Dish Archiving Solution better choice than Blue Ray/FireWire?

[Sean Mota]

http://www.satelliteguys.us/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/59/cat/502

It looks to me that Dish Archiving solution to a Hard Dish through USB will a better and cheaper solution to archiving programs than Blue Ray/FireWire. First if Dish delivers on this, you will need to buy the compatiable Hard Disk (which these days could be cheap and lost of space) rather than buying a FireWire product/Tapes or buying a Firewire/Blue Ray Drive/Blue Ray Discs. To me this is win situation for consumers who would like to archive HD/SD programs. What's your opinion?

 

[riffjim4069]

I'll agree, but only if E* can deliver on their promise to make this happen.

 

[jbcheshire]

AND, a big AND... (or maybe it's a BUT... lol)
If Dish doesn't require us to use/buy/lease their "compatible HDD" to download via USB 2, then these devices will be affordable for most of us... If you know what i mean...

 

[mdonnelly]

It's not clear to me yet if this scheme will allow you to save video and replay it on a different DVR, like if your DVR dies, or you want to upgrade. Anybody know the answer?

 

[Sean Mota]

I believe that it will like the cables where the Hard Disk will be slaved to the DVR where the program was downloaded from.

 

[David_Levin]

Yes, that what I've herd. The programs will be encoded to work only on the original box (like the internal drive).

I'm a little disappointed that the programs must be copied back to the internal HDD for viewing.

 

[Sean Mota]

If Dish does this right the copy of the program going back to the DVR should not become a problem of hours unless you are copy an entire drive. Right now an hour of SD material about 1GB takes about 5 minutes through USB 2.0. I hope that it does not become a problem of 30 minutes per program or something like that. This to me is a great solution.

 

[Jeff_R]

The problem comes up, however, when I want to take my copy of "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles", in HD, to a friends house to watch. With a scheme like this, I can't do that. There should still be a mechanism for complely offloading content to a storable media.

 

[Jordan420]

A hard drive is used for "storage" not "archiving". If you have never lost all your programs on your E* dvr consider your self lucky, if you have then you know what I am talking about.

Hard drives need to be backed up in case of failure so you will not something that cant be replaced.

I think as added space to my dvr's it will be great, but as a long term storage it is not even an option. Drives dropping in price but no where near the price of a 5" plastic disc nor as durable.

I have CD's that are 20 yrs old that play as well today as they did when I opened them, I would like to see a drive that could stand up to 20 years of camping, going to the beach, staying in the trunk of my car driving thru the desert, in the trunk for 2 weeks in 0 degree weather, play while 4x4ing etc. it just ain't gonna happen.

just my .02


Jordan

 

[navychop]

Sure, all these ideas are great. But Hollywood doesn't want to allow such features. It's not a DISH decision.

 

[Ray S]

If there new HD DVR and other MPEG4 receivers allow for copying to DVD's in anamorphic than I won't mind.

 

[Sean Mota]

If you are able to store in a Hard disk what would prevent you to archive into Blue Ray. The Hard Disk is just an usb that can be connected to a PC. Sure the files won't play but at least if you feel insecure with having the program on a Hard Disk there still exist the option of taking those files to blue ray discs. Just a thought.

 

[Stargazer]

Maybe someone will come up with a program that will allow playback on our computers instead of having to connected to the receiver's original hard drive for playback. People will start cloning the hard drives to their external ones to be allowed to play them back if that would work but maybe I have already said too much.

 

[OoTLink]

Firewire is such an awesome interface, makes me mad they don't have it on the damn boxes as a video output even, fine, let USB2 have its silly disk interface. I want to capture an HD/SD DV stream off my box!

 

[BrettTRay]

Firewire is such an awesome interface, makes me mad they don't have it on the damn boxes as a video output even, fine, let USB2 have its silly disk interface. I want to capture an HD/SD DV stream off my box!

I never understood this either. Why couldn't they get things going with the 921's firewire port? Thats why alot of people bought that receiver in the first place.

 

[shanewalker]

If there new HD DVR and other MPEG4 receivers allow for copying to DVD's in anamorphic than I won't mind.

I copy to DVD in anamorphic from my 942 and have since day one. Your DVD recorder just needs to be one that sets the flag manually/properly (many/most don't--for no good reason I can think of)...I suggest looking at the Sony decks (I have the GX7).

 

[Jeff_R]

Sure, all these ideas are great. But Hollywood doesn't want to allow such features. It's not a DISH decision.

If it's a Hollywood decision, why are there firewire ports on nearly all HD cable boxes? I realize that it's a mandate from the FCC, however if it works for cable, it should work for satellite.

 

[Jeff_R]

If you are able to store in a Hard disk what would prevent you to archive into Blue Ray. The Hard Disk is just an usb that can be connected to a PC. Sure the files won't play but at least if you feel insecure with having the program on a Hard Disk there still exist the option of taking those files to blue ray discs. Just a thought.

As I understood the original post and conversation, the USB hard drive will store the data, be required to connect to the receiver the data was pulled from, and likely not be able to be read or at least dumped to a PC. I'm sure that as soon as the USB port is activated, it will only be a matter of time before an enterprising programmer/hacker is able to access the data and either provide an interface or instructions for doing it. However, I've been archiving movies, concerts, and other content from my HD DVR from Comcast for over a year. I'm not flaming or defending either provider, just want to be able to do with one provider what I've been able to do with the other provider for some time now.

 

[Gary Murrell]

right now you can take content from one 942 and playback on another, I have did it by swapping drives between units

know one knows if future receivers will be able to do that though, and for example the 522, the content is encrypted for that receiver only

-Gary

 

[Altaman]

If this is going to work the way I think it is the idea is 1/2 baked!

First off you will copy your show(s) to the USB drive, now a week later you want to watch it. You now have to copy the show(s) back to the internal drive to watch. What if the internal drive is full? Why not allow a person to watch it over the USB connection, USB2 is definately capable of handling it.

Alt