Build your own 2TB External Hard drive expansion for DVR.

[#1]

Hi Woody2,

Is there any need to use an enclosure with a built-in fan?

Hard drives produce heat. Heat kills electronics. Some drives get hotter than others. A / V drives are made to run constantly because they never know when they might need to be used. This means that unlike a computer hard drive, they maintain their temperature indefinitely without ever getting to cool down. Not using a fan is shortening the life of the drive. By how much is the question. But you will also want to make sure that if you include a fan, make it a temperature controlled fan. Otherwise it will run all the time as well and use extra electricity for no reason. Lastly, both hard drives and fans make noise. Either buy a quiet hard drive and a quiet fan, or make sure that they can be placed far enough away that they do not bother you while watching TV.

What are the capacities of the DVR models?

(Thank Hubrisnxs for this one.)

Motorola models 6416 & 7216: 160 GB

(Record time up to SD: 85.8 hours, HD: 20.5 hours)

Motorola 7232 & Cisco 435: 500 GB

(Record time up to SD: 298.6 hours, HD: 71.2 hours)

[#2]

You forgot 7216-p2 500gig ... reconditioned 7216 with a 500 gig HD.

[#3]

Hi MercerNick65,

Can't forget something I never even knew. Thanks for the info. That just confirms that every DVR out there is better than the one I have.

I also forgot the obvious: Make sure you position the drive where it can breathe. 2-inches on all sides is the minimum suggestion.

[#4]

Here's another old, related discussion that I also referred to in a similar project, 2016:

https://forums.verizon.com/t5/Fios-TV-Technical-Assistance/Success-with-adding-an-external-eSATA-dri...

[#5]

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