721 Recording Buffer

[Mark S.]

I just got a new 721 and was curious about the recording buffer...

Is it 2 hours just like the 921??? I'm sure the answer is in the owners manual but I just haven't had the time to look it up...or is it I'm just too lazy???

Anyone know the answer for sure???

 

[Smith P.]

Your 921 SW version is obsolete now - should be L1.84 .

 

[SimpleSimon]

Your 921 SW version is obsolete now - should be L1.84 .

His signature now says L184 - guess he hadn't gotten around to it yet.

I'm still on L182 myself - not gonna interrupt my primetime recordings just to reboot.

 

[Mark S.]

Your 921 SW version is obsolete now - should be L1.84 .

Oh...I'm sorry Smith, P.

I thought I asked about the recording buffer on the 721.

But thanks for the heads up anyway...I went ahead and updated it for you assuming it has already downloaded but since I'm still at work...I have no way of knowing if that's what I'm at yet or not.

 

[TyroneShoes]

There is 2 hours of recording buffer on each input of the 721, and they can be used simultaneously.

 

[Stargazer]

That is another thing I like about the 721, the two hour buffer vs. the one hour buffer that the 501/508/510 has, and a second tuner with two hours of buffer to boot. That is good for those that do not want to watch live tv so they can skip commercials to have two shows on at once going back and forth between them. It is also good for watching news/weather and going back two hours.

Sometimes I just set it on a channel (sometimes PIP tuner as well) when I have to go do something then come back and watch it skipping the commercials. That is a sure benefit that the 501/508/510 cannot do as the 721 can.

How much buffer does each tuner have on the 522?

 

[Mark S.]

That is another thing I like about the 721, the two hour buffer vs. the one hour buffer that the 501/508/510 has, and a second tuner with two hours of buffer to boot. That is good for those that do not want to watch live tv so they can skip commercials to have two shows on at once going back and forth between them. It is also good for watching news/weather and going back two hours.

Sometimes I just set it on a channel (sometimes PIP tuner as well) when I have to go do something then come back and watch it skipping the commercials. That is a sure benefit that the 501/508/510 cannot do as the 721 can.

How much buffer does each tuner have on the 522?

Anyone know if this PIP buffer ability will ever become available on the 921???

 

[Wishbone]

I'm guessing that DVR buffers are memory and not the HDD.. Am I correct? I was sorta worried when I found out that it is always recording when it is on because I thought that the hard drive was always spinning..

 

[LER]

It's to DISK, IIRC.

 

[Wishbone]

It's to DISK, IIRC.

So the HDD is always spinning when it is turned on? Wouldn't that cause reliability problems?

 

[LER]

So the HDD is always spinning when it is turned on? Wouldn't that cause reliability problems?

Yes, it's always spinning when it's recording or buffering.

The disks actually PREFER to be on all the time. The stop/start causes more wear and tear.

I have servers that are on 24x7 and the disks are always spinning on them as well.

LER

 

[Stargazer]

I read a report somewhere that stated that a hard drive could last for many many years (20-40 years, I forget the exact amount of time) being run continuously.

 

[TyroneShoes]

Odds are that a HD will have a logical error, or many, long before it has a catastrophic hardware error, like a bearing going out or a head crash. You might be able to get a HD to run for 20 years, but 20 years of recording and erasing programs would probably kill it much earlier on from a reliability (logical) standpoint.

 

[Wishbone]

Odds are that a HD will have a logical error, or many, long before it has a catastrophic hardware error, like a bearing going out or a head crash. You might be able to get a HD to run for 20 years, but 20 years of recording and erasing programs would probably kill it much earlier on from a reliability (logical) standpoint.

And that's 20 years of CONSTANT use, not normal usage.. I'm guessing that the disk stops when you "power" it down. (Or does it?)

Since a DVR is more like a computer than a regular satellite receiver, I'm guessing that it needs the HDD for "boot-up" and regular operation. If the hard drive fails for some reason, will that only affect recording? Or will I not even be able to tune channels at all while waiting for the service man? Sounds scary..

How often does Dish replace their leased PVRs? Or do you have to buy a new receiver to upgrade?

 

[Stargazer]

That is correct, that is 20+ years of continuous use, so the time that you do not have it powered on should make up for any extra wear and tear on the hard drive that may be created by use, which I do not think creates any extra wear and tear. If anything, shutting down and starting up the hard drive is what causes the wear and tear.