# WD Black WD5001FZWX for Roamio upgrade



## bmeacham2 (Jun 7, 2012)

Would the WD Black WD5001FZWX HD be a viable option to upgrade a Roamio +?
What options for something bigger than 2TBs (4 or 5 TB size hopefully)_would work? 
Looking for options as the drive is filling up fast...

Thanks!


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

I would NOT use the Black line. It sucks more than twice the power compared to the Red or Green lines, and a TiVo can't use the increased performance. The higher RPMs and current draw just mean more noise and lots more heat. It would probably cook a base Roamio even if the power supply could drive it.

If you want to go over 4TB, I would use the Red (EFRX) line. It costs a bit more than the Greens but the extra year of warranty is worth it to most people. There are a bunch of folks here running them.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

bmeacham2 said:


> Would the WD Black WD5001FZWX HD be a viable option to upgrade a Roamio +?
> What options for something bigger than 2TBs (4 or 5 TB size hopefully)_would work?
> Looking for options as the drive is filling up fast...
> 
> Thanks!


My only experience with the WD Blacks is from 5 years ago when I picked up 3 WD10000LSRTL (which is the retail box with the WD1001FALS inside) from Best Buy at the Black Friday price. This was before all the flooding in Thailand that wrecked so many hard drive production facilities and saw so many drive warranty lengths get shortened.

Two of them are on a weaKnees TwinBreeze bracket in one Series 2 Dual Tuner and one is in another S2 DT and they've been working just fine ever since.

However, I did put extra fans in there because those things get mighty toasty.

As in downright hot.

At 7200 RPM, a Black is really faster than a TiVo can take advantage of.

My recent experience with the current WD20EURX exhibiting behavior different from the ones from mid 2104 leaves me hesitant to recommend a WD Green, unfortunately.

As for Seagate, my experience over the past 2 to 3 years says if you have to get one, get a 5400 RPM model instead of a 7200.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

ggieseke said:


> I would NOT use the Black line. It sucks more than twice the power compared to the Red or Green lines, and a TiVo can't use the increased performance. The higher RPMs and current draw just mean more noise and lots more heat. It would probably cook a base Roamio even if the power supply could drive it.
> 
> If you want to go over 4TB, I would use the Red (EFRX) line. It costs a bit more than the Greens but the extra year of warranty is worth it to most people. There are a bunch of folks here running them.


Are you talking about the 2 year warranty on the regular Greens and not the 3 years on the A/V-GP Greens?


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

unitron said:


> Are you talking about the 2 year warranty on the regular Greens and not the 3 years on the A/V-GP Greens?


Yes.


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