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Maximum Supported HD Disk Size 500GB
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[Deleted User]
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Just thought I'd let you know that the maximum size of Hard Drive supported by the Sky HD Full System Reset is just over 500GB.
Drives over that size will be incorrectly formatted to a lower total capacity by the Sky HD box. For example a 750GB drive is truncated to around 242GB total space.
The good news is that, if you use my Copy+ software to copy over from an existing drive, then the size will be calculated correctly. Please note however you will need the 1.1.0.5 Beta version (which should be available for download very shortly).
You should also remember that there may be other limits in the Sky+ software for such large drives that have not yet been discovered. As such such large drives remain highly experimental.
Drives over that size will be incorrectly formatted to a lower total capacity by the Sky HD box. For example a 750GB drive is truncated to around 242GB total space.
The good news is that, if you use my Copy+ software to copy over from an existing drive, then the size will be calculated correctly. Please note however you will need the 1.1.0.5 Beta version (which should be available for download very shortly).
You should also remember that there may be other limits in the Sky+ software for such large drives that have not yet been discovered. As such such large drives remain highly experimental.
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Also am I correct in saying that you need a pc to upgrade your drive rather than put it in the HD box and do a ful;l system reset?
Will your software allow a 750gb drive to be used to it's full capacity (less the 140gb reserved for sky non-use)?
I ask because I want to upgrade the drive on my HD box (can only record 6 world cup games before it is full - back to the bad old days of the non-upgraded sky+ pvr2)
I really cannpt understand why sky have made this retrograde step from the pvr3 which has twice the SD recording space that the HD box has for HD recording!
I have a Panasonic DVD recorder (DMR-E85H), which has a measly 80GB. But apparently if a larger drive is used, it is still only seen as 80GB.
You only need a PC if you plan to use a drive larger than 500Gb or wish to copy the existing recordings from your original drive.
Yes, I have a 750Gb drive and it is using the full capacity (reports 700Gb formatted) minus the 140Gb reserved.
Just a word of warning though - the only 750Gb drive currently available id the Seagate 7200.10 which does not have AAM support. I find the disk to be a quite noisy in operation - it is audible wth the volume muted or during quiet narrative scenes.
Quite simply cost I would imagine. We know that HD takes approx 4x the space of HD and 300Gb drives offer a low £ per Gb. Running to a 500Gb drive would increase the production costs and we all know the lengths SKY will go to to get those down (Amstrad PVR2)
So I have to will make do with the 500GB Maxtor.
Denzil
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This would help everybody decide which drive to buy.
This is because the code assumes a 16 bit integer for number of cylinders in the CxHxS calculation:
63 x 240 x 65535 = 990,889,200 x 512 = 507,335,270,400
I can't explain the 270GB limit on the SD boxes. It just crashes. That implies some kind of memory overrun/buffer problem to me, but I am just guessing.
The HD box formats a 750GB "successfully", but the C value gets truncated to 16 bits. 750GB is 96882 cyclinders, but this becomes 31345 if you only take 16 bits. So:
63 x 240 x 31345 = 473,936,400 x 512 = 242,655,436,800
Therefore a 750GB drive only gives you 242GB if you use Sky to FSR. So actually less than you had to start with! Copy+ gets round this by formatting correctly.
I think Chippo has already answered most of the other questions (thanks). But to recap: No.
A 500GB will work correctly with a FSR in Sky HD.
A 760GB requires Copy+ (Beta 1.1.0.5) or you'll only get 242GB.
Yes it will. This of course is subject to the rest of the Sky firmware being able to handle the drive that big - There's no telling if there isn't some other limit somewhere. Still very early days for drives this big.
However reported space/estimated usage after a Copy+ to a 750GB drive appears correct (unlike after Sky FSR)!
Listen to Chippos advice carefully - He's been there - I don't own HD.
Oh, and if you want me - perhaps best to step over to the main thread on the Sky+ forum or send me a PM.
Copy+ might support other Sky PVR / XTV platforms: DirectTV, FoxTel, Sky Latin America, Viasat...
Firstly: Your PVR's limit is very likely in the firmware of the player
Secondly: I don't own one
Thirdly: The disk format is going to be completely different to Sky/XTVFS
Sounds like it's using a signed value, so you end up with a max. of 32767... go over that and it goes negative and 'strange stuff' starts to happen.
63 x 240 x 32767 = 495,437,040 x 512 = 253,663,764,480
But the limit is around 272GB:
272,000,000,000 / (63 * 240 * 512) = 35,135?
So that has already broken 16 bits. The observed partitioned size of a 270GB drive under SD Sky+ is entirely consistent with the algorithm working correctly.
As soon as there is any overflow, unsigned or otherwise, you'd expect spurious results to creep in.
500Gb drives are around £170-£180 + delivery, depending on model (if noise is an issue then don't but seagate as they have no AAM). I generally use Scan for most hardware purchases, although there are many others out there offering similar prices.
In black
http://www.aria.co.uk/ProductInfoComm.asp?ID=21881
And Silver
http://www.aria.co.uk/ProductInfoComm.asp?ID=20707
I have ordered a couple and will try the 750GB Seagate again (formatted with Copy+ this time!).
Going to try running the drive in the external enclosure, running the SATA cable out of the hole in the left hand side of the case. This will allow easy drive swaps and get the heat down inside the box.
Anyone else concerned how hot the Sky HD box runs?
Denzil
No, only the internal SATA connector is currently turned on, so only one drive can be active.
Denzil
WinXP sees both drives via USB2 fine.
Currently copying contents of the 50percent full 500GB to 750 GB Seagate.
It's reporting it will take 4 hours, which seems like USB1 speed.
The SATA cable supplied with the enclosure is nice and long so I am considering runing the 750GB in the external enclosure, which will allow "cold" swaps of the drive.
Seems to be going a bit faster now with 3hours 21 remaining.
Time to watch England v Trinidad & Tobago on ITV HD (via Telewest), pity the TVDrive can't be upgraded!
Denzil
I'm assuming the 740gb is a seagate and is installed inside the HD box? - do you find any noise issues?
I'm doing exactly this too, with the same enclosure, except it's slightly cheaper from http://www.eclipsecomputers.com/product.aspx?code=SKI-C35SATA-BK. (edit: on reflectioin, having dealt with Aria before, you're probably best paying the extra and using them as Eclipse can often prove to be a hassle to deal with...)
I also came up with exactly the same exit route for my cable, also planning to get a SATA->eSATA adaptor so that I can have the internal drive available on a socket outside so I can reconnect without opening up the case again.
Unfortunately, I only have a 200mb drive in my caddy, but I'm mostly only using it to examine the filesystem, so I don't mind too much...
He has taken the old 500GB out and put a new 750GB HDD in. He has used my Copy+ software to copy everything over from the old drive. :cool:
Yes its a seagate. Is there another 750gb available?
I've not got the case back on yet, but wow is this thing loud. I might have to find a way to run the sata externally and move the disc somewhere else.
I'm not sure the cooling of the drive is upto much. My 500gb was pretty hot. I think they got the mount wrong, having it enclosed on 4 sides and the fan forcing air onto the bottom only.
I think they would have been better to have one of those fans you screw onto the base and somehow mounted it differently to allow more air around it.
I find the 750Gb noisier than the Maxtor but nothing like as noisy as the 500Gb Seagate I put in first - that was unbearable.