HR2x / HR34 External Hard Drive FYI/Support (eSATA)

[jcrandall]

This feature is officially considered a test/beta feature - CSR reps cannot help with questions on external hard drives.

That said, we can!

I've been using esata drives on two HR20s for months now, and loving it!

Here are some things you should know:

1. Not all cables are the same, not all work, and most drives don't come with one. Here is a reliable cable I am using that only costs $16 with 2 day shipping:
Product Details

2. One drive solutions are available up to 750gb, trippling your as-built storage. Seagate has a reliable line called FreeAgent that also has a 5 year warranty and good pricing:
Seagate Technology - FreeAgent™ Pro

3. Larger multiple drive solutions are possible using a drive enclosure. Two 750gb drives would be 1.5TB! These are setup usinga RAID-0 configuration. It is important to ensure any enclosure uses eSATA and the internal drives 'should' be SATA.

Lets hear other's solutions, or any questions for those considering the drive upgrades.

 

[Jimbo]

Good info,
Thanks Masterdeals

I am one that is looking into this type of thing and I am always looking for a good deal.
I would like to get into either a 1 TB or 1.5 TB set up.

Anyone have any suggestions ?

also are the ESATA cables all the same as far as what fits.
I saw the Western Digital site specifically stated that they only use the I to I cable, would this be true with all E SATA drives ? Making the other cables to be used for other applications ?

Jimbo

 

[Jimbo]

I know dbstlk has an extensive thread on esata support for the HR20, but we need an FYI thread here.

As with the test software, esata should be considered a test feature - meaning there is no support and the standard could change.

With that said, I've been using esata drives on two HR20s for months now, and loving it!

Here are some things you should know:

1. Not all cables are the same, not all work, and most drives don't come with one. Here is a reliable cable I am using that only costs $16 with 2 day shipping:
http://http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=4165021&RSKU=4165021

2. One drive solutions are available up to 750gb, trippling your as-built storage. Seagate has a reliable line called FreeAgent that also has a 5 year warranty and good pricing:
Seagate Technology - FreeAgent™ Pro

3. Larger multiple drive solutions are possible using a drive enclosure. Two 750gb drives would be 1.5TB! These are setup usinga RAID-0 configuration. It is important to ensure any enclosure uses eSATA and the internal drives 'should' be SATA.

Lets hear other's solutions, or any questions for those considering the drive upgrades.

Masterdeals,
For some reason the link for the cable is not working any longer., even after I edited the addl. http.

Here is a working link :
Product Details


Jimbo

 

[Smith P.]

I would point to the suggestion: if you have disk enclosure with eSATA interface and HW what allow create RAID (0,1,5,10,etc) you shouldn't worried about HDD native interface - those disks could be IDE[PATA], SATA, SCSI, FO, etc.
So far, there are ppl using 5x750 GB = 3.75 TB for HR20 with HW RAID support.
Other note - HR20 doesn't support Port Multiplier. Avoid enclosures what require the feature.

 

[Brewer4]

I am in the hunt for a 1 TB solution myself. I was actually thinking about starting a thread too but was gonna do it when I got the drive myself. Good job masterdeals. See thats why I singled you out. You are on the ball!

 

[jcrandall]

Masterdeals,
For some reason the link for the cable is not working any longer., even after I edited the addl. http.

Here is a working link :
Product Details


Jimbo

Thanks Jimbo, I fixed the linik

 

[jcrandall]

I am in the hunt for a 1 TB solution myself. I was actually thinking about starting a thread too but was gonna do it when I got the drive myself. Good job masterdeals. See thats why I singled you out. You are on the ball!

Fujitsu announced production of 1GB individual drives is starting soon. They are finishing the prototype stage. I think if you wait another six months or so you can get 1TB drives that are single drive instead of two drives in an enclosure. i.e. better heat / reliability.

 

[raoul5788]

Fujitsu announced production of 1GB individual drives is starting soon. They are finishing the prototype stage. I think if you wait another six months or so you can get 1TB drives that are single drive instead of two drives in an enclosure. i.e. better heat / reliability.

Western Digital has a 1TB drive at Costco, but I believe it is actually two 500GB drives in one enclosure. It is a good price, though, $344, I think.

 

[Jimbo]

Western Digital has a 1TB drive at Costco, but I believe it is actually two 500GB drives in one enclosure. It is a good price, though, $344, I think.

Really ????
Now thats more like it, I was looking at the W/D 750 and it was $ 279 at BB, although I'd like to go larger.

Thanks raoul, I'll look into it.
Alot of these I've been seeing come with a USB connection only, so you have to watch that issue.

raoul,
is this the one your referring to ???
I see nothing about having the correct connections on it, maybe I have the wrong one ???
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11207504&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|84|31022|31023&N=4013468&Mo=20&pos=1&No=3&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=31023&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC10626-Cat31022&topnav=

Jimbo

 

[raoul5788]

Really ????
Now thats more like it, I was looking at the W/D 750 and it was $ 279 at BB, although I'd like to go larger.

Thanks raoul, I'll look into it.
Alot of these I've been seeing come with a USB connection only, so you have to watch that issue.

raoul,
is this the one your referring to ???
I see nothing about having the correct connections on it, maybe I have the wrong one ???
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11207504&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|84|31022|31023&N=4013468&Mo=20&pos=1&No=3&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=31023&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC10626-Cat31022&topnav=

Jimbo

This is the one I saw. It may not have the right connections. I didn't look that closely.Costco Western Digital 1TB My Book World Edition II

Looking at it again, it only has ethernet connections apparently.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

The only eSATA I have seen at Costco was the Seagate FreeAgent 750 GB. They had a coupon but even with that it was more expensive than from some other sources.

 

[raoul5788]

The only eSATA I have seen at Costco was the Seagate FreeAgent 750 GB. They had a coupon but even with that it was more expensive than from some other sources.

Costco $30 Off Seagate 750GB FreeAgentâ„¢ Pro External Hard Drive
$250 is pretty good.

 

[ChrisPC]

I just found a 500GB drive dirt cheap at CompUSA, and it works great with my HR-20. It even comes with the cable and PCI interface card. $119!

CompUSA.com: Seagate eSATA 500GB Hard Drive - ST3500601XS-RK - Computer Upgrades » Hard Drives

 

[DaveO]

Lets hear other's solutions, or any questions for those considering the drive upgrades.

Question: I've got a few external SATA drives. I've got a Seagate 250GB SATA drive and wondering, do I just clean format it using windows? If so, what format, FAT-32, or NTFS?

Can the drive just be turned off when not wanted and will the HR-20 recognize it when turned on?

 

[raoul5788]

Question: I've got a few external SATA drives. I've got a Seagate 250GB SATA drive and wondering, do I just clean format it using windows? If so, what format, FAT-32, or NTFS?

Can the drive just be turned off when not wanted and will the HR-20 recognize it when turned on?

From what I have read at dbstalk.com, you must unplug it to access the internal drive in the HR20.

 

[Ramy]

What I want to know, is can you keep switching between the external and internal drives or does it want to move stuff from the internal to the external and shut off the internal permenately?

 

[Brewer4]

OK I decided to take the eSATA plunge. Here is what I ordered. I will be hooking this up to my HR20-700.

750 GB SATA drive from Fry's at $179 Free Shipping
https://shop3.outpost.com/product/5309408?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Vantec eSATA enclosure with cable and Free Shipping $29.99
Newegg.com - VANTEC NST-360SU-BK 3.5" eSATA + USB2.0 Aluminum External Enclosure - Retail

So Total $210 for 750 GB setup. I cant wait to test it out. I was going to do bigger hard drive configuration but I wont ever watch more than 100 hours of anything. This plus my 50+ hour HD HR20-100 will be good enough. I can always add another drive to the HR20-100 if need be. I was going to wait until Fall but drives are clean in Summer and want to do this before football and Fall Season begins. My breakpoint was $200 and this configuration made it work.

 

[BruceS]

This is the esata combination I am currently using with my Tivo S3. I will probably move it to my HR20 once the new HD channels become available.

1. Antec MX-1 External Drive Case
2. Hitachi DeskStar 1TB Hard Drive

I am currently using the esata2 cable that is included with the MX-1.

 

[Smith P.]

This is the esata combination I am currently using with my Tivo S3. I will probably move it to my HR20 once the new HD channels become available.

1. Antec MX-1 External Drive Case
2. Hitachi DeskStar 1TB Hard Drive

I am currently using the esata2 cable that is included with the MX-1.

When and where you got the 1TB disk ? What price you did pay for it ?

 

[jcrandall]

Question: I've got a few external SATA drives. I've got a Seagate 250GB SATA drive and wondering, do I just clean format it using windows? If so, what format, FAT-32, or NTFS?

Can the drive just be turned off when not wanted and will the HR-20 recognize it when turned on?

It uses some linux format. When you plug it into the HR20 and boot, the HR20 automatically formats the drive clean for it's system. You can't read it on windows, etc.

There is no reason to use a 250gb drive, as it is equal to what is in the system already, or possibly smaller. If smaller it won't work at all. If equal, it might work, but you would see no storage gain.