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Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 2:04 pm Post subject: Quiet 120GB EIDE

Both my TiVos have very noisy HD's in them... so, I'm looking to replace them.

I could go bigger then 120 GB, just makes my transfer of the drive images more fun.

I'm looking for the quietest drives I can find -- I'm tired of hearing the clicking as the head seeks around. Searching and reading reviews online is great, but boring. I've even considered a 2.5" Laptop drive with proper adapters...

I was looking at WD and Seagate, but, was wondering if anyone in the pound had some experience in acquiring quiet drives and would share their opinion with me.

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 2:09 pm Post subject:

Get a louder TV.

My Seagates are fairly quiet, though you'll probably always hear them seek if you listen close enough.

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 2:54 pm Post subject:

Samsung SpinPoint P120 for the win.

Comes in both SATA and PATA (double-check the specs of your purchase), and is whisper-quiet.

I've got one stuffed in my box, and I can't hear it. It used to be PC Pro magazine's A-List hard disk, until the SpinPoint T eclipsed it.

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 3:47 pm Post subject:

T wrote:
I've got one stuffed in my box

I'll bet.

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 8:11 pm Post subject:

Thanks T! time to order up 2.

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:04 pm Post subject:

You, I should have responded sooner to this...

I have the SpinPoint drive in my DirecTiVo now and I never hear the drive anymore...even in the middle of the night with no other sounds, it's whisper quiet.

Exactly what I wanted, thanks for the recommendation T!

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:48 pm Post subject:

Are they TiVo Series 1 or Series 2 units? Series 1 is limited to 137 GB. Series 2, with current system software, can handle very large drives. TiVo Series3 / TiVo HD uses SATA drives. WinMFS makes it a snap to copy your existing drive to a new larger one.

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:20 pm Post subject:

Series 2, and I know the size restrictions and how to go beyond the limits with the latest kernals and patches Wink

(the 48bit lba one on the boot drive when building the new HD)

SATA drives work in an PATA system, you just need the adapter. I had no need to go beyond 120GB's in my DirecTiVo Series 2 systems.

Leg Humper Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 5997

If there is space!
Make cases out of corrugated cardboard extended behind right angle intakes and good silent fans. Half inch space all around drive with ribs in same direction as air flow.