EHD question

[taminator]

This may be a stupid question but hang with me: If I use an EHD to get programming off my receiver, can that EHD still be used for other things (i.e. my personal music files, other downloads)?

My second 722VIP I think is about to crash. When I got the EHD feature activated dish told me the EHD could only be used for this purpose, nothing else. Sounds like b.s. but I'm not tech savvy enough to know.

I need to get another EHD for computer stuff but don't want to buy 2 separate ones. Hope this makes sense.

 

[SaltiDawg]

...When I got the EHD feature activated dish told me the EHD could only be used for this purpose, nothing else. Sounds like b.s. but I'm not tech savvy enough to know. ...

If you are not "tech savvy enough" I don't know why you'd suggest that what you were told is "b.s.

What you were told is correct. You would need to re-format the drive to change to/from your PC/Dish.

 

[3HaloODST]

The receivers format the HDD's to a Linux file system and all of the contents are encrypted. So once you use the HDD on the receiver, your computer won't recognize the HDD without a re-format erasing all files (well, there are ways around that, but I won't get into that.)

 

[taminator]

The receivers format the HDD's to a Linux file system and all of the contents are encrypted. So once you use the HDD on the receiver, your computer won't recognize the HDD without a re-format erasing all files (well, there are ways around that, but I won't get into that.)

Awe geez. I guess I don't understand what all this means. So, a couple of questions:

How do you get the movies, shows, etc off the receiver onto the EDH? And when I do this, then how do you turn around and play this stuff?

Please pardon my ignorance. I came here because I don't know anyone who's done this and also wanted to double check that what Dish said was true.

I was hoping I wouldn't have to buy an extra EHD but it looks like I will. With that being said, what size EHD should I consider? We have about 45 movies saved, and approx 20 to 30 hours of other programming.

Thanks for the help! And don't laugh too hard at my un-tech savvy questions.

 

[KKlare]

The Dish receiver does not understand partitions (multiple filesystems on the same drive) and will take over the whole drive.
The Dish filesystem is not understood by most computers, nor need it be as it is encrypted.
External hard drives are much cheaper now so just keep separate ones.
They are below $50 per 1 TB = 1000 GB = 1000000 MB, if you look at say dealmac.com or dealpc.com.
Computer people use 1024 MB/GB, 1024 GB/TB so some speak of formatting loss when it is just different terms.
Do not get fancy, as backup software and a button for that will not help nor will ESATA or internet help you.
It must be externally powered, not USB powered.
Most HD recordings now take about 2 GB/hour so a 1 TB drive can hold 500 hours.
Over-the-air recordings may take up to 7 GB/hour.
For recording sizes: plug in the EHD and use DVR+5+2+2 to see those on the internal HDD. DVR+5+2+1 for EHD.
They are displayed in megabytes (MB). Only drive makers use 1000 MB/GB and 1000 GB/TB.
Start with a drive of "750 GB" or bigger. Up to 2 TB for VIP (622/722/612) or 1 TB for others (211) may be used.
The drive may be 5400 to 7200 RPM but must be a single drive, thus 1 to 2 inches thick, not bigger.
-Ken

 

[taminator]

Thanks Ken! Just ordered a separate hard drive from Amazon. At least now when the receiver goes out, again, I won't have to worry about losing all my programs. Ugh.

 

[DishSubLA]

And all this "complexity" and "exclusive use" is really due to the demands of the content owners. If not for the content owners, Dish would have designed, quite possibly, a more "open" type of EHD system. However, just about anybody's EHD solution beats TiVo's "married" and destroy all since first connected should one DIS-connect the EHD that is ALWAYS powered and connected.