[lizard_boy]

Everything you need to know is right here:

http://www.**************/forums/mess...hreadid=269922

 

[icecow]

The total after everything is $47.62. 39.7 cents / per gig.


I'm still trying to figure out if putting in 2 hard drives in a replaytv will overtaxes the unit and shortens the lifespan.


Two of these at 95.25 complete will get ya a 5240 and a 40 gig siveneer(sp)


cow

 

[pianoman41]

There's also this at CompUSA this week:

WD 160GB Hard Drive for $59.99 AR


It shows sold out online but some of the stores may still have them.

 

[plyons10]

Quote:

Originally posted by icecow The total after everything is $47.62. 39.7 cents / per gig. I'm still trying to figure out if putting in 2 hard drives in a replaytv will overtaxes the unit and shortens the lifespan. cow

Yeah... .I guess there's not enought data yet on that question. But thinking about it, the real issue would be heat and a tax on the power supply (certainly the two drive setup won't tax each drive any more (and probably less) than one drive would be alone).


I think the power supply can take it, it's just a question of heat, really, and that's going to depend on how you mount and how well you ventilate.

 

[icecow]

The heat isn't what worries me..

I have a dremel and could put in a fan niftily. The extra hard drive would put demands on the power supply, and the extra fan would exaserbate it even more.


For all I know the extra hard drive and fan won't bother the power supply at all..maybe lower the life expectacny 1%


Or version two. The power supply can handle it just fine but will fail, say, 30, 35 percent sooner. Would it be worth it?


Or version three. it makes the power supply burn out 60% sooner but safe


Or version four (unlikely) It's dangerous.


I'm guessing it's either version 2 or 3.


I could live with version 2 or 3 if I thought I could make another power supply like you can for a showstopper. It's likely I could find another power supply, but it would be a luxury item and probabaly cost a high amount that would take all the wind out of wanting to buy one.


Anyone know how to make a powersupply for a 5xxx? Is there anything else that uses a similar power supply? I have a dremel and a brain. God help me if they meet.


cow

 

[Jeff D]

Be warned...


I've seen a lot of people (myself included) having the 120GB drive failing. I'm currently waiting on my replacement. I know 3 other people with one or more of these drives that have failed. With the 1 year warranty this could be a bad buy.

 

[Jeff D]

Quote:

Originally posted by icecow Anyone know how to make a powersupply for a 5xxx? Is there anything else that uses a similar power supply? I have a dremel and a brain. God help me if they meet.

Custom but I think mikeyboy found something that can be used as a replacement.


The power supply should be good for the two drives, the power isn't much different than the 5400. And the 5k ships with 2 drives in the 320.



Hmmm checking the maxtor site I discovered this...
http://www.maxtor.com/en/products/at...view/index.htm


Looks like a HD designed for PVRs.

 

[icecow]

I got the ata133 120gig 7200 ultra edition maxtor from office depot in the mail today. I haven't opened it. Is this the same model that might be having problems?


cow

 

[WannabeSQ]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff D Custom but I think mikeyboy found something that can be used as a replacement. The power supply should be good for the two drives, the power isn't much different than the 5400. And the 5k ships with 2 drives in the 320. Hmmm checking the maxtor site I discovered this... http://www.maxtor.com/en/products/at...view/index.htm Looks like a HD designed for PVRs.

Good point. I seriously doubt the 5320 has a different power supply than the other versions, so Now i plan on upgrading my second replay with 2 160 gig drives, hell, maybe Ill add another 160 to my 5250

 

[TBP]

I'm sitting with a WD 160, a Maxtor 120 and a Hitachi 120 debating on what to do with a 5040? Should I go with one drive (and which) or two drives (again, which two). If a drive fails, all shows are lost, correct? The original Maxtor 40 will be set aside after being imaged. Is the power supply much different on a 5040 - maybe even more robust (and overdesigned)? Let's hear (read) some testimonials about upgrading experiences. All and any advice is appreciated.

 

[Subrec]

I upgraded a 3000 series replay once, it was easy, and that was 2-3 years ago, so I'm sure it's even easier now.


Personally, I wouldn't put a 160 in a Replay since it can only see 137 of it. I'd stick with a 120. Why waste, the larger drive would be better utilized in your PC (say for archiving shows w/DVArchive). Just my opinion though.

 

[chain777]

Quote:

Originally posted by Subrec I upgraded a 3000 series replay once, it was easy, and that was 2-3 years ago, so I'm sure it's even easier now. Personally, I wouldn't put a 160 in a Replay since it can only see 137 of it. I'd stick with a 120. Why waste, the larger drive would be better utilized in your PC (say for archiving shows w/DVArchive). Just my opinion though.

That's not true for 5xxx series machines...they don't have the 137GB limit. You can throw a 300GB drive in and it would work just fine.

 

[lizard_boy]

Quote:

Originally posted by Subrec I upgraded a 3000 series replay once, it was easy, and that was 2-3 years ago, so I'm sure it's even easier now. Personally, I wouldn't put a 160 in a Replay since it can only see 137 of it. I'd stick with a 120. Why waste, the larger drive would be better utilized in your PC (say for archiving shows w/DVArchive). Just my opinion though.

Not entirely true, 4000 & newer models can use any size IDE hard drive you put in there. You can even put in two 250GB drives for 500 hours of storage or one 300GB drive for 300 hours.

 

[icecow2003]

didn't pu82 have 2 300's in one once? Show-off!

 

[icecow]

Quote:

Originally posted by Subrec I upgraded a 3000 series replay once, it was easy, and that was 2-3 years ago, so I'm sure it's even easier now. Personally, I wouldn't put a 160 in a Replay since it can only see 137 of it. I'd stick with a 120. Why waste, the larger drive would be better utilized in your PC (say for archiving shows w/DVArchive). Just my opinion though.

I'm with ya. In fact, my 5XXXs can use >137 gig drives, but in the next upgrade I'm thinking of putting two 120 gigs in one and a 100 gig in the other, then move my 2 160 gigs and 1 200 gig over to my computer. It's just slot management. I have less slots in my computer and only want to have one Server computer on pretty much all the time with 520 gigs and two replays with 340 combined. The laptop is like the command position of it all since I can log onto the server with the XP PRO desktop connection thing.


The 520 gigs will give me room to archive 'gem' shows to pocketPC format PocketPC shows are ~120 megs an hour (look great/less filling) It's only TV


cow

 

[jovie]

why not add the drive to your computer, which should have sufficient power AND cooling, and leave the ReplayTV alone - DVArchive does a very good job of serving up the shows, as well as moving off the ReplayTV unit so that you can record all you want... get diskkeeper or perfectdisk to defrag the pc on a regular basis, and it should be fine...

 

[WannabeSQ]

Hell, at these prices, its almost cheaper than buying DVDs And definately more accessible. I might just set up a DVArchive server with a crap load of drives in it just for TV watching Id probably upgrade my other replay anyway, just cause im geeky like that.

 

[plyons10]

Quote:

Originally posted by jovie why not add the drive to your computer, which should have sufficient power AND cooling, and leave the ReplayTV alone - DVArchive does a very good job of serving up the shows, as well as moving off the ReplayTV unit so that you can record all you want... get diskkeeper or perfectdisk to defrag the pc on a regular basis, and it should be fine...

You really don't need to defrag that often if you are simply using the drive as a DVArchive server. The reason is that there are so few files relative to the disk size that fragmentation will be much less than that which occurs normally on the disc partition containing, for instance the OS.


That said, I've actually downgraded both my 5040s back to their stock drives. This was partly the result of one unit being a bit buggy and twice losing all my shows (with a 200GB drive full). I realized then that the MTBF of the Replay OS was much higher than the MTBF of the drive and the data was much more secure on my PC than on the Replay.


My third 200GB drive makes the occasional shuttle between home and office for secure off site back up.

 

[icecow]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff D Be warned... I've seen a lot of people (myself included) having the 120GB drive failing. I'm currently waiting on my replacement. I know 3 other people with one or more of these drives that have failed. With the 1 year warranty this could be a bad buy.

I got the ata133 120gig 7200 ultra edition maxtor from office depot in the mail today. I haven't opened it. Is this the same model that might be having problems?


Are you saying maxtor 120 gig drives in general, the ultra 120's? or what. When did you buy your 120 and was it a maxtor. I'm tring to figure out what you meant by this post.


cow

 

[TBP]

So it reads like I should put a 120 in the 5040 and add the 160 and the other 120 into the PC and stream? Know DVArchive seemed to take forever to transfer one hour shows. Kept looking at the settings and reading what I could. May have to try another attempt. My wife loves recording movies, so archiving those makes sense. Know I don't want to lose another drive full of shows, though.