Next Box 3.0 and PVR Extender

[Gdkitty]

Maybe its a firmware issue or something..

Again.. i KNOW mine is working.. based on what i have recorded.. i have MORE storage capability that the base unit is working.

When things are recording.. i can hear the drive on the extender working away (was the same sound when i had my 8642) and if i physicaly put my hand on the drive, i can fee it chugging along.

[UgLeigh]

I just keep getting  " external device is not working properly" with all 3 brand new pvr extenders after trying to format.

Built my own external drives for my 2 8300 pvrs and they've been working great for years.

[Gdkitty]

Its quite possibly the BOX which is the issue and not accepting it?

You could exchange it (but you will loose all recordings)

Did the inital bootup on my NB3

Followed the instructions, and it came up, with the formatting message.

[jeffnest · Accepted solution]

Purchased two 1TB extenders both of which would not format on two separate Nextbox 3.0 PVR's. Called Rogers and was told it's a firmware issue with no ETA for a fix.

Found a fix though.

Out of the box the Rogers 1TB extender has a NTFS partition on it allocating all the free space, the Nextbox no longer seems to like this. You need to plug the extender into a PC and delete the existing partition and then plug it into the Nextbox 3.0. The PVR can then add its own partitions to the drive and format them.

The process seems to take 20 to 40 minutes and you may or may not get a message when the format is finished. During the format the PVR will operate slower than normal and button presses will lag quite a bit. When operation returns to normal the format should be complete.

[Gdkitty]

Hmm.. interesting.

I had the same, that i did not get a COMPLETE message with mine (which i DID back on ghe 8642).

But mine did go, right off the bat.  But it was well over 1 year ago... so it may be a difference, of the way the drive was comming from the manufacturer.
Odd.. since its designed primarily for PVR/DVRs specificaly, that it was PC formatted to begin with..

But good to know that blowing away the partition works! thanks !

[lorne35]

Big Thanks to jeffnest as his suggestion did work for me although I initially struggled on how to remove the partition. Kudos to everyone for all comments and suggestions

[Nickel11]

Thanks for the information.

Did you purchase the 1TB HD (extender) from a Rogers store which is presently being sold for $99.95? I called into several stores as well as phone in tech and all contradicted themselves as to whether it works on the 3.0 (9865HD). It was almost 50/50 yes/no answer so there is no clear direction/answer from any Rogers tech/employee/franchisee.

Thanks .

[Gdkitty]

I have the 1tb Rogers extender. But it's about 2 years old now, was bought during the 8642 timeframe.
And it does work with the nb3.

I am guessing that there have been a lot of reports of it NOT working much like above due to formatting issues. Stores don't know any better, and are just going off what they are told from people of it not working.

[Nickel11]

Thanks for the reply Gdkitty, I wish I knew whether the pvr extender that you purchased was the same as what is presently offered on Rogers web site.

I agree that the stores don't know whether what they are selling will work with the 3.0 but it would appear that both the online tech's as well as one's that have come to my home don't know either so the extender is on hold. I guess my other option is to purchase a 3rd 3.0 but that gets expensive.

The last 3.0 that I purchased, the phone in tech told me that I needed a tech to come to my home to sync it with the rest of the whole home system. When the tech arrived he told me the phone in tech had set up my whole home pvr for two whole home and he had to reverse it and then call in the tech to complete the single whole home. In the end, I was told that if the tech had done it properly, there was no need for the service call.

[Gdkitty]

(there is actually a big discussion on the whole home thing, on another forum right now.  I have had it BOTH ways, they 'had' to send a tech out, to add a box.. the other time, was able to call in, and they were able to push it automatically... there seems to be a real disention between weither its necessary or not.  The tech comming out.. will not really do anything, except call THEIR back end techs, and have them push it out).

Onto the extender issue.

From what an other user had asked me before.. yes, it should be the same one.  its a Segate DVR/PVR drive.. just rogers branded/packaged.  Same model number.  Now the actuall hard drive inside, etc, may be slightly different model, due to age, etc.. but GENERALLY should be the exact same.

I would look at getting the extender... check with them, if there is a RETURN period on it.. say 7 days or something.
TRY the steps outlined earlier in this thread.. with connecting to a pc, blowing away the partition, etc.. and then seeing if it works.

If you still cant get it to go.. return it.