Recommendations for a HDD upgrade for the Pioneer 520-H

[Gypsy898]

Does anybody have any suggestions on what HDD to put in my 520-H when I upgrade it? I don't want to put in one that is known to have a short life. I would like more than 80GB but I don't need the 700GB either, somewhere in the middle is fine. I appreciate any recommendations you may have.

[Krispy Kritter]

Seagate drives have a standard five year warranty. But to be honest, I've used about all the brands and have had success with them all. They all produce lemons from time to time, that is just a fact of life.

[evil_lives]

Try the one Quickbits posted in the other thread..

Go with the WD3200JB. The 3200 would upgrade the DVR to 320GB, and the JBs have a nice fat 8MB of cache. (In contrast, the OEM WD BBs have just 2MB of cache, and the ST3160022A only has 1MB.)


Peace.

[Gypsy898]

Can I buy the WD3200JB at any computer store, or at a specific place? Does it need to be formatted as PVR or anything like that?

[Seeker47]

Seagate drives have a standard five year warranty. But to be honest, I've used about all the brands and have had success with them all. They all produce lemons from time to time, that is just a fact of life.

That was my thinking. I've already picked up a Seagate 300G (7200, 8 mb. cache) for this purpose, a while back. I thought the 16mb. cache version might (possibly ?) present some compatibility problems. 300G is 4 x what the model came with, and I've managed with the 80G for a couple years now by getting in the habit of dumping stuff off to DVD regularly to clear space, so I can't really see the need for a larger HDD. I would probably not exceed 400G of storage for the 640, either. The more stuff you leave on the drive, longer term, the more stuff you will lose when it finally does pack it in.

[Seeker47]

Can I buy the WD3200JB at any computer store, or at a specific place? Does it need to be formatted as PVR or anything like that?

Whatever drive you decide to use can be purchased wherever, BUT . . .
There is a detailed step-by-step procedure you need to follow to accomplish this -- or actually, two you can choose from, I think. One way involves a HDD clone job done on a Linux box. For either method (?), you need a Palm or a Pronto or certain other PDA that can be programmed to impersonate a Pioneer Service Remote (which itself is not available to the public, only Pioneer techs), plus a Pioneer Service CD (DVD ?) appropriate for your model. This is because there are unique codes that must be imprinted on the HDD, required for a replacement drive to be accepted by the Pioneer DVR. (I don't know for sure, but the clone-by-Linux method might possibly take care of the HDD ID problem already, without the other steps ?) I bought my used PDA on eBay. The files needed to program the PDA, and a copy of the Service Disk are available by P2P, sometimes other members here, or via HKAN's site, pioneerfaq.info. In any case, you should read up on this at the latter site, and in a long thread here https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=253998&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid...8352bb63c26f85

[trhouse]

Clone by Linux will not do it. After cloning you have to use the special remote and service disk to write the CPRM ID to the recorder. The CPRM ID is written on the back of the recorder.

[Seeker47]

Clone by Linux will not do it. After cloning you have to use the special remote and service disk to write the CPRM ID to the recorder. The CPRM ID is written on the back of the recorder.

O.K. -- I did not recall the details on this. But then, if you still need to use the special remote + service disk anyway, what was the point in bothering with the Linux-based method at all ?

[kofola]

Pioneer service disc GGV1179
http://www.dvdboard.de/forum/showthread.php?t=121319

[Gypsy898]

Well it's been three years since I originally posted this question and now I'm in the same position AGAIN.

My WD3200JB has failed, and now I have to get a new HDD.

Now I know Western Digital has a new line of hard drives now, can anyone recommend one to me that would still be compatible with my unit? I know it has to be a EIDE interface...