# 2.5 inch SATA "laptop" drive in a Series 3 "HD"?



## wiz (Jan 10, 2002)

Mounting issues aside, is there any reason I can't replace the puny 40gb drive in a Tivo HD with a 2.5 inch Toshiba 64gb drive (http://storage.toshiba.com/storagesolutions/client/mkxx76gsx-series)? I'm thinking of buying a 1TB Toshiba PH2100U-1I54, putting that in my laptop and using the 640gb drive from my laptop in the TiVo.

I read an older thread about problems using a 2.5 ATA drive in a Series 2, because it didn't draw 12v and the Tivo didn't think it had a drive in it. It also had problems because the connector for an IDE ATA 2.5 is different than a 3.5 ATA. 
I'm pretty sure SATA 2.5 and 3.5 drives have the same cabling. 
I would think a 2.5 drive would generate less heat, be quieter, and draw less power. The cost of a 1TB 2.5 isn't much more than a 3.5, and I'll gain disk space in my laptop which is close to maxed out as well as upgrading the TiVo.

Thanks!
Paul


----------



## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

wiz said:


> Mounting issues aside, is there any reason I can't replace the puny 40gb drive in a Tivo HD with a 2.5 inch Toshiba 64gb drive (http://storage.toshiba.com/storagesolutions/client/mkxx76gsx-series)? I'm thinking of buying a 1TB Toshiba PH2100U-1I54, putting that in my laptop and using the 640gb drive from my laptop in the TiVo.
> 
> I read an older thread about problems using a 2.5 ATA drive in a Series 2, because it didn't draw 12v and the Tivo didn't think it had a drive in it. It also had problems because the connector for an IDE ATA 2.5 is different than a 3.5 ATA.
> I'm pretty sure SATA 2.5 and 3.5 drives have the same cabling.
> ...


If by TiVo HD, you mean the Series 3 platform TCD652160, the original factory installed hard drive is a 160GB, and the image won't restore to anything smaller.

If by chance you mean the original S3, the TCD648250, that takes a 250GB drive.


----------



## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

I think the OP has a 640GB laptop drive because the link doesn't come in 64GB sizes.

I think the answer to this for now, is it's unknown until you find someone who's already done it.

The biggest question mark in my mind is can the drive keep up. If you run some accurate benchmark tests on your laptop, and it passes, then I'll upgrade my opinion to it'll likely work in a Tivo.

The test I mean is, can that drive record 2 video streams while reading a 3rd (for the TV) and maybe a 4th (for Tivo Desktop).

When I record a random HD OTA channel, it runs at 13Mbit/s but WIkipedia suggests it could be as high 18-19Mbit/s.

Aside from that, you can make sure the Tivo is willing to boot from it by copying a minimal system (partition map and kernel) on to it and plugging it in. Seeing where it stops.

Most other things are fine though:
Heat: 2.5 better
Power: 2.5 better

Latency: ?
Throughput: ?

PS. Actually, hold on, I might be able to run that first test.


----------



## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

I seem able to record 2x OTA HD streams on a gen 1 AppleTV, at the same time as playing 2x recorded streams from it over the network.

So I guess speed is not much of an issue.

Those Apple TV's use a 2.5" PATA drive:
Samsung HM160JC


----------



## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

TiVos work just fine with 5400 RPM drives, so that part won't be a problem, but if it's a laptop drive, is it set up with firmware on the drive to try to sleep it whenever possible to reduce battery usage, or is that all handled by the laptop or OS itself?


----------



## wiz (Jan 10, 2002)

Unitron, yes it's a TCD652160 so it has a 160 drive in it. Don't know why I thought it only had a 40gb in it. Telemark yes, the laptop drive is a 640gb, I fat fingered my post. Thanks for running the test, as Unitron says 5400rpm drives work fine in TiVo, and should run a lot cooler. Good question about the sleep settings, I hope not, it seems most PC's now control sleep settings via the OS. Still not sure if I want to try this, I might just use a 360gb drive I have from another PC.


----------



## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

wiz said:


> Unitron, yes it's a TCD652160 so it has a 160 drive in it. Don't know why I thought it only had a 40gb in it. Telemark yes, the laptop drive is a 640gb, I fat fingered my post. Thanks for running the test, as Unitron says 5400rpm drives work fine in TiVo, and should run a lot cooler. Good question about the sleep settings, I hope not, it seems most PC's now control sleep settings via the OS. Still not sure if I want to try this, I might just use a 360gb drive I have from another PC.


If you're getting a new bigger drive for the laptop, then after you run the manufacturer's own diagnostic long test on it before putting it into service and it passes and you copy over all the stuff from the current laptop drive and get the new one all settled in, you can always try the old laptop drive in the TiVo and see how it does.

And report back the results to us.


----------

