TWC 8300HD DVR eSATA port is now active! (external hard drive storage)

[MDR]

Check out this AVS forum.  http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=516559

I seem to recall reading the Seagate Free Agent Drives don't work with the SA8300.
They have a data base of good and bad drives available on the first page.

As far as the HDMI goes, haven't heard of that one. Have you tried  disconnecting and unplugging (power and HDMI) everything. Basically go back to day one and treat as a new install and go from there.

Good luck
MDR

[markd]

Check out this AVS forum.  http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=516559

I seem to recall reading the Seagate Free Agent Drives don't work with the SA8300.
They have a data base of good and bad drives available on the first page.

Yeah, I found that out after the fact.  I remembered hearing that Seagate drives were working and the Free Agent drives are all the B&M stores seem to be selling for Seagate these days.  I guess I'll just put my own together.

As far as the HDMI goes, haven't heard of that one. Have you tried  disconnecting and unplugging (power and HDMI) everything. Basically go back to day one and treat as a new install and go from there.

Yep.  I've swapped the boxes (between upstairs and downstairs) twice.  HDMI is no longer working on one of my boxes.  This loss of HDMI mysterioulsy happened right after connecting my Free Agent drive.  I'm not saying that this caused it (I'm a computer geek and this is hard for me to believe) but it's just weird and has made me a little scared to try another drive on my other 8300 for fear of losing HDMI on both.

[MDR]

A little clarification. I meant unplugging the TV and SA8300HD. Both power and interconnect between the two and then reconnect and start from scratch, If you search further on AVS you'll find there are a few members who aren't big fans of HDMI. HDMI can be a fickle bugger and I'm only reaching for straws. It should only take a few minutes and couldn't hurt and should help be sure everything is reset.

I followed the thread on a particular TV brand and there was a problem where tech support said unplug the TV at the wall outlet and not from the back of the set. Why this would matter; who knows but it actually made the difference in solving the problem. Others scratched their heads as to why this made a difference but it did:confused:  But you can't argue with success.
MDR

[markd]

I did unplug the HDMI from the TV too but never the TV power :confused:

I have my boxes swapped at the moment still but will try it at some point.  The TV where the original box "lost" its HDMI functionality is a Panny plasma (fwiw).

I know HDMI can be "fickle" but I already have a fatty going into a wall, under a floor and up through another wall so it's a real PITA for me to switch to component.  When my parents got a new XBR LCD, we simply could not get it to work with an HDMI cable (trying three different ones too; though all cables were from Monoprice).  We couldn't escape the on screen error message about HDCP compliance. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the thoughts though!

[misterjensen]

Okay. I've read through this thread, have done several searches, have looked at the compatability site, and keep getting more and more confused. Are there ANY external SATA drives for an 8300HD running Passport that when connected will allow the SAME FULL functionality of the DVR similar to if it did not have an external drive hooked to it (no bugs or loss of features)? If so, which drive models? Thank you for your time and help

[MDR]

Okay. I've read through this thread, have done several searches, have looked at the compatability site, and keep getting more and more confused. Are there ANY external SATA drives for an 8300HD running Passport that when connected will allow the SAME FULL functionality of the DVR similar to if it did not have an external drive hooked to it (no bugs or loss of features)? If so, which drive models? Thank you for your time and help

NO!
You lose the "trick play" capability on Passport units dependent  upon which drive has more free space. It doesn't matter what kind of enclosure or drive you use.

MDR

[Bigdog]

I picked up a 500GB SATA drive at Bestbuy and installed it in an external sata case from monoprice and have not been able to get my 8300 to see it at all. I have unplugged both drive and box numerous times and it never sees the new drive. The box is connected to the TV via an HDMI cable....

Any ideas?

Thanks

[MDR]

Your lacking in details. Try these links.

http://www.baseportal.com/baseportal/xnappo/passport

http://www.peparsplace.com/html/22.html

If you have a lot of time you can check out all 197 pages on the AVS thread where these links are from.

Good Luck

MDR

[jfultz14976]

OK so I followed all the useful information on this thread and I can now record to an esata drive with no problems!!

Now 2 Questions,

1:  Now that I have my shows on my esata drive can I access them from my PC?  I tried just plugging into my PC but Windows justs shows the format type as "Unknown" Was curious if there was a program that could assess the drive or if anyone knows what format it is.

2:  I have noticed with drive plugged in it is constantly being recorded to (I know it is so I can pause "live" TV) has anyone had any problems with this? (ie, burning up their drive)

Thanks in advance,
John

[WITI6fan]

2:  I have noticed with drive plugged in it is constantly being recorded to (I know it is so I can pause "live" TV) has anyone had any problems with this? (ie, burning up their drive)

Having researched external enclosures and their problems recently, I have discovered that:

- Cheap enclosures with fans tend to keep your drive cool and safe from burning up... until the fan goes bad.
- All-aluminum (or other metal) enclosures where the drive touches the metal keep drives the coolest because of heat transfer.

If your enclosure has a power switch, you could turn it off during extended periods of not using the drive, that will extend it's life.

[GoofyJeff]

I just bought a 1TB Western Digital "My DVR Expander" drive for use with my TWC SA8300HDC  

For whatever reason, it doesn't appear to be working.  I have power-cycled both the DVR and the external drive multiple times to no avail.  It still shows that I am 41% full.  

Any advice would be most appreciated.

[Jack 1000]

I just bought a 1TB Western Digital "My DVR Expander" drive for use with my TWC SA8300HDC  

For whatever reason, it doesn't appear to be working.  I have power-cycled both the DVR and the external drive multiple times to no avail.  It still shows that I am 41% full.  

Any advice would be most appreciated.

The research shows that the external drives (E-SATA) work better with the non-C MDN boxes with based on what I have read and heard about a 75% success rate.

The C-boxes run ODN and only have about a 25% chance of success with E-SATA drives.  However, a TWC HDC box user in Charlotte North Carolina posted on the AVS forum that he got past the typical "We don't support E-SATA drives" and needed one for his HDC box.  A higher level tech said that "they" were testing E-SATA drives with the new HDC boxes.  However, it is unclear whether or not he meant testing at the corporate level or testing in that North Carolina division.

Anyway, shockingly, the tech e-mailed the user a list of compatible drives with the HDC boxes.  This is what the user told the AVS forum:

**********************************

Just wanted to let folks know what I was just told- I called TWC tech support about transferring a TIVO lifetime subscription and when the tech asked why I stated that I was dissatisfied with the storage of the 8300hdc. He stated,"You know you can add an external hard drive..."
I told him that I had heard other wise and he said that they had been testing drives, and were still testing drives, but had a list of compatible external drives, and that he would email that list to me.
He did. Here is the list he sent

Seagate models: ST3160801XS (160GB) and ST3400832AS (400GB)
Maxtor models: Quickview P01K160 (160GB) and J01M300 (300GB)
Western Digital: models: WDG1S5000 (500GB), WDXS1600JDNN (160GB) and WD2500JD-56HBC0 (250GB).

*********************************

That's all I know.  Good luck!!!

Jack

[amaroq]

Has anyone had any luck getting eSATA working on one of the Samsung 3090 boxes? I had an eSATA drive hooked up to my 8300HD and it worked great, but when that box went on the fritz they replaced it with a Samsung and I've never been able to get it to work.  I've been into all the diagnostic menus and enabled eSATA and soforth and it still won't recognize the drive.

[Jack 1000]

Has anyone had any luck getting eSATA working on one of the Samsung 3090 boxes? I had an eSATA drive hooked up to my 8300HD and it worked great, but when that box went on the fritz they replaced it with a Samsung and I've never been able to get it to work.  I've been into all the diagnostic menus and enabled eSATA and soforth and it still won't recognize the drive.

Not sure,

But for reference purposes, did you go to a service center and swap the box, or did they bring out that Samsung on a service call?  Did you request a Samsung box?  Or did they bring that on a truck trip?  Because I heard that you had to specifically ask for a Samsung box and if you don't, you get another SA-8300 HDC.

I heard that some divisions are still giving out SA-8300 MDN boxes.  You should also check the info on the model number of the Samsung box.  The new Samsung 3090 runs the exact same software as the SA-8300 HDC.  There is another newer Samsung box, the Samsung 3270 that has a bigger hard drive, BUT does not run PIP.  But I think in Wisconsin all they are giving out now are SA-8300 HDC's and Samsung 3090's for DVR boxes.

Jack

[amaroq]

I went to the Mayfair store and asked for "one of those Samsung boxes" and they brought out a 3090.  That was my third time replacing an 8300HDC and I figured the Samsung couldn't be any worse.  I had an 8300HD that worked great for a long time with my eSATA drive but it eventually died and I got stuck with a C box.  The Samsung has been working great for me so I'm hesitant to replace it but the lack of eSATA is driving me crazy.