[finefatfly]

hello! i recently opened up my panasonic showstopper replaytv to

upgrade the hard drive...worked just fine with no problems.


but i was just wondering about the piece of foam and thick metal plate

that were on top of the hard drive? i heard that overheating can be a

problem with replaytv...so whats with the foam and metal plate? seems

like they would insulate the HD and keep the heat in.


i'm thinking about removing the foam & metal, and possibly adding a

computer hard drive fan or maybe a heatsink to the drive. anybody have

any ideas why i shouldn't do this? thanks for any advice...


finefatfly

 

[chain777]

Better known as the EZ bake cover; you're better off removing it, especially if your putting a 7200RPM drive in.

 

[Creech]

Leave it off and use a couple of big zip ties to hold your new drive in place.

 

[icecow]

I worry that zip ties will crumble in ~3 years and whoever has my replay then will pick it up and the harddrive will fly into the motherboard like a brick. So I used a big metal hose clamp..


I haven't heard anything bad about the zip tie method, I just dont trust them.


If you go the metal hose clamp way..


Get a hose clamp that is about 12" in length. The hose clamp are measured by diameter(maybe radius) on the package. It's deceptive to guestimate. Just know your drive is 3.5" x 1" = 9" circumference plus an inch or two for the play = 10 or 11".


I used two hose clamps. It might be overkill but at least it's balanced. Didn't take long


Buy an extra hose clamp. Use the first one to figure out how things bend when working with them. Throw it out and do it right with the others.


Do not have the tightening screw over the harddrive or the case will not have room to close. Do however have the tighting screw on the side facing up. Make it hang a little low because it rises when it is tightened up(and may prevent the case from closing


If you have excess length, thread the end through the tightening screw before cutting off the excess or it will be hard to thread the end into the tightening screw.


This all sounds complex. I want to say it easier then it sounds. If it is hard, I had no problem doing it.


The 'tricky' part is having an aptitude for where to create the bends. Create a bend so the tightening screw lays low.


I assure you it's not that hard but might be bad news for certain personality types.


cow

 

[rm -rf *.*]

Take a look at Gary's (one of the Senior AVS Board Members here - goes by the handle of "l8er") excelent website on the subject:

http://www.grandallusion.com/


It covers fans, drive mounting, and adding drives. All well documented with step-by-step explantions and photographs.

 

[wrench]

Hose clamps. Never thought of them. Great idea ice.


Just a note.....zip ties come in different qualities. The black ones are rated for high heat and it'll need cutting to get it off after 10 years of use. The white ones are not really for high heat use. They get brittle after a short time. Most auto stores should have the black ones. If not, an electronics store will.

 

[icecow]

Oh, ok. I didn't know those things were rated. I was pretty sure I seen them on hot things for a long time and I was pretty sure I've seen them crumble apart from heat as though they were in sunlight.


I had some white ties before I opted to put on the hose clamps so that was good.


I'll look for the heat rated ones. Then again, knowing the hose clamps are in there is a good feeling. Brings back some of that 'Showstopper' ruggedness. Tonka, Catapiller.... It's a Feng Shui thing.


cow

 

[plyons10]

There is a reason, Cow, why every other method you've seen to hold drives in place does NOT involve metal touching metal.


I would not use hose clamps unless I first insulated them from touching any metal portion of the drive enclosure.

 

[Jamy]

Quote:

Originally posted by wrench Hose clamps. Never thought of them. Great idea ice. Just a note.....zip ties come in different qualities. The black ones are rated for high heat and it'll need cutting to get it off after 10 years of use. The white ones are not really for high heat use. They get brittle after a short time. Most auto stores should have the black ones. If not, an electronics store will.

The white ties will stand up to the heat of a computer or hard drive in this instance, just fine. I used to work in the aviation electronics industry rewiring jumbo jets, and I have seen plastic ties that were on wiring bundles last an extremely long time. If however you are still uncomfortable with zip ties; what I reccomend are the cloth and velcro cable ties you can buy at most office stores they are designed to bundle up cables behind computer desks and work great.

 

[icecow]

Quote:

Originally posted by plyons10 There is a reason, Cow, why every other method you've seen to hold drives in place does NOT involve metal touching metal. I would not use hose clamps unless I first insulated them from touching any metal portion of the drive enclosure.

What is the reason?


I can't tell if you are being 'sniffy' or if that could be a real concern. Computer harddrives appear to be grounded to the case..metal screws through the metal case. I don't know why a replay would be different. I'm in check because I seem to recall showstoppers haveing alot of foam placed around the harddrive, but that seemed to be a strange thing, much like the whole EZBake concept in general. However, in the showstoppers the harddrive may not be grounded to the case so there is room for truth in your sniffy remark.


cow