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Upgrade Apple TV's Hard Drive - 500GB ATA Seagate Drive

K

kolax

macrumors G3
Original poster
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
Been waiting till there is some ATA drives that offer a capacity good enough to make it worthwhile upgrading my Apple TV's hard drive. I've filled the bad boy and recently when streaming HD stuff, there is pauses while it buffers. I've gotten sick of this, so finally found a 500GB 2.5" ATA drive that is the capacity I need.

http://www.9to5mac.com/node/10209

I just need to know if this will work fine with the Apple TV. I can't find any other 500GB 2.5" ATA drives.
 
I am really hoping to get a 500GB drive in there - looking up on the PATA to SATA adapter, looks like I might have trouble fitting that in there.

But if I do get the adapter, is there going to be any compatibility issues, will there be any performance issues?
 
there are some good discussions on here, including a few step-by-step guides saying what connector to buy, but iirc they mostly need you to end up modifying/cutting the interior of the :apple:TV (but nothing visible from the outside afterwards...)

we really need Apple to open up the external connection for expansion!

Nig.
 
ntg said:
looks like a 3.5" desktop drive...
Click to expand...

I will admit it does, my google search lead me specifically to this drive, though and I had input 2.5" ide hard drive for the search. I dont know...I was thinking about upgrading my ATV, but I just got in the mail today a 1.5tb sata drive for network storage, so I dont really see the need for me to update the atv at this point...
 
I agree - I just wish they allowed an external drive to add storage to the box - I've had mine since they came out, and although it is handy for airtunes and iPhotos, I would like to add the kids' movies to it, if only to stop them scratching the hell out of all my original DVDs! (they are 6, 4 and 3, so hard to explain...)
a nice terabyte+ RAID would certainly help...

Nig
 
CaveMan - I'm checking out your mod and I'm all set to go for that. The advantages of your mod are great; the ability to just plug the drive into my Mac means I have 3rd backup of all my movies!

Just need to find UK suppliers of the parts you used.
 
ntg said:
looks like a 3.5" desktop drive...
Click to expand...

Yup, it is a desktop drive. You can see the molex power port on the back.

Kilamite said:
CaveMan - I'm checking out your mod and I'm all set to go for that. The advantages of your mod are great; the ability to just plug the drive into my Mac means I have 3rd backup of all my movies!

Just need to find UK suppliers of the parts you used.
Click to expand...

Be certain you get a PATA to SATA bridge that works because some do not. Also, be sure you get an enclosure that does not go to sleep. My Rosewill does not, but my MacAlly does. When the MacAlly went to sleep my Apple TV locked up. I've never had that problem with the Rosewill enclosure. Also be sure to download dynaflash's ATV Cloner app - it makes the process a piece of cake.

ntg said:
if you mounted the drive upside down would this work:-
(Maplin are usually useful for these connectors...)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=222115&C=SO&U=strat15

(and you will still need a power adapter - their part A14GG - £2.99)
Click to expand...

It may work and you'd only need the 5V line, not the 12V line. There are a couple of problems, though - you need 5V lines for both the SATA bridge and the notebook drive that you'd put in. I doubt you could split a single 5V line for that. The second problem is that you need to tap that 5V line from the ATV's PATA connector (pins 41 and 42).

In addition, you'd still need the crossover cable and gender changer.
 
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