USB device to use multiple EHD's on 2 DVR's simultaneously

[yaz96]

Could this device be used for 2 DVR's and multiple EHD's?

Kensington ShareCentral 5 for USB Device Sharing

ShareCentral™ 5 - K33901US - Kensington

Kensington

On sale right now for $14.99 w/ Free Ship

NEW Kensington ShareCentral 5 for USB Device Sharing - eBay (item 400088908724 end time Dec-03-09 08:00:44 PST)

 

[Pepper]

That looks interesting. Might work, only one way I know of to find out.

 

[harshness]

Make sure you observe the USB cable length limitations when you try this.

 

[EatMyVolts]

It certainly appears as if it would share at least one ehd between two dvr's - subject to cable length restrictions.

For 15 bucks if it doesn't you haven't lost much. When you get it please post if it works or not.

 

[CowboyDren]

I sincerely doubt it. I'm not an engineer, but from what I understand about the architecture and limitations of the DVR, it must be a single spindle (LUN) and the DVR must have exclusive, direct control of that disk.

OTOH, for $15, why not?

[edit]

Uh, no. If you push a button to select a slave (disk), it may be useful for swapping disks for a single DVR, because of what I stated above. If you have to push a button to select the master, it won't work in any automatic way at all.

 

[Brussam]

Think of the DVR as a compujter, as it is. The computer manages the disk directoiy of the disk drive. A second computer trying to mange the same directory will eventually, and pretty quickly, screw up the disk directory.

For two computers to share a disk drive, there needs to be a separate manager of the disk space, ala a Network storage device. So far, DishTV and not allowed network stoarge to be used.

 

[JimK2]

Could this device be used for 2 DVR's and multiple EHD's?

Kensington ShareCentral 5 for USB Device Sharing

ShareCentral™ 5 - K33901US - Kensington

Kensington

On sale right now for $14.99 w/ Free Ship

NEW Kensington ShareCentral 5 for USB Device Sharing - eBay (item 400088908724 end time Dec-03-09 08:00:44 PST)

Its looks like its a 5 port usb hub with a 2 port peripheral switch. You'll have the same problem as using any hub on a vip 622/722 in that the vip 622/722 does not detect or support multiple usb hdd or hub, they say someday it will..

A usb hub will work on a vip 622/722 if only one hdd is powered up at a time. Get a cheap hub and a remote control A.C. power switch.
MINI 4 Port USB 2.0 480Mbps High Speed Cable Hub - eBay (item 250541266825 end time Dec-03-09 05:02:22 PST)

Remote Control A.C. power switch to turn the usb hdd's OFF & ON
Fix It Tools: Bye Bye Standby BBSBUSA Energy Saving Kit

 

[yaz96]

From what I understand, you only use 1 EHD at a time, on one of the attached DVR's(computers) at a time. Seems like it will work to me.
It's just the convenience factor of not having to move EHD's for me.
I bought a couple, we'll see.

 

[Hall]

Each DVR is going to encrypt it's own recordings with a unique key. The "other" DVR won't be able to un-encrypt it.

 

[patmurphey]

Each DVR is going to encrypt it's own recordings with a unique key. The "other" DVR won't be able to un-encrypt it.

That doesn't square with what I understood to be the ability to move an EHD to another DVR on the same account. Are you saying that is not possible? Why then would you be able to use an EHD to save recordings in case of a failed DVR?

 

[Hall]

I'm not up on external HDDs and DVRs that much, but I know at one time the ability to move EHDs between DVRs was rather limited. It was more set up for hooking up an EHD to a "new" DVR, not for swapping. Has that changed ?

 

[yaz96]

I'm not up on external HDDs and DVRs that much, but I know at one time the ability to move EHDs between DVRs was rather limited. It was more set up for hooking up an EHD to a "new" DVR, not for swapping. Has that changed ?

Yes, you can swap at will.

Which begs the question, if you're not up on these things, why answer the question in the first place ?????

 

[navychop]

I've got 5 EHDs & move them between 2 ViP722 DVRs.

 

[Hall]

Which begs the question, if you're not up on these things, why answer the question in the first place ?????

When you're in charge here, you can tell me what I can or can't do. Until then, live with it

 

[jimjo3298]

Easy solution, manually move the EHD from one Dvr to another. Been doin it since EHD activation has been avaliable. If there is a conflict on the 622 i record it on the 722 and vice versa.

 

[yaz96]

Easy solution, manually move the EHD from one Dvr to another. Been doin it since EHD activation has been avaliable. If there is a conflict on the 622 i record it on the 722 and vice versa.

The whole idea behind this device and thread is to avoid exactly what you're talking about..........

 

[whatchel1]

asking

When you're in charge here, you can tell me what I can or can't do. Until then, live with it

Didn't see it as telling not to say anything but just ask you why you answer if you don't know. I had the same thought myself but yaz beat me to saying it.