Dish Network Malarchi

[bigbassdave]

I have a VIP722K Duo Dvr receiver from Dish. I want to hook up an external hard drive to maximize how much content I can store. I was in a bit of a rush yesterday so while cooking dinner I decided to open up a chat with Dish tech support to ask if there was anything I should be aware of in regards to compatablility etc... Following is a transcript of our chat:

Please wait while we find a representative to assist you...
Welcome to DISH Network Chat.
Dinesh (ID: ISF): How may I help you today?
Dave Silva: Hi there, I would like to purchase an External Hard Drive to hook up to my Dish Duo Receiver. Would any type of External Drive be compatable?
Dinesh (ID: ISF): Hello Dave!
Dinesh (ID: ISF): I'd be happy to assist you with your request.
Dinesh (ID: ISF): Please give me a moment to access your account.
Dinesh (ID: ISF): I appreciate your patience.
Dave Silva: no prob
Dinesh (ID: ISF): Thank you.
Dinesh (ID: ISF): You must go for a EHD with the following features:
USB 2.0
External power source (not powered by the receiver’s USB port)
Minimum size of 50GB / Maximum size of 2TB
Dave Silva: Are you sure 2TB will work? I just found this on the Dish site
Dave Silva: While most major manufactured external hard drives are compatible with the Solo DVR ViP® 612, DuoDVR™ ViP® 622, and DuoDVR ™ ViP® 722 HD receivers, a minimum 50GB and maximum 1TB drive is permitted*.
Dinesh (ID: ISF): We can use both, 2TB is also preferrable and also 1TB.
Dave Silva: Ok do you know why it says maximum 1TB drive is permitted?
Dinesh (ID: ISF): It's the minimum requirement.
Dinesh (ID: ISF): For security purposes, can you please verify the last four digits of the Social Security Number on the account?
Dave Silva: minimum 50GB
Dave Silva: minimum 50GB and maximum 1TB drive is permitted
Dave Silva: Last 4 of the social is ****
Dinesh (ID: ISF): Thank you. Yes, that's correct, minimum 50GB and maximum 1TB.
Dave Silva: ok so brand speed etc doesn't matter?
Dinesh (ID: ISF): Yes, doesn't matter.
Dave Silva: Ok thanks for the help
Dinesh (ID: ISF): You are welcome.
***************************************
So I'm still confused. I have looked into this further since yesterday and I just keep getting different answers. The owner's manual for my Dish receiver states it can handle an external drive with a minimum of 50gb and maximum of 750gb. The Dish web site states minimum 50gm and maximum 1TB and the "Robot" I spoke with yesterday clearly had no clue. I ordered a 1TB drive from Amazon yesterday before seeing the manual and the possible 750 gb max so I am hoping I'm going to be ok. Anyone here using an external drive with Dish? Thanks

 

[highfigh]

I have a VIP722K Duo Dvr receiver from Dish. I want to hook up an external hard drive to maximize how much content I can store. I was in a bit of a rush yesterday so while cooking dinner I decided to open up a chat with Dish tech support to ask if there was anything I should be aware of in regards to compatablility etc... Following is a transcript of our chat:

Please wait while we find a representative to assist you...
Welcome to DISH Network Chat.
Dinesh (ID: ISF): How may I help you today?
Dave Silva: Hi there, I would like to purchase an External Hard Drive to hook up to my Dish Duo Receiver. Would any type of External Drive be compatable?
Dinesh (ID: ISF): Hello Dave!
Dinesh (ID: ISF): I'd be happy to assist you with your request.
Dinesh (ID: ISF): Please give me a moment to access your account.
Dinesh (ID: ISF): I appreciate your patience.
Dave Silva: no prob
Dinesh (ID: ISF): Thank you.
Dinesh (ID: ISF): You must go for a EHD with the following features:
USB 2.0
External power source (not powered by the receiver’s USB port)
Minimum size of 50GB / Maximum size of 2TB
Dave Silva: Are you sure 2TB will work? I just found this on the Dish site
Dave Silva: While most major manufactured external hard drives are compatible with the Solo DVR ViP® 612, DuoDVR™ ViP® 622, and DuoDVR ™ ViP® 722 HD receivers, a minimum 50GB and maximum 1TB drive is permitted*.
Dinesh (ID: ISF): We can use both, 2TB is also preferrable and also 1TB.
Dave Silva: Ok do you know why it says maximum 1TB drive is permitted?
Dinesh (ID: ISF): It's the minimum requirement.
Dinesh (ID: ISF): For security purposes, can you please verify the last four digits of the Social Security Number on the account?
Dave Silva: minimum 50GB
Dave Silva: minimum 50GB and maximum 1TB drive is permitted
Dave Silva: Last 4 of the social is ****
Dinesh (ID: ISF): Thank you. Yes, that's correct, minimum 50GB and maximum 1TB.
Dave Silva: ok so brand speed etc doesn't matter?
Dinesh (ID: ISF): Yes, doesn't matter.
Dave Silva: Ok thanks for the help
Dinesh (ID: ISF): You are welcome.
***************************************
So I'm still confused. I have looked into this further since yesterday and I just keep getting different answers. The owner's manual for my Dish receiver states it can handle an external drive with a minimum of 50gb and maximum of 750gb. The Dish web site states minimum 50gm and maximum 1TB and the "Robot" I spoke with yesterday clearly had no clue. I ordered a 1TB drive from Amazon yesterday before seeing the manual and the possible 750 gb max so I am hoping I'm going to be ok. Anyone here using an external drive with Dish? Thanks

That manual may have been written before 1TB drives were as cheap as they are.

Are you hoping that you'll be able to take that drive to another location and plug it is, to watch the programming? I'm not sure it works that way. If it does, let us know.

 

[j_garcia]

I am using a 320 and the gal who I talked to said 750G max. It recognized my 500, but I am using the 320 because I just had it sitting around.

You can only watch programming from that DVR on that DVR AFAIK. It reformats the drive when you connect it, theoretically so that it can't be read by a PC or other device. I don't know anyone else with a 722K so I can't test to see if someone else's would recognize my drive.

The PS3 is similar, it won't recognize over 500G external.

 

[bigbassdave]

Thanks,
I would love to be able to plug it into my computer and create folders where I can categorize all my shows but I figured this probably would not be possible. If it is I will certainly let you know. I just want to know that it will recognize the 1TB WD drive I bought. I should have it by Friday and I hope I don't have to return it for a smaller drive.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Dish is pretty advanced. I had to hunt for eSata external drive to use with my cable box. Thou size really shouldn't be a concern. Even for crappy mpeg-2 codec my cable uses, I was able to store TONS of HD shows on my 500gb drive...
Dish uses better/more efficient h.264 codec so I imagine even 1tb would give over 200hrs of recordings

 

[j_garcia]

I have 170hrs of HD content stored on my drive already. The other good thing is, though Dish charges you, she said it is a one time fee and you can use any drive after that. So if 1TB doesn't work, just get two 750s and swap them as needed. I usually only fire up the external when I want to save something to it or watch something on it, and the stuff that I am currently watching is on the local DVR drive.

It is a bit picky at times when connecting to the DVR. Don't know if that is the DVR or my drive. I will have to connect and disconnect it a few times before the DVR recognizes it.