Suitable 2tb disks for Sky+ HD and ExPVR

Belenus

Does anyone have knowledge and experience of using ExPVR and upgrading Sky+ disks. ExPVR has not been supported or upgraded for many years but it still works with my system.

I have an DRX890 upgraded many years ago to 2tb with a Western Digital WD20EURS 3.5 inch disk.

I have a second Western Digital WD20EURS 3.5 inch disk and I use ExPVR to transfer some recordings to that second disk as a backup. I have a lot of opera and other music recordings that I don't want to lose.

Both disks are getting quite old so I plan to buy a third disk.

Is the Western Digital WD20EURS still seen as the best disk to use with Sky+ or are there better alternatives?

I would be particularly interested in anyone who has had success with 2tb 2.5 inch disks.

Thanks

Neil_Jones

As a general rule any "green" 3.5" drive up to 2Tb will work.  You can use normal 7200rpm drives instead if you must, though you would better with the green 5900rpm since they don't generate as much heat.

Also be aware if you're not already that if those recordings you have already came from encrypted channels/channels as part of a subscription, they will only be watchable as long as your Sky subscription is valid.  If they're FTA this doesn't apply.

The problem with ExPVR is as you say it is an old programme and the Sky system/file system/way of working has changed.  There may come a point where it's not very useful.

Carrot007

Neil_Jones said:

The problem with ExPVR is as you say it is an old programme and the Sky system/file system/way of working has changed.  There may come a point where it's not very useful.

It has for most people I think. Sky Q is the only supported system these days and I assume different.

Old sky subscribers will all go eventually as the hardware will die. They only accept new/returning customers on Q.

That said I have upgraded many Sky boxes with bigger drives. Though only once bothered transfering data!

A 2.5 will work but why? more expensive and will only have screws in one side.

I have either used WD greens or WD purples (purples are survelance drives for CCTV so also suited for 24/7 use).

Neil_Jones

You can put 2.5" SSDs in the Sky+HD boxes too and they will work, though those boxes are about 10-12 years old now. They'll be quite expensive at the 2Tb mark, about £170 I believe at this time.  Flip, I remember when 1Tb SSDs were going for about £400.

Belenus

Thanks Neil and Carrot007.

I will probably get a WD20EURS as there are a few on eBay at decent prices and I know they are very reliable drives and compatible with Sky. 

Regarding heat and size, that doesn't actually matter to me as I don't fit the drive back inside the Sky box. It sits on a glass shelf behind it. That saves me opening up the box every time I want to extract programmes or do a backup. It also means that the Sky box runs very cool as there is no disk inside and the rear panel has been removed. I have never heard the fan kick in.

The disk itself never gets more than barely noticeably warm as any heat dissipates into the glass and the air.

That is probably not advisable if you have children or pets but it works for us. It has been like that for many years with no issues.

Belenus

Neil_Jones said:

Also be aware if you're not already that if those recordings you have already came from encrypted channels/channels as part of a subscription, they will only be watchable as long as your Sky subscription is valid.  If they're FTA this doesn't apply.

We don't plan to unsubscribe to Sky so that shouldn't be an issue.

I have used ExPVR to extract unencrypted music recordings which I can then store on disk as mp4 or ts files and play on my media player.

With encrypted programmes, extracting with ExPVR is pointless as they won't play on anything bar Sky. However I can get around that by playing the programme and using a HDMI splitter that strips the encryption out and recording it on my laptop via a Hauppauge HD PVR2 device. That works and retains the full audio and video quality as nothing is changed. That is possibly breaking copyright but it is for my own personal home use only.

However it can only be done in real time so a 3 hour opera takes 3 hours to record whereas ExPVR can extract 3 hours in a few minutes.