# SSD DRIVES



## sstv (Jul 30, 2006)

Hi All
Has anyone used a SSD either internal or external in a DTV dvr? If so , what was the results.

SSTV


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

I dont know of any, but would have limited benefit. Speed wouldn't be one, noise would be the biggest. Also less recording space and while not an issue in a normal system, constant writes in a DVR function could be a problem. No support for TRIM etc.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

sstv said:


> Hi All
> Has anyone used a SSD either internal or external in a DTV dvr? If so , what was the results.
> 
> SSTV


There really aren't any SSD drives, affordable ones anyways, that are big enough to use on a DVR.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

sstv said:


> Hi All
> Has anyone used a SSD either internal or external in a DTV dvr? If so , what was the results.
> 
> SSTV


We discussed the topic a few times ... using Search ... found ...
Check a few posts down from this one http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=2981270&postcount=102


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## inf0z (Oct 16, 2011)

sstv said:


> Hi All
> Has anyone used a SSD either internal or external in a DTV dvr? If so , what was the results.
> 
> SSTV


It's not worth it, SSD provides zero benefit vs. a HDD on a DVR system.

However SSD on a computer is friggn awesome, I have a boot time of about 15 - 20 seconds from BIOS.


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## skatingrocker17 (Jun 24, 2010)

It sounds like a HUGE waste of money. The prices of SSDs have come down but for a 1TB drive that's got to be over $500. 

SSDs in desktops and laptops are great, I have an SSD in every computer now but your recordings will play exactly the same off an SDD as they would off an HDD.


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## sstv (Jul 30, 2006)

Hi All
So cost is the main issue. I have read that a SSD has a limited number of READ/WRITES but this number could be so huge that it does not matter. 
For reliability , noise and heat, a SSD should win hands down. Cost will soon be a moot point.

SSTV


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

RunnerFL said:


> There really aren't any SSD drives, affordable ones anyways, that are big enough to use on a DVR.


There are a lot of them out there but they're danged expensive. From what I've seen they're more than a buck a GB. 500GB SSD drives seem to be going for $600-$800 or even more. It would be very cool though. 

I remember helping a friend put in a 5MB hard drive in an XT in the early 80s (I didn't know squat about computers then, it was my first into to the inside of a PC). The dang thing cost him over $1000. :eek2: 

I'm sure the prices will come down quickly and we'll see affordable SSD drives (solid state drive drives, :scratchin :lol

I'm not sure the write endurance is quite up to par for DVR use yet...but it'll come.

Mike


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

skatingrocker17 said:


> It sounds like a HUGE waste of money. The prices of SSDs have come down but for a 1TB drive that's got to be over $500.
> 
> SSDs in desktops and laptops are great, I have an SSD in every computer now but your recordings will play exactly the same off an SDD as they would off an HDD.


I think the 1TB+ drives are in the thousands of dollars range. AAMOF, there is a 1TB SSD Victorinox Swiss Army Knife for about three grand. 

Mike


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

"sstv" said:


> Hi All
> So cost is the main issue. I have read that a SSD has a limited number of READ/WRITES but this number could be so huge that it does not matter.
> For reliability , noise and heat, a SSD should win hands down. Cost will soon be a moot point.
> 
> SSTV


The number is pretty huge and doesn't matter much for a computer, but a DVR is constantly writing even when not in use. Lack of support for some SSD functions makes it worse.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

Has anyone tried to calculate the avg life of an SSD if used in a DVR...1 year, 2 years?

When regular HDD prices return to pre-flood prices...2TB go for $100...500GB SSD's are $500....still no contest for me, especially when I don't know how the technology will hold up when used in a constant writing environment.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I recall it was calculated for a few years... check old threads where we discussed use SSD for DVR. 
From the numbers, counting high cost and NO BENEFITS for DVR operating system, the academic question is no more then that.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

P Smith said:


> I recall it was calculated for a few years... check old threads where we discussed use SSD for DVR.
> From the numbers, counting high cost and NO BENEFITS for DVR operating system, the academic question is no more then that.


Yet we keep getting semi-frequent recurring posts about the same thing...and the same conclusion.:lol:


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Who would expect different ?  Only each new 'inventor' here, who don't bother to search, read, learn ...


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

dpeters11 said:


> *The number is pretty huge* and doesn't matter much for a computer, but a DVR is constantly writing even when not in use. Lack of support for some SSD functions makes it worse.


Just noticed the overstatement ...

The number is 5000 rewrites/erases; some low prices SSD has it as 3,000.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Unless they are not truthful (and I've always found this manufacturer to be good), I can get a 64gb SSD for under $100 that has a write endurance of 20gb per day for 5 years. Or for $130, double the capacity and 40gb per day for 5 years. To me, that is quite high on a normal system. Most people don't write that much, day in and day out. And after 5+ years, it isn't unheard of for a physical drive to fail.

Even if it was 3000 writes, that's a bit incomplete. It makes it sound like thats for the whole drive.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

64GB drive, 20gb per day, means one rewrite every 3 days. What if the drive is almost full and the device is writing to the same 2 gb over and over several times a day?


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

I don't believe the algorithms work this way.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

You can revolve around GBs/days/times/etc whole day - the fact is: max 5000 rewrites/erases per sector (usually 2KB size). It's by Kingston who use Toshiba NAND chips.
Also I recommend you get a count of reserved space to understand better these numbers like 1000000 hrs MTBF, GB etc what normal user can read from glossy box.


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## bur1196 (Dec 4, 2006)

What about the SSD Hybrid Drives? Any benefit?


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Not on a DVR.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

bur1196 said:


> What about the SSD Hybrid Drives? Any benefit?


Nope. Too much data the DVR is pumping into it - constantly.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

sstv said:


> Hi All
> Has anyone used a SSD either internal or external in a DTV dvr? If so , what was the results.
> 
> SSTV


Here is a thread of a guy using a 512GB SSD in a Tivo. He claims a 50% performance boost in the menus...

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=454580


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

Davenlr said:


> Here is a thread of a guy using a 512GB SSD in a Tivo. He claims a 50% performance boost in the menus...
> 
> http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=454580


Here's how you do it.

I would also say that there would be a performance in some aspects of the DVR. However whether the gains outweigh the costs is another matter. It would be an interesting expirement to see what aspects are being hampered due to access times and throughput so I'll do it eventually but only when I have a spare SSD from a laptop I upgrade or throw out.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Davenlr said:


> Here is a thread of a guy using a 512GB SSD in a Tivo. He claims a 50% performance boost in the menus...
> 
> http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=454580


Cost 'effective' solution ? Nay.

Using the 50% menu acceleration what is 0.01% of total time of consuming the TiVo for whoopy $700+ ? Nay


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

I see the number 20-25GB/day thrown about. The discussion needs to hold itself to talking about hours of programming because that's what we're actually interested in. That equates to about 3-5 hours of HD programming. Subtract from that any satellite-delivered VOD that is recorded in the non-user areas and any Double-Play activity eating space at twice the rate.

The bigger question remains: what might be the tangible benefits of such an endeavor?

Using the TiVo example you would have to save many hundreds of hours in guide browsing to make up the difference.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

That was in reference to a normal system when I said that the limits generally don't really come into play for a normal user. I agree that does not apply for a DVR.


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