Can I use a USB thumb drive as external storage on VIP722?

[samalex]

The hard drive in our VIP722 died last night and a tech is coming out tomorrow morning to replace it. Unfortunately I never backed-up our programs to an external drive which I'm now kicking myself since we had this DVR for like 4-5 years, but with the new one I was curious if a USB Thumb Drive would work instead of a physical hard drive. I have a couple of 16 Gig thumb drives I can use to backup a few of our must keep shows until I can get a larger drive, but would this work? Also can I swap USB drives out as needed, or does Dish have to authorize the drive each time it's connected?

Thanks --

 

[Mfinchv1]

Ive always heard..its gotta be a powered external drive...

 

[samalex]

Ive always heard..its gotta be a powered external drive...

I guess that makes sense. Another question along these same lines, if I have an External HD and my DVR crashes, will the External HD work with a second DVR? What about if I take the External HD to someone else's house who also has a compatible DVR, will the External HD work there, or is it setup to only work on my account?

Sorry for the questions, but given our DVR crashed I need to add something so we don't lose our stuff in the future. My wife is rather miffed that she had several programs back logged that we've lost.

 

[garys]

An EHD will work on compatible receivers on the same account (so no it will not work with someone else's). If you have a 211, it will only work with other 211's and 411's. If it's on a 612, 622, 722, 722k, 922 or Hopper, these will work with each other.

 

[TheKrell]

I was curious if a USB Thumb Drive would work instead of a physical hard drive. I have a couple of 16 Gig thumb drives I can use...

The firmware is configured to assume anything smaller than 50GB is considered a repository for pictures and it won't format such a drive as an EHD. However, it has been reported that 64GB thumb drives work.

Also can I swap USB drives out as needed, or does Dish have to authorize the drive each time it's connected?

Yes, as needed. No re-authorization is required.

...if I have an External HD and my DVR crashes, will the External HD work with a second DVR?

Yes it will.

What about if I take the External HD to someone else's house who also has a compatible DVR, will the External HD work there, or is it setup to only work on my account?

It works only for receivers on the same account.

 

[samalex]

Thanks guys -- answered my question perfectly

Sam