I think my Seagate is bad after three format attempts with no success. It is a backup plus slim 2tb portable STDR2000102 that won’t work. I don’t believe it is Advanced Format (4k sector size) so am not sure why it isn’t working. @tablotv
I have a Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB and it works great on my 4 tuner model. My model is STDR2000100. It looks like there may be different models of the same drive. I do remember that when I bought mine there was a model for only Macs and one model of PC and Macs both. I purchased the one for PC and Mac. I bought it at Best Buy.
@philh mine is also Mac and PC compatible. Not sure what the difference is between yours and mine
@tony I don’t know. The only difference I see is the model number. Wish I could have been more help.
And this is what’s so frustrating about USB HD packaging… Sector size can differ even w/ the same model/style. We’re hoping to have a fix for the 4K disks soon. Working really hard on it!
@TabloTV Is soon this year? I’m wondering if I should try to exchange the drive or just wait, although none of the information for my drive indicates AF or 4K
@PhilH mine is blue, maybe that changes the model number 
@tony Mine is black… 
Has anyone tried an external ssd drive with any success? Seagate offers a Backup Plus 256gb drive. I’m looking for an option that won’t draw as much power/ produce as much heat as a sata external drive.
I use a 1TB HGST Touro… it runs at 5400rpm… very cool to the touch. Works fine.
I mean, you could use an SSD, but the capacity would be limited unless you have a lot of money.
Today I noticed a bare SATA 960GB drive for $380USD… which is a “steal” for SSD today, but you’d have to decide.
The HGST 1TB Touro can usually be obtained for less than $70USD.
@tony - We’re working on it right now but I can’t give an ETA because we haven’t finished the work nor tested it yet. Ideally we’d like it to be the this year but it’ll depend highly on what happens in testing.
CONFIRMED GOOD
BRAND NAME Western Digital
PRODUCT NAME MyBook
BRAND NAME Western Digital
PRODUCT NAME MyBook
SIZE 500 GB
LINK http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Essential-Desktop-External/dp/B000XRK3LG/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1414086142&sr=8-9&keywords=western+digital+500gb+hdd
COMMENTS This was an old HDD that I had sitting around holding MP3's. I let the Tablo format it and it worked without a problem. The link is mainly to have a picture of the unit. I do not believe it is for sale anymore in retail outlets.
COMMENTS This was an old HDD that I had sitting around holding MP3's. I let the Tablo format it and it worked without a problem. The link is mainly to have a picture of the unit. I do not believe it is for sale anymore in retail outlets.
It is older but if you have one sitting around it is a great option. 500gb is a ton of storage for me
I have 2 External Hard Drives that work well with my
2 channel Tablo:
1. Western Digital Ultra WDBPGC5000ATT-NESN
2. my older Seagate 250GB PN 9SD2A2-500 works well only if the sleep mode
is set to 10 minutes or more.
With the sleep mode set to default (5 Min). Tablo intermittantly hangs
during playback and must be rebooted.
Seagate provides the software to set the sleep mode time.
Does anyone know of a 2.5" USB powered enclosure that works well?
I am seeing deals for a PNY 240 GB SSD 2.5 SATA drives in NewEgg for $80.
I am currently using a 500 GB Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex with no issues and it is not noisy, but seems tempting to eliminate moving parts.
I have 2 older USB enclosures that both did not work. One was not recognized at all. The other was locking up.
I’m not sure you need to upgrade to SSD at this point - for that much $ you can get 1-1.5 TB albeit in a moving parts drive. Give it another couple of years as SSD prices fall and by then Tablo should have a way to move shows from one drive to another so you can retain all of your original recordings and roll them to a SSD.
In searching for a larger HDD that works with Tablo, I wanted to put everyone’s positive results into a table. If I missed anyone’s post, please include it in the table (there were several duplicates).
| Brand | Model | Size |
| Adata | AHV620-2TU3-CBK | 2TB |
| G-Technology | G-DRIVE external | 2TB |
| Hitachi | HGST | 1TB |
| Seagate | Backup Plus | 2TB |
| Seagate | Backup Plus | 1TB |
| Seagate | Backup Plus Slim | 2TB |
| Seagate | Backup Plus Slim | 1TB |
| Seagate | Backup Plus Slim | 1.5TB |
| Seagate | FreeAgent Go | 1TB |
| Toshiba | Canvio 3.0 Plus | 1.5TB |
| Toshiba | Canvio Connect Portable | 500GB |
| Toshiba | DT01ACA200 | 2TB |
| Western Digital | Elements | 1TB |
| Western Digital | My Passport Ultra | 2TB |
| Western Digital | My Passport Ultra | 1TB |
| Western Digital | MyBook | 500GB |
| Western Digital | WD20EARS SATA | 2TB |
| Western Digital | WD3200 | 300GB |
@DoubleTap, the model number is very important, so please update your table to include them. I know for instance that some Seagate Backup Plus drives work and some don’t.
I do like the idea of one table that is easily accessable.
Syba SY-ENC35026 USB 3.0 Hard Disk Docking Station with Seagate ST2000VM003 Pipeline HD 2 TB
As per quaduser, the SY-ENC35026 will work with almost any drive you plug in and its under 25.00
Here’s the table of “good” drives with model numbers (if provided).
**Note - the adata has both a good and a bad rating.
| Brand | Model (# if provided) | Size | Dock |
| Adata | AHV620-2TU3-CBK | 2TB | |
| G-Technology | G-DRIVE external | 2TB | |
| Hitachi | HTOLMX3NA10001ABB(0S03454) | 1TB | |
| Seagate | STCA2000100 | 2TB | |
| Seagate | Backup Plus | 1TB | |
| Seagate | ST3750640AS | 2TB | Syba SY-ENC35026 |
| Seagate | ST2000VM003 | 2TB | Syba SY-ENC35026 |
| Seagate | STDR2000100 | 2TB | |
| Seagate | STDR1000101 | 1TB | |
| Seagate | Backup Plus Slim | 1.5TB | |
| Seagate | FreeAgent Go | 320GB | |
| Toshiba | HDTC720XK3C1 | 2TB | |
| Toshiba | MK2002TSKB | 2TB | Icy Dock MB881U3-1SA |
| Toshiba | HDTC615XK3B1 | 1.5TB | |
| Toshiba | HDWC120XK3J1 | 500GB | |
| Toshiba | DT01ACA200 | 2TB | |
| Western Digital | WDBZFP0010 | 1TB | |
| Western Digital | WDBUZG0010BBK | 1TB | |
| Western Digital | WD10EURX | 1TB | Mediasonic ProBox K32-SU3 |
| Western Digital | WDBU6Y0020BBK-NESN | 2TB | |
| Western Digital | WDBZFP0010BBK-NESN | 1TB | |
| Western Digital | WDBPGC5000ABK | 500GB | |
| Western Digital | WD20EARS SATA | 2TB | |
| Western Digital | WD3200 | 300GB | |
| Western Digital | AV-GP WD5000AVDS | 500GB | Sabrent |
CONFIRMED: GOOD
BRAND NAME: Western Digital
PRODUCT NAME: WD Elements 2TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive
PRODUCT NAME: WD Elements 2TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive
SIZE: 2 TB
LINK: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DULWSXI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
COMMENTS:
COMMENTS:
Smallest external 2TB drive that I've ever seen and feels solid. Also, no external power supply.
@tony
I got the Seagate Backup Slim Portable #STDR2000101 from Amazon, have been trying to format (it just hangs there saying it’s formatting) and I guess that’s what happens when it’s incompatible…And I believe you’re right about the last number designating color. It seems the black model is okay??? So I guess I need to return this silver unit, was hoping to get going with it. I may try my local Costco for the 1.5TB model invalidprotocal had luck with.
CONFIRMED: BAD
BRAND NAME : Seagate
PRODUCT NAME :
BRAND NAME : Seagate
PRODUCT NAME :
Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB Portable External Hard Drive with Mobile Device Backup USB 3.0 (Silver) STDR2000101
SIZE: 2TB
LINK : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FRHTTIA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
COMMENTS: Just hung @ formatting hard drive…like 10+ minutes, apparently the black model works okay, so different colors of same model will not necessarily work w/Tablo! Isn’t that special?
COMMENTS: Just hung @ formatting hard drive…like 10+ minutes, apparently the black model works okay, so different colors of same model will not necessarily work w/Tablo! Isn’t that special?