Hard Drive upgrade for Pioneer DVR-530/630H

[Bagheera]

wabjxo,

Thank you for your explanation of this. I greatly appreciate this.

Have a wonderful day. And thank you for your time.

Baggy.

[kofola]

Pioneer DVR-530/630 is equiped with IDE (PATA) HDD = not SATA.

Question:
It is possible change IDE (PATA) HDD with SATA HDD + IDE to SATA converter?
Has someone tried this?
Please confirm, if it works or no. (practical test result, no theory please)

Why? SATA discs are now cheaper than IDE (PATA).

Converter:
http://www.speeddragon.com/index.php...uctInfo&Id=232

[Nadamamasboy]

Does anyone know if this will work for a DVR-543H-S ?
I live in Canada, so I'm assuming this would be a North American model.

Thanks

[Hkan]

Does anyone know if this will work for a DVR-543H-S ?
I live in Canada, so I'm assuming this would be a North American model.

Thanks

If you want to replace the HD go here: http://www.pioneerfaq.info click on DVR and then Replace the HD then click on DVR-X40 and follow the instructions in that.

[Nadamamasboy]

Thanks very much!!!

[Andyvb]

I've been trying to install a new HDD in my DVR-530H-S, I have installed a NTFS formated drive into the machine but thats as far as I have got. I can't download the how to from this site http://pioneerfaq.info/ as it states you have exceed its bandwith. I'm in Australia what can I do??

Thank's

[Hkan]

I've been trying to install a new HDD in my DVR-530H-S, I have installed a NTFS formated drive into the machine but thats as far as I have got. I can't download the how to from this site http://pioneerfaq.info/ as it states you have exceed its bandwith. I'm in Australia what can I do??

Thank's

Site will be back up and runing on monday (12am GMT+1), then you can get the guide!
How ever you need to unformate the HD.
The HD need to be in the shape as it is when you buy it, unformated.
Seagate have tools for this, think it is called Seatools and that will allow you to unformat the HD.

[Andyvb]

Thank-you will try on monday.

[soopytwist]

Hello

I need to replace the HDD in my Pioneer DVR-920H as it is making loud clicking, clunking noises and any recordings I make on it have gaps as if frequently paused during the recording. It usually makes the sounds while recording but I've also heard it while just idle and even when on standby downloading the EPG. It also sometimes locks up and doesn't respond to any input.

There has been no HDD error messages on the display and it still plays DVD's okay.

From pressing the angle button while highlighting Digital Audio ON I get this information:

Version: 2.13
SYSCON: Release_65
TUFLCON: F.41F *
DRIVE: 1.19 *
DEVICE: PRISM-PLUS
REGION: 2 (it says region 2 here but is actually multi-region)

I downloaded a PDF guide on how to replace the HDD but I'm confused. Exactly what do I need to start replacing the HDD?

[orsetto]

You need a service remote, service ID/data disc, and the firmware/guide data update disc. The disc images are discussed on Hkan's pioneerfaq.info website, send an email for advice on where to find them. The service remote is more difficult: Pioneer went out of the recorder business two years ago. Fortunately Sony sold a number of models that were re-labeled Pioneers, so Sony still sells a Sony-branded service remote thru their service center parts vendors (it is also available from several replacement remote distributors). The Sony part number is J-6090-203-A, in the USA authorized techs can buy it for as little as $12 direct from Sony or about $25 from retail remote websites. In Europe it is rather more expensive due to VAT and other surcharges, I couldn't find it for less than $44 on UK websites.

Once you have these three items, follow the instructions in the PDF pages found on pioneerfaq.info.

[soopytwist]

Okay, thanks. Sounds more complicated then I initially thought. Getting the service remote will be the tough part.

[orsetto]

Actually its slightly less complicated than I listed above: I somehow didn't register that the model you want to repair is the older DVR-920 from 2004. These are easier than the later models because they don't have the Guide+ system. The Guide+ timer grid software is the most tricky and difficult part of replacing a Pioneer HDD, since your DVR-920 does not have that feature you can skip the firmware/guide data disc. All you need is the service remote and the standard service/ID data disc, either the very old GGV1179 or the more recent GGV1256. Once you have those two items, perform the following steps:

1. Install the new HDD, making sure its jumper pin is set to "CS" or "Cable Select", not "Master" or "Slave".
2. Write down the nine digit code that appears on a small white label on the rear panel near the AC mains socket.
3. Power on the recorder, front panel and TV displays will show "HDD Err" alert.
4. Press ESC and then STEREO on the service remote. The service screen will appear on your TV.
5. Enter the 9 digit number you wrote down.
6. Press STOP
7. Press ESC then STEREO to re-engage service mode.
8. Enter the 9-digit CPRM sode again.
9. Press SEARCH.
10. TV will display "Input the ID Data Disc!": open the disc tray, insert the service disc, and close the tray. The recorder will take a moment to read the disc, then display "ROM Write OK!"
11. Open the tray and remove the service disc. DO NOT CLOSE THE EMPTY TRAY!
12. Press CLEAR on the service remote, TV display will clear.
With the tray still open, power off the recorder. Tray will close automatically.
13. Wait a moment, and turn the recorder back on.
14. Using the normal remote that came with the recorder, set it to HDD mode.
15. Press HOME MENU, select DISC SETUP, then INITIALIZE HDD. A bar graph will appear on your TV screen, it usually takes no more than a minute or two to initialize the HDD. When your TV screen displays "Initialization Complete", exit the Home Menu/Setup screens.
16. The recorder should now operate normally. If you press the NAVIGATOR button, recording capacity indicated should match the size of the new HDD (i.e roughly 56 hours at SP on a 160GB HDD).

[orsetto]

Pioneer DVR-530/630 is equiped with IDE (PATA) HDD = not SATA.

Question:
It is possible change IDE (PATA) HDD with SATA HDD + IDE to SATA converter?

Although my reply to is coming more than a year after this question was asked, the answer may still be of interest to some people. While I have not personally used SATA/EIDE converters in my own Pioneers, I have been contacted by several owners who say they do properly function to adapt SATA drives to the older models, and vice versa. But I would not recommend using a converter unless you have no other choice: SATA is much much less reliable in recorders than EIDE, if you have an older model that accepts EIDE it is well worth the effort and expense to track down an EIDE replacement HDD. And don't get too ambitious trying to upgrade to extreme capacity: 500GB is about as big as you can go before the crude navigation system in recorders becomes totally unwieldy (particularly in pre-2005 Pioneers like the 510, 5100, 520 or 920, with their kludgier nav interface).

[soopytwist]

Thanks orsetto, that'll help a lot . With regards to the service remote, is it possible to send the service commands to the unit using a one-for-all remote that stores sequences or does it have to be a Pioneer service remote?

EDIT

I found a Sony J6090203A remote for £37.95, but I need some advice about the replacement HDD. The current one is a Maxtor Quickview Maxline Plus, 250Gb ATA / 133, E-H011-3880
LBA: 490234752, +v5 670ma, +12v 960ma.

I don't know what most of that means, do I need a new HDD with these specs? Because buying PATA HDD's from the likes of Scan.co.uk just give you the important specs like spin speed and cache. If I just bought any PATA 250Gb HDD like the Western Digital Caviar Blue, would the be okay to use?

[orsetto]

Yes, certain types of "OneForAll" generic remote can be programmed with the Pioneer service codes. The trouble is locating a proper code set, a remote that can reliably store them (not all do) and a method for loading the code into the remote. The generic name for this type of remote is "JP1", if you do some googling you'll find a number of threads devoted to turning a JP1 remote into a Pioneer service remote (one example here).

My personal feeling is its not worth the trouble. Starting from scratch, if you don't already own exactly the right model of JP1 remote and the PC connect cable, you could already be looking at a $30US expense. The remotes that can accept the Pioneer service codes are difficult to find, mostly older models and the cable can cost as much as the remote. For more or less the same price, you can buy the "real" service remote and avoid the hassle and worry of programming a "fake". Note also a "real" Pioneer/Sony service remote can be dumped on eBay for as much or more than you paid for it, after you've finished with it. Try to keep it, though: when you need it again three-five years from now, it may be totally impossible to obtain.

Regarding the HDD, the Pioneer x20 series is pretty flexible and will accept most any PATA/EIDE drive up to about 750GB. Try to stick with 250, 320, or 500 size, and instead of individual specs try to find an HDD with the phrase "AV", "DVR" or "Video" in its model name/number. The majority of HDDs dated 2006 or later are already compliant with DVR requirements.

[Seeker47]

Thanks orsetto, that'll help a lot . With regards to the service remote, is it possible to send the service commands to the unit using a one-for-all remote that stores sequences or does it have to be a Pioneer service remote?

EDIT

I found a Sony J6090203A remote for £37.95, but I need some advice about the replacement HDD. The current one is a Maxtor Quickview Maxline Plus, 250Gb ATA / 133, E-H011-3880
LBA: 490234752, +v5 670ma, +12v 960ma.

I don't know what most of that means, do I need a new HDD with these specs? Because buying PATA HDD's from the likes of Scan.co.uk just give you the important specs like spin speed and cache. If I just bought any PATA 250Gb HDD like the Western Digital Caviar Blue, would the be okay to use?

(Pardon me for jumping in here.) VH threads -- like the very lengthy one on HDD replacement for the 520 -- have dealt with this in detail, but I can recap the gist of it for you. There are published sequences for these commands, or downloadable files of them, by which you can program various universal or "learning" remotes. Some of these can be obtained rather inexpensively. However, that may be doing this the hard way.

Orsetto was kind enough to provide me with one of the latter, pre-programmed, which held these commands for awhile . . . until I got a bit sloppy in changing the batteries on a rigorous schedule -- and then it just all went away. Electronic amnesia. I don't know what percentage of these units have non-volatile memory, but I'm guessing they are in the minority. The one Orsetto recommended does. So, my abundant thanks to him, and I plan on getting one while they are still available. I think one of these would greatly simplify your task, and be well worth the cost, even figuring in the overseas shipping. (Pioneer did not sell these outside of North America, but I don't know if Sony is following suit. There would still be ways around that.)

[soopytwist]

The HDD I bought worked a treat, although the hack instructions weren't quite accurate (at least for me).
My Pioneer works fine now.