[mythtv-users] Quiet HDs?

Raphael Pooser rpooser at gmail.com
Tue Nov 29 17:50:29 EST 2005


Brian Bosch wrote:

>
>
> On 11/28/05, *Ben Edwards* <funkytwig at gmail.com 
> <mailto:funkytwig at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>     On 27/11/05, Bertrand <bertrandmuscle at yahoo.com
>     <mailto:bertrandmuscle at yahoo.com>> wrote:
>     > Any opinions on hard drives? Reviews seem to be all over the place
>     > results wise.
>     >
>     > I was looking at these two:
>     >
>     > Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB 3.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s
>     > http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16822144701
>     >
>     > Seagate Barracuda 7200.8 ST3300831AS 300GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA150
>     > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822148064
>     <http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822148064>
>
>     I did a bit of research on this a while ago and the Samsung SpinPoint
>     P Series seemed the quietest.  It was on the pcpro a list for a while.
>
>     Defiantly check this one out.
>
>     Ben
>
>
> I'm using one of these.  If I recall, I needed to create a windows 
> boot CD (ultimatebootcd.com <http://ultimatebootcd.com>) and run a 
> samsung DOS utility to enable/set-up  the acoustic management stuff.  
> <knock on wood> The drive has been working fine  </knock> and is very 
> quiet, quite suitable for the living room.  I don't hear it at all...
>
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>
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>  
>
No need to make a boot CD unless hdparm can't access your drive's 
acoustic management. (hdparm -M128 /dev/hda or hdwhatever)
Maxtor drives mostly start out without acoustic management enabled, even 
though their drives actually support two levels (quiet and fast).  If 
you buy a maxtor drive, most are noisy out of the box because they have 
acoustic management completely turned off.  Use HD parm and set -M128 
and boom, it's the quiestest drive I've ever heard.  This is true for 
all the diamond max ones.
I have a maxtor drive in my myth box, set -M128 (or you can download a 
utility from maxtor directly and use it in DOS if you use windows and 
can't use hdparm).
Turns out maxtor makes the drives in most TIVO boxen.  no difference 
between them and dekstop drives except they spin at 5400 RPM and come 
with acm set to quiet mode.  For mythtv 5400 RPM and the quiet mode 
should be more than enough performance for whatever you can throw at 
it.  Mine spns at 7200RPM but in quiet mode I literally cannot hear any 
seek noise of any form even with my ear placed right up against my 
computer case near where the hard drive would be.
Only problem left is low frequency vibration.  have to suspend the drive 
or something.
Using a more expensive brand drive in myth is overkill
Raphael


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