Reliable Power Supply for HDPVR

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by dstanley

I actually bought my brackets from eBay but I wanted to find a reliable link to show what they looked like. I followed this guide here:
https://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Mounting...PVR_Internally

I have Molex tools and used cut off cables from dead power supply's that I had from old HD-PVR's

Dwight

This is a great idea, indeed. I thought I was the only one who was replacing HDPVR power supplies I've bought them from several places, but I now usually just end up buying them direct from Hauppauge. The last time I bought twice as many as I needed, and I'm already on my last set

[Taddeusz]

Sorry it took me so long to get back. Apparently I got it and my HDHomeRun power supply mixed up. I had ordered one from Digi-Key. The one on my HD-PVR is and old D-Link power supply, model AF1805-A 5.0v 3A.

[timg11]

I've been investigating spare power supplies for my HD-PVR also. Based on the experiences shared here, that's the weakest link, so I should have a spare or two. Due to the room layout, my HD-PVR is about 10 feet from the SageTV server computer. USB works OK over that distance, but I'm thinking there might be too much voltage drop on 5V DC unless I used really large wire. Although I like the "PC power supply and bracket" approach, I'm going to stick with a standalone power supply. (also, there might be "ground loop" issues - differences between the PC's ground potential and the component video input ground. I know that's a common problem with audio, but I'm not sure if it would be equally problematic with analog video).

There are many 5V 3A power supplies available, with varying levels of quality.
From my measurements, the HD-PVR power connectors is 5.5mm OD and 1.3mm ID.
Most of these off the shelf power supplies have 5.5mm by 2.1 or 2.5mm ID connectors. So you can hope it is reliable with a bit of mis-alignment, or cut off the plugs from bad power supplies and solder them on the new.

Here's an example of one that looks very similar to the original, but has the 2.5 mm ID plug.

I'm thinking that if 3A supplies have a short lifetime, maybe 4A or 5A capacity would be less stressed and last longer?

One I found is from All Electronics
CAT Number PS-544. This is a laptop-style 5V 4A inline supply, rather than a wall-wart style.

Edit June 2016 - PS-544 is gone, but PS-534 is a 5V 3A supply http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a...-supply/1.html

There are also a number of open-frame type 5V 5A supplies for LEDs (such as this). They appear to be Chinese imports of unknown quality. One commenter mentioned excessive ripple so they may not be usable for HD-PVRs.

From commercial distributors like Mouser, there are some options:
That is 5V 5A but the plug is 2.1mm ID. It's a bit expensive for quantity 1 because Mouser is a commercial distributor and doesn't want small orders. I'm not convinced buying a product from a unknown manufacturer like "Meanwell" through Mouser is worthwhile, when comparing to a similar product from an unknown manufacturer (UpBright) on eBay at half the price.

I think I'll order one or two from All Electronics and see how it performs.

[timg11]

Originally Posted by timg11

One I found is from All Electronics
CAT Number PS-544. This is a laptop-style 5V 4A inline supply, rather than a wall-wart style.

I have received the PS-544 from All Electronics. I can confirm that it works with the HD-PVR. I did have to change the plug, since the one it comes with is the wrong diameter.

[KryptoNyte]

I finally started doing the same thing Stuckless does, I just buy them from Hauppauge.

You folks that have had a few of these go out, are there telltale signs, other than the unit simply won't record anymore? Over the last two months or so, my in-service HD-PVR has started to pause for about 8 seconds as it starts to record. I have my recording delay set quite short as I recall, but when I dialed that in, it was working very well. I wonder if something changed on the STB.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

I finally started doing the same thing Stuckless does, I just buy them from Hauppauge.

You folks that have had a few of these go out, are there telltale signs, other than the unit simply won't record anymore? Over the last two months or so, my in-service HD-PVR has started to pause for about 8 seconds as it starts to record. I have my recording delay set quite short as I recall, but when I dialed that in, it was working very well. I wonder if something changed on the STB.

The problem is that constantly using power supplies that will go out is that then could eventually cause permanent damage to the attached device.

[ccsmoke]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

I finally started doing the same thing Stuckless does, I just buy them from Hauppauge.

You folks that have had a few of these go out, are there telltale signs, other than the unit simply won't record anymore? Over the last two months or so, my in-service HD-PVR has started to pause for about 8 seconds as it starts to record. I have my recording delay set quite short as I recall, but when I dialed that in, it was working very well. I wonder if something changed on the STB.

When mine went out, I started noticing a delay, then started getting some sound dropouts. About 2 weeks later I rebooted the computer and it wouldn't recognize the device under usb. I replaced with Dlink one.

[Narflex]

Thanks for the recommendation here...I did the 5V+ molex connector to the HDPVRs this past weekend and it's working beautifully.

[KryptoNyte]

Got a photo of that connection, Narflex?

[Narflex]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Got a photo of that connection, Narflex?

No photo, sorry. But it's really easy to do.

1. Cut the transformer/adapter off the dead HDPVR power supply and strip each of the wires. Identify which is +/- using a continuity tester.

2. Prepare a molex connector with the red (+5V) and black (GND) wires stripped.

3. Solder the negative from the HDPVR cable to the black molex wire, and the positive from the HDPVR cable to the red molex wire, then wrap them in electrical tape.

4. Hook it up. (I found a bracket from an old VGA card that had a big enough hole in it, then just put that in the backplane of my server case and fed the wires through that)

[KryptoNyte]

Originally Posted by Narflex

.... Identify which is +/- using a continuity tester.

Fingers crossed, I don't burn the house down.

[Olias]

Don't these newbies know to search before they ask questions?
Here's a long running thread about HD-PVR power supplies and replacements.

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57010

[Fuzzy]

It's a shame is that the HD-PVR2 runs on pesky 6V instead of the much happier 5V.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by Narflex

No photo, sorry. But it's really easy to do.

1. Cut the transformer/adapter off the dead HDPVR power supply and strip each of the wires. Identify which is +/- using a continuity tester.

2. Prepare a molex connector with the red (+5V) and black (GND) wires stripped.

3. Solder the negative from the HDPVR cable to the black molex wire, and the positive from the HDPVR cable to the red molex wire, then wrap them in electrical tape.

4. Hook it up. (I found a bracket from an old VGA card that had a big enough hole in it, then just put that in the backplane of my server case and fed the wires through that)

four pictures are worth 4,000 words
if you ever get time, it would be great to see those four steps in color

[wayner]

I did the same thing - here is my photo. I used butt connectors rather than soldering.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zw...=w1104-h828-no

[tvmaster2]

the HDPVR is up on top?

[wayner]

Yes - it is on a shelf a few feet away with my cable boxes. I have three cable boxes and two HD-PVRs although I will soon be hooking up a third HD-PVR.

[tvmaster2]

excellent idea labelling the end of the drives

[wayner]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

excellent idea labelling the end of the drives

You learn by experience! In fact it is a good idea to have different drive sizes or manufacturers to know which one to pull when the drive goes bad. Luckily this server doesn't have two of any of the same drive, unlike some of my previous hardware.

[rickgode]

Originally Posted by Narflex

No photo, sorry. But it's really easy to do.

1. Cut the transformer/adapter off the dead HDPVR power supply and strip each of the wires. Identify which is +/- using a continuity tester.

2. Prepare a molex connector with the red (+5V) and black (GND) wires stripped.

3. Solder the negative from the HDPVR cable to the black molex wire, and the positive from the HDPVR cable to the red molex wire, then wrap them in electrical tape.

4. Hook it up. (I found a bracket from an old VGA card that had a big enough hole in it, then just put that in the backplane of my server case and fed the wires through that)

THIS! BEST IDEA EVER! I knew I read it somewhere. I just spliced my power supply from the CPU to my HD-PVR and it is working perfectly now! I only went through two Hauppauge power supplies!

Thanks guys!

Ricky