522 hard drive upgrade

[David_Levin]

Is it looking in the BIOS of the drive for a vendor string? That would be odd considering the first 522 I had shipped with a Samsung 160 GB drive in it.

Yes, that is what is happing. The 522/625 software has a list of acceptible drives. So, you can only use drive that have been officially installed in the 522.

I just spent a few minutes reviewing the messages over here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dishmod

I looks like while the 522 and 625 may be identical hardware, they are not running the same sofware. So, Installing a 625 drive into a 522 may not work.

Here's a list of 522 approved drives:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dishmod/message/5098
Maxtor 4R120L0
Maxtor 4R160L0
ST3120025ACE
ST3160022ACE
SAMSUNG SV1203N
SAMSUNG SV1604E
ST3160023AS
Maxtor TBD model
Maxtor 7Y250M0

You really need to spend a few HOURS reading before you mess with the box. Here's a good thread to start:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dishmod/message/5036

They also have a database of approved drives:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dishmod/database?method=reportRows&tbl=12

522/625 are mixed together, so I'm not sure if my original statement is correct.

I am also very skeptible that a higher performance HDD will make any different to the 522. The bandwidth requirements of the 522 probably don't exceed the bandwidth of the slower drive. You might get faster searches, but I doubt picture quality will be effected.

Plus, if you don't OWN the box, I really recommend against opening it up.

 

[bandoul]

Yes, that is what is happing. The 522/625 software has a list of acceptible drives. So, you can only use drive that have been officially installed in the 522.

I just spent a few minutes reviewing the messages over here:

I looks like while the 522 and 625 may be identical hardware, they are not running the same sofware. So, Installing a 625 drive into a 522 may not work.

Here's a list of 522 approved drives:

Maxtor 4R120L0
Maxtor 4R160L0
ST3120025ACE
ST3160022ACE
SAMSUNG SV1203N
SAMSUNG SV1604E
ST3160023AS
Maxtor TBD model
Maxtor 7Y250M0

QUOTE]

Thanks for all the info, I appreciate it. It looks like the ST3160023AS is a SATA Drive and I don't see anywhere on the system board where a SATA drive can be connected. It must be that different 522's shipped with different system boards. Since Dish is releasing new hardware on Feb 1st, I will wait and see what upgrade path they will provide for existing customers. Else I will do to the unit what can't be discussed on this forum ; )~

One way or another I am going to get a better performing drive in my unit whether Dish facilitates this or not.

Dish Network has a bad attitude, bad posture, and I am sure if I get close enough, bad breath. All and all they shaft their customers.

 

[ronfelder]

Hey guys, has anyone tried putting a different or bigger hard drive in their 522? I successfully removed the drive from the unit, then imaged it using Norton Ghost 9. I then low level formated it, used it in my computer to move some big VOB files around, formatted it again and then put the ghosted image back on just to see if it would work. It booted back up just fine. So you're asking yourself what sane person would do this and for what insane reason right? Well here is why, most of us have complained about the video quality and sound problems in recorded and live shows right? I found out that the hard drive that ships in these unit is an el cheapo samsung drive so I said to myself what if I could put a same capacity (Linux dosen't adjust well if the drive suddently grows in size) Maxtor QuickView hard drives which are designed for digital video recorders with a cache size of 16MB as opposed to the 2MB in the el cheapo drive? Wouldn't that dramatically improve the quality of the recored shows and live TV viewing? I think so!!! Anyone agree/disagree? Tried this? Thoughts?

If you're worried about the warranty you can preserve the drive you take out intact and put back in if you have to send the unit back for repairs. I've done that already, meaning broke the label seal between the drive and chassis and no problem getting warranty repair or replacement unit.

What type of formatting does the drive in the 522 use? Ex. Win xp uses ntsb. what size drive did you install?

ron

 

[Smith P.]

Windows XP using NTFS v5; DVR522 - EXT3, like Linux.

 

[bnewt]

Remember, the CSRs are completely clueless. Also remember, the CSRs supervisors are only a smidgen less clueless.

In the future all boxes will be hd/mpeg4 capable. The means that the 522/625 will EVENTUALLY be replaced with the vip622.

Feb 1 you'll be able to place an order for a 622 - it'll cost you $299 to get it (the 921/942 people will be offered an extra $200 rebate in April).

It'll be years before they are ready to switch SD to mpeg4 to don't expect the deal to change for awhile.

New SD customers will get a 622 but availability for probably keep them sending out 625's for another 6 months.

bandoul: If you really want the VOD, take the new HDD and install it in your 522. You can always put the original back if in the future you switch to a 622 (I can always find use for extra HDD space). Personally, VOD from sat does nothing for me. I can set up timers for what I want.

If I understand you correctly, if I want to upgrade to a dual tuner dvr for SD, not HD that I would upgrade to the 622 unit? I was thinking of doing this very thing this spring, but assumed that I would go from the 508 to the 522/625. Would the 622 serve me as well as the 522/625 for SD programming?

 

[ronfelder]

Windows XP using NTFS v5; DVR522 - EXT3, like Linux.

wrong letter sorry