ViP211® and ViP211k® DVR Conversion Feature Now Available to Customers

[dmag]

You would think that Dish has a list of approved/recommended drives. They must have used something for testing.

I currently have a WD My Book on my PC that will turn off and on with the PC. It will not turn off or shut down as long as the PC is on.

When I shut off my 211 I still get a screen saver. I wonder if that would be enough to keep the drive active.

 

[Smith P.]

Not. It has to be implemented in FW.

 

[intrac]

See this:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/1594658-post139.html

 

[jerryez]

RandallA has not posted any changes for today. Is Dish asleep? Come on, you only have until Wednesday, the 19th to get the 211s updated.

 

[chikagobnd]

RandallA has not posted any changes for today. Is Dish asleep? Come on, you only have until Wednesday, the 19th to get the 211s updated.

Jerry, if I understand correctly, they actually have through the 19th, not until the 19th to get receivers updated. Contact I've had with Dish and other info I have seen all seem to say the service will be available "after the 19th". To me, that is saying the service would be available beginning on the 20th. Like much of the information from Dish on this new service, info has been muddled and confusing. So, this is just my assumption and I may very well be wrong, but that's what I've gotten out of what I've seen. I'm sure someone on here can clear it up.

 

[rjfrandle]

5400 RPM should be enough for 211.

Really? This is why I would like to know what people that are really good with hard drives think. I don't want to spend 50 extra bucks for something I don't need. Do I need the WD My DVR Expander with the fast transfer speed, or is a "My Book" gonna work just fine? What are you guys going to throw on the 211?

 

[Smith P.]

Anything what I can find in my junk box.

If you remember 5400 RPM disks installed inside of 501/508/510 and 721 and 921 (HD !) models.

 

[RandallA]

RandallA has not posted any changes for today. Is Dish asleep? Come on, you only have until Wednesday, the 19th to get the 211s updated.

Maybe RandallA was asleep. Nah, I checked this morning and got nothing for today.

 

[cj43]

12:01am Nov 19th

Anybody going to wake up at 12:01am on Nov 19th to call and activate this? Then report back if we have all the DVR features?

 

[Smith P.]

Let me repay my error and convince him do that again.

 

[NotMe546]

Anybody going to wake up at 12:01am on Nov 19th to call and activate this? Then report back if we have all the DVR features?

Who will be the first one to get a big headache.

 

[dlsnyder]

A 5400 RPM drive would also not get as hot, correct? Might even be better for continuous long term use as long as the transfer rate is sufficient for HD.

 

[Carl B]

Just checked my ViP211's software and I must have received the update during the night. I was at L521 and now I'm at L523. My number begins with R00 7XXX.

Can't wait for the service to go live and you guys to start posting review comments. I'm sure a lot of HDDs can be made to work with this setup, but since we are in the implementation phase and I don't have a 250 GB or larger USB2 HDD lying around, when I purchase one it will probably be one of the Dish recommended models. I dislike WD HDDs because of their poor, historic, track record for reliability. However, great is Seagate drives are, price will be a factor in my decision (I'm retired).

 

[Grandude]

Really? This is why I would like to know what people that are really good with hard drives think. I don't want to spend 50 extra bucks for something I don't need. Do I need the WD My DVR Expander with the fast transfer speed, or is a "My Book" gonna work just fine? What are you guys going to throw on the 211?

I bought a CoolerMaster hard drive enclosure and put my 250G HD from my old 921 in it. I'm now ready to go. I might do the same with the HD from my old 721.

BTW, the 921 drive needs a really good enclosure. Tried a cheap one and it didn't have enough power to start the drive spinning. Needs 2amps startup per the specs I downloaded.

 

[Grandude]

I don't really plan on recording/saving programs on this unit. Primarily I want the trick functions and the 9 day program schedule.

 

[intrac]

My Book vs My DVR

rjfrandle

The data transfer rate for USB 2.0 is 480 Mb/s -- so it's the same for WD MyBook Home Edition or WD MyDVR Expander USB Edition.

The drive specs appear to be the same. I couldn't find any info related to drive speed. The Seek times, etc. appear to be the same.
Average read seek 8.9 ms average
Track-to-track seek 2.0 ms average
Average latency 4.2 ms nominal

Does the auto power work with the Dish DVRs?

You are correct that you can save some $$ with the MyBook

 

[Islandguy43]

DVR Expander

I found this EHD on Western Digitial's Website.

My DVR Expander USB Edition 500 GB ( WDH1S5000 )

It is one that is Dish Approved and they want $149.99 for it. But if you google it; you will find it for less.

 

[intrac]

That's the approved one. The page says Dish Compatible.

The question is -- will the My Book also work? Is is a lot less.

 

[rjfrandle]

Ahhh...so since we are using USB 2.0 to connect, getting a drive with 3gb transfer speed makes no difference. Am I understanding this right? So getting the My DVR Expander would be a waste of money for the 211...right?

 

[chikagobnd]

Anyone have an educated idea on when exactly the EHD service will be able to activate? Midnight tonight? Sometime tomorrow, or maybe even Thursday? Anyone have an idea?