HD300 Gets Very Hot

[NetworkGuy]

One of my HD300's, which I have used for years, has suddenly started to get very hot. A few times, it just froze and I needed to power cycle it.

Suggestions on what I could do to stop it from getting so hot?

Alternatively, a method to keep it cool?

Thanks

[KeithAbbott]

This might work to help keep it cool: https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/sho...94&postcount=4

[RonBoyd]

Many years ago, i had the same problem... the unit got so hot I couldn't put my hand on it for more than a few seconds. I simply put a 1"x1" piece of wood stock under the front of it, raising it off of the shelf. I just checked and can lay my hand on it for as long as I want. It is warm but not hot by any measure.

FWIW, the unit has never been turned off except for very short periods (minutes). I have used this same hack on several other HTPC devices with positive results.

[NetworkGuy]

Just got one of these: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G059G86/

Went from very hot to cool to the touch.
https://i.imgur.com/alMU1YL.jpg

[xjim1]

Nice fan. But it makes me wonder what's making them heat up so much all of a sudden?

[NetworkGuy]

Originally Posted by xjim1

Nice fan. But it makes me wonder what's making them heat up so much all of a sudden?

They are old. Even electronics wear out.

[sic0048]

Make sure the vents haven't been clogged with dust. That could easily explain the sudden change in cooling performance.

[RonBoyd]

Originally Posted by sic0048

Make sure the vents haven't been clogged with dust. That could easily explain the sudden change in cooling performance.

You have an HD300 with vents?

[peternm22]

Originally Posted by RonBoyd

You have an HD300 with vents?

My HD300 has vent holes on the backside and the bottom. Yours doesn’t?

[graywolf]

Originally Posted by peternm22

My HD300 has vent holes on the backside and the bottom. Yours doesn’t?

I have 2 1x1 blocks that I sit mine on so it gets warm but not hot

[RonBoyd]

Originally Posted by graywolf

I have 2 1x1 blocks that I sit mine on so it gets warm but not hot

That is essentially what I did -- as I said in message 3 above. Two blocks would probably be better but increasing the distance between the unit and the shelf by any amount/means has major impact on the temperature.

[trk2]

I think Routerunner's Automatic Power Off plugin is valuable to extending the life of HD300s by making sure they are turned off when not in use. You can find the plugin here.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by trk2

I think Routerunner's Automatic Power Off plugin is valuable to extending the life of HD300s by making sure they are turned off when not in use. You can find the plugin here.

cool. didn’t even know it existed. Looks like it works with HD200’s as well. Super

[wayner]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

cool. didn’t even know it existed. have you tried it with HD200’s as well?

Does it actually power it off or just put it in standby mode, which is the same as pressing the power off button? I need to keep mine in standby mode as I have a home automation system and I use a script that telnets into the extender and starts up the SageTV process that allows full IP, as opposed to IR, control of the extender.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by wayner

Does it actually power it off or just put it in standby mode, which is the same as pressing the power off button? I need to keep mine in standby mode as I have a home automation system and I use a script that telnets into the extender and starts up the SageTV process that allows full IP, as opposed to IR, control of the extender.

Pressing the 'Power Off' button doesn't turn it off?

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by trk2

I think Routerunner's Automatic Power Off plugin is valuable to extending the life of HD300s by making sure they are turned off when not in use. You can find the plugin here.

Do you use this plugin? I'm experimenting with it, and either I don't understand HOW it's implemented (likely), or, it doesn't work.

What is supposed to happen when either of the dwell times set in the plugin's configuration page is reached, i.e you 'Playback Timeout' or 'Inactivity Timeout' to a 'seconds' figure, and then what?
What operating status/mode does an HD300 have to be in for those dwell times to mean something?
Confused.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Pressing the 'Power Off' button doesn't turn it off?

No, it puts it in standby mode. The SageTV Extenders run a slimmed down version of Linux (Linux version 2.6.30-sigma) and still respond to pings when in standby and you can log into the extenders using telnet. When in standby it is running the "waitpower" process. If you kill the waitpower process it starts the "miniclient" process to run in extender mode, the same as pressing the power on button.

[trk2]

Originally Posted by wayner

Does it actually power it off or just put it in standby mode, which is the same as pressing the power off button? I need to keep mine in standby mode as I have a home automation system and I use a script that telnets into the extender and starts up the SageTV process that allows full IP, as opposed to IR, control of the extender.

I believe it can do both. I think the default is standby which is what I use for my extenders, but I remember routerunner also mentioning you can also configure it to power down extenders if that is desired.