Hard Drive upgrade for Pioneer DVR-520H

[canon10d]

What is a fair price for the Pioneer service remotes?

If you check through this entire post, somewhere near the start someone gave the URL for a site in the US where you could buy it from.

[Treesmaker]

What is a fair price for the Pioneer service remotes?

You can do it with a Palm. I just upgraded my Pioneer's hard drive to 200GB using a Samsung drive.

[oslo]

Anyone who can recommend a HD to use here, I have followed Tivo HD noise discussion on the net, do we have the same problem here after upgrading to a new drive, would those of you who have upgraded share some experience about this..?

[canon10d]

oslo - I upgraded from a 80GB Maxtor Quickview drive to a 300GB Maxtor Diamondmax 10 and to be honest I can't notice any difference in noise levels, and I usually have the TV turned down low (baby in room above). About the only time I notice it is when you power it on with the TV off or when powering it down (again with the TV off).

[oslo]

Thanks, so this is the model that you used: Maxtor DiamondMax 10 300GB IDE ATA/133 16MB 7200RPM ????

[canon10d]

Sorry oslo, got Diamondmax on the brain. Just checked PayPal and it was a Maxline II 300GB ATA/133.

[sync]

The Pioneer is rather noisy to begin with because of the fan. I have an upgraded Tivo next to a stock Pioneer 520. I can't hear the Tivo but I can hear the Pioneer. I use Seagate Barracuda drives in the Tivo and also in my computer and they are very quiet.

[oslo]

Hi sync & canon10d, I'm planning on using this HD, Maxtor 300GB IDE 5400 Silent 2MB MaXLine II ATA-133 2MB cache

The fan noice is something you will have to live with I guess, but thanks for the heads-up

[harly]

hello, everyone:
another problem: I use the palm for remote, but how to press "esc+stereo" simultaneously? I can only press one button at a time.

[gshelley61]

Hey, I've got a DVR-420H with a bad DVD-R/RW drive in it. It won't read discs. The drive is a Pioneer DVR-107-AX. I removed it to look for a part number (can't find one on it anywhere). I plugged in back in and now I'm getting a CPRM ERR display when I power on the DVD recorder. If I switch over to the HDD the message goes away, and stays off if I switch back to the DVD-R/RW drive. Still doesn't work, though. I think everything else in the machine works fine... the tuner, the HDD recording functions, etc.

In addition to a replacement DVD-R/RW drive, am I going to need a service remote and firmware CD? Does anyone have the Pioneer part number to this specific drive?

[gshelley61]

Crap, I guess the firmware will have to be flashed. After removing the DVD-R/RW drive and putting it back in, now the HDD recording functions don't work, either. I assume "CPRM ERR" and "HDD ERR" are firmware issues since the HDD worked fine before I took out the DVD-R/RW drive...

Oh, well - I guess I should drop in a 300GB hard drive while I'm at it! Can anybody PM me and help me out on this?

[nc30]

Oh, well - I guess I should drop in a 300GB hard drive while I'm at it! Can anybody PM me and help me out on this?

You are not serious are you???? Have you not read any of this thread?

[gshelley61]

Oh, well - I guess I should drop in a 300GB hard drive while I'm at it! Can anybody PM me and help me out on this?

Not are not serious are you???? Have you not read any of this thread?

Sure I am, and yes I have read the thread. I don't really expect anybody to contact me. I've got the service manual on .pdf, the service disc downloading (very slow!) as we speak, and a used Pronto remote on the way to do the service commands. Replacing the hard drive is no problem as it can be off the shelf. The only thing is the DVD-R/RW burner... Pioneer authorized service centers probably won't sell me a replacement drive. I may have to cannibalize another Pioneer DVD recorder to get one, since I'm not sure that a generic unit will work. The DVR-107XA that is in the unit looks like a regular Pioneer DVD burner, but who knows?

[Zorglub666]

Hello,

Do you know if there is any limitation concerning the hard disk capacity (it's now possible to find 400Gb disks) ?

[WYSIWYSI]

My friend tried 400gb and it didnt work

[Delessex]

I think the 400GB drives are still too pricey, so I've fitted a 320GB drive. Its a Western Digital WD3200JB, its quieter than the Maxtor that came out & it was only £117 inc Vat & delivery!
I now get 140hrs 2mins in SP.

[nc30]

Oh, well - I guess I should drop in a 300GB hard drive while I'm at it! Can anybody PM me and help me out on this?

Not are not serious are you???? Have you not read any of this thread?

Sure I am, and yes I have read the thread. I don't really expect anybody to contact me. I've got the service manual on .pdf, the service disc downloading (very slow!) as we speak, and a used Pronto remote on the way to do the service commands. Replacing the hard drive is no problem as it can be off the shelf. The only thing is the DVD-R/RW burner... Pioneer authorized service centers probably won't sell me a replacement drive. I may have to cannibalize another Pioneer DVD recorder to get one, since I'm not sure that a generic unit will work. The DVR-107XA that is in the unit looks like a regular Pioneer DVD burner, but who knows?

Then dont waste everybodies time then....

You are in breach of the forum rules and are being issued with a formal warning. The only one wasting time (and space) here is you, with these kinds of comments. Do not harass posters, especially ones that are trying to further the discuss in a wholesome and helpful manner.
/ Moderator lordsmurf

[gshelley61]

I actually did hear from a couple of people about this, and it looks like I'll be all set... Thanks very much to them (you know who you are).

nc30, what's the purpose of your smart ass comment and shit attitude? It's unnecessary and uncalled for. If you don't want to contribute something useful, shut up.

[harly]

Did anyone can tell me how to use the palm to press two buttons at a time?(omniRemote)
during the step 4, how to deleting the CPRM?
thanks!!!

[Treesmaker]

hello, everyone:
another problem: I use the palm for remote, but how to press "esc+stereo" simultaneously? I can only press one button at a time.

Press ESC first, then followed by STEREO.

[Treesmaker]

Did anyone can tell me how to use the palm to press two buttons at a time?(omniRemote)
during the step 4, how to deleting the CPRM?
thanks!!!

I forgotten how I deleted the CPRM. Try to write over the number or was it clear? Sorry, I can't remember, no harm trying.

[donglejack]

gshelley61 wrote:

The only thing is the DVD-R/RW burner... Pioneer authorized service centers probably won't sell me a replacement drive. I may have to cannibalize another Pioneer DVD recorder to get one, since I'm not sure that a generic unit will work. The DVR-107XA that is in the unit looks like a regular Pioneer DVD burner, but who knows?

Hello gshelley61, did you solve the problem with your DVR-107? As I'm waiting for a replacement hard drive, I can help you with reading the firmware of my burner, if there is a PC-based software that allows this.
However, ALL of us will have the problem the day the lens of this burner is dead. So, we need to find the firmware that could fit any DVR-107 (or A07), unless it is possible to upgrade with any DVR-107, using the service disk, but I doubt...

[gshelley61]

Well, I've run into a bit of a road block. My burner reads CD's, but not DVD's. I removed the burner and attempted to hook it up to my computer, but that would not work. I also tried hooking up a generic DVD burner to the DVD recorder... it wouldn't even turn on properly. There is definitely some type of specific firmware in the burner drive that is just for their DVD recorders. The replacement part can be purchased from Pioneer, but it is nearly $300... plus shipping!

http://parts.pioneerelectronics.com/part.asp?productNum=VXX2942

A working DVR-420H isn't worth that much, so I think this one is going up for sale as a parts unit. Since the burner won't read DVD's, I can't use the service disc to at least get the hard drive running again, either. Too bad, because it's in fantastic cosmetic shape.

[david99]

For those of you who have a pocket PC (Ipaq or other) instead of a Palm handheld device, "Vito Remote"

http://vitotechnology.com/en/products/remote.html

appears to work as a Pronto Remote Control. I would guess there are other programs that will also work with PPCs. After you install Vito Remote on your PPC, extract the Pronto.zip file posted by robke51 near the bottom of the first page of this thread, and copy the service.ccf file into the Vito Tech\Devices file on your PPC. (You do not need to convert the ccf file). Then open Vito and check the box next to the device labeled "service". Your PPC will now display the remote control buttons.

Don't forget to aim the IR port of your PPC at the unit you are trying to control: my Ipaq 4155 IR port is on the bottom left of the unit, so I have to read the screen upside down as I enter the buttons. I have not tried upgrading my hard drive, but this program allowed me to access the service screen without any problems.

David

[donglejack]

gshelley61, you're not lucky...
Anyway, my burner works well, and I can plug it into my computer, if there is a way to retrieve the firmware.
So, if anybody here have an idea to retrieve a working firmware...

[donglejack]

Hello again gshelley61,

I started this topic on a firmware forum:

http://forum.rpc1.org/viewtopic.php?p=165266#165266

Hope you can find an answer...

[gshelley61]

I appreciate it. Maybe I can get hold of another 520H or 420H that is broken or damaged, but has a good drive in it. I saw a 520H parts unit sell on eBay earlier this week, and a couple of weeks ago there was a damaged 520H that was auctioned.

[Treesmaker]

I have a suggestion. To flash a Pioneer DVD DVR for computers there is usually a program that can write to a DVR Bios. Before you write you can back up a copy of the orginal then not flash your 520 DVR.

Using this saved firmware we can then flash it over to a new Pioneer 107 dvr?

[nc30]

I actually did hear from a couple of people about this, and it looks like I'll be all set... Thanks very much to them (you know who you are).

nc30, what's the purpose of your smart ass comment and shit attitude? It's unnecessary and uncalled for. If you don't want to contribute something useful, shut up.

You shut the **** you moron. This thread covers everything yet you ask a retarded question.

Learn to read you fuckwit.

You are in breach of the forum rules and are being issued with a formal warning. Do not harass or verbally abuse members of this forum.
/ Moderator lordsmurf

[donglejack]

Well, just an idea gshelley61:

you told us earlier that your burner CAN read CDs, but not DVDs, isn't it? So, not sure that your firmware (the one in DVR-107AX) is dead, since it is able to read CDs. This kind of problem suggests a bad lens. What I suggest you is to get a cheap DVR-107 (working) for PC, then retrieve the lens to replace the lens of your drive.
If you have a bad lens, il will solve your problem.

The question is: did you have increasing problems to read a DVD, or were you unable to read DVDs suddenly? In the first case, it comes most of the time from the lens. In the second case, it is often a hardware failure (even though it may come from the lens also...)

Hope this can help you...

The firmware or this DVR-107 seems very different than the one of a PC unit: there is no jumper at the rear of this burner Difficult to read the firmware