Extrnal Hard Drive for Tivo HD

[dwiener]

Are there any external HD's that will work with my Tivo HD? I know about the WD My DVR Expander, but at $199 for 500gb, it seems expensive compared to other larger eSata drives out there.

[windracer]

The WD Expander is currently the only supported external drive for the THD and THD-XL boxes.

[FixItPete]

The WD Expander is currently the only supported external drive for the THD and THD-XL boxes.

So are you saying the only way to get more storage for a TiVo HD DVR is with this drive?

[dianebrat]

So are you saying the only way to get more storage for a TiVo HD DVR is with this drive?
The only official Tivo endorsed and supported option, yes.

If you visit the upgrade forum, and poke around even in this forum, there are other ways to do this involving WinMFS, etc. (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=370784)

But "officially" the WD MyDVR expander is the only plug and play nothing else involved external storage solution for the HD and HDXL

Diane

[HomeUser]

Save $60 My DVR Expander $129.99 (http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-WDG1S5000VN-500GB-Expander/dp/B0018O77Q2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1225121893&sr=8-1)

[slowbiscuit]

Still too rich for me, you can get a 1TB drive and have twice the space for less than that.

[dwiener]

My main reason for asking is that my DVR expander went south after about 7 months. I have a warranty replacement coming, but I'm concerned about their durability what with their being powered up 24/7, thats why I was wondering about alternatives. FWIW there appear to be lots od others having problems with these drives.

[windracer]

So are you saying the only way to get more storage for a TiVo HD DVR is with this drive?
Externally, yes.

[richsadams]

My main reason for asking is that my DVR expander went south after about 7 months. I have a warranty replacement coming, but I'm concerned about their durability what with their being powered up 24/7, thats why I was wondering about alternatives. FWIW there appear to be lots od others having problems with these drives.Sorry to hear that your eSATA drive bit the dust...it happens. I'm not so sure about "lots of others" having problems with the WD My DVR Expanders. They've been in the wild for about a year now and of course the folks that post on the forum are more likely to have an issue than those that are doing fine. The WD Expanders are no more or less likely to fail than TiVo's internal drives (which are also WD).

As Diane pointed out, if you're comfortable with R&R of your TiVo HD's internal hard drive (and connecting it and a new drive to your PC) all the info you need to upgrade is listed on the Official eSATA Drive Expansion: FAQ + Discussion (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=5616160#post5616160) including recommended hard drives, enclosures, etc.

FWIW, the better option for more recording space is to simply replace the TiVo HD's internal hard drive with a larger one (up to 1TB) as you'll have to remove it to marry anything other than the WD My DVR Expander anyway. If you really want more space you can upgrade the internal hard drive as well as add a larger eSATA drive for up to 2TB's of recording space. Read the sticky thread, in particular Section III, #30 for replacing the internal hard drive. When you're done, put the original drive on the shelf as a backup and just in case you have to return your TiVo for some reason.

Best of luck and let us know (on the sticky thread) how it goes. :up:

[BigRichJ]

I've also been having troubles with my WD DVR Expander (purchased last November). I'd had no problems with the drive until two weeks ago, when suddenly I found my Tivo constantly trying to reboot (I'd received 9.4 some time previous to this). I couldn't boot the Tivo with the drive attached; tried different cables (including the Siig eSATA cable that folks here are recommending), but never got past the "Powering Up" screen or a screen saying that I needed to divorce the drive...which I eventually did, and the Tivo booted fine (without all of my programs, of course).

Since the DVR Expander was under warranty, I contacted WD and they just sent me a new (refurb) DVR Expander (including the "Verified by Tivo" sticker)...but now, the Tivo will boot with that drive attached, but it doesn't show the additional hours in System Information, and when I try to go to the External Storage menu, it says that the drive is unsupported. Oddly, in System Information, it does contain a reference to the WD drive, but has a different model number than the DVR Expander I actually have connected to it. (???)

Tier one support at Tivo was no help; I'm waiting for a call from Tier two.

Has anyone had similar problems with adding a "new" expander to their machines?

[richsadams]

Oddly, in System Information, it does contain a reference to the WD drive, but has a different model number than the DVR Expander I actually have connected to it. (???) I see on another post that you have a TiVo HD. TiVo identifies eSATA drives by the model number. Specifically if the model number does not match what a TiVo HD is looking for it will not work.

It sounds like you properly divorced the drive previously. If you disconnect your new Expander, does it still show one connected in the System Information screen?

It's possible that WD may have put the wrong drive in the enclosure and if you have a TiVo HD you may need to send the replacement Expander back. I don't have a WD My DVR Expander, but IIRC the model number is:

WDG1S5000VN

Is that what's showing when your new one is connected?

[Adam1115]

The Series 3 however supports any esata drive you wish to connect to it... ;)

[richsadams]

The Series 3 however supports any esata drive you wish to connect to it... ;)Well, not exactly. A visit to the Official eSATA Drive Expansion: FAQ + Discussion (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=5616160#post5616160) sticky thread is in order. ;) Most will, but (per Section III, #6) there are eSATA drives that will not work with Series3's and still others that are not recommended for various reasons.

[BigRichJ]

Thanks for the help, Rich.

Actually, my Tivo is showing a Western Digital model number of WD 5000AVJS, which seems to match up with a WD internal SATA drive they recommend for AV uses.

Western Digital tech support tells me that the Tivo will show whatever drive is in the enclosure, since it only acts as a "pass through" - which doesn't make sense to me, as I seem to recall that my original DVR expander did cause the "right" model number to appear in the System Information screen.

I still have to try Tivo's Tier 2 support folks, but I'm thinking I'm about to get embroiled in a Tivo vs. WD "pass the baby" (pass the hard drive?) battle...

[richsadams]

Thanks for the help, Rich.

Actually, my Tivo is showing a Western Digital model number of WD 5000AVJS, which seems to match up with a WD internal SATA drive they recommend for AV uses.

Western Digital tech support tells me that the Tivo will show whatever drive is in the enclosure, since it only acts as a "pass through" - which doesn't make sense to me, as I seem to recall that my original DVR expander did cause the "right" model number to appear in the System Information screen.

I still have to try Tivo's Tier 2 support folks, but I'm thinking I'm about to get embroiled in a Tivo vs. WD "pass the baby" (pass the hard drive?) battle...Interesting that it's a different drive than your Expander originally came with. WD is correct in that the enclosure doesn't matter and that TiVo will "recognize" whatever drive you attach to it. However IMO that will be a problem because the TiVo HD software is set to only recognize and accept one drive (the model you originally had) and won't work with anything else.

I may be wrong, but it sounds like they put the wrong drive in the enclosure. It's not a bad drive or anything, but simply one that TiVo HD's don't consider compatible.

Can anyone else with a WD My DVR EXpander verify the drive model # showing on their System Information screen?

[RonDawg]

Can anyone else with a WD My DVR EXpander verify the drive model # showing on their System Information screen?

Mine shows:

WDC WD5000AVJS-63TRA0 12.01C01

I'm assuming the last number is the firmware version.

[richsadams]

Mine shows:

WDC WD5000AVJS-63TRA0 12.01C01

I'm assuming the last number is the firmware version.Same model number as BigRich's. Hmmmm.... :confused:

[BigRichJ]

Well, the Tivo tech support folks never came up with anything better than "the WD expanders sometimes just don't work...have WD give you another one."

To give TiVo credit (a LOT of credit, in fact), they actually took the time to join me on the phone with the WD tech support folks, and were able to convince them to send me another expander to try out. Now I'm just hoping that drive #3 will do the trick.

Thanks to all for your help...

Rich

[Adam1115]

Well, not exactly. A visit to the Official eSATA Drive Expansion: FAQ + Discussion (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=5616160#post5616160) sticky thread is in order. ;) Most will, but (per Section III, #6) there are eSATA drives that will not work with Series3's and still others that are not recommended for various reasons.


Ok, all but one esata drive will work in the Series 3....

[richsadams]

Ok, all but one esata drive will work in the Series 3....And wouldn't you know it...this forum membe (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=6811438#post6811438)r went out and bought the one that won't work...based on your recommendation...even named you! :eek: Kidding (that they named you, but they did in fact buy the wrong one.) :D Sigh.