622 Hard Drive Upgrade

[MacKenzieIII]

If they implement external HDD - they need to add a command/menu option for removing the HDD to ensure everything's done safely - just like in Windows where you have to click the little green arrow icon in your notification area to "safely remove hardware.

So, when you plug the HDD in, it's autodetected. When it's time to remove it, you need to access a menu item and wait for a prompt to tell you it's safe to unplug it.

If you unplug it without using the menu item, the box pops up a nastygram and tells you it was "unsafely removed," again, just like windows. (Who ever thought someone would use windows as an example for how something SHOULD work?).

Anyway, I don't think Dish would be dumb enough to have the 622 write "critical" files to an external device - tose would stay on the onboard HDD.

I am able to plug a USB drive in and copy photos off of it. I don;t think there is any "unplug USB" option for that. Saving the files to the USB device should be no different.

I suspect the real worry is it lets us take the Dish files off of our DVR and save the raw files to our PC. And that opens up the ability to start file sharing those files. And that might not be a road dish wants to go down.

But it would be great if they did, I would love to take a USB device and save off movies or shows worth keeping.

 

[Smith P.]

Would you decribe your "a USB drive" in technical terms ?

I'm unable to recognize WD 250 GB in USB2 disk enclosure while connecting to ViP622@L3.55.

 

[bigblock468]

Not sure about all the technobabble I'm just hoping to be able to save more HD programming to watch on my 100" Elite screen and Panasonic PT-EA900U. The stuff on Rave is AWESOME on the BIG screen ;-)

Chris

 

[Smith P.]

Nobody touched your hopes, relax and enjoy your shows.

 

[Zookster]

This is how it works for the SA8300's that cable companies use, which allow for an external SATA hard drive to be attached. Once connected, the user powers up the SATA, then the 8300, which automatically detects the connected device and prompts to format it. Thus the SATA can only be used with the 8300 (ie, no file sharing, because it would have to be reformatted to connect to a PC). The SATA must always remain plugged in and "on" as recordings are placed on the HDD that has the most available space at the time the recording is scheduled to start. If the SATA was "off," the recording would probably fail. I've had mine for about a month, but haven't risked experimenting with powering it down or disconnecting because I don't want to lose any recorded shows.

 

[bigblock468]

Any more input ? Possibly 1 of the Admin's. I'm down to 18 hours left of high def recording space and I sure would like to be able to record the whole NHRA season on ESPN2HD. I watched qualifying last night and a Top Fueler sure looks alot better in HD on 100" then the SD broadcast. I recorded all last season to DVD on my Panasonic DVD recorder and even when watching the DVD's on my Oppo 971 the PQ isn't even close. HELP !

Thanks, BB468:

 

[pacman]

Would you decribe your "a USB drive" in technical terms ?

I'm unable to recognize WD 250 GB in USB2 disk enclosure while connecting to ViP622@L3.55.

I just picked up a Maxtor 200Gb Touch II external USB drive (FAT32 format) and decided to test it on my 942. It picked up right away and when I went to manage it, it gave me an error about "not enabled" when I tried option 1 or 2 (transfer video from/to drive). It did however allow me to search the drive for photos, so I know the drive is recognized by the 942 and it can access it, Dish just hasn't enabled the feature to transfer video files to it...come on Dish...P-L-E-A-S-E...

 

[David_Levin]

Reading between the lines, it sounds like the external drive will not be used on the fly by the 622. This avoids many problems.

You'll have to manually move files on and off the external HDD. There was also an early report that the events would have to be moved back of the internal HDD for playback (I hope they figure out a way to playback directly from the externall HDD).

Remember, the 622 internal HDD has to support 5 simultaneous HD streams, 3 record & TV 1 & 2 playback. Yes, TV2 is SD only, but it can be watching a down-converted HD source. I don't think you can get this bandwidth from a USB HDD.

The manual approach requires only 1 stream to/from the external HDD. Also, problems of the 622 getting confused when the drive is removed are mostly eliminated.

We do not know what formatting the external HDD will use - it could be custom. In any case, don't expect to be able to do anything with the 622 files on a PC.

 

[Smith P.]

I would bet $.02 it will be same Linux partitions.

 

[bhawley]

Reading between the lines, it sounds like the external drive will not be used on the fly by the 622. This avoids many problems.

You'll have to manually move files on and off the external HDD. There was also an early report that the events would have to be moved back of the internal HDD for playback (I hope they figure out a way to playback directly from the externall HDD).

A bit of a problem if your internal drive is filled up, eh

 

[datwell]

Well, the phone call for my 622 upgrade from the 942 goes in on Saturday (4/1), so I hope E* brings up this feature in the near future!

--Doug

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I have a GOOD FEELING we will see this in the future.

 

[datwell]

I have a GOOD FEELING we will see this in the future.

This will be some good news indeed! :

We DVR a bunch of stuff - love the 942 and looking for more of the same from the 622!

--Doug

 

[ChetK]

I have a GOOD FEELING we will see this in the future.

Dude, I LOVE comments like this! :

I have been tracking my UPS package and I will be hooking up my new 622 when I get home from work today. Thanks for shipping it out so fast Scott!

 

[bigblock468]

Hey bhawley, very nice avatar!:up

BB468

 

[ChetK]

I put it in my other thread, but I think it belongs here too:

When I activated my 622 with tech support yesterday, I asked him when this feature would be turned on. He said that he thinks it will be very soon and that he has already seen it functioning on test systems internally.

 

[bhawley]

Hey bhawley, very nice avatar!:up

BB468

Just wait till next bb season

 

[perUano]

Good news indeed but they should have turned it on NOW just in time for the world cup!!! I'm running out of space from recording every game so far! I love HD soccer!

 

[Smith P.]

<...>We do not know what formatting the external HDD will use - it could be custom. In any case, don't expect to be able to do anything with the 622 files on a PC.

At least internal disk not rejecting if you put it in USB2 enclosure and connect to 622. Just telling the feature not suppot yet.
It was posted - the 622's disk have 4 EXT3 ( Linux) partitions. I saw that from posted internal logs.

 

[David_Levin]

Boy, pretty good deal on the 750 gig ATA for $299 at CompUSA. Best price I've seen for this puppy.

NOW IF ONLY DISH WOULD LET US HAVE THE FEATURE (no, wait. They have to figure out how to "SELL" it).

Yes, I decided to wake up the old thread - reminds us how long we have been waiting. Actually, we've been waiting since the days of the 942.