External Hard Drive

[Lucas Cummins]

I just upgraded my HR44 to the HR54. Is it possible to add an external hard drive to it so as to have even more storage space on my DVR?

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys Lucas Cummins!
With some versions of the HR54, yes. Newer models don't have the esata port that's necessary to connect the drive to.

 

[texasbrit]

but remember an external drive REPLACES the internal drive, it does not add to the storage.

 

[Lucas Cummins]

but remember an external drive REPLACES the internal drive, it does not add to the storage.

This I know. I just thought if I put a larger drive in than is already there that it’d gain me more space. Is that the only way i can connect a larger drive, the eSATA port? I figured maybe I just hook one into one of the USB ports on the unit.

 

[raoul5788]

Esata is the only way to connect an external drive to a directv dvr.

 

[vazhog]

I use a 2 TB SSD WD blue External- on My Hr54 --I use this enclosuer -ONLY eSATA Works

Amazon.com: MiniPro External 2.5-inch eSATA, USB-C External Hard Drive Enclosure: Computers & Accessories

 

[slice1900]

Even if you do it, the external drive doesn't add to its space, it overrides the internal drive. And since an external drive costs more than an internal drive it doesn't make much sense to do it that way.

So IMHO whether or not you get one without the eSATA port if you want more space the easiest solution would be to swap out the hard drive in it. Keep the old one so you can swap it back if/when you have to return it to Directv.

People will warn "oh no you can't open it up that violates the terms of service!!!" but I have been on this forum and dbstalk for years and have heard of exactly ZERO people ever getting in trouble over this. Not saying it has never happened because we can't know for sure one way or the other, but if it does happen it must be pretty rare if it has never happened to anyone who later posted about it on the internet.

 

[jct21]

Even if you do it, the external drive doesn't add to its space, it overrides the internal drive. And since an external drive costs more than an internal drive it doesn't make much sense to do it that way.

So IMHO whether or not you get one without the eSATA port if you want more space the easiest solution would be to swap out the hard drive in it. Keep the old one so you can swap it back if/when you have to return it to Directv.

People will warn "oh no you can't open it up that violates the terms of service!!!" but I have been on this forum and dbstalk for years and have heard of exactly ZERO people ever getting in trouble over this. Not saying it has never happened because we can't know for sure one way or the other, but if it does happen it must be pretty rare if it has never happened to anyone who later posted about it on the internet.

thats what i did. i use a samsung evo ssd in mine. works like a charm. over the weekend i pulled the drive to evaluate its smart data. looks like the ssd will outlive the 54 its in and possibly the next 2 units. in theory, i should get around 13 years of service with my current viewing. but even if its 5 years, its still a worthy upgrade.

 

[Jimbo]

thats what i did. i use a samsung evo ssd in mine. works like a charm. over the weekend i pulled the drive to evaluate its smart data. looks like the ssd will outlive the 54 its in and possibly the next 2 units. in theory, i should get around 13 years of service with my current viewing. but even if its 5 years, its still a worthy upgrade.

Until the hard drive just dies, out of the blue .... it happens, that why I tell people to NOT put really Important stuff on a HD

 

[jct21]

Until the hard drive just dies, out of the blue .... it happens, that why I tell people to NOT put really Important stuff on a HD

yep it happens.... ive seen it a few times, mostly with nvme drives overheating. it recently happened to a customer of mine, their toshiba nvme was burnt black in a dell xps 8930. not putting really important stuff on a HD is good advice, especially if its your only backup. that said, i do have really important stuff on multiple HD's, both spin drives and several 2 & 4TB ssd's. backups of my backups. decades worth of pics and documents and various music files ive been backing up since the mid to late 90's. hopefully they all wont fail at the same time

ive been using the ssd in my 54 for almost 3 months now. i know it could up and die at any moment, but i have had good luck with 2.5 reputable name brand ssds in the past & i rarely keep over 2 or 3 shows tops recorded. i usualy delete after i watch. the ssd does make the genie a fast dvr.

*edit*
if any of you guys have a 54-700 and want to use a ssd either internal or with esata, i cannot get the wd blue 2.5 ssd to work with my genie. other brands ive tried (toshiba, adata, crucial) works just fine. i suggest samsung ssd's. ive tried the pro, evo & qvo models and they all work fine. however the wd blue drive does work in the 44-500 and the 54-500 with humax boards. my 700 is a pace board and just wont accept the wd blue ssd.