SA8300HD - External SATA Drive Works, Please Read Post 1 and Post 1 Links

[57]

It shouldn't be too hard to get the information you want on the SATA drive. I believe the drives "alternate" to keep each drive about the same, in terms of available space, although strict alternation would not do that.

I asked the question because I don't believe any of us can be sure. After all, a few months back most of us thought you needed a "special" drive

[mouflon]

Originally Posted by mmorais

Also, no problems removing it?

Can't hurt to try. I'll give it a whirl this weekend. Then I'll plug it into a linux box to see if I can see anything.

[Wayne]

Originally Posted by hugh

No one has tested to see if that works. We've already seen a regular SATA cable doesn't work so I'd want to know it works before ordering.

I am pretty sure that I read that you can use one of these adapters and it will work but it doesn't change the fact that you need the special SATA-I to SATA-II cable.

[darrylr]

The original article says only one vendor sells the cable but I found another one I think:

http://www.granitedigital.com/catalo...s&brackets.htm

I wonder if anyone will find a Cdn outfit selling them?

-Darryl

[Jake]

Just so I understand, SATA-1 and SATA-2 only differ in their speed specifications right? That is SATA-1 is qualified up to 150mbps and SATA-2 is 300mbps. So the ends looks exactly the same and the pinout is the same? My question is why won't the SATA-1 cable work since one end (the drive) can be a SATA-1 drive? I assume the controller (STB) is SATA-1.

Update: I just read a PDF that said only SATA-2 drives work with the 8300HD so ignore my question above. SATA-2 cable must be what is needed. I decided to leave it in case anyone else was wondering. The other specs they gave were: 7200 rpm or 5400 rpm without MR, 133MB/s, only one drive can be connected (i.e. no daisy chaining allowed).

Update2 : I thought I had this thing beat. Read for yourself on eSATA connectors and the non-standard versions floating around. So you may have an older drive that uses a non-standard connector etc etc etc.

[mouflon]

Just to clarify. Working so far without a hitch:

8300HD with SARA software.
SATA II to SATA I cable.
(SATA I to SATA I standard cable that comes with the external enclosure does NOT work - I tried.)
Standard SATA I external drive enclosure.
WD SATA I 160GB hard drive.
I'm guessing that any size drive would do, but no promises)
I have no idea if I have violated some sort of non-spoken agreement with Rogers, but I'm taking a "don't ask, don't tell" viewpoint.

I'm going to see what happens when the drive is disconnected from the 8300HD. There was a warning at one point, I think after the first boot when the drive was recognized, that an external drive was connected, and not to disconnect while the system was powered on. I'm taking that as an indication that it will be fine with the power off. I'll find out tomorrow (I have shows to watch tonight)

I have sent a message to Hugh to sort out details about how to offer them, but I can get the cables (and I know that this particular one works), they will be considerably cheaper than $29 US, and they take about two weeks to arrive. (Please don't PM me about them - I want to be on the up-and-up and do things according to the rules of the forum)

[mmorais]

Originally Posted by darrylr

I wonder if anyone will find a Cdn outfit selling them?
-Darryl

I'm checking with a friend that owns a pretty decent computer electronics store to see if they've got any or can get them easily and how much.

[Polaris75]

Shouldn't an SATA II - SATA II w/ SATA II enclosure and drive work as well then? It sounds like the box wants SATA II and the only need for the II - I cable is to use an SATA I enclosure and drive ...

Either way, if this bulk order gets sorted out and arranged, I'm in!

[JohnnyG]

Mouflon, or anybody else...are either of these cables the correct type?:

http://www.sonnettech.com/product/esata_cables.html

[darrylr]

Yep that looks like the one.

eSATA (SATA-II) to SATA (SATA-I)

-Darryl

[mouflon]

OK, here's the deal - it is the sonnet cable. I own a computer company in Stratford, ON, and can get them in for $27 CDN plus whatever it costs to ship them to you, I'm guessing that Canada Post would be the cheapest. Also, any taxes are extra. If there is any interest, post here, we'll figure out how many are needed, and I'll get on it. Hugh has OK'd this.

It took about two weeks for the test cable that I used to get here, so that is about the time frame we're looking at.

[ANDYA]

For those of us who are less technically minded please explain some of the acronyms being used in this thread.
Such as SATAI and SATAII SARA software.
Thank you
AndyA

[mouflon]

First experiment.

Powered down the 8300HD
disconnected the external drive
- Listing still show in the Recorded shows listing, but attempting to play a show that was recorded on the extenal device just goes to the standard channel 950 screen that shows that nothing is available.

reconnected the external drive
powered up the 8300HD
- All recorded shows are back.

I'm guessing from this quick test that all of the indexing is kept on the internal drive, and is not dynamically updated depending on which devices are connected.

More tests to come.....

[mouflon]

Originally Posted by ANDYA

For those of us who are less technically minded please explain some of the acronyms being used in this thread.
Such as SATAI and SATAII SARA software.
Thank you
AndyA

SATA is the new Serial interface being used for hard drives (and other storage equipment too, but for our purposes let's just assume it's for hard drives). It uses a much smaller cable that the 40 or 80 conductor cables used for standard IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) drives


SATA I is the original Serial ATA spec - if you are running an SATA drive in your computer chances are that it is SATA I

SATA II is a new SATA specification that runs twice as fast as SATA I - 3.0 GB/s versus 1.5 GB/s, uses a slightly different connector and is backwards compatible with SATA I.

The 8300HD uses an SATA II connector on the back of the device. I have not done the research, but I am assuming that the interface in the 8300HD is SATA I using an SATA II connector. The "PVR compatible" SATA drives I have seen out there are all SATA I. This probably so that they can sell a supposedly proprietary external device for some extraordinary amount of money. But I digress.

SARA is the software that is running on the 8300HD units supplied for Rogers.

[burden]

Mouflon - you can put me down for 3 (1 for me, 1 for the in-laws, and another for a buddy).

Shipping would be to Mississauga.

This is exciting, and fun, looking forward to it ...

Anyone try moving the hard drive from one system to another ... (ie take the hard drive over to someone else who has the 8300 ?)