GEOSATpro microHD Hard Drive Compatibility Thread

[Tron]

It was suggested in another thread that a thread listing hard drives compatible with the microHD be started.

So far, I've used two different hard drives successully with the micro. These are:

Western Digital Elements 500GB external, Seagate Barracuda Green ST320005N4A1AS 2TB internal with a generic SATA to high speed USB bridge.

I have verified that the Seagate GoFlex Desk external drives are incompatible with the microHD.

More later...

 

[gabshere]

I have verified that the Seagate GoFlex Desk external drives are incompatible with the microHD.

this is good to know

Western Digital Elements 500GB external, Seagate Barracuda Green ST320005N4A1AS 2TB internal with a generic SATA to high speed USB bridge.

is this being powered only by the usb ?

 

[radio]

Using Western Digital externally powered 1TB here. No issues in recording thus far. Sudden stop of playback being investigated, no problems with the file itself, quality, or FF/RW.

Is there a way to simply participate in this thread with some kind of software or graph tracking our responses making it easier for future MHD users to choose based on a "graph of success?"

 

[Mr Tony]

Western Digital 320GB drive works great
Western Digital 500GB drive works fine now (had an issue with it stopping recording after 18 programs...just needed to be reformatted)

 

[DJ Rob]

I'm using a Seagate GoFlex 2GB external with mine. I haven't tried to record but timeshifting works. What is the incompatibility?

 

[Tron]

(Western Digital Elements) is this being powered only by the usb ?

No, this is the powered desktop version of the Elements drive. I will try a 2.5" version and post the results.

I'm using a Seagate GoFlex 2GB external with mine. I haven't tried to record but timeshifting works. What is the incompatibility?

It won't work with my 2TB GoFlex USB3 version, model # STAC2000106. Note that this is the powered desktop version with the USB3 dock and capacity gauge. I get the USB device too slow to record error, which I believe is the way the microHD says "What the heck did you just plug into me?!", LOL...

Of course, USB3 should be backward compatible with USB2 devices, however I believe the problem lies with the extra partition on the drive that can be seen using a PC. Have you reformatted or removed the partition? I will probably have to do this, as I will be needing my GoFlex drives before the Olympics are finished.

 

[primestar31]

Make sure that if your drive has more than 1 partition, that the one used for the microHD is the FIRST partition (partition 0)on the disk, and that it is formatted on your pc as ACTIVE and PRIMARY!

If it's not PRIMARY and the first partition, it doesn't appear as if the microHD is capable of using it, even if everything else is equal and ok. It can see it, it just won't record to it!

 

[jdbob]

I dug out an old 60GB laptop drive with a USB interface and external power supply. I formatted it on the microHD NTFS but my Mac-Mini based HTPC wouldn't recognize it. I then re-formatted it NTFS on a Windows XP computer and now both the microHD and HTPC will recognize it. Microsoft doesn't really document NTFS so it looks like whatever software the microHD uses based on a reverse-engineering of NTFS isn't universally compatible across platforms. The 60GB is large enough for what I need it for, just to transfer recordings to the HTPC for re-compression using Handbrake.

 

[avenger]

It won't work with my 2TB GoFlex USB3 version, model # STAC2000106. Note that this is the powered desktop version with the USB3 dock and capacity gauge. I get the USB device too slow to record error, which I believe is the way the microHD says "What the heck did you just plug into me?!", LOL...

Of course, USB3 should be backward compatible with USB2 devices, however I believe the problem lies with the extra partition on the drive that can be seen using a PC. Have you reformatted or removed the partition? I will probably have to do this, as I will be needing my GoFlex drives before the Olympics are finished.

Tron,

I own a brand new (Virgin) 2 TB GoFlex Desk external drive, version model #STAC2000100, mine is external powered, and a USB 2.0. ( USB 3.0) upgradeable.... Wondering if this is also not compatible with the microHD, as it stands or will I have to do something special to make it work.

The reason that I have not use it yet, is because I am still playing/learning about the microHD, and I am not into the recording part of the game yet. LOL!!.

If anyone is using my particular version model, please tell how is it working for you.

As always Thank You.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Tron,

I own a brand new (Virgin) 2 TB GoFlex Desk external drive, version model #STAC2000100, mine is external powered, and a USB 2.0. ( USB 3.0) upgradeable.... Wondering if this is also not compatible with the microHD, as it stands or will I have to do something special to make it work.

The reason that I have not use it yet, is because I am still playing/learning about the microHD, and I am not into the recording part of the game yet. LOL!!.

If anyone is using my particular version model, please tell how is it working for you.

As always Thank You.

Rarely will you ever find an issue with a powered USB drive.

Why not just plug in the USB, wait 10 seconds for it to be recognized then press the record button? Record for a few minutes then Playback.

It really is that easy!

 

[Mr Tony]

yup. Its pretty painless to try that. Heck I have like 30+ short recordings (all under 5 minutes) from doing testing with the Micro...still have to delete them

 

[Stevemo]

It works with the Western Digital 2.5" usb powered 1 terrabyte MY Passport. PN WDBABM0010BBK-00

It takes about 2 and a half minutes to load up a directory with 10700 items but only seems to display the first 1000. You'll need to split up your music if you want to use the microHD to play it, but it works.

It doesn't seem to play movies recorded in divx (odd since the firmware shows a bit about divx if you look at it) but will let you listen to the sound trak.

Steve

 

[Tron]

Tron,

I own a brand new (Virgin) 2 TB GoFlex Desk external drive, version model #STAC2000100, mine is external powered, and a USB 2.0. ( USB 3.0) upgradeable.... Wondering if this is also not compatible with the microHD, as it stands or will I have to do something special to make it work.

I just got my GoFlex to work. I had to mount it on a PC with Windows 7, go into Control Panel/System and Security/Administrative Tools/Create and format hard disk partitions, and delete the volume (partition). I then created a new volume and formatted it NTFS. NOTE that this procedure will ERASE all pre-loaded software on the GoFlex (and any other data on the drive), but the drive will work on a microHD.

 

[gpflepsen]

I hooked up a 1TB Cavalry CAXE3701 2.0USB/ESATA that is about 5-6 years old. It records lower bitrate streams such as SD and LPBS HD and OETA HD. But the main PBS HD (103W) and NBC HD feeds from 101w Ku get the message that the connection is too slow.

 

[SatelliteAV]

I hooked up a 1TB Cavalry CAXE3701 2.0USB/ESATA that is about 5-6 years old. It records lower bitrate streams such as SD and LPBS HD and OETA HD. But the main PBS HD (103W) and NBC HD feeds from 101w Ku get the message that the connection is too slow.

Can't handle the sustained throughput or data bandwidth. Curious if it is the controller or buffer? The drive probably would work in a different enclosure.

 

[gpflepsen]

I figured it was a throughput limitation on the cavalry,and I'm not going to cannibalize the drive to try getting it to work. If I can find a USB to ESATA adapter, I'll revisit this drive again.

I ordered a Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 1.5TB Black External Hard Drive STAC1500100 and will report after I get a chance to try it.

 

[gpflepsen]

I figured it was a throughput limitation on the cavalry,and I'm not going to cannibalize the drive to try getting it to work. If I can find a USB to ESATA adapter, I'll revisit this drive again.

I ordered a Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 1.5TB Black External Hard Drive STAC1500100 and will report after I get a chance to try it.

Update: The drive works great with the microHD. It is external power and 1.5 TB. I don 't know if it has pre-installed archiving software, but I formatted with the microHD to NTFS without trying anything else. If you get a deal on this drive, consider it.

 

[papabruski]

Re: Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 1.5TB Black External Hard Drive STAC1500100

Could this drive be powered with a 12-volt plug rather than a 120-volt adapter?
Thanks...

 

[gpflepsen]

Re: Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 1.5TB Black External Hard Drive STAC1500100

Could this drive be powered with a 12-volt plug rather than a 120-volt adapter?
Thanks...

Wall transformer says Output: 12Vdc 1.5A. Not sure of the polarity, but you can always figure that out after it's in hand.

 

[Tron]

If you intend to run the drive from an automotive power source, make sure its well regulated and provides steady power at the needed amperage. This is true of any electronic component, but especially hard drives, where permanent damage and data corruption could occur with an unsteady power source.