operating temperature range

[rv1pop]

The specs. show 0 - 40 C operating temp. range. If my calculations are correct that is 32 to 104 F. Inside temperature right now is 106. In the open cupboard it is 119. Is this going to be a problem? I can foresee the open cupboard temps. getting well over 150, since next month the outside temps will probably hit over 125. Will that be a problem? Or will this be the environmental test lab?
In the winter time the temps have gotten down to 20 inside - and yes we had to drain and blow the water pipes dry.

The joys of high desert, off grid living!

 

[Cham]

Hi RV,
Notice mine gets hot too but ambient temp is about 75F. Maybe a muffin fan or another way of stirring up the air nearby would be prudent. I have a muffin fan and (cardboard) shroud assembly keeping my wireless wifi router cool, thinking of the same thing for the MicroHD. Heat could cause lockups, slow response, and premature component failure. The more compact electronic components get the more inefficient they are in removing heat they produce.

 

[Magic Static]

I think I would make a bracket and hang it under the cabinet like an underdash tapedeck or CB radio. Keep it in the open air. May look ugly, but when you find out just how much heat they can take before they fail, you might consider it.

 

[radio]

Simply raising the MicroHD off its feet by another short distance with thick self-adhesive rubber feet or similar allows more natural flow of air under and around. Did it. Just to make sure it didn't get too hot next to another receiver and in a rack. Lowered what I perceive as the temperature on top of the unit!

 

[Tron]

I have three microHDs mounted on a rack shelf enclosed in a mobile rack like the kind musicians use. There is one RU (rack unit, or 1.75") of free space above the receivers, then a rack mounted hard drive array. The mobile rack is not forced-air cooled, but my operating environment is air conditioned. So far, there have been no problems operating the receivers nearly 24/7 recording Olympic feeds. The tops of the units get warm, but never hot to the touch.

 

[rv1pop]

Thanks for the suggestions. My challenge is the ambient - room temp. AKA environmental. Operating temps are a further concern, but with the outdoor temp at 110 degrees, the inside temp 10 degrees warmer = 120 degrees, then having the cupboard on the south (sunny) side of the motorhome - in the wall which is therefore part of the "insulation" is what is causing my concern. I was just curious if there was a maximum temp tolerated by the microHD. I guess I will find out, but maybe not this year. We are not participating in the drought this year!

 

[Corrado]

I would be more concerned about my own health if I were living in 120F inside temp. Sounds unbearable.

 

[Cham]

Have a really small squirrel-cage fan sitting next to the micro-HD, it blows toward the back of the cabinet where there is a large opening for the cables. This creates enough turbulence and air turnover that the cabinet stays quite cool and the micro HD (and ATSC receiver next to it) stay cooler. The fan is very quiet, when the doors are closed you can't hear it. Before after a couple of hours the Micro was quite warm on top. Now it barely warmer than the shelf and other surroundings.
Think I am going to find a longer AC cable for the fan, it looks kind of ugly running in front as it is... Note the UPS below. (Don't note the dust though...) :|
-C.

 

[rv1pop]

Fans are wonderful, except the answer DNA/ Ambient temp is 120 degrees. Fan circulates 120 degree air. also 12 fans are not efficient and are also hard to come by quiet ones.

Still trying to figure if temperature is the problem, or if there are too many features causing ME problems. I still have not gotten the timed recording to work. The last challenge, no recording although says it is recording and then the next DATE is 05-21-2013 for a weekly recording. But it does now manual record and shows up/plays back OK.

Also, it did a full reboot and lost my channel database. I hope it is NOT temperature related, and is something I am doing. It is not the 12 VDC cable as I am now running on AC inverter. Outside temps are coming down. Was under 100 all day today. Still only 8% humidity.

Yes Corrado, it is too hot to be healthy. Smoke from the fires is also a problem. None today from Taylor Bridge fire, but has been, Oregon fire smoke was rather heavy yesterday.

 

[Anole]

... also 12 fans are not efficient and are also hard to come by quiet ones.
.

I find the 120mm 12v (5v?) fans very quiet.
Couple of years ago, I got some mail order for around $3 ea.
They had clear body & blade, and sported blue LEDs.

I don't discriminate; any color would have been fine.


iphone 4

 

[Stevemo]

Are you running on Sinusoidal 120VAC or Square wave? Square wave inverters make clocks to crazy things.
Steve

 

[SatelliteAV]

I still have not gotten the timed recording to work. The last challenge, no recording although says it is recording and then the next DATE is 05-21-2013 for a weekly recording. But it does now manual record and shows up/plays back OK.

Not enough information to speculate on the reason or cause. Maybe try reloading the most current firmware, perform master reset, power cycle then rescan 97w. After setting your timers in the "ALL Satellite" mode, leave the channel list in the "All Satellite" list mode and verify that all timers are firing. If not, try a different drive.

As I recall, you are only using Thumb drives. If I ever have had DVR issues on any STB, it was much more likely with thumb drives. Thumb drives typically do not have buffer and often very low throughput.

Personally, I would rather run the STB on straight 12vdc than through an inverter. As long as the voltage doesn't drop much below 12vdc, it should operate fine.

Very unlikely to be heat related.

 

[rv1pop]

Not enough information to speculate on the reason or cause. Maybe try reloading the most current firmware, perform master reset, power cycle then rescan 97w. After setting your timers in the "ALL Satellite" mode, leave the channel list in the "All Satellite" list mode and verify that all timers are firing. If not, try a different drive.

As I recall, you are only using Thumb drives. If I ever have had DVR issues on any STB, it was much more likely with thumb drives. Thumb drives typically do not have buffer and often very low throughput.

Personally, I would rather run the STB on straight 12vdc than through an inverter. As long as the voltage doesn't drop much below 12vdc, it should operate fine.

Very unlikely to be heat related.[/QUOTE
Last item first -- The inverter line was already run to the 'conditioned' room. DC line was not. But same symptoms with both.

Re loaded software from new download to USB stick to upload to computer; did master reset and power cycle. tried to load database -NO GO- repeated upload and M. reset, P/Cycle then Scanned in 97W as my database file seemed corrupted. Reset the clock and timers. Forgot to take of GMT. Recorded OK this AM, except started 22 minutes early. Playback was 29 minutes as set. STB Advanced the date for next recording correctly. I went back and reset the time on the correct TP, then took off GMT. Will check tomorrow's recording.

Sunday and today both below 100 degrees inside and out. Insulated shed maxed below 84 degrees. Weather forecast expecting lightning tonight. I had not planned on the a 12 VDC unit recording in this shed, but if this is a heat problem, I will have to run DC power = 100 feet of 10/2. And will be off P* 75E instead of 1 m dish.

I have had many more problems with Hard Drives than with 16GB SansDrive from Costco. I counted (indexing) 103 16GB Thumb Drives. Two Sansdisc failures, would not format, one only recorded 4GB. Eight other brand drives with 4 failures, all formatted, but either failed to record (would not close file / wrong file type) or would not complete or repeat playback.

SO.... still not sure if temperature related, but appears to be recording AND playing back today. I still have not hooked up unit #2. I have had a steep learning slope on this, since I do not have a printer to print the manual, reading the PDF in one building and trying to set up the unit from memory in another has been FUN!!!

The full review will include some of this, but since the object of this unit was to RECORD --- ! And now this looks promising.