only format a max of 160GB but you can put a larger drive in. There is a current rumour that Motorola has altered the latest firmware to support >1TB but that might take a while to get to you as your local cableco has to add their own bits to the firmware release before issuing it.

The HDDs in PVRs are not formatted in any format which is the same as one used in PCs. Your PVR HDD runs 24x365 even when the PVR is in standby "off" mode. It is probably the fan that you are hearing.
If you replace the drive you will void the warrantee for the uint and have to pay for it since you lease it and do not own it.
Take the PVR back to your cable company office and get a replacement.

The HDDs in PVRs are not formatted in any format which is the same as one used in PCs.So what?! Any standard HDD (of the same interface type) will work. The partitions are Linux type. The DVR will automatically format the new HDD to the correct format.If you replace the drive you will void the warrantee for the uint and have to pay for it since you lease it and do not own it.That is only true in those areas where cablecos rent but do not sell DVRs. We we live, we buy our own DVRs from the cableco or Best Buy (http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/subclass.asp?logon=&langid=EN&catid=28559&test_cookie=1), etc.

It's a big world out there!! :eek:

I understand that in Canada you can purchase DVRs from your cable companies. The OP did not specify where he was located and I possibly was incorrect in assuming that he was located in the US.
Thank you for pointing out that the format used for DVRs is the same as that used for Linux I was not aware of that.
I was fully aware that a replaced PVR internal disk drive would be reformated when detected since I did exactly that with a failed IDE drive several years ago.

I own it, i dont want to have to send it in to be fixed because then i would be unable to watch HDTV untill i get it back and hockey season is about to start. Thats even assuming its under warranty still its 2 years old. That said it seems i will have to go with a 160GB drive from what you are telling me which is fine, it is a SATA drive right?

it seems i will have to go with a 160GB drive from what you are telling me which is fine, it is a SATA drive right?With the cheap drives out there, I would go with a larger drive ... the firmware will eventually allow you to format it to a larger capacity. I don't own a 3416 but believe it is a SATA drive. You'll know for sure the instant that you open the box. ;) Compare the spec to the model installed in your machine and try to find a similar or lower power consumption drive.

The 16 in the 3416 model number means that all of the firmware and directory files in the box are implemented to support a 160GB drive. You may be able to install and format a higher capacity drive but I do not think you will get the 3416 to use more then 160GB of it.

The 16 in the 3416 model number means that all of the firmware and directory files in the box are implemented to support a 160GB drive. You may be able to install and format a higher capacity drive but I do not think you will get the 3416 to use more then 160GB of it.

Even the 3412 and 6412 will use 160 GB if a large enough drive is present; the cap at 160 GB is a general one, and I think it's safe to say, with the advent of the DCX series receivers, that you won't see this limitation go away on the old DCT and DCH series equipment ever.

The DVR funtions on my DCT3146 stopped working, the box otherwise is running fine, just unable to record or rewind live TV.

I am thinking of replacing the drive with a similar one, but before I do that, can I reformat the drive in the box, using the box itself?

Are there any other options?

The DVR funtions on my DCT3146 stopped workingWhat makes you think the hard disk is bad??? Quite often the DVR functions disappear due to cableco firmware and can be restored by a refresh or restart of the box.can I reformat the drive in the box, using the box itself?Any drive you hook up to the DVR will be automatically formatted by the box.

The DVR funtions on my DCT3146 stopped working, the box otherwise is running fine, just unable to record or rewind live TV.
Are there any other options?

Sometimes a power-cycle or a re-boot will clear things up.

can I reformat the drive in the box, using the box itself?I think I misread your question. If you want to REformat the EXISTING hard drive, follow these instructions from Wiki ...

DVR HDD Reset

WARNING: this will wipe out all of your recordings, all scheduled recordings, all series recordings (your series priority list), and all manual recordings!! Write down everything you can before you do this!


The DVR should be turned on. Press CABLE, POWER to turn off the box.
Immediately press OK/SELECT to bring up the diagnostics page.
While on this screen, press the following key sequences press the counter-clockwise arrow (REPLAY on some remotes) 2 times, then press the MyDVR (LIST on some remotes), button 3 times then the live button 2 times."Clr" will appear on the LED display.
Press OK/SELECT to proceed with the reset. The STB should now reformat the HD & then perform a STB reset and begin to reload your Cable settings and Time Settings from the Head End. It will then begin to populate the Guide data over the next 2 - 24 hours.

On some systems, the button press pattern may be 1-3-1, not 2-3-2 as above. This is true for at least the DCT 3416 I on Shaw.

Thanks for your replies, I have attached two screenshots of the sub-menu from the box itself. Note that it doesn't read a disc or the disc is seen to be absent.

The cable provider tried refreshing the box before and I have also done the power cycle bit.

I will try the formatting that was just suggesting and let you all know.

Thanks for the help.

Note that it doesn't read a disc or the disc is seen to be absent.It sometimes takes a number of resets or power reconnects before the HDD will show up. Crappy software.

Thanks for your replies, I have attached two screenshots of the sub-menu from the box itself. Note that it doesn't read a disc or the disc is seen to be absent.

The cable provider tried refreshing the box before and I have also done the power cycle bit.

I will try the formatting that was just suggesting and let you all know.

Thanks for the help.

The exact same thing happened to my DCT3416
Any Idea of what to do
Note: I own my box so the cable company will not replace it

I own my box so the cable company will not replace itAre you a Shaw client?

Are you a Shaw client?

Nope I'm a flow customer in Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean