Warning new buyers, don't buy Netbox 8642hd pvr for bedroom

[techguy001]

The 8642HD series units use a standard SATA2 drive with standard power connector and data connector.   It will accept any model up to 1 TB (that's all I tested).   Not sure if it will take up to 2TB but that would be overkill anyway.  I just installed a standard 500 GB Seagate Sata2-300 drive I had lying around that was quieter than most and it worked fine.   Actually it runs a bit faster when fast forwarding shows since it's a 7200RPM drive and with faster seek times than the slow WD Green drive.   When you install a new drive the unit will perform an initialization after the initial re-boot using the new drive and you will need to re-set up any recordings you may have previously programmed into the system since the hard drive stores that information as well.

Although the drive I installed is quieter and doesn't make clicking sounds that are as noticeable as before it's not completely quiet but it is better at a distance across the room.   I install my unit inside a cabinet with good ventilation on top and to the sides (never cover up the top of these units as they run warm and need to breathe) but that helped to quieten the box as well.   You still need a line of sight to the unit for the remote to work well though.   My cabinet has a black fabric covered front screen so that the whole unit is mostly out of sight but I can still see the clock readout and the unit can receive the remote signals.

Also there are hard drives that are designed specifically for video streaming similar to the ones used for security systems.    Seagate makes 2 models:   The Pipeline series at 1 or 2 TB and the SV35.5 series (faster).   Both series are designed for 24 x 7 operation whereas standard hard drives are only for reduced hours of use.   They're not cheap though so at > $ 110 or more.   Western Digital also makes some of these types but haven't seen them available anywhere.  I will probably stick to the smaller cheaper 500GB standard drives that should last long enough until the next generation of these units is released (assuming you stick with Rogers).

Hope that's clear.  

[techguy001]

Domingo,

Roger's NETBOX 2.0 Whole home PVR (which is an 8642HD unit with a different label on the front) service as I understand it does this for you.   In other words, the ability to watch a program you recorded on your PVR and watch it from an HD-only box such as the 4642HD units from another room.  I believe the units comminicate with each other thru the cable wire in your house.

As I understand it when I looked into it, Rogers sends out  a technician to install a filter on the incoming cable wire into your house so that the Whole Home PVR signals stay inside your house and aren't seen by your neighbours' systems.   I also think they charge for this, about $ 50.   I was going to go for it since I have an 8642HD PVR as well as 2 x 4642HD units in other rooms but decided not to bother as I wouldn't make use of it enough.   I can't speak first hand as to how well it works though.  I believe there are comments on this service in the forum here somewhere.

[Domingo]

That's very clear,

I'll keep an eye open for an appropriate hd. I don't see myself going beyond 500gb either.

Thank you very much,

[Gdkitty]

For the whole home, as long as the signal inside the house is ok, it works well. Not quite like they show on the commercial, but I have never had quality, stuttering, etch issues.

I have one pvr, and an hd box in both the basement and bedroom. My son loves me steaming movies on the big 72" projector screen

[park]

To stop the hard drive clicking, disconnect the power. I.e. pull the plug.
Also does wonders for the annoying display-clock that goes on after the 2am update !

[Meowmix]

Honestly tho its to much of a hassle to keep unplugging it every night & plugging it back every morning.. I doubt everyone will do this. It does wonders BUT at the same time its a hassle.

The display clock turning on while the updates are happening is a glitch & even tech support has said that many times. You can always use tinted tape to cover the brightness on the clock display.

[Domingo]

The problem with the tinted tape, at least the kind I used, is in order to get it dark enough to be effective at night with one or two pieces of tape, you also lose the clock when there's light in the bedroom during the day.

Bottom line is these people made these boxes are not very clever. More examples of people that have an education but are lacking in other departments in order to make things properly for customers. That's as polite as I can put it.

[park]

Agree krappy design. Maybe we should ask Rogers to send us a timer that will cut power to the PVR every night.

[techguy001]

Well unfortunately the timer idea doesn't work that well either.   if You disconnect these boxes from the network for any length of time, say several hours or more, they may become disabled on the network since Rogers systems disable a box that isn't communicating back home.  I've tried this not just with the PVR but also the non-pvr set top boxes.  You then have to go online on the web site and do a reset to get them re-enabled or call in by phone.

Wonderful insn't it?

[Meowmix]

Not only that. If you unplug the box, it will take more time for it to boot up & turn on. I wonder if Rogers ever thought of fixing this issue. They claim they know about the issue BUT its been 3-4 months now with this issue. Cmon Rogers, do something right for once. Oh wait, Rogers never will..