To hack or not to hack? (Need more space)

[balamw]

OK, now TV 2.0 is here and it looks good, but I still feel like I need more space than 40 GB, as I really don't want to keep my PC on and running iTunes all the time. So, I guess I have a few options:

• Buy a new/refurb 160 GB unit
• Upgrade the HDD in mine to 160 GB (or largrer)
• Revert to 1.0, enable USB and use an external...

If I went with the first option I'd move my 40 GB to the other TV.

What's the largest HDD anyone has successfully used?

B

 

[JonHimself]

OK, now TV 2.0 is here and it looks good, but I still feel like I need more space than 40 GB, as I really don't want to keep my PC on and running iTunes all the time. So, I guess I have a few options:

• Buy a new/refurb 160 GB unit
• Upgrade the HDD in mine to 160 GB (or largrer)
• Revert to 1.0, enable USB and use an external...

If I went with the first option I'd move my 40 GB to the other TV.

What's the largest HDD anyone has successfully used?

B

I'm looking to add harddrive space to mine, both to stop relying on my computer to be on AND to be able to have a portable library of all of my DVDs. I'm still leaning towards keeping my 40GB and just installing a bigger hard drive. In another thread I started someone posted that 250gb was the largest. I don't know if it's true or not but that's what was said. I wonder why there is a cap (if there is one)? It would seem logical that it can take as large of a hard drive as you can get (I think I saw a 320GB laptop 2.5" drive)

 

[Cave Man]

What's the largest HDD anyone has successfully used?

The largest on the market today is 250 gigs. It's not difficult to upgrade, but you should consider buying iPartition as some have reported problems using the cl for partitioning (including me).

 

[Cave Man]

In another thread I started someone posted that 250gb was the largest. I don't know if it's true or not but that's what was said. I wonder why there is a cap (if there is one)? It would seem logical that it can take as large of a hard drive as you can get (I think I saw a 320GB laptop 2.5" drive)

The ATV takes a PATA interfaced-drive, the largest of which currently sold is 250 gigs. Had Apple put a SATA interface in it you'd be able to put a 500 gig drive in it (soon, from WD and Samsung). Look for it in the next iteration, I suppose.

 

[balamw]

FWIW I've even considered making a franken--TV to make use of larger 3.5" PATA HDDs. I've got a few DirecTV TiVos that are now unsupported due to the MPEG4 transition, so I already have some cases I could probably adapt to the task that would not look out of place in an A/V rack.

I figure I can probably remote the IR sensor and still manage to put the TV in the back of the case so the composite and HDMI connectors come out in the "right" place... 2.5"-3.5" adapter and pull power from a separate P/S for the HDD.

This way I could end up with a 750 GB TV for pretty cheap.

B

 

[Cave Man]

It's also already been discussed, even for a 1.5 tb ATV. Just a few days ago.