External HDD feature for ViP622 and ViP722: coming 8/15: $39.99

[gadgtfreek]

You do not have to move it back to watch. You just can't record to it.

Did you read my post all the way? I said in case the ext has issues. Im coming from Comcast DVR's that had external HDD support, but some did not do well playing HD video and experienced breakup.

Now, while I believe that all usb drives will work with the 622, that does not mean all will WORK perfectly with playback. Will believe it when I see it.

So, its good IMHO because if the drive I buy acts up, I can use it strictly for storage and move the video to the 622 when Im ready to watch it.

 

[yaz96]

So, its good IMHO because if the drive I buy acts up, I can use it strictly for storage and move the video to the 622 when Im ready to watch it.

Unless I am misunderstanding your post, you cannot move your recorded shows back to the 622, they only go one way.

 

[JimK2]

About the unnecessarily high $40...like it or not, everyone interested enough to read and post to this thread will fork out the two Jacksons. We're all gadget heads here.

What I haven't seen yet (I could have missed it), is there a definitive answer on if we can use our own external HDD or will we need to buy a Dish external HDD? As for using TCP/IP for external storage, I don't see why you can't get a USB/Ethernet adapter (assuming you can use any HDD). Does anyone know if this would work? Could you go from USB to Ethernet (via adapter), then to a router w/ USB (like Apple Airport Extreme), then to an external HDD/network drive connected to router via USB?

Every thing I read says any usb drive up to 750Gb. I think the external usb drive has to be configured/formated by the vip 622 with a proprietary file system that locks the drive to the account and maintains some type of copy protection encryption scheme

 

[gadgtfreek]

Unless I am misunderstanding your post, you cannot move your recorded shows back to the 622, they only go one way.

Maybe I misunderstood then. The article I read here:

DISH Network Releases HDTV DVR with Unlimited Storage: BigPictureBigSound

"DISH Network Releases HDTV DVR with Unlimited Storage
By Chris Boylan"

states this:

"Q: With the upgrade, can you record directly onto the external HDD?
A: No, recordings can be made to the internal HDD only, then may be moved to the external HDD. Recordings can be played back directly from an external HDD or transferred from external HDD to internal HDD.
Q: Can a recording exist simulataneously on the internal and external HDD?
A: No, a recorded program can only exist on one storage device (either internal HDD or external HDD)"

 

[yaz96]

Maybe I misunderstood then. The article I read here:

DISH Network Releases HDTV DVR with Unlimited Storage: BigPictureBigSound

"DISH Network Releases HDTV DVR with Unlimited Storage
By Chris Boylan"

states this:

"Q: With the upgrade, can you record directly onto the external HDD?
A: No, recordings can be made to the internal HDD only, then may be moved to the external HDD. Recordings can be played back directly from an external HDD or transferred from external HDD to internal HDD.
Q: Can a recording exist simulataneously on the internal and external HDD?
A: No, a recorded program can only exist on one storage device (either internal HDD or external HDD)"

Okay, new info(if it's accurate), I stand corrected. I guess we won't know alot of things for sure until we see a tech sheet from DISH or they release the damn thing!

 

[gadgtfreek]

Okay, new info, I stand corrected. I guess we won't know alot of things for sure until we see a tech sheet from DISH or they release the damn thing!

Yeah, I guess we should stop counting our chickens! Hopefully they'll give us some hard info soon, especially if Scott is right on the early August date over the 8-15 date.

 

[pdxsam]

The video Scott posted (from CES?) stated you could attach 4, 1.5TB drives to your 622 for storage, for a total of 6TB.

I believe that's with the HP Home Server coming later this year. Unknown if you can use 4 individual USB drives.

 

[Airblair]

Here's some questions for all those of you griping that cable and D* offer their external solutions for free (or at least less than $40):

Do they (cable/D*) allow you to play back those recordings on any box in the house? Or is the external HDD married to the receiver, and you can only watch the recordings on one TV?

And are you allowed only one external HDD?

Because if cable or D* doesn't give you that flexibility that Dish Network is giving, then they aren't comparable and their solutions aren't nearly as appealing as this, even if they're cheaper.


Frankly, unless there's some other detail I haven't heard yet, this sounds pretty appealing to me.

 

[kaman]

Every thing I read says any usb drive up to 750Gb. I think the external usb drive has to be configured/formated by the vip 622 with a proprietary file system that locks the drive to the account and maintains some type of copy protection encryption scheme

Can you partition...say a 1 TB drive...and use 750 GB for the Dish formatting, and the 250 GB for other uses like a network drive (using my router setup explained in post #73)? Or better yet, use both partitions as "two" HDDs for the 622, thus with a hub, one could have "eight" HDDs hooked up to a 622.

LOL...and also use the drive as platform to hold my Oreos...or will DISH charge extra for that.

 

[KAB]

Can you partition...say a 1 TB drive...and use 750 GB for the Dish formatting, and the 250 GB for other uses like a network drive (using my router setup explained in post #73)? Or better yet, use both partitions as "two" HDDs for the 622, thus with a hub, one could have "eight" HDDs hooked up to a 622.

LOL...and also use the drive as platform to hold my Oreos...or will DISH charge extra for that.

No, it is going to format your drive to it's own liking.

 

[pdbuzz]

Doofus question

Scott/Somebody in the know,

Could you break down the GB per hour of HD content for me? Rough estimate is fine. Sorry if this is answered elsewhere.

 

[retorq]

That's cool with me, I hope we can set stuff thru the timer and all that . . .

The 211 will be used like a regular hddvr. You will hook a external harddrive to it. It will have only one tuner so I supose you will have to watch what you record. Does anyone know when this feature is supose to become available?? Has a monthly fee already been set??

 

[retorq]

A decent TS file (MPEG2) takes about 12 gig for a std 2 hour movie. Not sure what it is for MPEG4 . . . this is based on newsgroup postings of HD movies anyways.

Scott/Somebody in the know,

Could you break down the GB per hour of HD content for me? Rough estimate is fine. Sorry if this is answered elsewhere.

 

[Hall]

I think if you have a 7200rpm with 16mb cache you're safe.

That will certainly work but by no means necessary (and probably overkill). Most DVRs have low-end HDDs, i.e. 2mb cache, 5400 rpm. Once it's streaming, a 7200 rpm drive isn't going to be "faster" than a 5400 rpm drive and any pauses or freezing is more likely CPU-related than HDD.

 

[gadgtfreek]

That will certainly work but by no means necessary (and probably overkill). Most DVRs have low-end HDDs, i.e. 2mb cache, 5400 rpm. Once it's streaming, a 7200 rpm drive isn't going to be "faster" than a 5400 rpm drive and any pauses or freezing is more likely CPU-related than HDD.

Im just going off my cable box experience with eSATA. The 7200rpm WD 16mb Caviar drives performed the best when it came to pixelation, or lack there of.

The guy asked, and I gave him an answer on what would be safe if he wanted to buy it now.

 

[Hall]

Regarding "compatibility", the reason Dish chose to use a USB interface is because it removes any compatibility questions (for the most part). The receiver really doesn't know anything about the storage device that's behind the USB interface.

 

[KAB]

Scott/Somebody in the know,

Could you break down the GB per hour of HD content for me? Rough estimate is fine. Sorry if this is answered elsewhere.

Roughly 1hr per 10GB

 

[John Kotches]

Well, if E* is following this thread then I am sure our comments will help them "determine" the price of the one time enabling fee. Additionally, I am not sure many people will want to archive DishHD recordings if the quality doesn't take a drastic turn for the better.

When that's my only option for an HD source for the content, I know I will.

Cheers,

 

[TheForce]

I'm sure if Dish said they were going to charge $2 for the upgrade, people here would have screamed just as they do at the $39 one time price.

I side with the smaller group here. I am a serious HD DVR user. I would like to Thank E* / Dish Network for making this technology available to us for a FAIR price. It is a major feature addition on a receiver that really works well. Maybe D* and C* gives it away but I also understand their receivers have lots of issues anyway.

I would also like to thank E* for not making this feature a monthly fee, that it is a one time lifetime charge. I was concerned that if it is a monthly charge, it may not be worth it. Now I don't need to worry about that.

Basically, I have no complaints about the planned technology. I'll gladly pay the $39 one time price for this upgrade feature as long as it works as stated.


For those who complain and think Dish is being greedy. Either pay their asking price or be without. If you don't like it, go to cable or D* and play with their free version. Me,... I'll take the 32+ HD channels and the unlimited DVR storage for a one time price of $40. Thank you Dish Network. And Dan, thanks for listening to me at CES as this thing is coming about the way we discussed!

 

[MikeD-C05]

Okay they say on 8/15 that you can get the software down load that enables the external hard drive option. Does that mean all 622s will get the download and that you can actually use it once you call DISH and pay the $39.99? I would hate that you miss the download on that day and have to wait till later to get it. I am sure that DISH will be covered with calls on 8/15 to get the option.