External Hardrives on Cable Boxes???? - Blu-ray Forum

BrettLee3232 · 01-24-2009, 06:48 AM

Im thinking of getting an external hardrive to store some recordings from my cable box? Is that possible??? I have Time Warner Cable & a scientific atlanta explorer 8300 htc! Thanks

CanadianKrazyMods · 01-24-2009, 06:58 AM

I know Rogers in canada offers a PVR extender. I don't remember the model of the box.

BrettLee3232 · 01-24-2009, 07:05 AM

i was reading up on external hardrives & if they have a eSata port & my box has a eSata port can i just connect them & WoooLaaaa??? or is that just to easy? haha

BluHavik · 01-24-2009, 07:07 AM

I'd imagine you can. Be sure to have them tell you the minimum specs for the external drive though. Might have to be USB 2.0 and at least 5400rpm or something like that.

BluHavik · 01-24-2009, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrettLee3232

i was reading up on external hardrives & if they have a eSata port & my box has a eSata port can i just connect them & WoooLaaaa??? or is that just to easy? haha

Mine was it had to be the minimum specs. Then go into the dvr's menu to add the external drive and format it into the right file system for the dvr.

edit: also do some research on the drive and make sure you can turn off the sleep mode on it. At least with my moxi box, it won't send a wake up signal to the external drive. So if it's idle for to long and goes to sleep my dvr will just send the signal to it thinking it's awake.

Hammie · 01-24-2009, 01:41 PM

My eSATA port on my Comcast Motorola 6416 box is listed as disabled in the service menu. You may want to make sure your provider supports external drives.

Also, just because you hook an external drive up doesn't mean that you can then hook it up to a computer or anything like that. I have read that it usually sees the external drive as an extension to the internal drive and will either load balance te recordings across the two or just see it as more space. You will not be able to tell the DVR where to send the recordings.

Others with more experience may be able to shed more light on this.

BluHavik · 01-25-2009, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louhamilton

My eSATA port on my Comcast Motorola 6416 box is listed as disabled in the service menu. You may want to make sure your provider supports external drives.

Also, just because you hook an external drive up doesn't mean that you can then hook it up to a computer or anything like that. I have read that it usually sees the external drive as an extension to the internal drive and will either load balance te recordings across the two or just see it as more space. You will not be able to tell the DVR where to send the recordings.

Others with more experience may be able to shed more light on this.

At least in my case that is what happens. Also like I said it might have to be formatted into a file system the DVR uses, so a computer most likely won't be able to read it. You should plan on hooking it up to the DVR and forgetting it's even there.

Phatferd · 01-25-2009, 06:53 AM

I actually just had this issue with my cable company today. I went into the shop today to pick up a new box and saw the eSata and asked if I could hook up an external drive through the eSata. He told me the drivers aren't set up for the eSata or USB, but the firewire would work.

I have Cox btw.

sonyhomenet · 02-05-2009, 04:29 PM

I would have to imagine that most,if not all cable providers will soon be enabling external storage on their boxes,if they want to stay competitive with the TiVo DVR!
shn

Johk · 02-05-2009, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrettLee3232

Im thinking of getting an external hardrive to store some recordings from my cable box? Is that possible??? I have Time Warner Cable & a scientific atlanta explorer 8300 htc! Thanks

It should work, check out this thread and the compatibility database listed in this thread on the AVS forum. The database was developped by users (many from with TWC) and will give you good advice on which HD and esata case to use.

Hammie · 02-05-2009, 08:49 PM

I just switched to DiecrTV and am looking at a 2TB external drive (Calvary or Western Digital) to hook up to my new box. I was told that once you hook up the external drive you will no longer see anything recorded on the internal drive. Nothing is erased, you just don't see it until you power down the external drive.

I need to convince the wife soon before she gets too many shows recorded and it becomes a PITA!

01-24-2009, 06:48 AM	#1
BrettLee3232 Active Member Member since:Jan 2009 Home Theater Gallery:8 Blu-ray collection:119	External Hardrives on Cable Boxes???? Im thinking of getting an external hardrive to store some recordings from my cable box? Is that possible??? I have Time Warner Cable & a scientific atlanta explorer 8300 htc! Thanks

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01-24-2009, 06:58 AM	#2
CanadianKrazyMods Expert Member Member since:Jul 2008 Location:NB, Canada PSN/XBOX:BennettCKM Home Theater Gallery:5 4K collection:209 Blu-ray collection:457	I know Rogers in canada offers a PVR extender. I don't remember the model of the box.

01-24-2009, 07:05 AM	#3
BrettLee3232 Active Member Member since:Jan 2009 Home Theater Gallery:8 Blu-ray collection:119	i was reading up on external hardrives & if they have a eSata port & my box has a eSata port can i just connect them & WoooLaaaa??? or is that just to easy? haha

01-24-2009, 07:07 AM	#4
BluHavik Active Member Member since:Nov 2007 Location:STL Blu-ray collection:32	I'd imagine you can. Be sure to have them tell you the minimum specs for the external drive though. Might have to be USB 2.0 and at least 5400rpm or something like that.

01-24-2009, 01:41 PM	#6
Hammie Blu-ray Champion Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:May 2008 Location:Washington, DC Metro Home Theater Gallery:53 Blu-ray collection:545 DVD collection:12 Trading Score:12	My eSATA port on my Comcast Motorola 6416 box is listed as disabled in the service menu. You may want to make sure your provider supports external drives. Also, just because you hook an external drive up doesn't mean that you can then hook it up to a computer or anything like that. I have read that it usually sees the external drive as an extension to the internal drive and will either load balance te recordings across the two or just see it as more space. You will not be able to tell the DVR where to send the recordings. Others with more experience may be able to shed more light on this.

01-25-2009, 06:53 AM	#8
Phatferd Active Member Member since:Sep 2007 Blu-ray collection:53	I actually just had this issue with my cable company today. I went into the shop today to pick up a new box and saw the eSata and asked if I could hook up an external drive through the eSata. He told me the drivers aren't set up for the eSata or USB, but the firewire would work. I have Cox btw.

02-05-2009, 04:29 PM	#9
sonyhomenet Member Member since:Jan 2009	I would have to imagine that most,if not all cable providers will soon be enabling external storage on their boxes,if they want to stay competitive with the TiVo DVR! shn

02-05-2009, 08:49 PM	#11
Hammie Blu-ray Champion Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:May 2008 Location:Washington, DC Metro Home Theater Gallery:53 Blu-ray collection:545 DVD collection:12 Trading Score:12	I just switched to DiecrTV and am looking at a 2TB external drive (Calvary or Western Digital) to hook up to my new box. I was told that once you hook up the external drive you will no longer see anything recorded on the internal drive. Nothing is erased, you just don't see it until you power down the external drive. I need to convince the wife soon before she gets too many shows recorded and it becomes a PITA!

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