Registered: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 8

ok please don't shoot me for asking a stupid question I tried searching the forums for about which hard drive I should get and I only saw one post about a guy doing an add on and some one recommended a Samsung they didn't say why they just recommended it

I was wondering if you guys could give me a few suggestions about which harddrive I should get for a replacement in my SVR-2000 I am looking to spend under $100 my current drive is very jerky and I want to just go ahead and replace it because its about 3 years old

thanks for your help

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Registered: May 2002
Location: Baltimore
Posts: 2708

Samsung still a good choice, though a tad more than $100 for the 120G. goroyalpc.com still has them listed.

PROS
5400rpm == less heat
quiet drive

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I think ThreeSoFar's advice is by far the best...gregpr

Four TiVos now, all with single Samsung drives:
Humax DRT800 w/DVD-R (174hrs)
Two older Series 2's (142hrs and 157hrs),and a newer nightlight
Series 2, a stupid case design IMO (174hrs)
All but the last are lifetimed. TiVite since 2000. There is a Good IR solution.

Got Vonage 4/9/03--need a referral credit?

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 18

Just installed an 120gb 7200 IBM deskstar in my SVR 2000....ultra quiet...dont even know that its on.

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Registered: May 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 3155

Glad to hear that the IBM Deskstar worked well for you, but in general, many people on the board have reported problems with IBM drives in TiVos - and we've seen a few problems too.

We currently use Samsung, but we've used Maxtor and WD in the past and those three are the most popular out there for TiVos.

Michael

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 18

hmmmm......any idea what kind of problems people have been having with desktars?? Ive always had good luck with them....maybe the amount of heat that is generated by Tivo???

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 8

ok I went a head and ordered a 120 Samsung and I was wondering are their any special tools that I will need I guess I will need a torx wrench but anything else like power cords or fans I was looking at the kits from weaknees but most of them looked like they were for 2 drives and I am only swapping out my current one

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Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 461

The Deskstars used to be good, but once they decided to sell their hard drive business to Hitachi, they took a nosedive in quality.

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 18

Thats interesting......when hitachi took over IBM's storage unit they also purchased their patent rights to manufacture the drives to IBM's specs....

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Registered: Apr 2001
Location:
Posts: 342

I also recommend the Samsung 120GB. I'm thinking about installing another one.

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Registered: Mar 2002
Location:
Posts: 16

How about using a Seagate Barracuda? They are probably *the quietest drive on the market. And they are specifically recommended by places like EndPCNoise.com

You can get an 80GB drive from MWave.com for $76. Sure, the Barracudas are 7200RPM, but they run at a scant 25db at idle, and only 33db in performance-seeking. The 60GB drive is a little more quiet, as it only has one platter (21/30db!)

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Registered: May 2002
Location: Baltimore
Posts: 2708

quote:

---

Originally posted by TorontoSVR
ok I went a head and ordered a 120 Samsung and I was wondering are their any special tools that I will need I guess I will need a torx wrench but anything else like power cords or fans I was looking at the kits from weaknees but most of them looked like they were for 2 drives and I am only swapping out my current one

---

__________________
I think ThreeSoFar's advice is by far the best...gregpr

Four TiVos now, all with single Samsung drives:
Humax DRT800 w/DVD-R (174hrs)
Two older Series 2's (142hrs and 157hrs),and a newer nightlight
Series 2, a stupid case design IMO (174hrs)
All but the last are lifetimed. TiVite since 2000. There is a Good IR solution.

Got Vonage 4/9/03--need a referral credit?

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: San Diego
Posts: 5

Sorry to sound off like a novice, but how many hours can be recorded on a 120GB drive?

What's the usage rate per Gig?

Thanks,

Darrin

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Registered: May 2002
Location: Baltimore
Posts: 2708

120G is about 140 hours basic. Here's specifics, at least how mine came out (they vary a bit depending on several factors). It's about 1.18Hr Basic/Gig or 0.33Hr Best/Gig.

code:


           107G        27G        120G
           hrs         hrs        hrs
Best        35           9         39
Good        57          14         73
Medium      75          19         83
Basic      128          32        140

107 = orig 27 + 80 (A&B drives)

__________________
I think ThreeSoFar's advice is by far the best...gregpr

Four TiVos now, all with single Samsung drives:
Humax DRT800 w/DVD-R (174hrs)
Two older Series 2's (142hrs and 157hrs),and a newer nightlight
Series 2, a stupid case design IMO (174hrs)
All but the last are lifetimed. TiVite since 2000. There is a Good IR solution.

Got Vonage 4/9/03--need a referral credit?

Last edited by ThreeSoFar on 07-16-2003 at 03:52 AM

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 6

I've never understood why so many people promote the samsung drives on this board - I have NEVER seen one that I could buy locally and probably the majority of tivo hackers use WD or Maxtor drives.

Maybe the samsungs are cheaper before rebates, I'm not sure, but you can almost always find a rebate on a WD or Maxtor to put it below the $100 Samsung.

I have 2 120 gigs a maxtor and a WD. Both run great both are quiet and I have no heat problems. (but my tivo is in a cool basement)

I'd get what ever is cheapest. Right now you can get a 120 gig maxtor at best buy for $129 LESS a $70 rebate!

Now that's a DEAL! Anyhow, that's my 2 cents.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Posts: 4

My pc had two IBM 75 (?) gig hd's. Both have been replaced under IBM's warranty. Both had cooling fans blowing over them. I remember the pc forums ripping IBM for the bad designs.

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Registered: Apr 2003
Location: Newport Beach, CA
Posts: 44

There were stories and discussions a year or so ago about IBM drives not being rated for continuous duty (where the drive is always spinning as it is in the TIVO). In PC applications the drive will usually be "spun down" after a period of inactivity.

I used the Samsung 120 drives in an effort to keep the heat in the box down. I don't have air conditioning and it can get very warm in my TV room.

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Registered: May 2002
Location: Baltimore
Posts: 2708

They ARE cheaper pre-rebate, even with shipping (which is usually 0). And I hate rebates.

And I buy most of what I need online--don't need it close by unless I'm in a rush.

A $20-40 price difference isn't worth using a drive I've heard people report problems with (WD, IBM).

I used Maxtor in my oldest upgrade, and it's still doing fine.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Webguideguy
I've never understood why so many people promote the samsung drives on this board - I have NEVER seen one that I could buy locally and probably the majority of tivo hackers use WD or Maxtor drives.

Maybe the samsungs are cheaper before rebates, I'm not sure, but you can almost always find a rebate on a WD or Maxtor to put it below the $100 Samsung.

I have 2 120 gigs a maxtor and a WD. Both run great both are quiet and I have no heat problems. (but my tivo is in a cool basement)

I'd get what ever is cheapest. Right now you can get a 120 gig maxtor at best buy for $129 LESS a $70 rebate!

Now that's a DEAL! Anyhow, that's my 2 cents.

---

__________________
I think ThreeSoFar's advice is by far the best...gregpr

Four TiVos now, all with single Samsung drives:
Humax DRT800 w/DVD-R (174hrs)
Two older Series 2's (142hrs and 157hrs),and a newer nightlight
Series 2, a stupid case design IMO (174hrs)
All but the last are lifetimed. TiVite since 2000. There is a Good IR solution.

Got Vonage 4/9/03--need a referral credit?

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 11

I sense we are entering into a religious argument. I can say that Samsung customer service rocks. No "your call is very important to us" delays, and when I did have a problem, they sent me an advanced replacement drive. I faxed the RMA to them on Monday 3pm, they got the drive out the SAME DAY, via 2nd day air. It arrived today (Wednesday). No charge.

The 120GB samsung drive is noticeably quieter than the original 40GB drive that came with my DSR6000. I bought it on the advice of weaknees, who does enough of these replacements to be considered an authority. If he says the IBM drives are a problem in a TIVO box, anyone who ignores his advice is tempting fate.

Last edited by boberonicus on 07-17-2003 at 07:32 AM

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Registered: Aug 2002
Location:
Posts: 124

I just added my second 120GB drive to my SAT-60. I've got one WD, one Maxtor. The WD has been in since late last year and has worked flawlessly. It also had barely any effect on the temperature, perhaps raising it a degree or two at the most (usually ran from 47-49 degrees). Disk noise was negligible; if the room was completely quiet, you could hear it a bit, but if you weren't listening for it you might not notice it.

Today I dropped the Maxtor in to replace the original 40GB drive. So far it has worked perfectly, except... It's noticeably louder than the previous configuration. I have no idea if it's just the new Maxtor I'm hearing, or if it's the combined noise of both, but if the room is quiet, the noise is very noticeable, whether you are trying to hear it or not. Again though, it is not noticeable when watching a show or even with normal conversation in the room. Also, the temperature ran up to 51 degrees. Again, I can't fairly blame the Maxtor, as it could be the combination of the two rather than it alone. Luckily, I stumbled upon the rolled up paper trick, and the last time I checked, it's running at 47 degrees, which is actually as cool as it's ever run. I might still drop in a Thermaflow to replace the stock fan, but it's probably not necessary.

My advice would be to look for the cheapest deal. I got the WD for $100 after rebates, and the new Maxtor recently for $60 after rebates.

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Registered: Dec 2001
Location: Milpitas, Ca
Posts: 14

I upgraded my T60 using a Seagate Baracuda 120 gig. Chose because it was the most quiet but was expensive. About 160 dollars 6 months ago.

Upgraded my series 2 Hughes with a WD 120 gig at 80 dollars after rebates. It is quite noisy and somewhat bothersome. The T60 with the Seagate is almost dead silent. Both are 7200 rpm drives.

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