Western Digital My DVR Expander 1 TB eSATA External Hard Drive by Western Digital
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Digital camera reviews of Western Digital My DVR Expander 1 TB eSATA External Hard Drive
Digital camera Review: Alternative storage for DirecTV HD DVR
Summary: 5 Stars
The DirecTV website has instructions for how to hook up this external hard drive to your DirecTV HD DVR. However, it's very simple. Unplug the power connector to your DVR; hook up the eSata cable to both the DVR and the hard drive; plug in the hard drive and let it power up; then plug in the power cable to the DVR, and you're done. After about a week's use, it is working great and no complaints.
Here are some tips:
- The external hard drive acts as an alternative storage place; you cannot access the DVR's built-in storage while the external hard drive is hooked up. If you want to go back to view something stored on your DVR, you will have to reverse the installation procedure, then reinstall it when you want to use the external drive again. Nothing is erased on the DVR hard drive, it just isn't accessible when the external hard drive is connected.
- The eSata cable that came with the external hard drive worked fine with our DirecTV HD DVR. I purchased the SIIG cable as mentioned in some other reviews, but it wasn't necessary and I am returning it to Amazon. The cable that comes with the external hard drive is only about three feet long, so you may want a longer cable.
- The guide to upcoming shows, plus your list of shows you wish to record, is stored on the specific hard drive to which you are recording. Thus, when you hook up the new external hard drive, you will need to wait for the guide to populate (it took ours about 24 hours), then you will need to recreate your list of shows to record. This was a minor bother for us, but if you don't want to miss a favorite show, select a down time in between your favorite shows to install the device, let the guide get re-built, then create your recording list.
- According to DirecTV, the shows you record on the external hard drive are somehow linked to the specific DirecTV HD DVR it is physically connected to. Thus, you can't unplug the external hard drive then connect it to another DVR and view the shows remaining on the hard drive. It will have to be reformatted to be used with a different DVR, thus you will lose any remaining shows recorded on the external hard drive.
Digital camera Review: An Essential Object
Summary: 5 Stars
This is exactly what I needed. Easy to use and total relief from Tivo constipation...
We now have enough space to record and review everything we want to see on Tivo.
Digital camera Review: As advertised!
Summary: 5 Stars
I followed the directions and hooked this up to my HD Tivo. It works as well as can be expected. There have been no problems. It throws out quite a bit of heat but is quiet and makes my Tivo recording much easier.Digital camera Review: BEWARE - great, but can't save recordings with replacement SA8300
Summary: 4 Stars
The DVR Expander works great with the SA8300HD, but if you have to replace the SA8300HD you will lose all of the recordings on the DVR Expander because the new SA8300HD will require you to format the DVR Expander. Charter cable will not allow you to reinstall your old SA8300 if when they replace it to resolve a problem it doesn't resolve it. So don't ever allow your provider to replace your STB/DVR unless you are absolutely sure it will resolve an issue and/or you are prepared to lose your recordings.Digital camera Review: Best Money Spent
Summary: 5 Stars
Well after fighting a eSATA hard drive for hours, i found out that the standard eSATA drive will not work. So i bought the correct WD Expander 1 TB hard drive and it took right off. It not only works great but can be used with the standard Directv hard drive just by turning off the WD and rebooting to the original or turn it on and reboot to the 1TB Hard drive. If you turn it off you must go thru the reboot so it must stay on or it will go back to the original. Seems very noise free and cool, so heat not a problem. Its been running for about 2 months now and no problems so far. I have about 100 movies on it at the present time and down to 60% left. I am sure glad I purchased it thru amazon and bought a 3yr warranty thru Square Trade.