WD Drive Options

[Ollie_3151]

I am looking to replace hard drive in my TCD663160.

What is the recommendation for Western Digital Drive currently?

Can I install 2GB drive or should I stick with 1GB drive?

What is a good link to walk through the upgrade process?

[dianebrat]

I'd suggest reviewing the first and last sections of the stickied Upgrade thread http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb...d.php?t=370784

It's got everything you could need.

[lillevig]

Originally Posted by Ollie_3151

I am looking to replace hard drive in my TCD663160.

What is the recommendation for Western Digital Drive currently?

Can I install 2GB drive or should I stick with 1GB drive?

What is a good link to walk through the upgrade process?

The link quoted above is the place to go for drive selections but you should really ask yourself how much storage you need. I've got 1TB drives in my Premeire and S3HD but I don't really use anywhere near that much space because I don't tend to save recordings. If you want to save a significant number of recordings, then you might consider adding drive space to your computer instead of the Tivo and transferring them to your PC for safe keeping.

[Ollie_3151]

Many thanks. I will give it a go

[lrhorer]

Originally Posted by lillevig

you should really ask yourself how much storage you need.

I agree, although with drive prices now down back to nearly where they were before the flooding, I would say one needn't ask nearly as pointedly.

Originally Posted by lillevig

I've got 1TB drives in my Premeire and S3HD but I don't really use anywhere near that much space because I don't tend to save recordings.

To that I would respond, "Why not?" After all, it is the TiVo that does the saving, not you.

Originally Posted by lillevig

If you want to save a significant number of recordings, then you might consider adding drive space to your computer instead of the Tivo and transferring them to your PC for safe keeping.

I agree. The TiVo is a rather poor place to store programs indefinitely. What I would say, is once the TiVo's hard drive is large enough that given the family's recording habits the FIFO storage becomes infinite, one needn't bother to expand further. For most families, this is probably between 500G and 750G. The question is not, "How much space is on the hard drive?", but rather, "How old is the oldest (non-KUID) recording on the TiVo?" As long as that amount of time is greater than the family needs to reasonably watch any program they do not want to miss, any further expansion of the TiVo produces rapidly diminishing returns on the investment. Any programs they want to watch more than once should indeed be moved to external storage, which can not only be readily expanded more or less without limit, but also can be easily backed up in case of drive failures.

[Ollie_3151]

My TiVo is a TCD663160 (Australian TiVoHD) and I replaced the drive with WD WD-AV 1TB WD10EURX. Using the WinMFS and the quick start process (from the mfslive site) I had the Tivo up and running in about hour.

Hardest part of the process was
- Sorting out the SATA ports on the old desktop to use WinMFS
- Tools to get into the case.

The software process was very straight forward.

I will test it out of the next week and see how it goes.

Many thanks to all

[lillevig]

Originally Posted by Ollie_3151

Hardest part of the process was
- Sorting out the SATA ports on the old desktop to use WinMFS
- Tools to get into the case.

Just as a heads up, you can use inexpensive USB to IDE/SATA adapter cables to do Tivo imaging. In fact, that is all I've ever used and I've imaged several S1, S2, and S3 drives. Done them mostly with my desktop and WinMFS but also have done it with my laptop and WinTools.

[poppagene]

Originally Posted by lillevig

Just as a heads up, you can use inexpensive USB to IDE/SATA adapter cables to do Tivo imaging. In fact, that is all I've ever used and I've imaged several S1, S2, and S3 drives. Done them mostly with my desktop and WinMFS but also have done it with my laptop and WinTools.

Don't you still need to connect to mainboard sata to run the wdidle program?

[lpwcomp]

Originally Posted by poppagene

Don't you still need to connect to mainboard sata to run the wdidle program?

Yes, if intellipark is enabled on the drive.

According to WD, the following drives have this feature which can be disabled via wdidle3:

WD20EADS, WD20EARS, WD15EADS, WD15EARS, WD10EADS, WD10EARS, WD8000AARS, WD7500AADS, WD7500AARS, WD6400AADS, WD6400AARS, WD5000AADS, WD5000AARS

[poppagene]

according to Newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136941 intellipark is listed in the specifications for the drive OP used. I think all of the current model AV-GP drives from western digital feature intellipark

[dlfl]

Wasn't there a Tivo software update that removed the boot-failure problem caused by Intellipark?

[lpwcomp]

Originally Posted by dlfl

Wasn't there a Tivo software update that removed the boot-failure problem caused by Intellipark?

Huh. I hadn't heard that but I googled "TiVo intellipark" and one of the things that came up was this, so supposedly they fixed it more than 2 years ago. Except that the last post in the thread indicated it was broken again. Bottom line: If it is not too much effort, direct connect the drive and run wdidle3. Intellipark is a totally useless feature in a TiVo. If it is difficult, then try it in the TiVo and see if there is a soft boot problem.

The other interesting thing this revealed to me is that this problem existed in some of the HD XLs with the stock drive.

[lpwcomp]

I wouldn't assume that just because Newegg says it has IntelliPark that it actually does. I know it's still possible that it does but it doesn't really make sense for a drive designed for video applications.

[poppagene]

Originally Posted by lpwcomp

I wouldn't assume that just because Newegg says it has IntelliPark that it actually does. I know it's still possible that it does but it doesn't really make sense for a drive designed for video applications.

western digital lists this as a feature of their av-gp series

[lpwcomp]

Originally Posted by poppagene

western digital lists this as a feature of their av-gp series

So they do. That's just dumb.

[farmermac]

Originally Posted by Ollie_3151

I am looking to replace hard drive in my TCD663160.

What is the recommendation for Western Digital Drive currently?

Can I install 2GB drive or should I stick with 1GB drive?

What is a good link to walk through the upgrade process?

For the price difference between the larger drives, I'd max out the capacity. The difference between a 640gb, 750gb and. 1tb drive isn't very big. In the future, you will never be upset to have an extra 50 hours of recording but you might miss it. If you intend on selling it, the larger drive is a huge plus since you can only upgrade from the original drive image once.

[A J Ricaud]

Originally Posted by lillevig

If you want to save a significant number of recordings, then you might consider adding drive space to your computer instead of the Tivo and transferring them to your PC for safe keeping.

That's a good idea but will only work if the recordings are unencrypted. Unfortunately, it seems that most cable operators prevent transferring just about everything but the OTA network channels.

[lpwcomp]

Originally Posted by A J Ricaud

That's a good idea but will only work if the recordings are unencrypted. Unfortunately, it seems that most cable operators prevent transferring just about everything but the OTA network channels.

You're evidence in support of that statement? At least here, Comcast only sets the CC1 byte ( this is what prevents copying, not encryption) on premium channels.

[unitron]

Originally Posted by dlfl

Wasn't there a Tivo software update that removed the boot-failure problem caused by Intellipark?

I'm not sure that would be possible, since WD's solution involves screwing around with the firmware of the drive.

Maybe the TiVo could do it on the original drive installed at the factory, but I wouldn't expect it to be automatically able to handle any larger different model number replacement drives.

[farmermac]

Originally Posted by A J Ricaud

That's a good idea but will only work if the recordings are unencrypted. Unfortunately, it seems that most cable operators prevent transferring just about everything but the OTA network channels.

TiVo supplies the software to do this on their site...

[A J Ricaud]

Originally Posted by lpwcomp

You're evidence in support of that statement? At least here, Comcast only sets the CC1 byte ( this is what prevents copying, not encryption) on premium channels.

I stand corrected. I meant "copying", not encryption. I think that FiOS is about the only one around here that doesn't set the flag--yet.

[A J Ricaud]

Originally Posted by farmermac

TiVo supplies the software to do this on their site...

I'm not sure what you mean, but if you are referring to "Tivo Desktop", it will not let you copy recordings to a PC if they are copy protected.

[farmermac]

Originally Posted by A J Ricaud

I'm not sure what you mean, but if you are referring to "Tivo Desktop", it will not let you copy recordings to a PC if they are copy protected.

oh. I've never run into that yet.. My cable provider must not copy protect anything.

[dlfl]

Originally Posted by farmermac

oh. I've never run into that yet.. My cable provider must not copy protect anything.

"My what big teeth you have, grandmother" said Little Red Riding Hood. (She didn't realize she was confronting a wolf -- yet!)

[oregonalex]

Originally Posted by Ollie_3151

My TiVo is a TCD663160 (Australian TiVoHD) and I replaced the drive with WD WD-AV 1TB WD10EURX. Using the WinMFS and the quick start process (from the mfslive site) I had the Tivo up and running in about hour.

Hardest part of the process was
- Sorting out the SATA ports on the old desktop to use WinMFS
- Tools to get into the case.

The software process was very straight forward.

I will test it out of the next week and see how it goes.

Many thanks to all

Any more success (or failure) stories with this drive?

It appears Intellipark is disabled by default, which would make things simple.
But it does not appear as a recommended drive in the FAQ.

Worse yet, there is this thread:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb...d.php?t=470061
Looks discouraging...

But then again, there is this:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb...RX#post9356638

So, is it worth trying?

[unitron]

Originally Posted by oregonalex

Any more success (or failure) stories with this drive?

It appears Intellipark is disabled by default, which would make things simple.
But it does not appear as a recommended drive in the FAQ.

Worse yet, there is this thread:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb...d.php?t=470061
Looks discouraging...

Is it worth trying?

If you already own one of that model drive, perhaps it would be better used in a PC somewhere.

Wait for newegg and Amazon to drop the price of a WD20EURS to $100 and grab one of those.

[oregonalex]

Originally Posted by unitron

If you already own one of that model drive, perhaps it would be better used in a PC somewhere.

Wait for newegg and Amazon to drop the price of a WD20EURS to $100 and grab one of those.

Thanks for the suggestion.

No, I have not bought it yet. I have Tivo HD XL. The way I use Tivo, even the 1TB is MASSIVE overkill. My main (only) consideration is ease of replacement and reliability, not capacity. ***

But, if the WD20EURS is more likely to work than WD10EURX (especially if I don't have to mess with the Intellipark bit), then I guess I'd do it, it's now $108 as opposed to $84 for the 1TB.

EDIT: *** Actually, I tell a lie. My main consideration is drive quietness, as the unit is in my audiophile listening room.

[dlfl]

Originally Posted by unitron

.......
Wait for newegg and Amazon to drop the price of a WD20EURS to $100 and grab one of those.

Recently got one from Amazon for $108, with no shipping cost and no tax. It came in one day with Amazon Prime. AND it was packed in the original WD package with sealed anti-static bag and plastic end-cap spacers, i.e., the best. Waiting for $100 or a little less at another vendor doesn't seem worth it.

[oregonalex]

Originally Posted by dlfl

Waiting for $100 or a little less at another vendor doesn't seem worth it.

I agree. Plus, I really can't wait any more. The audio/video glitches are getting really bad.

Have you installed it yet? Using WinMFS or something else? Any snags?

[unitron]

Originally Posted by dlfl

Recently got one from Amazon for $108, with no shipping cost and no tax. It came in one day with Amazon Prime. AND it was packed in the original WD package with sealed anti-static bag and plastic end-cap spacers, i.e., the best. Waiting for $100 or a little less at another vendor doesn't seem worth it.

Amazon's price tends to bounce around, but if newegg goes to $100, they're pretty quick to price match (and pretty quick to go back up as soon as newegg's sale is over).