Do Bell PVR's Support USB 3 External Hard Drives? - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Quivox · 2010-10-23, 06:08 PM

Do any of the Bell PVR's support USB3? I noticed in the latest Bestbuy flyer they are advertising the increased transfer rate using USB 3 external hard drives. The example they used was 3 minutes to transfer a 2 hour HD movie vs 15 minutes fro a USB 2 hard drive.

Pinza · 2010-10-23, 07:24 PM

I would highly doubt it, surely this would need a new software update from Bell at the very least, if indeed this is even possible via software.

jhawken · 2010-10-25, 08:46 PM

USB 3.0 is fully backwards compatible to USB 2.0.

However the bell boxes, only have USB 2.0 support, so you will not gain any performance with a USB 3.0 drive.

angus.black · 2010-10-30, 01:18 PM

The Bell receiver would require a USB controller chip replacement in addition to the firmware update to run at USB3 speeds.

dirtroad · 2010-10-30, 01:36 PM

I looked at those USB 3.0 drives at BB yesterday, the price is certainly good, but the Hard Drives in them are only 5400 RPM, so even if Bell supported USB 3.0 the drives would be the limiting factor I believe.
USB 2.0 uses half duplex transmission (first one way, then the other), and USB 3.0 bidirectional (both transmit and receive at same time). USB uses 4 extra conductors, which means it would have to be a hardware upgrade, again I believe.
See http://www.everythingusb.com/superspeed-usb.html for details on USB 3.0

2010-10-23, 06:08 PM	#1
Quivox Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 23	Do Bell PVR's Support USB 3 External Hard Drives? Do any of the Bell PVR's support USB3? I noticed in the latest Bestbuy flyer they are advertising the increased transfer rate using USB 3 external hard drives. The example they used was 3 minutes to transfer a 2 hour HD movie vs 15 minutes fro a USB 2 hard drive.

2010-10-30, 01:36 PM	#5
dirtroad Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 890	I looked at those USB 3.0 drives at BB yesterday, the price is certainly good, but the Hard Drives in them are only 5400 RPM, so even if Bell supported USB 3.0 the drives would be the limiting factor I believe. USB 2.0 uses half duplex transmission (first one way, then the other), and USB 3.0 bidirectional (both transmit and receive at same time). USB uses 4 extra conductors, which means it would have to be a hardware upgrade, again I believe. See http://www.everythingusb.com/superspeed-usb.html for details on USB 3.0 __________________ If Life is a Highway,...then why is there no end to this dirtroad?

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

2010-10-23, 07:24 PM	#2
Pinza Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: GTA Posts: 8,572	I would highly doubt it, surely this would need a new software update from Bell at the very least, if indeed this is even possible via software.

2010-10-25, 08:46 PM	#3
jhawken Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 8	USB 3.0 is fully backwards compatible to USB 2.0. However the bell boxes, only have USB 2.0 support, so you will not gain any performance with a USB 3.0 drive.

2010-10-30, 01:18 PM	#4
angus.black Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Riverview, NB Posts: 41	The Bell receiver would require a USB controller chip replacement in addition to the firmware update to run at USB3 speeds.