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Expanding DVR space?

I have searched and found a bunch of old threads linked from the FAQ (one thread seems deleted, but still in the FAQ list). None seems more recent than January, 2009.

Is it still not possible to add an external HDD to the Motorola STBs? Are there perhaps models with more storage?

We have only a few hours of HD programming on ours and are finding that programs are being deleted faster than we can watch them.

Coming from DirecTV with boxes that can add external HDDs (and 80+ hours internally) this is a serious (one more on my growing list) disappointment with the whole FIOS bundle.

Comments

Justin46

No. Rumors of one coming, but no announcement. Original rumor was first quarter 2010, but now that looks rather unlikely - we could get a nice surprise though, you never know.....

There are only two DVRs available from Verizon currently, both with 160 GB hard drives. If you need more space you could buy a Tivo and use that, or a Moxi. You would gain space and their functionality but lose the FiOS Guide, VOD, and Widgets.

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Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.7C, Build 09.83
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Hubrisnxs

@CStenfors wrote:
I have searched and found a bunch of old threads linked from the FAQ (one thread seems deleted, but still in the FAQ list). None seems more recent than January, 2009.
Is it still not possible to add an external HDD to the Motorola STBs? Are there perhaps models with more storage?
We have only a few hours of HD programming on ours and are finding that programs are being deleted faster than we can watch them.
Coming from DirecTV with boxes that can add external HDDs (and 80+ hours internally) this is a serious (one more on my growing list) disappointment with the whole FIOS bundle.

Hello, yes at this time there is no ESATA support on the motorola STB's, there will be a 1.9 software release coming up and it's "scheduled" To be on that update, but we still have 1.8 software that goes to the boxes first. (i heard they are skipping 1.8 and going straight to 1.9)

Also later this year we are waiting for verizon to release the new motorola box and cisco cable boxes that have 320gb vs the 160 that is in there now. It's one of fios's biggest complaints so they are trying to get that fixed.

at this time the only way to get additional space is by getting a Tivo or a Moxi STB and combine that with a Fios Cable card.

Those have heavy upfront costs (comparitively) and so are at times cost prohibitive, but people usually don't buy those cable boxes to save money, they buy them to add functionality. so if you didn't want to wait, you could exercise this option immediately.

prisaz

Here is a posting I made regarding Tivo. $3.99 cable card rental from Verizon, and $12.95 Tivo subscription. At the Time I bought the $199 refurbished tivo, It still has the 160 gig drive, but you can expand it like mentioned here. You give up options that FIOS provides, but then gain others. I had the refurbished TIVO HD and the drive crashed two weeks after the 90 day warrenty expired. But you can replace the 160 gig drive with 1 terabyte drive for about $100. Same space as the $599 Tivo HD XL, but you don't get the THX features. Their are new Tivo modles out, that may be an option for you if you can not wait for Verizon.

KenAF also provides very good details in this thread.

http://forums.verizon.com/t5/FiOS-TV-Technical-Assistance/TIVO-w-cards-vs-FiOS-DVR/m-p/98755#M15425

CStenfors

@Hubrisnxs wrote:
Also later this year we are waiting for verizon to release the new motorola box and cisco cable boxes that have 320gb vs the 160 that is in there now. It's one of fios's biggest complaints so they are trying to get that fixed.

Going to 320Gb? so I can get from 20 hours of HD programming to 40? When with SD I used to have 80+ hours? Wow, talk about an improvement that fails for two reasons 1) it's not available and 2) it is not much of an improvement.

While I understand and sympathize wtih Vz that it would be very costly for them to install much larger HDs in all STBs, I don't see why they cannot simply make it so customers like me that want more storage can simply plug in an eSATA or USB drive of our own choosing.

Both Dish and DirectTV make this option available n their HD STBs.

spacedebris

Well one of the things that is supposed to come with the new STB's is the ability to add external storage (eSata, firewire, USB, something like that) that will allow you to add all the storage that you want. Now that may be just rumor, or wishfull thinking, but that is what has been floating around. We will have to wait and see.

CStenfors

@spacedebris wrote:
Well one of the things that is supposed to come with the new STB's is the ability to add external storage (eSata, firewire, USB, something like that) that will allow you to add all the storage that you want. Now that may be just rumor, or wishfull thinking, but that is what has been floating around. We will have to wait and see.

Yes, that and who will get these new STBs and if they will switch them out for existing customers (at what charge??). Again, it is the type of thing that is clearly going to hit Vz's pocket and they ar enot simply going to take the hit themselves.

ffrcoupe

I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to be able to use my NAS for additional DVR HD space.

I'm currently at 4TB and counting. Smiley Very Happy

Vonch

I just got off the phone with technical support for FIOS TV. Basically I was told it could not be done even though I have had two different sales guys in Verizon stores tell me it could be done. One indicated that he had several customers who have added a hard drive via the USB port and it worked. The other sales guy indicated it would work through the fire wire port as well. Both indicated that it did not show up on time remaining, but it did give you additional time.

Has anyone out there tried plugging an external drive in just to see what happens?

Currently I am a Dish Network customer and have 80 hours of HD recording time on one DVR and 40 hours on the other. Dish Network will accept an external hard drive for a onetime $40 fee. I have to say their DVR is outstanding but not very reliable. I probably have had to have one or the other DVR exchanged 5 or 6 times in the last 4 years. Also there is a recurring problem with voice sync that is annoying. When trying FIOS TV at a local Verizon store I noticed the menus were much faster and the picture was superior.

Love my FIOS internet, way more reliable than DSL and FIOS phone has been trouble free. I really want FIOS TV, but the Motorola DVR limitations need to be fixed first.

KenAF

@Vonch wrote:
I just got off the phone with technical support for FIOS TV. Basically I was told it could not be done even though I have had two different sales guys in Verizon stores tell me it could be done. One indicated that he had several customers who have added a hard drive via the USB port and it worked. The other sales guy indicated it would work through the fire wire port as well. Both indicated that it did not show up on time remaining, but it did give you additional time.
Has anyone out there tried plugging an external drive in just to see what happens?

Yes. It doesn't work.

As indicated in earlier posts, external drives are not currently supported on Verizon's Motorola DVRs. In fact, no cable company in the United States supports external expansion with Motorola DVRs. The firmware / software doesn't have the code necessary to use external drives for recorded storage.

Verizon is expected to support external storage expansion on one or more DVRs (not necessarily the existing models) by the end of the year.

Hubrisnxs

@Vonch wrote:
I just got off the phone with technical support for FIOS TV. Basically I was told it could not be done even though I have had two different sales guys in Verizon stores tell me it could be done. One indicated that he had several customers who have added a hard drive via the USB port and it worked. The other sales guy indicated it would work through the fire wire port as well. Both indicated that it did not show up on time remaining, but it did give you additional time.
Has anyone out there tried plugging an external drive in just to see what happens?
Currently I am a Dish Network customer and have 80 hours of HD recording time on one DVR and 40 hours on the other. Dish Network will accept an external hard drive for a onetime $40 fee. I have to say their DVR is outstanding but not very reliable. I probably have had to have one or the other DVR exchanged 5 or 6 times in the last 4 years. Also there is a recurring problem with voice sync that is annoying. When trying FIOS TV at a local Verizon store I noticed the menus were much faster and the picture was superior.
Love my FIOS internet, way more reliable than DSL and FIOS phone has been trouble free. I really want FIOS TV, but the Motorola DVR limitations need to be fixed first.

you can always pick up a tivo with a cable card from verizon if you don't want to wait for the dvr upgrades that are supposed to happen by the years end...

Vonch

When is the Cisco DVR supposed to be ready? I have never been too impressed with the Motorola unit.

Hubrisnxs

idk, I know some people are testing the 7232 motorola's right now, so they got those field tests going, but I haven't heard from anyone field testing any cisco's yet. so I think we will probably expect to see the motorola's out first.

Bwangster12

If and when these new model DVRs come out later this year that double the capacity of the harddrive, will those who already have the DVR be allowed to exchange? Will these newer large capacity DVRs cost more? I will be getting Fios in a few weeks and will most likely get a MR DVR. It wouldn't be cool if they won't let those who already have the DVR to not upgrade.

CStenfors

OK, a long, long time has now elapsed. Are there any new news on the increased space front? My contract is coming up for renewal in March 2012 and I'd really like to be able to get more space. What with all the other options I now have connected to my TV, getting 20 hours of HD is just not cutting it anymore.

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