How to Add or Remove a DVR Expander

Spend more time recording and less time erasing shows! Get more recording space for your favorite programs by adding a TiVo-verified DVR Expander to your TiVo device.

 

Requirements

 

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Connecting the DVR Expander

 

Use the procedure below to add a TiVo-verified DVR Expander to a compatible TiVo device.

 

1. Disconnect the AC power cord from your TiVo box.

2. Connect the eSATA cord to the DVR Expander and TiVo box. Make sure not to pinch the eSATA cord or run the eSATA cord by an amplifier, speaker, or any other device with a strong magnetic field.

   

   Use the eSATA cable supplied with the DVR Expander. Use of a third-party eSATA cable is unsupported and may cause various performance problems including rebooting, poor recording quality, and lost recordings.

3. Connect the AC power cord to the DVR Expander and electrical outlet. The power LED illuminates. The LED light may not be visible in bright lighting conditions.

4. Wait approximately 15 seconds for the hard drive to reach operating speed.

5. Power on the TiVo DVR by reattaching the AC power cord.

   

   If possible, plug the TiVo box into the same power source as the DVR Expander. This ensures both units turn off and turn on at the same time should there be a temporary loss of power.

6. A few minutes after the TiVo box has finished restarting, a screen will appear asking to marry (or link) the expander:

   Select Yes, set up external storage device to begin marrying the DVR Expander to the TiVo box. If you decide to set up your DVR Expander later, select Skip for now. You can continue the setup process later by pressing the TiVo button on your TiVo remote to go to the External Storage screen.

    

   Devices on TiVo Experience 3 (software version: 20.x. or earlier):
    

   TiVo Series	Menu Path from TiVo Central
   TiVo BOLT TiVo Roamio	Settings & Messages > Remote, CableCARD, & Devices > External Storage
   TiVo Premiere	Settings and Messages > Settings> Remote, CableCARD, & Devices > External Storage
   TiVoSeries 3  & earlier DVRs	Messages and Settings > Settings > Remote, CableCARD, & Devices > External Storage

   
   Devices on TiVo Experience 4 (software version: 21.x.):
    

   TiVo Series	Menu Path from Home
   TiVo EDGE TiVo BOLT TiVo Roamio	Menu > Settings > Remote, CableCard & Devices > External Storage

• From the External Storage screen, select Yes, set up this device. The Set Up External Storage screen will appear.

• Once you have read the warning message, press Thumbs Down on your TiVo remote three times, then press Enter.

• The TiVo box will automatically restart again. After a few minutes, a screen will appear verifying the setup was successful.

  

  After the TiVo box has finished restarting, you can check the new recording capacity of your TiVo box and DVR Expander system. Press the TiVo button on your remote to go to the system information screen.
   

  Devices on TiVo Experience 3 (software version: 20.x. or earlier):
   

  TiVo Series	Menu Path from TiVo Central
  TiVo BOLT TiVo Roamio	Settings & Messages > Help > Account & System Info > System Information (look at the Recording Capacity field)
  TiVo Premiere	Settings & Messages > Account & System Info > System Information (look at the Recording Capacity field)
  TiVo Series 3 & earlier DVRs	Messages & Settings > Account & System Information > System Information (look at the Recording Capacity field)

   

  Devices on TiVo Experience 4 (software version: 21.x.):
   

  TiVo Series	Menu Path from Home
  TiVo EDGE TiVo BOLT TiVo Roamio	Menu > Help > Account & System Info > System Information (look at the Recording Capacity field)

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Temporarily Disconnecting the DVR Expander

Follow these instructions when temporarily disconnecting the DVR Expander (to clean or move your entertainment center, for example). Always unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet before disconnecting the AC adapter from the DVR Expander.

 

1. Power off the compatible TiVo box by disconnecting the AC power cord.

2. Disconnect the AC adapter cord and eSATA cable from the DVR Expander.

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Reconnecting the DVR Expander after Temporary Disconnection

 

1. Reconnect the AC adapter cord and eSATA cable to the DVR Expander.

2. Power on the TiVo box by reattaching the AC power cord.

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Permanently Removing the DVR Expander

 

Under normal operating conditions, there is no reason to remove the DVR Expander. Removing the DVR Expander does not allow you to play your recordings on a different TiVo box. Because each recording is distributed equally between the DVR’s internal drive and the DVR Expander, you cannot gain additional storage by using more than one DVR Expander. You should only remove the DVR Expander if you wish to stop using it.

   

1. Power off the compatible TiVo box by disconnecting the AC power cord.

2. Disconnect the AC adapter cord and eSATA cable from the DVR Expander.

3. Plug in the power for the TiVo box. When the box restarts, it will detect the DVR Expander is missing and display "External Storage Missing."

4. Press the Clear button.

5. The WARNING screen will appear and ask for confirmation to remove the DVR Expander. Press Thumbs Down three times, then press Enter.

6. The TiVo box will begin permanently removing the DVR Expander. Wait until the box restarts. DO NOT unplug the TiVo box before it finishes removing the expander and automatically restarts. Doing so may cause serious damage to the box and DVR Expander.