Upgrade Apple TV's Hard Drive - 500GB ATA Seagate Drive

[Kilamite]

Been waiting till there is some ATA drives that offer a capacity good enough to make it worthwhile upgrading my Apple TV's hard drive. I've filled the bad boy and recently when streaming HD stuff, there is pauses while it buffers. I've gotten sick of this, so finally found a 500GB 2.5" ATA drive that is the capacity I need.

http://www.9to5mac.com/node/10209

I just need to know if this will work fine with the Apple TV. I can't find any other 500GB 2.5" ATA drives.

[Cave Man]

That's a SATA drive, thus it will not work without a PATA to SATA bridge.

[Kilamite]

That's a SATA drive, thus it will not work without a PATA to SATA bridge.

Ah so it is.

You know any 500GB ATA drives..?

How reliable is using a PATA to SATA adapter?

[ntg]

There is one @ 320Gb on the Misco (Systemax) site, which I use in my old Powerbook G4, but that is the largest I have found readily available

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=349068&CatId=3093

A good drive, 'though...

Nigel.

[Kilamite]

I am really hoping to get a 500GB drive in there - looking up on the PATA to SATA adapter, looks like I might have trouble fitting that in there.

But if I do get the adapter, is there going to be any compatibility issues, will there be any performance issues?

[Cave Man]

There is a thread in this forum where someone bought a bridge (only specific ones work) and did just what you want to do. It required a bit of a minor mod to the enclosure, but otherwise seemed to work. I can't recall the title or starter, though.

[ntg]

there are some good discussions on here, including a few step-by-step guides saying what connector to buy, but iirc they mostly need you to end up modifying/cutting the interior of the :apple:TV (but nothing visible from the outside afterwards...)

we really need Apple to open up the external connection for expansion!

Nig.

[PcBgone]

I found a place that sales a 500gb ide drive....I havent purchased anything from them, so I dont know how reputable they are...but heres a link if your interested.

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=HD-W50AAKB&show=p

[ntg]

looks like a 3.5" desktop drive...

[PcBgone]

looks like a 3.5" desktop drive...

I will admit it does, my google search lead me specifically to this drive, though and I had input 2.5" ide hard drive for the search. I dont know...I was thinking about upgrading my ATV, but I just got in the mail today a 1.5tb sata drive for network storage, so I dont really see the need for me to update the atv at this point...

[ntg]

I agree - I just wish they allowed an external drive to add storage to the box - I've had mine since they came out, and although it is handy for airtunes and iPhotos, I would like to add the kids' movies to it, if only to stop them scratching the hell out of all my original DVDs! (they are 6, 4 and 3, so hard to explain...)
a nice terabyte+ RAID would certainly help...

Nig

[Kilamite]

CaveMan - I'm checking out your mod and I'm all set to go for that. The advantages of your mod are great; the ability to just plug the drive into my Mac means I have 3rd backup of all my movies!

Just need to find UK suppliers of the parts you used.

[ntg]

if you mounted the drive upside down would this work:-
(Maplin are usually useful for these connectors...)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=222115&C=SO&U=strat15

(and you will still need a power adapter - their part A14GG - £2.99)


Nig.

[Cave Man]

looks like a 3.5" desktop drive...

Yup, it is a desktop drive. You can see the molex power port on the back.

CaveMan - I'm checking out your mod and I'm all set to go for that. The advantages of your mod are great; the ability to just plug the drive into my Mac means I have 3rd backup of all my movies!

Just need to find UK suppliers of the parts you used.

Be certain you get a PATA to SATA bridge that works because some do not. Also, be sure you get an enclosure that does not go to sleep. My Rosewill does not, but my MacAlly does. When the MacAlly went to sleep my Apple TV locked up. I've never had that problem with the Rosewill enclosure. Also be sure to download dynaflash's ATV Cloner app - it makes the process a piece of cake.

if you mounted the drive upside down would this work:-
(Maplin are usually useful for these connectors...)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=222115&C=SO&U=strat15

(and you will still need a power adapter - their part A14GG - £2.99)

It may work and you'd only need the 5V line, not the 12V line. There are a couple of problems, though - you need 5V lines for both the SATA bridge and the notebook drive that you'd put in. I doubt you could split a single 5V line for that. The second problem is that you need to tap that 5V line from the ATV's PATA connector (pins 41 and 42).

In addition, you'd still need the crossover cable and gender changer.

[richyscot1]

There is a thread in this forum where someone bought a bridge (only specific ones work) and did just what you want to do. It required a bit of a minor mod to the enclosure, but otherwise seemed to work. I can't recall the title or starter, though.

Here is the link to the 2.5" SATA mod, great if you like Apple TV just the way it is :D.....http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=683178

[Cave Man]

Excellent. I'm glad you're still checking in.