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Biggest Internal drive...
- Thread starter markfc
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I have a Western Digital EIDE 250Gb (WD2500BEVE) drive in mine. I think that the problem is that most of the drives over 250Gb have SATA connections and so are not compatible with the AppleTV.
Yep, that's the problem.
I wonder if there is a small sata > ide adapter available. I'm looking hard but can't find one.
I wonder if there is a small sata > ide adapter available. I'm looking hard but can't find one.
Not small enough.
If you want larger, then you need to run an IDE cable out the back, or a SATA bridge/cable out the back.
If you want larger, then you need to run an IDE cable out the back, or a SATA bridge/cable out the back.
It's more than that. You also need a 5v power source, cross-over cable, and a 44-pin to 40-pin adapter.
Why would you need such a big drive if all of your media can stream over your network?
Maybe instead you should invest in things to make your network faster rather than opening up your
TV
Maybe instead you should invest in things to make your network faster rather than opening up your
TV
Mark, did you think about patching your ATV and just add an external USB harddrive ?
I've not had any stuttering, FF, REW or other problems while streaming from my wired network.
I went the extra inch and made sure that the server (a Mini), the cabling, jacks, switches and router were all gigabit capable. Sure, the aTV's ethernet port is limited to 100 megabits per second, but even with that as the weakest link, I've not had any problems with streaming content.
I think most of the problems I've read about others having with streaming occur when attempting to do so wirelessly. 802.11N is terrific and all, but when moving around large files and rock solid connections are needed, nothing today beats a wired network.
how difficult is it to do? if it is fairly easy and i could buy say a 1tb external drive and sync all my movies to that then it would be amazy.
Frankly, I a really cannot fathom hacking the software and all of that, when you can pop it open and do the eSata mod and be done with it. One time shot and all of the storage you are likely to need without an atv update breaking your mod. Just my .02 
It is pretty easy with a patchstick. Patchsticks are available all over the place.
Frankly, I a really cannot fathom hacking the software and all of that, when you can pop it open and do the eSata mod and be done with it. One time shot and all of the storage you are likely to need without an atv update breaking your mod. Just my .02
I see 3 problems with this approach
1) you void your guarantee
2) this is not for everyone - a software patch is much easier
3) you are still limited by 250 GB, so you gain a mere 90 GB in comparison to the original, whereas you are more or less unlimited by using an external hd
It is completely reversible and can be done such that no one knows it was modded.
I disagree. I found the patch more difficult, once dyna and I figured out how the eSATA mod works. In addition, every time Apple updates the ATV OS, the patch is broken and you have to start over (and usually wait for the patch to be developed). With eSATA, you just choose Software Update from the ATV menu and you're done. The only disadvantages with eSATA are an extra $30-$50 expense (eSATA enclosure, bridge and cable) and potential larger footprint. And eSATA is substantially faster than a USB drive.
The largest is 1 TB, not 250 gb. When the 2 TB drives come available, that will be the largest.
Really ? I thought I read in another thread that the biggest one is still 250 GB ?
The biggest internal drive for the ATV without SATA is 250 gigs (PATA). External SATA can be whatever the largest drive available (currently 1 TB).
Your response was to dynaflash's post about eSATA:
I see 3 problems with this approach...Frankly, I a really cannot fathom hacking the software and all of that, when you can pop it open and do the eSata mod and be done with it. One time shot and all of the storage you are likely to need without an atv update breaking your mod. Just my .02
Clearly, dyna was talking about eSATA, not internal PATA.
I do realize that the eSata mod is not internal. However neither is the usb drive solution. So its kind of a "Touche' " on that one. One only needs to spend some time on the #awkwardtv irc channel to see how many people are looking to either fix their broken atv software from using the patchstick, or trying to find/download a complete stock atv software image to restore their atv to stock form software wise to appreciate the damage that can be done with a patchstick application gone awry . At any rate I digress (as usual) and apologize to the OP for derailing discussion from the original question.
Yes, the biggest internal hdd that works with the atv is 250GB