US Cable Support > Comcast Cable TV > DVR Extender w/Moto Boxes

reply to andyross

Re: DVR Extender w/Moto Boxes

But, if you are filling up multiple Terabytes of data, you have a serious problem!!!

reply to tirebiter
Yep , what Andy says is correct , as long as that HD was formatted on that exact box you can swap them around. The actually program listing data is stored on the internal HD so when you go to play a recording from your list that was made upon Drive A and you have Drive B connected , you will get a prompt on screen asking you to insert Drive A.

One thing I have to test now is if the buffer size increases , being as I have added a external drive. I suspect (do not know for sure) that the buffer file is created on the internal drive , so this may not increase if you add a external drive. I will report back my findings after some more testing.

From what I've seen on my Cisco equipment with the external drive, it's still a 2 hour buffer.

On the Motorola's, the size is fixed, so the length depends on the bitrate of the channel. I've seen some SD's well over 2 hours, and good HD at about 20 minutes.

wow

reply to andyross
Does just having the A30 guide (R25) on the DCX3400 allow you to use an external drive, or does a special feature need to be enabled as well?

I think any version of A30 would work, I have A30/r25 and my external drive works great.

It's got to be more than just having the A30 software. I've got S/W 80.48-a30.1210.r-27 and firmware 24.37 and I'm getting a message that "The use of external drives is not authorized with your account. Please disconnect the external drive and contact your provider."

A Comcast rep told me external drive support would go active here in the Chicago area sometime in the first quarter of the year, so hopefully it'll go live within the next two months.

perhaps your question would better be answered here »forums.comcast.com/t5/XfinityTV-···/1463565

There is also a status page (update of Jan 19th) about which Motorola markets currently support external hard drives: »media2.comcast.net/anon.comcasto···9-13.pdf

reply to tirebiter
Is there a list of which Motorola DVR's are supported, or is it all of them, less the 3400's? I have an old 3416 (160GB drive) which I want to keep because it's FireWire port actually works properly. I'd love to be able to add on an external drive and up the recording space.

Jeff

You can find the list of Comcast DVRs that support external hard drives here: »customer.comcast.com/help-and-su···storage/

From a post today in the Comcast Help and Support Forum »forums.comcast.com/t5/XfinityTV-···1#M67144 it looks like the eSATA port activation on supported Moto DVRs (including the DCH3416) will be completed in the Freedom Region area tomorrow:

From ComcastTeds
2-11-2013 1:18 PM

The e-SATA activation will be pro-actively completed for all DVRs in PA, NJ and DE for Tuesday, February 12th. You do not need to call in. No service visit is required. The port will be enabled automatically.

The DCH 3416 is a supported DVR. Enjoy and thanks for your patience.

Still don't know what that means for the software update we're waiting for in the Cisco areas.

reply to telcodad
From a recent post in the Comcast Help and Support Forum »forums.comcast.com/t5/XfinityTV-···7#M67838 it looks like the eSATA port activation on supported Moto DVRs in the Keystone Region of Central and Western PA will now occur on March 1st:

From ComcastTeds
2-19-2013 10:41 AM
:
My apologies, I provided an incorrect date for areas of central and western PA for when this feature will be activated. It is scheduled to be activated next week, on March 1. Thanks for your understanding.

Latest update from the Comcast Help and Support Forum »forums.comcast.com/t5/XfinityTV-···3#M68006 on some more areas that will have the eSATA port activated soon:

From ComcastTeds
2-21-2013 4:20 PM

Just to add that our next locations that are currently scheduled to have the external hard drive feature activated are listed below. These areas are currently scheduled for the week of March 4. Thanks for your patience.

Chattanooga, TN
Nashville, TN
Knoxville, TN
Savannah, GA
Huntsville, AL
Mobile, AL
Hattiesburg, MS
Meridian, MS
Houma, LA

We intend to activate all areas in early 2013. The activation is done on a site-by-site basis. As additional areas are confirmed, we will update that information in this thread.

reply to telcodad

From ComcastTeds
3-5-2013 11:01 AM
:
Apologies for the confusion we caused about areas of central and western PA. That area has not yet completed all of the necessary steps required to activate the e-SATA port.

The remaining steps are scheduled to be completed the week of April 15. I apologize for providing the incorrect information. I will update the availability document today.

Thanks for your patience.