Sky Box HD into CCTV DVR Box

[Dallas]

Dont throw your old Sky Box out!!!

Following on from this thread HERE... the Floureon CCTV DVR boxes that regularly go on offer, some mebers were asking how to install a hard drive.

I've tried and tested and all working in less than 30 minutes.

Firstly, buy yourself a CCTV DVR box without a hard drive, lightinthebox, Gearbest and Amazon have these go on offer from time to time, as low as £25 on a flash sale.

2. Then, get yourself an old Sky HD Box, I bought a 500GB one today for £5.00. The sky boxes generally have the SATA HD which are plug & play in these China DVR boxes. The two plugs are the same, and the 4x holes in the CCTV DVR box line up perfectly.

3. Carefully dismantle your sky box and take out the hard drive.

4. Take off the cover to the DVR box (4x screws).

5. You will see an empty space where the hard drive can be positioned, you will also see 6x pre-drilled holes. 4x Holes will be used to secure the SATA HD to the base of the DVR box.

6. Plug the 2x cables from the CCTV DVR box into the Sky SATA hard drive, its plug and play.

7. Put the cover back on your CCTV DVR box using the 4x screws, and connect your DVR box back up to its power supply and 4x or 8x CCTV cameras.

8. Turn your DVR box on and let it start-up, you should be prompted to 'Format' the newly installed hard drive (this also can be done using the menu function by selecting Disc Management).

9. Job done, you can now 'Record' your CCTV video footage knowing you have saved a small fortune.

These CCTV DVR boxes can be bought with a hard drive already built-in, but the prices are in the hundreds. You might as well by the same DVR box without a hard drive and install your own at a fraction of the cost (this is what many professional CCTV installers do anyway).

Here's a photo 'How To'

[Walter]

If you happen across link for box without hard drive can you post please as got cctv cameras but no recorder ? Cheers Walter.

[Dallas]

Originally Posted by Walter

If you happen across link for box without hard drive can you post please as got cctv cameras but no recorder ? Cheers Walter.

I sure will Walter.

If you dont need any cameras, a quick look has found THIS DVR box on Amazon for £29.99. Whole systems can be bought for this price, but its a case of wait for the sale promotions.

[mbonwick]

Looks like a standard 3.5" SATA HDD.

They can be picked up on eBay for around £5, so you don't need necessarily to get a Sky box just to cannibalise it...

[Dallas]

Originally Posted by mbonwick

Looks like a standard 3.5" SATA HDD.

They can be picked up on eBay for around £5, so you don't need necessarily to get a Sky box just to cannibalise it...

The only ones I saw for less than £10 were sold as 'Faulty' for parts or not working.

500GB HDD's are selling for £15 to £25, 160GB were selling for around £8.

Its cheaper to buy an old Sky HD Box, many people just want rid of their old box due to an upgrade on their sky package. Many people dont know the value of the HD inside, and the ones that do know the value sell the HDD on ebay for twice the price.

[stevenicks]

Excellent thread, thanks Wes

[Dallas]

Originally Posted by Walter

If you happen across link for box without hard drive can you post please as got cctv cameras but no recorder ? Cheers Walter.

Walter, The cheapest so far is THIS ONE £25.43 with FREE P&P.

[Jamiewelch]

Originally Posted by Dallas

The only ones I saw for less than £10 were sold as 'Faulty' for parts or not working.

500GB HDD's are selling for £15 to £25, 160GB were selling for around £8.

Its cheaper to buy an old Sky HD Box, many people just want rid of their old box due to an upgrade on their sky package. Many people dont know the value of the HD inside, and the ones that do know the value sell the HDD on ebay for twice the price.

That is providing the hard drive is still in good shape and doesn't have bad sectors. Personally if it for something important like CCTV I wouldn't trust a drive that has been used for a few years, constantly spinning up and down and getting used and getting mechanically worn. For the cost of a new 1TB its not worth it for something important.

[Dallas]

Originally Posted by Jamiewelch

That is providing the hard drive is still in good shape and doesn't have bad sectors. Personally if it for something important like CCTV I wouldn't trust a drive that has been used for a few years, constantly spinning up and down and getting used and getting mechanically worn. For the cost of a new 1TB its not worth it for something important.

Lol, It cost me £5 for god sake.

These drives are in other devices such as PC's, laptops etc, next you will be telling me you go out and replace yours on a 6-12 month basis I suppose???

If we all take the same negative attitude, none of us would be driving around in 12+ year old bangers. I suppose your 15 year old car that you trust with your life isn't worn at all then is it? Something so important like a vehicle that is meant to protect you, Personally if it was for something important like a car, I wouldn't trust a vehicle that has been used for a few years, constantly driving up and down the roads and getting used and getting mechanically worn. For the cost of a new part, its not worth it for something so important.

Good luck with your old MG ZT, hope you never have to fit any second-hand parts to it. I will lookout for your 'Wants' in the 'Items Wanted' section, Oh wait! I see you already enjoy fitting old parts, you must be a hobbyist too.

Back on topic... A brand new SATA drive will cost you £40+, my SATA drive cost me £5 and I'm sure it will last some time yet. This thread is for hobbyists, a bit of DIY on the cheap, its all about saving money, not about bowing big bucks... Do you get it yet?

[Jamiewelch]

Originally Posted by Dallas

Lol, It cost me £5 for god sake.

These drives are in other devices such as PC's, laptops etc, next you will be telling me you go out and replace yours on a 6-12 month basis I suppose???

If we all take the same negative attitude, none of us would be driving around in 12+ year old bangers. I suppose your 15 year old car that you trust with your life isn't worn at all then is it? Something so important like a vehicle that is meant to protect you, Personally if it was for something important like a car, I wouldn't trust a vehicle that has been used for a few years, constantly driving up and down the roads and getting used and getting mechanically worn. For the cost of a new part, its not worth it for something so important.

Good luck with your old MG ZT, hope you never have to fit any second-hand parts to it. I will lookout for your 'Wants' in the 'Items Wanted' section, Oh wait! I see you already enjoy fitting old parts, you must be a hobbyist too.

Back on topic... A brand new SATA drive will cost you £40+, my SATA drive cost me £5 and I'm sure it will last some time yet. This thread is for hobbyists, a bit of DIY on the cheap, its all about saving money, not about bowing big bucks... Do you get it yet?

Bit harsh, what do you do for a living? I work in a computer repair shop, you’d be surprised the amount of hard drives that fail after less than 1 year of use. I wasn’t saying to people not to do it, I was just saying if it was important, It has surely got to be worth spending £40 on a drive (which isn’t breaking the bank). Seeing as you’d probably be spending £100+ on a half decent system why not buy a brand new hard drive so you should be set for years. If you were to do this then at least run the hard drive through a full test, checking for bad sectors, if it all passed then you’ll be good to go.

Edit - just checked amazon, a brand new 1TB drive with warranty is £35, surely it’s worth spending an extra £30? If I was buying something important for a car such as breaks and it was £30 more for New instead of second hand, I’d buy new All Day every day