# TivoHD fan...replacement



## husky55 (Feb 2, 2008)

I would appreciate any info as to where to buy, connection type and if computer fan 70x70x25 will work. My fan is still spinning but making noise.


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## RoyK (Oct 22, 2004)

Often a spritz of compressed air to blow the dust out of the fan will quiet it -- and speed it up.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

The fan is a 70mm square. DVRupgrade.com has then but I bought from some place else quite a while ago that is dust-proof.


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## husky55 (Feb 2, 2008)

Thanks guys. I did use a compressed air can and it removed a little bit of dust. But that was not the problem. There is a noticeable noise, probably caused by a defective bearing ball.

I have a bunch of computer fans, various sizes and am hoping to use one of them. Not sure about the connector. It's cold where I am now, so heat is not an issue for the Tivo.


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

The TiVo just uses the standard 3-pin motherboard smartfan connector.


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## Southcross (Nov 28, 2008)

Microcenter FTW, oh wait... there isn't one in CT LOL


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Jonathan_S said:


> The TiVo just uses the standard 3-pin motherboard smartfan connector.


Actually, it just uses a 2-pin connector for the red and black wires, but some have a third wire (white usually) for speed control. This can be left unconnected as there is not a pin for it.


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

ThAbtO said:


> Actually, it just uses a 2-pin connector for the red and black wires, but some have a third wire (white usually) for speed control. This can be left unconnected as there is not a pin for it.


Oops, guess I misremembered slightly.


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## jlib (Nov 22, 2002)

At one time it was very difficult to find 70mm fans. They are more common now but be careful, some are intended for overclocked CPUs (i.e., noisy). I would find the model number of the fan then look up the specs and get an equivalent.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

www.dvrupgrade.com has fans for Tivo.

http://www.quietpcusa.com/Quiet-Computer-Fans-C6.aspx, www.acoustiproducts.com is the manufacturer of the fan I got. Its low noise and dust-proof.


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## drey (Jul 21, 2008)

I have plenty of TiVo fans available, $10 each. PM me if you need one.


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## husky55 (Feb 2, 2008)

ThAbtO said:


> www.dvrupgrade.com has fans for Tivo.
> 
> http://www.quietpcusa.com/Quiet-Computer-Fans-C6.aspx, www.acoustiproducts.com is the manufacturer of the fan I got. Its low noise and dust-proof.


I looked at the Acoustifan DustPROOF 70X70 fan. It costs $26.95 (plus shipping?) but it looks like it's might be worth if it works with the Tivo HD. My reluctance stems from the fact I tried a 70X70mm, 3 wire CPU fan on the Tivo HD and it's speed was very high and it's noise not acceptable. Tivo HD as you pointed it out, has a MB 2 wire connector. I bought a couple fans (from weaknees and ebay) and they are noisy after just a couple days.

Did you successfully use the Acoustifan on a Tivo HD?

Thanks,


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

husky55 said:


> I looked at the Acoustifan DustPROOF 70X70 fan. It costs $26.95 (plus shipping?) but it looks like it's might be worth if it works with the Tivo HD. My reluctance stems from the fact I tried a 70X70mm, 3 wire CPU fan on the Tivo HD and it's speed was very high and it's noise not acceptable. Tivo HD as you pointed it out, has a MB 2 wire connector. I bought a couple fans (from weaknees and ebay) and they are noisy after just a couple days.
> 
> Did you successfully use the Acoustifan on a Tivo HD?
> 
> Thanks,


Yes, and I only used the black/red wires, there isn't a 3rd pin for the white.


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## daveak (Mar 23, 2009)

I just went to a local computer store sells parts and picked up a quiet computer fan. About 8 bucks or so and it is quiet and keeps my TiVo cooler. For 8 bucks, maybe it won't last?


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## dmbpj (Dec 30, 2008)

drey said:


> I have plenty of TiVo fans available, $10 each. PM me if you need one.


Sent you an email.

Thanks.


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## chrismc (Oct 8, 2008)

I just finished replacing my 1TB drive on my Tivo HD. The old one cooked because the fan died. I saw this thread, and ordered one of the nice fans from QuietPCusa. Just installed it today, but it doesn't run at all (I verified on my girlfriend's Tivo HD that the fan spins up on boot). I have the red/black wires connected on the 2-pin connector, with the same polarity as the original fan. Any ideas what's wrong? Other than the fan, the Tivo works fine. I've been running it with the lid removed to keep it cool so I don't fry my nice new HDD.


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## chrismc (Oct 8, 2008)

Well, I guess I fixed it (although I didn't solve it). I pulled out my multimeter, and the motherboard connector was giving the correct +12V. However, as soon as the fan was connected it dropped to 0V. I tested the fan on a PC, and it spun up and worked fine. Something in the motherboard must be toast

I ended up gel-capping the fan leads straight into the power supply ground and +12V (yellow) leads. Its spinning just fine now. The fan is a bit noisier than I would like on 12V, though, so I may end up splicing it to the +5V (red) lead instead. It seems to move sufficient air either way.


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## abeagler (Sep 21, 2006)

I have a TiVo HD. The fan was making noise, and I initially tried a blast of compressed air. That silenced it for a few days, but the noise came back. I ordered the Acoustifan as recommended above, from QuietPCUSA. They shipped it same day. 

I installed it today. You have to use the rubber mounts they send instead of the Torx screws in the TiVo, because the Acoustifan's screw holes do not quite line up with the screw holes on the machine. However, they do line up enough to use the rubber mounts, and those worked perfectly well for me. All told it took less than ten minutes start to finish.

It's up and running now, perfectly silent. I'll post again if I have any issues, but for now everything seems good.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

chrismc said:


> Well, I guess I fixed it (although I didn't solve it). I pulled out my multimeter, and the motherboard connector was giving the correct +12V. However, as soon as the fan was connected it dropped to 0V. I tested the fan on a PC, and it spun up and worked fine. Something in the motherboard must be toast
> 
> I ended up gel-capping the fan leads straight into the power supply ground and +12V (yellow) leads. Its spinning just fine now. The fan is a bit noisier than I would like on 12V, though, so I may end up splicing it to the +5V (red) lead instead. It seems to move sufficient air either way.


Wouldn't ordinarily reply to a year old post, but for the benefit of future searchers...

On the TiVos that use a 2 wire connection to the fan, I'm pretty sure that the system temperature sensor is on the motherboard somewhere, and that there's a circuit that takes that info and decides either whether to run the fan, or how hard to run the fan, and adjusts the power at the 2 pin fan power header on the motherboard. It might have a way to monitor current drawn from that header as well.

If you have the cover off to check power to the fan, the system might be cool enough not to have fan powering triggered, so you wouldn't get a reading at the fan pins.

Hardwiring the fan to the +12 V line from the power supply means it runs full speed all the time.

On fans like that, you can find the side air flows out of, use an X-acto knife to lift the label and under it will be either a plug which can be pried out, or the hole into which the plug would have been put if they'd spent the money on one. In that hole is the fan axle. You can pack a little auto ignition lubricant and a little sewing machine or 3-in-1 oil into that hole to make a good slippery mixture to quiet the bearing and extend its life. Don't forget to put the plug back in if there was one and to stick the label back down to hold the goop in place.


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