Magnavox 537, 535, 533, 515, 513, 2160A, 2160, 2080 & Philips 3576, 3575 - Page 531

Hi,

Curious if anyone backs up their Magnavox HDDs? Maybe I didn't try the right search terms, but didn't find much info.

MDR513 drive is filling (faster than I can watch or archive on DVD) and I was wishing they'd have a drive backup option via the USB port - just in case. I always like to backup hard drives, but don't want to void the warranty by pulling out the HDD to do a duplication.

Also, was thinking about usefulness of a backup if the original unit goes. Has anyone transplanted a drive from one Magnavox MDR to another of the same model/firmware? Not sure about the Mag, but other commercial HDD recorders I'm familiar with (ex. TiVo Ser 2) have something tying the recorded shows to the individual unit.

A few people have installed a external SATA port on their unit, then they can swap drives using external SATA drive bays. This is a cold swap so the unit has to be powered down when you do the drive switch.

I found CPU Stuff CS5830 to be a good cable to use for this look at CS5830.

One issue I had with it was the external SATA cables tend to be very stiff. If the cable isn't straight going to the drive bay the DVR won't see the drive. So make sure the cable is straight going into the external bay. Look at the first post for drives that can be used.

I can understand your concerns, as I watch a lot of TV and wish I could offload titles to the new terabyte USB drives. Since the Mag is SD and not HD, the interface and its feed isn't rocket science. Yet there are two items that pop up to me.

I timeshift about 24 hours of HD content per week. I use the 515H at HQ, so there is 100 hours where I can save the ABC & Fox titles with little loss of quality. Sometimes I will record a CBS/NBC title on the Mag just because I want a short term backup, and I have the room.

As for long term backups, there are series DVDs from Amazon, internet content like Hulu, and the obvious built in DVD for HSD that works great. A good quality DVD+RW will last for quite a while and moving from HDD to DVD doesn't take that long.

But you're right, using a WD 1 or 2 TB drive via USB would be nice. Then again, the price of a rebuilt 2160A where you can add a 500Gb drive is pretty low. Adding the drive is easy and you will have the backup close to you. It's probably the most cost effective solution.

Do I make backups? Only my computer, and all I care about fits on a 32Gb USB drive.

That's what I've concluded after considering all the factors, too. Things that you really really want to keep can always be copied to DVD+-RW and stored on your computer hard disk, and at your leisure burned to DVD+-R if needed. IMHO, try to decipher the Funai proprietary disk format is not really worth the effort.

Hi..I have just received the Magnavox MDR515H/F7 and have been reading many of these post...maybe too many lol. I'm going to connect this unit to a DirectTV HD/DVR Satellite receiver and just wanted to make sure that I'm doing it correctly. I'm going to use the HDMI connection from the TV to the Magnavox. Do I still need to connect the RCA jacks (red, white, yellow) and the coaxial to the Satellite HD/DVR receiver. Thank you for any help that you can offer.

Hi..I did read the indexed list of help files on pg. 1 of this thread and sketch 4..I just wasn't sure if it was the same for the DirectTV HD/DVR. Do I need both the HDMI and YPb/CbPr/Cr conected to get the best quality for recording DVDs from the DirectTV HD/DVR or just one and if so, which do you think is the best. Thank you for your time.

Thanks for all the comments. I've seen some of the drive "farm" postings. Interesting stuff. Also interesting about expansion by 2160s, but they don't seem to be commonly available lately. (Only see the 513s.) Yep, offloading titles to external disk would be super, but I'd be happy with a backup against drive failure - even if it were a (reasonably priced) proprietary Magnavox external USB.

Backup would be great if it could be moved to a replacement unit if the Maggy itself failed.

Anybody ever try a 513<->513 or 513<->515 drive swap - maintaining recordings and functionality?

My Dad had same issue with his TV with the HDMI hookup as well. I think he made some calls and found out it was a software/handshake issue on the TV. (Primarily on TCM). Check and see if there is a firmware update on for your TV.

Haven't tried it but from what I know about the drive format. The 513 and the 2160A use the same firmware so they should be able to swap between those. 513 to 513 is for sure a go. Not so sure about the 513 to 515. I thought someone did try that and it didn't work. They do run different firmware so it maybe an issue.

If sector 2 starting at byte 16 has this text, you should be able to swap the drives with the unit.

HDDFs 00.07

That is from my 2160A that I put an external drive on for testing.

I'm trying to make sure I have the connections right on the Mag 515...I will take the coaxial coming in from the outside satellite dish and connect it to the Mag 515 first, then to the DirectTV satellite HD/DVR, and that will make it possible for me to record a dvd on the Mag 515 from the DirectTV HD/DVR while I watch a different channel?

Thank you for your help....I used to work with electronics in my younger days but I guess with age so goes the memory...thanks again!

Is there a cable connector on the back of your satellite receiver labeled "OFF-AIR IN"? If so, is there anything connected to it?

Can the 515 record more than 99 titles on the HDD? Thanks.

HDD:
600 titles
99 chapters per title

DVD:
49 titles per disc
254 chapters per disc
99 chapters per title

Edit: wajo beat me to the answer once again.

The 8820 and the RCRP05B also recommended in this thread do use the newer JP1.2/3 connector cable.

That's great news. Was concerned that the Magnavox units might tie HDD recorded programming to the motherboard of the individual unit like TiVo. (PS thanks for starting the File System Investigation thread.)

Hi...I just finished recording a movie to a blank Memorex DVD-R with the Mag 515 from a DirectTV HD/DVR and it appears that it recorded fine. I was able to edit the title but it doesn't appear to have finalized and it didn't seem to give me the option to finalize. The owner's manual doesn't seem to give much info on what to do after the editing has finished. I tried the majority of buttons on the remote but they either did nothing or erased the title so that I had to edit the title again.

That worked!! Thank you so much...I could swear that I tried the "Disc Menu" button on the remote. Is it possible these machines are a little more sensitive than previous because of the hard drive? So, when I finished editing the title, I should be able to just press the "Disc Menu" on remote and finalize the disc or do I have to eject the disc first then insert it before I can finalize it?

The "Disc Menu" button on the remote brings up the title list on a DVD. Any time you have the HDD selected, or if you have DVD selected with no disc in the drive that button won't do anything. "Disc Edit" is where you finalize a disc. That is found in the setup menu.

Thank you Ken!

Thanks Wajo,

I sold my 2160A last year and wife only uses the Philips (she likes the Philips remote) which only record up to 99 titles. Guess I would buy the 515 to see if the wife will be keeping it.

Thanks, Vicky.

For an extra $10, minus sales tax, one can buy one of those from eBay instead of Best Buy.

I went to Best Buy to take a closer look, and compared it to a 6 device RCA next to it with bigger buttons for $1 more, RCRN06GR, and finally noticed the RCRP05B had more buttons, including PIP, so brought the RCRP05B home, even though I'd rather had bigger buttons.

By my count, only 16 "DVR" buttons for the 2160A remote matched up. I had to have it "learn" 23 for it to be usable for me. Here's how it's tentatively laid out:
Arranged top to bottom/right to left on RCA
Available via setup code (0675?):
[PRE]RCA RCRP05B NB820 (2160A)
Replay = VREPLAY
SkipFWD = VSKIP
<< = <<
> = >
>> = >>
Stop = Stop
|| = ||
Rec = Rec
Menu = Setup
Info = Display
Up = Up
Left = Left
OK = OK
Right = Right
Down = Down
Exit = Return
Manually programmed:
List = Prev |<<
Live = Next >>|
Guide = Title
Day - = HDD
Day + = DVD
A = Input
B = Rec Mode
C = Dubbing
D = Cancel
Ch + = CH +
Ch - = CH -
Fav = Timer Prog
1 = 1
2 = 2
3 = 3
4 = 4
5 = 5
6 = 6
7 = 7
8 = 8
9 = 9
- = .[/PRE]

Above was intended to be easy to view 2 columns monospaced (pasted from work file), but this input system doesn't seem to allow me to do that, and choosing a monospace font didn't work either.

Hopefully I'll be able to learn them myself. I also assigned several "DVR" mode buttons for TV functions, such as PIP, swap and aspect, as well as volume for the Pioneer 1120 that all the sounds come from, so the remote can remain in "DVR" mode most of the time.

I also ordered a new NB820, and then remembered I have an extended warranty, so after the new NB820 arrives I'll check and see if I can get the original replaced without having to send in the recorder along with it.