The USB 2.0/eSATA works great for connection to my Set Top Box.

Plug in the 8300HDC and wait for it to go through the start up program, shortly, the set top box software said that the hard drive was not formatted and to press a button to format the hard drive.

I'm guessing the meta-data (file/recording header details) are stored on the set top box and point to the specific expander, so if you try to change expanders the meta-data becomes irreversibly corrupted.

Plugging in the Expander to the eSATA connection on the back of the set top box, 3

411 box really useful.

If you are a Comcast customer be sure you have the right DVR box and live in an area that supports this drive

Issues were more a function of Fios and Motorola set top box, not the drive.

I bought these hard drives specifically for my FIOS set top boxes.

Once the set top box is ready to accept the external hard drive, which is at the very end of the entire process, then manually turn on the external drive by pressing the button in the back once.

but this product would not work with my Cablevision Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD DVR box even though says it is supported.

Works fine with a Cisco CHS 435HDC set top box

The only issue I have had with it is that after the Set Top Box has been reset (power off/on), I have sometimes had to manually go through the menu system to have the FIOS DVR recongnize the WD external hard drive.

This problem I believe was a set top box problem and not a disk drive problem

They weren't lost, all remained as before except less than 30 seconds later had a lot more available space to record more golf, and a cool looking new black box with a tiny little light next to the DVR

For 2 years we had 20 hours of HD recording time on the Tivo and it made it so that if we went away for the week I had to clear the Tivo box to keep all my new shows.

Then, go through the steps on your set top box to "expand your storage" with the external hard drive off.

Pulling the plug of the set top box, 2

Your DVR set top box needs to be one of the following

Finally, a hard drive that is compatible with a Verizon set top box!

Just make sure you eject your hard drive from your set top box, don't just unplug it

I simply plugged in the unit, went through a quick menu and rebooted the set top box.

If you go through all of the steps with the external drive on, the FIOS set top box doesn't recognize the external drive.

Worked right out of box, great product.

I tripled my storage for my Verizon FiOS set-top box by simply following a few on-screen prompts and plugging this in

When your external drive is full, then it will record to the internal drive in the set top box automatically.

The Tivo recording algorithm alternates storing your recordings between the set top box and the expander

very easy to install.just make sure you have the correct cable box.

I works seamlessly withmy set top box.

Installing the drive was a little difficult at first, but once I figured it out, installing the drives on my other set top box was a snap.

The main thing is when you plug in your external drive to the set top box via eSATA, and you connect the power plug, make sure you turn off the external hard drive by pressing the button in the back for a few seconds

I was terrified I would lose all my previous recordings but I rebooted the set top box and everything returned to normal

After about 30 seconds, plug the eSata cable into the hard drive and cable box.

I thought I would be lucky and it would work out the box

This is advantageous because if need to ever replace your set top box, you won't loose any of your shows because it's stored on your external hard drive.

Just make sure that you follow the order of starting in the FIOS directions to get the set top box to recognize the storage--if you turn things on in the wrong order it is frustrating as you look for broken connections and step through the menus repeatedly

OK so esata cable comes in mail and O' Happy Day for me, right?