# Rosewill Rx304 not available. How to connect external 3.5 in. drive to Bolt?



## bobade (Aug 9, 2009)

I've spent hours on the TIVO Community forums, but I just can't figure out how to connect a WD Purple 3TB external drive to my Bolt. My understanding is that it is simple: one just needs to connect the HD to the TIVO motherboard with a SATA cable, and use the 12v power source from a HD enclosure (fan recommended). Unfortunately, every enclosure available seems to use a "double barrel" SATA plug which connects the SATA data and power simultaneously (since the connectors are fixed, right next to each other), making it impossible to connect a SATA cable to the drive and only connect to the enclosures power. I ordered a Fideco from Amazon and couldn't see a way around this. From what I can see online, the situation is the same with a Rosewill RX-358 U3C BLK and with a Vantec NexStar NST-387S3-BK. There is a Rosewill Rx355-U available, but the manual seems to show that it has the same double barrel connector.

My questions: 1) Does anyone know of an HD enclosure, currently available, that will work?
2) Getting a drive and SATA cable is easy. Is there any external way to power the drive without using a HD case? 
3) Is there some option I'm missing here?

Thanks in advance for your help!


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## Hickoryw (Dec 6, 2008)

Can you replace the power cord in the enclosure?


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

bobade said:


> I've spent hours on the TIVO Community forums, but I just can't figure out how to connect a WD Purple 3TB external drive to my Bolt. My understanding is that it is simple: one just needs to connect the HD to the TIVO motherboard with a SATA cable, and use the 12v power source from a HD enclosure (fan recommended). Unfortunately, every enclosure available seems to use a "double barrel" SATA plug which connects the SATA data and power simultaneously (since the connectors are fixed, right next to each other), making it impossible to connect a SATA cable to the drive and only connect to the enclosures power. I ordered a Fideco from Amazon and couldn't see a way around this. From what I can see online, the situation is the same with a Rosewill RX-358 U3C BLK and with a Vantec NexStar NST-387S3-BK. There is a Rosewill Rx355-U available, but the manual seems to show that it has the same double barrel connector.
> 
> My questions: 1) Does anyone know of an HD enclosure, currently available, that will work?
> 2) Getting a drive and SATA cable is easy. Is there any external way to power the drive without using a HD case?
> ...


I have an option that works for me on both TE3 and TE4. When I get home from work I will PM you the part list if you are interested. 

Basically you connect the internal Bolt cable to a gender changer. To the gender changer you connect the eSata to SATA cable. Connect the eSata of the cable to the eSata port of the enclosure. 

My enclosure does not have a fan which concerned me at first but it is an aluminum enclosure and it looks to dissipate the heat well. So heat has not been a problem so far. My original heat test was doing continuous read and writes with my computer to the drive in the enclosure for 4 days. It passed that test. So put it in service and no heat issues for past several months. 

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Tapatalk


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## bobade (Aug 9, 2009)

Jmbach,
Yes, I'd really like to see your part list. It sounds to me like you are using a HD enclosure which connects the SATA connector on the HD to an eSata connector, which you then connect to the TIVO via an eSata cable, the gender changer, and a SATA cable. Correct?

The new HD enclosures with fans I have found on Amazon are all USB. I think I could get the Vantec Nexstar (NST-387S3-BK) to work if I could connect only the SATA power. However doing that would make the drive 2-3" from the electronic board, and the case would have a large gap. It seems like there should be a cleaner solution.

I'm using only TE3 so that won't be a problem. Thanks!


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## bobade (Aug 9, 2009)

Would it work to just use a SATA/eSATA cable between the TIVO motherboard (SATA) and the HD enclosure (eSATA) as a gender changer?


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

bobade said:


> Would it work to just use a SATA/eSATA cable between the TIVO motherboard (SATA) and the HD enclosure (eSATA) as a gender changer?


It should. I was trying to come up with a solution that does require unplugging anything other than the hard drive. The enclosure I am using is a SANS DIGITAL TowerSTOR TS1UT+B 1-Bay 3.5" SATA to USB 3.0 / eSATA Enclosure. 

The other items I used were:

3.5 & 2.5inch SATA 22Pin 7+15 Male to SATA 22P 7+15 Male Extension convertor Straight Adapter

Dual Power 12V and 5V eSATAp to 22Pin SATA cable for 2.5" 3.5" Hard Disk Drive 



Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Tapatalk


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## bobade (Aug 9, 2009)

I've ordered an eSata enclosure and a WD Purple drive, but now I'm thinking about cabling. Did you remove the old drive and the cable that connected it - both power and data - to the TIVO motherboard? My thought would be to do so, and then not connect anything to the power adapter on the TIVO motherboard.Just connect the data connector on the motherboard to the eSata port on the enclosure.

I watched Weaknees' video. He removes the TIVO HD but leaves in place the 22 pin (power + data) Sata cable in the TIVO that connects the motherboard to the HD. (I.e. he does not disconnect the SATA cable from the power connection on the motherboard.) He then connects that 22 pin SATA cable to a device that looks like your "Dual Power 12V and 5V eSATAp to 22Pin SATA cable for 2.5" 3.5" Hard Disk Drive". The free end of that cable is eSata, which he plugs directly into the enclosure.

What puzzles me is my lack of knowledge. It seems like that Dual Power device is intended to send (sata) power over the eSata connection. Is that necessary or helpful?

I'm guessing - from the fact that you also used a Male/Male Sata cable - that you are not using the motherboard power. 

Can you please explain? Thanks!


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

bobade said:


> I've ordered an eSata enclosure and a WD Purple drive, but now I'm thinking about cabling. Did you remove the old drive and the cable that connected it - both power and data - to the TIVO motherboard? My thought would be to do so, and then not connect anything to the power adapter on the TIVO motherboard.Just connect the data connector on the motherboard to the eSata port on the enclosure.
> 
> I watched Weaknees' video. He removes the TIVO HD but leaves in place the 22 pin (power + data) Sata cable in the TIVO that connects the motherboard to the HD. (I.e. he does not disconnect the SATA cable from the power connection on the motherboard.) He then connects that 22 pin SATA cable to a device that looks like your "Dual Power 12V and 5V eSATAp to 22Pin SATA cable for 2.5" 3.5" Hard Disk Drive". The free end of that cable is eSata, which he plugs directly into the enclosure.
> 
> ...


In theory if you have an eSatap port with enough power, you can plug in a hard drive and power it from the eSatap port with this cable. In this case I am not using the power side of the connection as the pins are not present on the enclosure. You can use a SATA to eSata cable as well and plug it directly into the TiVo motherboard. The important thing either way is to secure the cable inside the TiVo so that when it is tugged on, it does not pull on the motherboard connector. That is one connector you do not want to break.


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## bobade (Aug 9, 2009)

Thanks, again. I think I'm going to run a sata to esata cable (Amazon.com) from the 7 data pins on the 22 pin connector which is currently connecting the HD in the TIVO, but disconnect the 15 pin power connector from the motherboard. I appreciate your "talking" me through this. As I was searching through cables today, I was briefly regretting not buying Weaknees' $249 upgrade. I don't like paying an extra $120 or so, but I especially hate to mess out on the feeling one gets when succeeding at this kind of project.


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

bobade said:


> Thanks, again. I think I'm going to run a sata to esata cable (Amazon.com) from the 7 data pins on the 22 pin connector which is currently connecting the HD in the TIVO, but disconnect the 15 pin power connector from the motherboard. I appreciate your "talking" me through this. As I was searching through cables today, I was briefly regretting not buying Weaknees' $249 upgrade. I don't like paying an extra $120 or so, but I especially hate to mess out on the feeling one gets when succeeding at this kind of project.


That cable you bought will need to be plugged into the TiVo motherboard. 

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Tapatalk


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## bobade (Aug 9, 2009)

Why not the place I described above?


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

bobade said:


> Why not the place I described above?


The connector on your cable is a female SATA end which is the same as the cable plugged into the drive inside the TiVo. You would need a gender changer to connect the two cables together. 

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Tapatalk


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## bobade (Aug 9, 2009)

I'm sorry this is so difficult. Part of the problem is that I am not sure I can tell the difference between a female and male eSata cable. 

This device (Amazon.com) claims to be FEMALE eSata to MALE sata - do you believe it is really a female eSata? 

If so, could I use a right angle sata data cable connected to the motherboard (which presumably has female sata on both ends), the above connector, and then a eSata cable (which I think has both ends MALE, correct?) to connect the above connector and the HD enclosure?


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## bobade (Aug 9, 2009)

Alternatively, we're back to this (Amazon.com), the SATA 22Pin 7+15 Male to SATA 22P 7+15 Male Extension convertor you used (data portion only) between a right angle sata cable (both ends female) to connect to motherboard, and Sata (female) to eSata (male) cable I'm getting.


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## jmbach (Jan 1, 2009)

bobade said:


> I'm sorry this is so difficult. Part of the problem is that I am not sure I can tell the difference between a female and male eSata cable.
> 
> This device (Amazon.com) claims to be FEMALE eSata to MALE sata - do you believe it is really a female eSata?
> 
> If so, could I use a right angle sata data cable connected to the motherboard (which presumably has female sata on both ends), the above connector, and then a eSata cable (which I think has both ends MALE, correct?) to connect the above connector and the HD enclosure?


Well the drive has the male side and the cord you are plugging into the drive is the female side. Not sure of that adapter would work for you. 

Whichever direction you choose (both will work), put a strain relief on the cord before it exits the box. 

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Tapatalk


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## tommage1 (Nov 6, 2008)

bobade said:


> I've spent hours on the TIVO Community forums, but I just can't figure out how to connect a WD Purple 3TB external drive to my Bolt. My understanding is that it is simple: one just needs to connect the HD to the TIVO motherboard with a SATA cable, and use the 12v power source from a HD enclosure (fan recommended). Unfortunately, every enclosure available seems to use a "double barrel" SATA plug which connects the SATA data and power simultaneously (since the connectors are fixed, right next to each other), making it impossible to connect a SATA cable to the drive and only connect to the enclosures power. I ordered a Fideco from Amazon and couldn't see a way around this. From what I can see online, the situation is the same with a Rosewill RX-358 U3C BLK and with a Vantec NexStar NST-387S3-BK. There is a Rosewill Rx355-U available, but the manual seems to show that it has the same double barrel connector.
> 
> My questions: 1) Does anyone know of an HD enclosure, currently available, that will work?
> 2) Getting a drive and SATA cable is easy. Is there any external way to power the drive without using a HD case?
> ...


Check this thread. Best is Sata to Sata though some Sata to Esata will work. Sata to Sata, two enclosures I know of that will work (listed in thread). However each are old models so can be difficult to find. Separate data/power connectors in enclosure (the sabrent will have to use a molex to sata converter for power).









TE4 or TE3 Bolt or Edge upgrade with external drive


Edit 4/12/2022, since the model of the enclosure is VERY important (ie must hold the drive and have separate connections for Sata data and power (not the "normal" one piece data/power slide in) I will start this off with two models that will work (both discontinued but can be found.) I used the...




www.tivocommunity.com


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