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The USB port on the SV8000HD can’t supply enough power to drive an external hard drive for PVR functionality. The good news, you can purchase any size external hard drive with power supply. Even better, if you are going to record HD channels then a Hi-Speed USB external hard drive is recommended. They will all work with the SV8000HD.

I am currently using a 500GB High Speed Comstar external hard drive

Component requirements to provide PVR functionality

1. USB 2.0 External Hard Drive
2. Swissknife formatting software, Obtainable from http://www.compuapps.com/download/Sw...swissknife.htm
3. Laptop or desktop computer

Just follow these simple instructions.

1. Install swissknife software onto your computer
2. Plug in the external hard drive power supply to mains
3. Connect your external hard drive to the USB port on the computer
4. Switch on the hard drive. You should see found new hardware window open & close.
5. Launch Swissknife application
6. Right click USB host Adapter to display the contents of your USB hard drive
7. Highlight the hard drive partition
8. Click on the “delete” button. To delete the partition
9. Click on the “create” button to create a new partition on the USB hard drive.
(this will now create the partition and do a fat32 quick format)
9. Verify that the USB hard Drive has been formatted to FAT32.
a. If not, then you will have to set the format to format the USB drive to FAT32
b. Highlight the partition and left click to obtain drop down menu
c. Click on format and select FAT32 You can use quick format for the purpose
d. Format USB Hard Drive.
10. Dismount and disconnect the USB drive from your computer
11. Connect the USB drive to the SV8000HD

Now you can start to record all your favorite TV programs.

Enjoy.

good info i hope big blade does not mind i made your post into a sticky for future use for those sv8000 owners and/those whom might be looking into the sv8000 for purchase

The Seagate works great out fof the box. I have the 500GB with no problems. You need to change the sleep mode to never by downloading the program from their website and then connecting the HDD to your lap top,open the settings and change dormant mode to never. Enjoy