Trying to expand HR-20 capacity to 2TB

[researchcapt]

I have a DirecTV HR20 DVR which I am attempting to expand to 2 terrabytes capacity.

Here is what I have done so far...
I purchased a Western Digital AV-GP 2 terabyte hard drive. I opened up the DVR and replaced the internal 300GB drive with the new drive. I booted up the DVR and let the machine format the drive. According to another website, the machine would automatically format the drive and this is all that would be necessary. The start up sequence got to the point where it was "calibrating the satellite settings"? ....or something similar sounding. I do not remember the exact terminology.

I then called DirecTV's tech support and they refused to give me any support since supposedly I am not supposed to swap out the internal hard drive.

I then put back the original 300GB internal drive, booted up the machine and then connected the 2TB drive through the external SATA port on the DVR.

I let the machine run all night so that it had plenty of time to do whatever it need to do like formatting the new drive, if necessary.

This morning I checked to see if the machine had recognized the new drive by checking the on screen menu to see how much drive space was available. It said only 5% capacity is available. The DVR had not recognized the new drive since it would be showing much more available drive space.

This morning I called DirectTV again and asked them what I need to do to get the DVR to recognize the external hard drive. (I did not want to confuse the lady by saying the second "external" drive is actually inside the DVR). DirecTV told me that this DVR will only recognize two different 1 TB drives. They said it would only recognize the Western Digital WDG 1S10000 and the Seagate ST3000SCA 109RK.

On the internet, I saw this website...DVR Expander for DirecTV Is this my only option? I already spent $208 for the 2TB internal drive.

BTW, I was able to fit two hard drives in the HD20. I used a 4 pin Molex to drive power connector splitter-converter to power both drives. I also plugged the 2TB drive into the SATA port on the motherboard where the external SATA port was plugged in. It would be nice to be able to leave both drives inside the HR20 case rather than having an ugly external drive box sitting next to my DVR. The WD Green AV drive supposedly runs pretty cool. I can live with an external drive if that is my only choice or the best choice.

I have built a number of high end gaming computers. This is why I tried, but so far have not been successful, at upgrading my DVR's drive storage capacity. There seem to be a number of similarities between a satellite DVR and a computer. Its the differences that are killing me.

One more question. If I were to use Acronis to clone the internal drive, would the machines BIOS recognize the capacity of the 2TB drive? Would a cloned 2TB hard drive work? Would Acronis also transfer the same drive format? Is this a FAT32, NTFS or some other drive format?

Thanks for the help.

David M.

 

[raoul5788]

I have a DirecTV HR20 DVR which I am attempting to expand to 2 terrabytes capacity.

Here is what I have done so far...
I purchased a Western Digital AV-GP 2 terabyte hard drive. I opened up the DVR and replaced the internal 300GB drive with the new drive. I booted up the DVR and let the machine format the drive. According to another website, the machine would automatically format the drive and this is all that would be necessary. The start up sequence got to the point where it was "calibrating the satellite settings"? ....or something similar sounding. I do not remember the exact terminology.

I then called DirecTV's tech support and they refused to give me any support since supposedly I am not supposed to swap out the internal hard drive.

I then put back the original 300GB internal drive, booted up the machine and then connected the 2TB drive through the external SATA port on the DVR.

I let the machine run all night so that it had plenty of time to do whatever it need to do like formatting the new drive, if necessary.

This morning I checked to see if the machine had recognized the new drive by checking the on screen menu to see how much drive space was available. It said only 5% capacity is available. The DVR had not recognized the new drive since it would be showing much more available drive space.

This morning I called DirectTV again and asked them what I need to do to get the DVR to recognize the external hard drive. (I did not want to confuse the lady by saying the second "external" drive is actually inside the DVR). DirecTV told me that this DVR will only recognize two different 1 TB drives. They said it would only recognize the Western Digital WDG 1S10000 and the Seagate ST3000SCA 109RK.

On the internet, I saw this website...DVR Expander for DirecTV Is this my only option? I already spent $208 for the 2TB internal drive.

BTW, I was able to fit two hard drives in the HD20. I used a 4 pin Molex to drive power connector splitter-converter to power both drives. I also plugged the 2TB drive into the SATA port on the motherboard where the external SATA port was plugged in. It would be nice to be able to leave both drives inside the HR20 case rather than having an ugly external drive box sitting next to my DVR. The WD Green AV drive supposedly runs pretty cool. I can live with an external drive if that is my only choice or the best choice.

I have built a number of high end gaming computers. This is why I tried, but so far have not been successful, at upgrading my DVR's drive storage capacity. There seem to be a number of similarities between a satellite DVR and a computer. Its the differences that are killing me.

One more question. If I were to use Acronis to clone the internal drive, would the machines BIOS recognize the capacity of the 2TB drive? Would a cloned 2TB hard drive work? Would Acronis also transfer the same drive format? Is this a FAT32, NTFS or some other drive format?

Thanks for the help.

David M.

For some reason, IOW I don't know why, some external hard drives don't work with the dvrs. In fact, a hard drive that works with one model doesn't work with another. Check this thread, there is a lot of information on the subject.http://www.satelliteguys.us/directv...21-external-hard-drive-fyi-support-esata.html

 

[ddeloach1228]

I use a Fanthom 1 tb on my DVRs. Work fine. Do the following if you haven't already:

Unplug the DVR. Turn the Esata drive on making sure the esata cord is plugged into the DVR and the external drive. Once the external drive is up and running, plug in the DVR and let it go through the identify process. Once you achieve a picture click list on the remote and see if you have plenty of capacity.

 

[Jimbo]

I am using a Seagate 1.5TB external hard drive with no problems at all...

OP,
WHY in the world would you try to replace the INTERNAL one when an EHD is SOOOOO much easier to do.


You've also voided any warranty you may have had on the HR20 at this point.

Remember, your HR20 is more than likely a LEASED unit and property of D*.

IF you OWN it, thats different, but you didn't mention that.

 

[hdtvtechno]

I want to do the same thing on my HR20-700 which i "own"

 

[Jimbo]

I want to do the same thing on my HR20-700 which i "own"

Once again, WHY do an Internal ?

I have my ehd sitting behind the TV out of sight connected to the ESATA connection to the recvr.
unless of course you have yours hanging on the wall, in which case it would be much more difficult to do.

 

[hdtvtechno]

Im trying to reduce the number of power cords and wasted space

 

[fleetfarmer]

It's cleaner to just replace the internal drive than to have an external drive connected and have another power cord for the external drive.

If you lose power at your house when the power comes back on the HD DVR will reboot back to using the internal drive again. I'm sure someone will say - Get a UPS......

I don't know for sure, and neither does anyone else here, but I highly doubt DIRECTV checks the warranty void sticker thing or checks for fingerprints or DNA inside the HR20 when they get it back someday. Just make sure you hang on to the original hard drive and swap it back in before returning the HR20 to DIRECTV someday.

 

[raoul5788]

It's cleaner to just replace the internal drive than to have an external drive connected and have another power cord for the external drive.

If you lose power at your house when the power comes back on the HD DVR will reboot back to using the internal drive again. I'm sure someone will say - Get a UPS......

I don't know for sure, and neither does anyone else here, but I highly doubt DIRECTV checks the warranty void sticker thing or checks for fingerprints or DNA inside the HR20 when they get it back someday. Just make sure you hang on to the original hard drive and swap it back in before returning the HR20 to DIRECTV someday.

DNA and fingerprints, of course not. A warranty sticker is pretty easy to inspect, though. I wouldn't do it. My external took two minutes to install.

 

[fleetfarmer]

DNA and fingerprints, of course not. A warranty sticker is pretty easy to inspect, though. I wouldn't do it. My external took two minutes to install.

If you remove the entire warranty sticker and use some cleaner to remove all the adhesive residue the "inspector" will probably figure it never had a warranty sticker to begin with.

 

[Jimbo]

If you remove the entire warranty sticker and use some cleaner to remove all the adhesive residue the "inspector" will probably figure it never had a warranty sticker to begin with.

Ummm, they ALL do and they know it.

 

[fleetfarmer]

Ummm, OK, if you Ummm, say so.

 

[Jimbo]

Ummm, they ALL do and they know it.

Ummm, OK, if you Ummm, say so.

They all have CAM ID's in the box when you open it too, it's not like they just skip them from time to time.

 

[researchcapt]

I use a Fanthom 1 tb on my DVRs. Work fine. Do the following if you haven't already:

Unplug the DVR. Turn the Esata drive on making sure the esata cord is plugged into the DVR and the external drive. Once the external drive is up and running, plug in the DVR and let it go through the identify process. Once you achieve a picture click list on the remote and see if you have plenty of capacity.

I am powering the new 2TB internal drive with the same Molex port on the motherboard that powers the old 300GB internal drive.

I have tried booting the machine with the old hard drive plugged into the internal SATA port and then plugging in the new drive into the eSATA port.

I have tried booting the machine with both drives already plugged in to their respective ports...nothing.

I have disconnected the original drive and tried plugging the new drive into the same port.

I have tried disconnecting the original drive and tried plugging the new drive into the eSATA port.

Does anyone have any experience cloning the information on the old drive onto the new drive?

I own the HR20. Its warranty is probably expired anyway.

Thanks

For some reason, IOW I don't know why, some external hard drives don't work with the dvrs. In fact, a hard drive that works with one model doesn't work with another. Check this thread, there is a lot of information on the subject.http://www.satelliteguys.us/directv...21-external-hard-drive-fyi-support-esata.html

Thanks Chip, I saw that thread earlier. I will look further back in time at the earlier posts.

 

[Jimbo]

I own the HR20. Its warranty is probably expired anyway.

Thanks



Thanks Chip, I saw that thread earlier. I will look further back in time at the earlier posts.

If you own it, you can do as you please .... however the warranty is valid for as long as you have it, IF you were leasing, but owning it, your probably right.

 

[researchcapt]

I made a clone of the original 300Gb drive on to a 2TB drive and it worked. I used Acronis to do this. The television shows and movies that I had recorded on my old drive did not transfer over to the new drive but that's okay. (I would assume DMCA copy protection software is involved?) I re-programmed the DVR to record the shows I was already recording and its up and working fine now.

The nice thing about cloning a drive is I can put the new 2 TB drive in the same place where the old drive used to go inside the case. I can now use the old drive for storage for something else since by increasing my hard drive capacity this way, I am not required to have two hard drives...which of course means that an external drive is not necessary either.

My next question is, how do I determine if my DVR recognizes that I now have 2 TB of hard drive space? I have seen the indicator at the bottom of the main menu that says what percentage of drive space is available. Percentage available still does not tell me how many gigabytes of drive space is available. I need to know percentage of how much, which a percentage alone does not tell me.

Does anyone know which drive format an HR-20 DVR uses?

I'm curious, is it possible to read the drive contents or amount of drive space available on my DVR hard drive using my computer? I plugged my 2TB drive in to my computer after I got it up and running on my DVR and my computer does not even recognize the drives existence under "Computer" in Vista 64.
This could potentially be alternative way I could tell if my DVR is recognizing my 2TB drive as a 2TB drive....just do a simple percentage and see if that percentage matches what my DVR is telling me.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks