PVR humming to itself through the night

We upgraded our main PVR a few months ago, and moved the Wharfedale
(160DTRHDMI) we've had for several years to the bedroom.

We've discovered that its has an annoying habit: at seemingly random
times it fires itself up and hums away for about 30 seconds or so, then
stops. (I presume it's the hard disk we can hear.) It's not very loud,
but it's often enough to wake up a light sleeper. It seems to do it
several times during the night (and presumably during the day too).

Any idea what this is? I've checked through the menus, but can't see
anything like "check at random times for software updates".

Cheers
John

"Another John" wrote in message
]...
We upgraded our main PVR a few months ago, and moved the
Wharfedale
(160DTRHDMI) we've had for several years to the bedroom.

We've discovered that its has an annoying habit: at
seemingly random
times it fires itself up and hums away for about 30
seconds or so, then
stops. (I presume it's the hard disk we can hear.) It's
not very loud,
but it's often enough to wake up a light sleeper. It
seems to do it
several times during the night (and presumably during the
day too).

Any idea what this is? I've checked through the menus,
but can't see
anything like "check at random times for software
updates".

Cheers
John



A friend of ours has one and it does exactly the same. Could
be keeping the EPG updated perhaps?

What I don't see is why it hums continuously given it has an
external PSU - the fan maybe?


--
Woody

harrogate three at ntlworld dot com

Woody wrote:

A friend of ours has one and it does exactly the same. Could
be keeping the EPG updated perhaps?

What I don't see is why it hums continuously given it has an
external PSU - the fan maybe?

Probably the HD spinning up.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Plant amazing Acers.

"Chris J Dixon" wrote in message
...
Woody wrote:

A friend of ours has one and it does exactly the same.
Could
be keeping the EPG updated perhaps?

What I don't see is why it hums continuously given it has
an
external PSU - the fan maybe?

Probably the HD spinning up.

Chris



Given that the HDD is resiliently mounted for protection it
may be but I doubt it.

Fortunately my owner is (a) a bit deaf and (b) its in her
lounge.


--
Woody

harrogate three at ntlworld dot com

Chris J Dixon wrote:
Woody wrote:

A friend of ours has one and it does exactly the same. Could
be keeping the EPG updated perhaps?

What I don't see is why it hums continuously given it has an
external PSU - the fan maybe?

Probably the HD spinning up.

Perhaps it doesn't know the words...

;-)

Tim

If you suspect its using a shelf as a sounding board, then why not try some
isolation or resiting it?

Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Woody" wrote in message
...
"Chris J Dixon" wrote in message
...
Woody wrote:

A friend of ours has one and it does exactly the same. Could
be keeping the EPG updated perhaps?

What I don't see is why it hums continuously given it has an
external PSU - the fan maybe?

Probably the HD spinning up.

Chris



Given that the HDD is resiliently mounted for protection it may be but I
doubt it.

Fortunately my owner is (a) a bit deaf and (b) its in her lounge.


--
Woody

harrogate three at ntlworld dot com

Woody wrote:

Given that the HDD is resiliently mounted for protection it
may be but I doubt it.

I definitely hear the HD in my cheapy kitchen PVR spinning up. It's
quite distinctive. Incidentally, said PVR was condemned to landfill the
other day, having refused to display any video output whatsover
(pictures or OSG) for a week. I'd tried reboots, etc. Tried it one last
time and it worked fine. Been OK since.

Bill

In message , Bill Wright
writes
Woody wrote:

Given that the HDD is resiliently mounted for protection it may be
but I doubt it.

I definitely hear the HD in my cheapy kitchen PVR spinning up. It's
quite distinctive. Incidentally, said PVR was condemned to landfill the
other day, having refused to display any video output whatsover
(pictures or OSG) for a week. I'd tried reboots, etc. Tried it one last
time and it worked fine. Been OK since.

If it does go to landfill, you'll be first removing the nice big hard
drive?
--
Ian

On Fri, 24 Jan 2014 09:42:13 +0000, Chris J Dixon
wrote:

Woody wrote:

A friend of ours has one and it does exactly the same. Could
be keeping the EPG updated perhaps?

What I don't see is why it hums continuously given it has an
external PSU - the fan maybe?

Probably the HD spinning up.


That seems the most likely source for a "humming noise".

Typical desktop PC disks spin at 7,200 rpm which will produce a hum
frequency of 120Hz to a greater or lesser degree of loudness,
depending on how well balanced the platter assembly is and the
acoustic properties of the enclosure (panel resonances etc).

PVRs normally use similar disks which, typically run at 5,400 rpm
resulting in a hum frequency of 90Hz. As in the case of the desktop
PC, the level of this noise is likewise effected by drive quality and
enclosure panel resonances. Furthermore, resonances in whatever the
PVR (or desktop PC for that matter) is resting upon will also effect
the loudness of this low frequency noise.

Quite often, the placement of damping material between the PVR (or
PC) and its supporting surface can reduce this noise by a significant
factor (but it's important to avoid blocking any cooling vents when
applying this remedy - more a hazard to a PVR than to the typical
Desktop PC).

--
Regards, J B Good

Ian Jackson wrote:
In message , Bill Wright
writes
Woody wrote:

Given that the HDD is resiliently mounted for protection it may be
but I doubt it.

I definitely hear the HD in my cheapy kitchen PVR spinning up. It's
quite distinctive. Incidentally, said PVR was condemned to landfill
the other day, having refused to display any video output whatsover
(pictures or OSG) for a week. I'd tried reboots, etc. Tried it one
last time and it worked fine. Been OK since.

If it does go to landfill, you'll be first removing the nice big hard
drive?

Never that of that. Suppose so... I could put it in the stock room with
all the other stuff...

Bill