Seagate ST3500830ACE & Amstrad PVR3 (?????)

[nsp24]

I've just installed the 320Gb (ST3320820ACE) version in my DRX280 with no problems at all. I ordered mine from Dell on back-order. Despite their initial e-mail saying delivery expected for January, it actually arrived after I think it was 5 days! Of course, this is just my own experience, delivery could vary for others.

HTH.

I am trying to get a 500gb drive working in a amstrad DRX280 but it will not turn on, I am not sure if it is formating the drive or not, How long should it take to boot up when you have fitted a bigger drive? I am going to leave it over night and see if it works in the morning.

[cassius_west]

a) Which 500Gb drive is it?

b) How are you attempting to format the drive?

See page 1 of this very thread. Two users have posted that the box itself cannot format much above the original capacity (somewhere between 160Gb and 270Gb) but certainly not 500Gb.

You apparently must use Copy+ for that size, as I did with my 320Gb. It copied all my saved progs. over from the old hdd to the new and formatted the new drive at the same time to the full capacity. The box has worked fine ever since.

You really ought to be using a drive as similar spec. to the original as possible (albeit with a greater capacity), namely an IDE DB35.2 or DB35.3 drive by Seagate. Anything else, and there may be compatibility issues either with the fan control or the box even booting-up at all. Plus, even if it does seem to initially work, it would need a thorough testing by way of multiple simultaneous recording and playing something back at the same time to give it a good hiding. Only then will you know if it is 100% compatible. You can avoid all the anxiety by just getting the DB35 drive from the off.

I temporarily had a non-oem 300Gb Maxtor hdd in there whilst I was waiting for my DB35.3 from Dell, and whilst it worked, it was shyte. Intermittent skipping on the sound/video became impossible to watch.

HTH.

[Isitme]

I think one of the problems in using a non-DB type drive is the power requirements. These are low power units designed for use in DV recorders, a standard drive may draw too much power and cause PSU problems. I know standard drives can work, but they are not guaranteed to do so.

[nsp24]

[QUOTE=cassius_west;184130]a) Which 500Gb drive is it?

b) How are you attempting to format the drive?

Hi,

I have just put the drive in the sky+ as I read that they could now take the bigger drive. I have tried 2 seagate drives one 320mb and one 500mb
st3320620a and st3500630a. I could not see a way to just format the drive with copy+ the 160gb drive I took out had no recordings on it. the problem I have now is I accidentally wiped the 160gb drive using software calle hardcure and I can’t even get it to boot up with that now!

Should the sky+ turn on without a hard drive in?
Would a drive straight out of a Thompson v3 work in the Amstrad?

[cassius_west]

Someone will be along soon, but from my own experience the box wouldn't work without a drive in it. On your second point, I don't know what drive is in the Thomson v3, so cannot comment on whether it is compatible or not. I have only dabbled with my DRX280.

Regarding the 160Gb original, if there were no recordings on it anyway, then you might as well just put it back in the box and reformat it using the box itself. Since it is only 160Gb, the box will have no trouble reformatting it. The procedure for this is as follows (taken from another forum):

1) ***DISCONNECT THE MAINS SUPPLY FROM THE SKY BOX***
2) Open the Sky box, put the hard disk drive in and connect it up correctly (making sure that the hdd jumper is set to 'cable select')
3) Replace the cover to the box and make sure it is secure
4) Hold the left and right navigation keys on the front of the sky box (not the remote!!)
5) Re-connect the mains supply (whilst still holding those keys!)
6) Once the circle on the sky box lights up, press select
7) Once the circle stops spinning the sky box will reboot (takes about 2mins)
8) Bring the sky box out of standby and now all should be well

Once you have got the 160Gb drive working, just record say 10 mins of a program just so that there is something on the planner. Then, disconnect the mains to the sky box, then open the box and remove the drive. Connect to pc (assuming you are familiar with how to do this and remembering BIOS settings, jumper settings etc.) use Copy+ to clone the 160Gb across to either the 320Gb or 500Gb, but personally would try the 320Gb first. You will see it copy the planner program first and at the end it should ask you whether to use 'Big or little Endian' - the DRX280 uses 'Big Endian'. That should be it. Then connect the 320Gb into the Sky box using ONLY steps 1 to 3 above and it should work, with that 10 min. program on the planner still. Remember that the DRX280 is monumentally slow to boot-up and can take upwards of 2 minutes, so be patient with it, as it can give the illusion that it isn't working.

WARNING: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD ANYONE PERFORM MAINTENANCE OR POKE AROUND THE SKY BOX OR EVEN REMOVE OR INSERT HARD DRIVES WITH THE COVER OFF AND THE MAINS ATTACHED!!! THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND CAN LEAD TO PERSONAL INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. IF YOU ARE NOT CONFIDENT IN PERFORMING THE ABOVE PROCEDURE AND/OR NOT QUALIFIED TO DO SO, THEN PLEASE SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE!!

[nsp24]

Someone will be along soon, but from my own experience the box wouldn't work without a drive in it. On your second point, I don't know what drive is in the Thomson v3, so cannot comment on whether it is compatible or not. I have only dabbled with my DRX280.[/B]

Thank you for such a detailed reply and thanks to everyone else who has offered advice.

For some reason I could not get the Amstrad to format the original drive. it just would not boot up.

I took the 160gb drive out of the Thompson and took your advice and cloned it to my 160gb drive and it worked!!! so I then tried the 320gb and the 500gb and they also worked. I was very relieved as it is a friends Sky+ and I was getting a bit worried that he would not be watching Sky over Christmas.

He is now using the 500gb drive but is keeping the other 2 drives for a while to see how it goes.

Thanks again!!!!

[cassius_west]

I was very relieved as it is a friends Sky+ and I was getting a bit worried that he would not be watching Sky over Christmas.

Bloomin' heck! Bet you were starting to sweat! I know I would have been!

Anyway, good result!