OPENING A VIRGIN V6 BOX

welcome to my new video
were i show you how to open and whats inside a v6 box from virgin media
Music Credits
DonProducci - Sugar (SugarBear Beat)

[@TheSpotify95]

Gotta love Virgin and their Tamper screws... Thankfully, I have the right bit to deal with these, as I found out the hard way when disassembling TiVo boxes (for their hard drives). Now I've just bought a V6 box to tear down. If you can get them cheaply enough on eBay, they're a great source of cheap hard drives :).

[@BronyumHexofloride]

intresting to know, i was left with one by an ex housemate last year, never been touched his loss on a 1TB hdd in my eyes, my XB1 will be happy for the extra space

[@jackturk821]

Could I use that 1tb hard drive for my ps4

[@blitzmedia2016]

Yes

[@ryaaaaaaaaan]

How do you format it? Doesn't show up in windows

[@davidmarris31]

@@ryaaaaaaaaan also looking for that

[@MrDegsy69]

@@ryaaaaaaaaan you can use the freeware version of easeus partition manager or alternatively temporarily swap it out with the working hard drive on your PC then use your Windows installer discs to boot from the DVD drive to format the internal swapped out drive for NTFS or fat 32 depending on what version of windows you are using. Virginmedia use a multiple partitioning encryption system similiar to linux or android and you will not be able to recover any video content. www.easeus.com/partition-manager/epm-free.html

[@TheSpotify95]

you have to go into the disc tools in Windows and initiate the disk, then it will show up as a new volume ready to be formatted for use in anything else:)

[@Rick-vm8bl]

Was it really worth it for a very basic,

[@blitzmedia2016]

Rick M well ya I thought it would be a good chance to really see what’s in the boxes

[@MrDegsy69]

Rick M its a demo teardown video. If the box was dead that hard drive would have been worth recovering. Blitz had a very valid point about the waste of space as half of the footprint of that box was solely occupied by the Hard Drive. A 1TB 2.5 SSD would have easily gone into the main part of the case with a suitable mounting bracket. I have a matchbox sized PVR than uses micro SD card storage as well as a regular USB slot that is positively miniscule by comparison. The case on this V6 Tivo looks to be a shit collecting dust magnet to me. Shrink it down FFS!

[@TheSpotify95]

@@MrDegsy69 They could have even used a 1tb m.2 or mSATA SSD to go in the top bit, make the V6 boxes half the size

[@lewisbrumby5115]

Cancelled my TV package recently and was told they didn't need the 2 boxes back.. What to do with them..

[@kirtan7607]

Lewis Brumby take hard drive and use them or sell

[@andrewmorton9683]

It's a reason to get a set of security torx screwdriver bits...

[@TheSpotify95]

take out the hard drives (may need torx security bit) then sell the rest of the electronics inside the electronics can be shoved on eBay as there are people who are into electronics and will use the microcontrollers, ports, and other bits use the hard drives yourself either in a PC or in an enclosure don't sell the boxes on eBay as eBay tend to delete V6 or TiVo listings

[@scog73]

cool ive been doing this for years with sky boxes lol

[@BudKingUK]

Yeah cash generator in my area sells or used to sell the 500gb hd+ amstrads for £10, bargain for a 500gb desktop drive if you ask me

[@TheSpotify95]

@@BudKingUK I've been recently tearing apart sky boxes also for the 500GB HDDs. The sky boxes are a bit more fiddly to tear apart (HDD is the last thing out) but at least you don't need any tamper proof screws. I've also taken apart 1x TiVo box (which had annoying tamper screws) and hopefully I can grab V6 boxes at a decent price too. I've now got a tamper proof screwdriver bit so I'm sorted there. Interesting that they use laptop style 1TB's in V6 boxes!

[@BudKingUK]

@@TheSpotify95yeah, that's the great thing about sky boxes, I've had a couple of 1TB seagate pipelines out of them, the fans in them are worth snatching too theyre near silent, if Im remembering right, you need a Torx T8 or T10 security bit, it has to be the security bit, the one with the notch, you can get cheap sets off the well known auction site.

[@TheSpotify95]

@@BudKingUK Indeed, I like how sky boxes are modular and easy to tear apart with no proprietory tools required. Since the last update, I found one with a Pipeline HD 2TB inside, which was nice, and of course the 2TB HDD is now in my desktop tower PC for more storage. I've also got tons of 500GB's from Sky and Virgin boxes, if you find them cheaply enough you can buy an external enclosure and turn it into an external HDD which you can either use yourself or sell on eBay/Gumtree - or you can use them in a PC for more storage, or as a backup drive, as there's plenty of these 500GB boxes going around for cheap. I've also got a ton of fans (12V so work on electronic projects where a fan is required), heatsinks, and SATA/power wires. I also take the USB wires as well. The screws on the Virgin boxes are T10 Security Torx, though sometimes I've come across T15 as well. Both are covered in my multi bit tamper screw set I got from eBay.

[@MattTester]

I have two of these, one is close enough for the disk noise to be annoying and the other is starting to show signs of disk issues. Would really like to upgrade them both to 1TB SSDs and keep the other disks to shove back in if and when they go back to VM.

[@devarsiratdas1425]

Hello does the Virgin V6 box (not the router) have a dedicated ethernet socket through which I could connect to my Network streamer listening to music like tidal? Or am I forced to use the router going the ethernet way? Many thanks I don't want to connect via WiFi.

[@MarkSmith-gc9zj]

Its a torxs security screwdriver

[@scottrich976]

Torx 10

[@RichMantaray]

wait 6 months before u do this after end of contract. they ask for the box back and if they dont get it its £50 fee

[@zohaibs3693]

I literally just cancelled my Virgin contract yesterday. First checked online and they said that they will collect the TiVo box and the Hub but the dude on the phone said that we could recycle or bin the boxes. So shall I wait a few months before digging in then ? :)

[@paulwarren6105]

Recycling - house clearance have approx 15 500gb sata drives from the old units thrown out/away.!

[@lbsiuk]

Haha! I took a 160GB IDE Drive from a V+ box and 500GB SATA Drive from a TiVo. The 500gb is in my secondary PC. The 160 is just for storage.

[@TheSpotify95]

Great teardown video. I've done this on both Sky+HD and Virgin TiVo boxes before, seems like the V6 box is quite similar then. If I can get a few on the cheap from eBay then it'll give me a source of 1TB laptop hard drives :).

[@blitzmedia2016]

spotify95 thank you sometimes it’s cheap to buy a old sky box or virgin one of eBay for the hardrives than buying a new hard drives glad you like the video

[@TheSpotify95]

@@blitzmedia2016 No worries, since I last commented i have sourced various 500GB drives from Sky and Virgin boxes. I even got a 2TB from a sky box, which has gone into my PC. Now I've just bought a 1TB V6 box off eBay so this will come in handy. Keep it up :)

[@gavinrichardson3918]

Can the 1tb hard drive in these be reused to work in an external hard drive case? or are they coded?

[@TheSpotify95]

Yes, you can definitely use these hard drives to make portable external hard drive enclosures. Just make sure that you format the disk first, once you've removed it from the V6 box.

[@gavinrichardson3918]

@@TheSpotify95 yeah I tried it and it worked but if i remember correctly it didn't show up on the pc when plugged in but a bit of settings adjustment and its all good now formatted and in the back of my Xbox one!

[@TheSpotify95]

@@gavinrichardson3918 you have to go into the disk management settings, initialize the disk, then format it with a simple volume equal to the size of the disk, only takes a couple of minutes. then it works fine in a PC :)

[@gavinrichardson3918]

@@TheSpotify95 yea I found a step by step guide on here which worked a treat

[@BudKingUK]

Judging from the way that caddy comes off theres going to be a variation of the V6 without a hard drive probably going to be issued for multi room with one mother box with a hard drive and one to several daughter boxes connected via network allowing access to the same recordings from any room.

[@gabiaron6788]

It is now, 360 mini :)))))

[@BudKingUK]

@@gabiaron6788 Yeah, just as i thought its the same revision minus the hard drive caddy, i believe they're working on a new mini box now that fits in the palm of your hand.

[@prav1976]

Thanks - this helped me remove the hard drive

[@low-res-nic]

Its interesting that Virgin decided they want a local HDD instead of the Cloud based version that all the other EOS Boxes from Liberty global use! i think every box from LibGlob has that Port on the underside, but its covered with a warranty void sticker :(

[@leewright6101]

wonder what nand flash it uses,, and close up photos of under heat sink please.! i know its a old video.

[@billboforty6133]

Is there a way to remove the actual hdd from the tray? There are 4 screws on the side which refuse to move.

[@ironmick67]

the screws are just tight a bit of force is needed

[@waynetarry8539]

don't you have to send this box back to virginmedia ?

[@RichMantaray]

yes u do lol and if u dont they charge u £50 fee LOL

[@TheSpotify95]

But if they don't ask for he box back then it's yours to take the HDD out of :).

[@Doubledonky]

RichMantaray they can ask .. nope you asked me to store during COVID sorry can’t do that had to dispose of needed space

[@ukzr3c0il90]

Just a tip for you the sticker on the back comes off just run a stanley around the edge and take off to revel main board screws. Also pop off the shiny black screen at the front that you see the lights through

[@gavinrichardson3918]

My laptop doesnt detect the hard drive in an external case! What am i doing wrong/ need to do?

[@scottrich976]

It needs to be totally wiped and reformatted for your external case. Use UBCD and put it in the laptop to access it properly.

[@person1501aaa]

Hey thanks because I want to open mine to get the hard drive but I wasn't sure if they had one in it thank u

[@lucjanwilczewski824]

Time to move that HDD to my PS4 and give him another life ;D

[@reverseside7387]

Bump.... How did the Mexican Stand-Off play out blitz?

[@MrStormer2012]

Why didn't you use a steady camera and demonstrated it on that instead of giving us all sore heads with a moving going out of focus camera.

[@daveconyard8946]

thanks for the post maybe if it was to small had to make it look the part?

[@Arsenal-81]

How can we extract the Box Key & IRD from the box?🤣

The old Pace Di4000 boxes they used to have

[@miguelfatman6066]

Not much of an informative video, would like to know what the card port is for in anyone can enlighten me ?

[@shanewestwood1120]

How do I take the hard drive out of the sky q 2tb box they didn't want it back

[@blitzmedia2016]

Shane Westwood I was hoping some one would donate one for me to take apart just for a vid but not sure there must be other vids but hopefully il do one soon

[@shanewestwood1120]

@@blitzmedia2016 I got an old TiVo box that virgin didn't want back how do you format them and can you use the hard drive for other things

[@blitzmedia2016]

Shane Westwood once the box is open take the hard drive out and u can buy a usb hard drive external caddy plug that in to your pc and just right click the hard tube in my computer and click format

[@shanewestwood1120]

@@blitzmedia2016 so it's quite easy then how much are the caddys for the hard drives

[@blitzmedia2016]

Shane Westwood there not that much on eBay or AMAZON

[@richardmewes8085]

I’d be careful mate! They can charge you £200-£300 for not returning or opening the equipment....nonetheless it’s a cool video, do you reckon one day they’ll release the top half just for TV viewing (not recording purposes) such a SkyQ mini?

[@blitzmedia2016]

ya il let them charge me i wont pay lol any how i wish they would do just the top half i think it looked cool just the top half bit looked small and much sleeker

[@richardmewes8085]

blitz I must apologise as I typed that before you mentioned the reason why you were opening the box! You still liking the EE TV and broadband service?

[@blitzmedia2016]

man its cool .. the eetv and internet has been amazing not had one glitch at all . apart from the tv box got stuff on standby once but that it i would recommenced it

[@rennickelizabe]

Richard Mewes you are right they can make you pay for the equipment

[@kirtan7607]

Richard Mewes funny enough my dad switched to sky and they were supposed to collect the v6 box like 2 months ago. Even the other day my dad was like we should throw it away if they’re not gonna take it. So Is it safe to open it without them charging my dad and take the hard drive

[@delspooner3340]

whats the sd card reader for

[@BudKingUK]

del spooner reading sd cards

[@TheGreenReaper]

Probably what it actually boots from, for 'emebedded' uses like this it's common because it can be more reliable (if smaller and possibly even slower) than a hard drive.

[@barlzjunior4863]

it's a torx head screw

[@jonathanbrigden7997]

What a crap video

[@blitzmedia2016]

your comment is crap thanks tho

[@johnbennett99]

Anti-tamper torx, available from good tool stores. Cheap.

[@corydorastube]

@@blitzmedia2016 What a spoiled little kid? You sound like one of the little snowflakes who's mama never told them "No" and meant it.

[@exrope]

Whait it has 1 terabyte

[@RichMantaray]

geta tripod ,,, and why would u put a laptop hdd in a pc it will jsut slow it down

[@davidmarris31]

How does that work?

[@scottrich976]

As a main drive then yes it would be slower than an SSD or fast 3.5 inch drive but as a secondary storage it's quite fast enough.

[@MrSunny82virgo]

how we use this box without 1TB HDD

[@scottrich976]

Add another drive, just partition it the same as the original.

[@leewright6101]

what is the flash device in it, please take it apart further,, wanting to see what bga64 flash it uses,

[@blitzmedia2016]

lee wright sorry dude if commented few days ago would of done the box is now gone sorry dude

[@blitzmedia2016]

rutai66 they may charge or may not depends luck of the draw I think

[@davidking8246]

i have 5 1tb as i work in tip so get as many as i need lol

[@TheSpotify95]

Nice :). If I worked in a "recycling center" I'd be having basically anything that is salvageable :p including all of the batteries (most batteries are still good, and laptop batteries have 18650 cells), all of the electronic stuff such as radios, speakers etc, and anything that contained a hard drive :). You've got a good job there!

[@racheltfinn7164]

Not good opening need be careful self I can't make V6 Box by law post letter judge.

[@ansilumens1444]

I am glad you did this, so other V6 users don't have to. Can you take your car apart in another video ?

[@mastakilla_2k218]

Is it 3.5mm or 2.5mm?

[@blitzmedia2016]

Swaggination 2.5

[@mastakilla_2k218]

@@blitzmedia2016 im guessing this means you have to pay for the box to virgin once you open the box and voud warranty?

[@TheSpotify95]

2.5mm laptop size from what I can see

[@scottrich976]

2.5 inches not Millimeters. That would be a really small drive.

[@P5YcHoKiLLa]

Wow, You are gonna get a lovely bill from Virgin to replace that box. You know you are only renting the box from them as part of your package? Also, by the looks of your other videos you seem to be leaving Virgin so you've just voided the box you should be returning and I doubt you'll be "putting the hard drive in my PC"...yeah...not a great idea tbh but thanks for the video.

[@blitzmedia2016]

its ok im not worried about being charged for it im owed money from them for damage to my property

[@blitzmedia2016]

Vendetta 187 lol sorry but if a company buys a debt then the debt is paid I have no contract with the company that buys it so no don't have to pay nothing

[@blitzmedia2016]

Vendetta 187 lol not true and I'm not going to get in to a argument over it ok

[@blitzmedia2016]

Vendetta 187 blacklisted is ok with me mate when virgin pay me for my damages to my property then they will get paid screw them

[@blitzmedia2016]

Vendetta 187 not spoiled brat if you don't like the video or stuff don't watch or comment simple as ok end of story

[@Abdula786_]

Can we mod these to get all the channels for free?

[@blitzmedia2016]

malcolm x I don’t no but would be cool if you could

[@grahampearson947]

Yes there is, its actually very simple to do. Ive done mine as soon as i got it. You have to at least have the very basic package though, after that, you mob the mob and you get EVERYTHING.

[@patrickmullervy5292]

What usb is hard drive 3.0

[@BudKingUK]

Patrick Mullervy the cassette opening on your router

I was hoping that maybe you found a way to hack the box for getting free paid for channels. Still, a free hard drive is a free hard drive. Good video.

[@blitzmedia2016]

yogibear2k10 thank and I wouldn’t no how to hack a box tho lol thanks for the comment