So the title above is my bold prediction. Given the missing kickstart backdoor on the TiVo HD and the recent software update requiring external drives be pre-formatted with TiVo’s file system, I believe it’s a lock that we’ll see eSATA TiVo-branded drives for Series3 and TiVo HD units… And I believe we’ll see them populating store shelves within weeks. Why weeks? If TiVo wants a holiday retail presence (I assume they do), given the way the retail channel operates, product must hit store shelves soon – probably by the end of October. Of course TiVo wouldn’t confirm any of this, but they didn’t deny it either.
I wonder what’s going to happen to folks using external drives on kickstart with Series3 units when the software update comes. Will they lose their recorded shows?
When the eSATA hack came out, I thought I read somewhere that you couldn’t use an eSATA if you upgraded your internal drive, any idea of this is still the case?
Davis – It is still the case today. Who knows if that will change when TiVo actually releases the official support. Right now *all* eSATA support is a hack.
apparently there is a really difficult way to do it if the internal HDD has been upgraded, but it is way beyond me. With the 750 I have inside, I’d really like to add another 750 outside.
Does anyone know if the kickstart backdoor formats an eSATA drive to look like it’s TiVo “branded”? I’m wondering when the the eSATA support becomes official, whether the hacked drives will continue to work.
Populating or polluting store shelves? ;)
How do you guys afford 750’s?
Goodie!
I’ve been on another planet and not particularly congizant of changes ont he tech/DVR front, but this would be a welcome front.
I’m glad I held off on the eSATA hack ‘upgrade’ … I look froward to it being propah-ly supported so I can add space, to coincide with my ability to watch mroe TV ;)
I’ve heard from two different unofficial sources that both indicate TiVo-ready drives will be sold by hard drive manufacturers, but there may not be TiVo-branded units. If so, I assume any eSATA drive will work as it does now (via kickstart on S3, or formatting on THD).