DirecTV DVR Sata Port

[Lex]

Has anayone used the Sata port to add an external hard drive? It does not enable dual boot drive, the external sata overrides use of internal drive, so you can't access what is on the normal drive when using the sata connected drive. But you can enable much more space of course this way, that is what I read. Any confirmation?

Essentially, will need Sata to ESata cable, ESata capable hard drive case and drive, or external drive (pre-made) Not many of those made that I can see, cannot buy one locally here.

Doug

[Chris D]

It's been a few years since I looked into this Doug, but from what I remember, there were a few sticky points. I wish I could be definitive for you, but from what I recall if you do use an eSATA drive, it's only useable with that one DVR, that you can't take it to another in the house and connect to watch. there may have been a fee you had to pay DirecTV, just to enable the stupid thing, just like you do to enable "whole home" DVR sharing, which is stupid too.

If you do use the eSATA, I'll be interested to hear from you how it works.

[Ovation]

I used it on a Scientific Atlanta HD8300 a few years ago. It could not be moved to another location (as Chris notes above) but it did not render the internal drive obsolete. Instead, the OS of the DVR simply read the two drives together as one bigger drive.

Unfortunately, the eSATA drive went belly up about 18 months after I installed it (power outage had something to do with that). I never bothered to replace it.

[Lex]

Thanks for the info guys. Ovation, I read you just couldn't use the drive, one large drive view would be nice. To bad you lost yours.

I may try this yet, just not sure when.