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I have 2 iQ2 boxes and upgraded the HDDs in both to WD 1TB HDDs (WD10EADS 32MB Cache) in November. Both have worked well until last week when one started freezing - it would keep displaying the channel it was already on but you couldn't change the channel or do any other commands, either with the remote or on the box itself. If you disconnect the power it will then work normally when restarted but within an hour or so it would freeze again.

I recently started having similar issues after replacing my IQ2's drive with the same WD10EADS that you used.

After replacing it with a WD10EVDS it seems to be working fine. This drive is also a "green" drive but is 7200rpm rather than 5400rpm and is supposed to be optimised for PVR's and set-top boxes. I got one for $135.

So far so good. Hopefully it will not develop the same issues down the track.

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Thanks for your replies. I bought a new drive today and am now copying everything from the previous 1TB drive that I installed on November 15 using Copy+. The weird thing is that when Copy+ read the drive it only shows recordings up until November 15 and nothing I've recorded since then. I'll see what happens when I put the new drive into the iQ2 and if the newer recordings aren't there I'll put back in the 1TB drive I took out last week, that I'm copying from at the moment, and see if they're still on that drive. I am getting an error message "Can not determine Endian format, or VC2 incorrect!" popup box for some programs, but when I click OK it goes on to copy the next recording.

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I should be upgrading my IQ2 next week. Would you guys recommend this drive?

Hard Drive.

i don't think a 5400RPM drive will cut it IMO

i recommend this drive

http://ijk.com.au/branch/ijk/product_info....ducts_id=122136

Power-conserving WD AV-GP SATA hard drives take advantage of WD's GreenPower?technology to meet the extreme requirements of demanding audio and video environments. With power reduction of up to 40%, they deliver cool and quiet operation and reliability perfect for audio video applications such as PVRs, DVRs, set-top boxes (STBs) as well as surveillance video recording. Green drives from WD yield average drive power savings of 4-5 watts over competitors' drives while maintaining solid performance.

Long-Term Reliability - These drives are designed to last in high temperature always-on streaming digital audio/video environments such as PVR/DVR, DVR recorders and surveillance video recorders.

Quiet- Noise levels have been minimized to less than one sone* - virtually below the threshold of human hearing.

Reduced Power Consumption - WD has reduced power consumption by up to 40 percent compared to competitors' drives with the combination of WD's IntelliSeek, IntelliPark, and IntelliPower technologies.

Compatible - Tested for compatibility in a broad range of AV products including set top boxes, DVD recorders, and mainstream surveillance systems.

SilkStream?SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> - Optimized for smooth, continuous digital video playback of up to twelve simultaneous HD streams. SilkStream is compatible with the ATA streaming command set so CE customers can use standard streaming management and error recovery options.

IntelliSeek?SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> - Calculates optimum seek speeds to lower power consumption, noise and vibration.

IntelliPark?SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> - Delivers lower power consumption by automatically unloading the heads during idle to reduce aerodynamic drag.

Preemptive Wear Leveling (PWL) - The drive arm frequently sweeps across the disk to reduce uneven wear on the drive surface common to audio video streaming applications.

Use This Product When You Want To

* Set-top boxes (PVR, DVR and IPTV)

* Media servers

* Media centers

* Surveillance

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i don't think a 5400RPM drive will cut it IMO

i recommend this drive

http://ijk.com.au/branch/ijk/product_info....ducts_id=122136

Power-conserving WD AV-GP SATA hard drives take advantage of WD's GreenPower?technology to meet the extreme requirements of demanding audio and video environments.

Well per my post above, I just moved from a 5400RPM WD drive to the faster WD AV one you listed above. The first one started giving me troubles, not sure if it was because of it being 5400RPM or just that my drive was a bad one.

Anyway I pulled out the old 5400RPM WD and will just use it for general use and see how it goes.

Edited by Musketeer
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i don't think a 5400RPM drive will cut it IMO

5400rpm shouldn't initially have any issues even with all 4 tuners recording peak 20 Mbps as you'll have a transfer rate of 10 MB/s which 5400rpm drives should be able to handle. However once the drive start getting fragmented you'll start to get some serious issues as the head won't be able to easily move around quickly enough from all the different sectors being read and written to. So if you choose a slow drive then don't get close to approaching capacity. Also defrag it as often as possible.

Better to opt for at least the 5900+ rpm or variable speed drives for multiple read/write AV recording apps.

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However once the drive start getting fragmented you'll start to get some serious issues as the head won't be able to easily move around quickly enough from all the different sectors being read and written to. So if you choose a slow drive then don't get close to approaching capacity.

Interesting. That might explain why my 5400 drive worked ok for a couple of months then started to play up more and more.

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Friend of mine has just bought his first widescreen panel (16:9) and was asking me if Foxtel is transmitted in 16:9, 4:3 or 14:9?

He has the old Foxtel digital box - not IQ.

I read the following on the first page but it's clear enough for me to tell him whether they transmit in 16:9 or not.

I just bought a 16:9 (widescreen) TV what are the correct Foxtel STB(Set Top Box) aspect settings ?

Normally for a widescreen TV, have Foxtel STB Aspect ratio control=By STU (and TV Type=16:9), then select your personal preference for how 4:3 programs are displayed (pillar box or stretch or 14:9).

Only if using a fully wired Scart to Scart cable to connect your TV and your TV has an auto aspect mode would you normally consider picking Aspect ratio control=By TV.

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I am getting iQ2 (x2) installed on Friday. I was previously using SCART to component cables.

Does Foxtel supply HDMI cables with the install ? or do I need to purchase some, beforehand?

cheers

2sheds

IQ2 comes with a free HDMI cable , its about 1m long though . Not sure if they give longer ones

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IQ2 comes with a free HDMI cable , its about 1m long though . Not sure if they give longer ones

Thanks, Junkyard - that'll get me started. That's a little more generous than most HDTV manufacturers, who still don't throw in a free HDMI cable :rolleyes:

cheers

2sheds

Edited by 2sheds
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