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

[jlutkin]

Hi

Will be changing the hard disk on my sky+ box (AMSTRAD DRX280 PVR3).
I stress I have Sky+, Not Sky+HD.

Was going to go for the Seagate ST3500830ACE
See
SEAGATE DB35 Series 7200.3 ST3500830ACE - Internal hard drive - Buying guide: compare prices, technical specifications, tests and reviews, news and videos...

I'm no techie...
Anybody know if this is suitable? (Right type for Sky+?)
Anyone used this sucessfully on the Amstrad PVR3?
Anything better I should go for?

Appreciate your help, want to get this fitted in the next few days to make the most of my temp upgrade to sky movies

Thanks a lot.

Jason

[Isitme]

I should be OK, but I think if you record movies on to it using Sky+ they will become inaccessible if you don't actually have movies enabled. I could be wrong, but I am sure someone will confirm yea or nay.

[cassius_west]

I'm in the same boat. But even if they do work ok, you try finding anyone that has got one in stock. I've trawled all the uk stockists and not one single company has this drive in stock. That was last week, so whether this has changed or not I don't know but they're like hens teeth right now.

[Undecided Adrian]

Yup if you record something and then downgrade you will not be able to watch the recordings.

Most likely done to stop people recording lots of movies then downgrading and watching at your lesuire.

For help with Hard Drives go to the Copy+ website

Copy+, the free Sky & XTV disk copier software

they have great program for formatting your new drive and for moving your planner over.

If you want to stick a big disc in you need to use this to format it correctly.

[cassius_west]

If you want to stick a big disc in you need to use this to format it correctly.

So the box is capable of only formatting the original 160Gb drive??

So in other words, you need to use the copy+ to format anything bigger, or can the box only format up to a certain size?

Please clarify.

[Undecided Adrian]

The Sky+ box can format something like up to 270 gigabytes and then any bigger disk will just be formatted to that maximum value and so any more will be lost.

The copy+ program will format the entire disk (as well as move over programmes you have recorded) and it will be fully accessable by the Sky+ box.

[Isitme]

The box will only format up to a certain size, a bit more than 160, but not much. You should take the advice above and have a look at the Copy+ forums, this section in particular-
http://www.skycopyplus.co.uk/forum/v...61c146b7835db1

[jlutkin]

Thanks for your help everyone.

Jason

[jlutkin]

Western Digital WD5000AAKB 500GB Hard Drive 7200rpm 16MB Cache - OEM

Is this an alternative to the seagate? (16mb instead of 8mb?)
Anybody used it?

Thx

Jason

[cassius_west]

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.