TiVo Community Forums Archives - How much space a drive will yield?

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How much space a drive will yield?
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Posted by: boroarke

Could anyone give me a run down as to how much space you can expect adding 60, 80, 100, 120, or 160 gig drives? Is there a general rule of thumb to go by?
Thanks for you help.

Posted by: boroarke

How much recording time that is...

Posted by: GoldenTiger

Multiply total drive capacity of original and upgraded drive times 1.2. Original is 40gb... so for 100gb total (60 added), about 120 hours. Not an exact thing due to system file size, etc., but within 5 hours or so always :). This is the generally accepted rule on here. TiVo can only access 137gb of a 160gb drive due to IDE controller limitations, so a 120gb drive is the largest that's smart to add. Go for a 5400rpm model; plenty fast and quiet, which is important.

Posted by: stevel

It depends if you're talking standalone or combo. For a standalone, the 1.2 hour/GB rule works for Basic. For a combo, use 0.95 hr/GB. This applies to adding a second (B) drive only - replacing the A drive is a more complex calculation.

Posted by: GoldenTiger

Thanks for the correction, Steve. I wasn't positive, but had recalled the 1.2 rule for one of the TiVo versions :).

Posted by: boroarke

Thanks for the quick response. I had upgraded a few TiVos when it became possible to do so and today is my first day back reading the forum in about a year and I have to refresh my memory before upgrading other family members units. Lets just say I have a stand alone 14 hour tivo. I want to add 2 120 gigers in her, guesstamation, how much could I expect?

Posted by: sguthrie

Using the formula above, 120 X 2 = 240 GB x 1.2 rule = about 288 hours, unless one of Stevel's expections apply.

There's probably someone here who has a 240 GB TiVo that could tell you.

Posted by: GavinP

2 x 120Gb = 84 hours "Best" or 306 hours "Basic"

Thanks

Gavin

Posted by: llogan

All depends on the drives used, I'm running two Western Digital 5400rpm 120GB drives in one of my DirecTivos and that yielded a 225 hour unit. I've heard that the Maxtor drives have a slightly higher yield.

Posted by: Gomer Pyle

I am interested in these results, as well, but a little more detail. Can anyone fill in more information for all recording levels (Basic, Medium, High, Best) on SA TiVos, or give a multiplier for them?

Best would be a table (in the FAQ, or Hinsdale's How To) such as:

SA TiVo Basic Medium High Best
30 36 ? ? 11
30+80 132 ? ? 39
30+120 180 ? ? 53
30+160 228 ? ? 67
80+80 192 ? ? 56
80+120 240 ? ? 70
80+160 288 ? ? 84
120+120 288 ? ? 84
160+160 329 ? ? 96

DirecTiVo Recording Time
30 29
30+80 105
30+120 143
30+160 181
80+80 152
80+120 190
80+160 228
120+120 228
160+160 260

I have no idea if these times are correct. This was figured using the numbers given in the thread above. Can anyone corroborate?

Table looks good when I past it in or edit... Why won't it stay that way!?@

Posted by: Rcrew

For precision:

Direct TiVo
Quantum 40GB = 35hrs
Quantum 40GB + Seagate 80GB = 106hrs

Rob

Posted by: arkham999

Maxtor 30GB = 32 hours
Maxtor 30GB + Maxtor 100GB = 157 hours

If the rule is (1.2 * nGB) then that comes out to 156 hours, which is VERY close :)

Posted by: chippyt

I just added an 80GB HDD to my Hughes DirecTIVO. I got about 24 hours with the original 40GB HDD, so I am guess I will get an additional 50 hours with the 80GB drive for a total of 74 hours. In the system information area it says "up to 106 hours", but I am guessing realistically around 75-80 hours.

Posted by: Rcrew

Hey Chippyt! As soon as my upgraded Hughes DTiVo ~106 hours filled up with suggestions, mostly Showtime movies, I added it all up.

Prior to the upgrade, I was getting about 25 hours on my ~35 hour machine.

After the upgrade, and I noticed that suggestions were being deleted to make room for new suggestions, I added it up and got about 55 hours on my ~106 hour machine.

Perhaps Dolby is taking up more space. I haven't checked in a while, but will do it again this week, and follow up here. Like you, I expected 75-80 hours. But it appears to be falling way short of that.

Rob

Posted by: willardcpa

I have two DSR6000 w/80g maxtors added. Both of them seem to be in the 75-80 range. They have been in use long enough that they have been dropping off shows to make room, 75-80 was actual hour census of "now playing". One of them has 50 season passes on it!!

Posted by: runwil

upgraded a D/Tivo 120 gig Maxtor + 60 gig WD = 168 hours haven't actually physically counted the hours because I just upgraded this past Monday and still is filling up.

Posted by: chippyt

quote:
After the upgrade, and I noticed that suggestions were being deleted to make room for new suggestions, I added it up and got about 55 hours on my ~106 hour machine.

That is a bummer to hear Rcrew. I will try to fill mine up and count the hours.

Do you have a lot of programs marked "Save until I delete". I have read that "Save until I delete" can cause premature deletion.