Can a Dish external HD load to a PC?

Olhippie

Member
Original poster
Jan 17, 2021
8
4
Oregon
I hope there is a way to plug my 2TB external hard drive into my computer, it has a ton of movies I have stored there. When I plug it in it tells me there is no driver seen or available. What I want to do is take the movies from that hard drive and run them through one of the Video converters and turn them into MP4's. Tell me I am not crazy, these must be a way!
 
Ditto the other two replies. If you happen to find some good info about the encryption (I never have) report back... Frankly, I'd be happy just to find someone reporting that they successfully imaged the entire external HD (bit-wise copy, meaning the encryption would remain intact) and were able to recover heir movies to the Hopper using the imaged drive. That should theoretically be possible, but I'm not (yet) ready to go to the trouble based on theory...
 
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Ditto the other two replies. If you happen to find some good info about the encryption (I never have) report back... Frankly, I'd be happy just to find someone reporting that they successfully imaged the entire external HD (bit-wise copy, meaning the encryption would remain intact) and were able to recover heir movies to the Hopper using the imaged drive. That should theoretically be possible, but I'm not (yet) ready to go to the trouble based on theory...
Well you and the others obviously are a lot more tech savvy than I am so I guess I will just have to deal with it BUT if anyone ever figures out a way.....but I am not holding my breath.
 
Even if some know how to do it, they won't share it here. It is illegal. Authorities can easily find out where you are located (if you proudly give instructions here!). It does not matter much using VPN or hiding your IP address. Not worth it.
 
Even if some know how to do it, they won't share it here. It is illegal. Authorities can easily find out where you are located (if you proudly give instructions here!). It does not matter much using VPN or hiding your IP address. Not worth it.
Why is it illegal? I paid to save the tv shows or movies, i don't get your comment
 
Why is it illegal? I paid to save the tv shows or movies, i don't get your comment
Because you didn't buy it. If you can convert it to MP4 then you can give it away or do all sorts of things with it that are counter to the purpose of a DVR. A DVR allows you to time shift your watching of a program, not own the content.
 
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I've used a Hauppauge PVR in the past to record programs from my Dish DVR and save them as an MP4 on my computer. It connects to the Dish receiver via component cables and to the PC via USB. It's time consuming because you can only record one program at a time, but it works.
 
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I've used a Hauppauge PVR in the past to record programs from my Dish DVR and save them as an MP4 on my computer. It connects to the Dish receiver via component cables and to the PC via USB. It's time consuming because you can only record one program at a time, but it works.
Thank you
 
I've used a Hauppauge PVR in the past to record programs from my Dish DVR and save them as an MP4 on my computer. It connects to the Dish receiver via component cables and to the PC via USB. It's time consuming because you can only record one program at a time, but it works.

The operative word is "Component Cables" and not high bandwidth HDMI. Component doesn't carry the HDCP encoding so you can record it. But you are not recording Apples to Apples.

More like Apples to Peaches. An Apple is smooth, glossy and shinny. A Peach is fussy, dull, ....
Both can be eaten, but you can tell the difference. ;)
 
The operative word is "Component Cables" and not high bandwidth HDMI. Component doesn't carry the HDCP encoding so you can record it. But you are not recording Apples to Apples.

More like Apples to Peaches. An Apple is smooth, glossy and shinny. A Peach is fussy, dull, ....
Both can be eaten, but you can tell the difference. ;)
My PVR is an older model. The newer ones record through HDMI up to 1080p.
 
If you can convert it to MP4 then you can give it away or do all sorts of things with it that are counter to the purpose of a DVR.
Assuming it's an HD program, the EHD program stream file is already MP4. Just saying.
Why is it illegal?
Because of the damnable DMCA which IMHO goes way way too far. Taken literally, you can't even rip an owned DVD for your use elsewhere. :(
 
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Why is it illegal? I paid to save the tv shows or movies, i don't get your comment
Yes, you are correct that you and all of us pay monthly to save a copy on our Hoppers to view as often as we want. You can even take your hopper with you when you travel and watch recorded shows as suggested here by Crodrules. Here’s the iffy part: if people start making copies in any video format, they can also give them away or sell them. I am not saying you will do it. But, you know how it is. There is a reason why the recordings are encrypted. Yes, I also know that there are computer software that either capture monitor screen or download movies from well known web sites. I bet dish made a commitment to movie companies that their shows will be encrypted. This question has been asked many times before (at old Dish forum).

and TheKrell, you can rip your own dvds and save them in any video format you want with the right software. I save mine as VOB files or mp4 and save them in EHDs. Very convenient to watch them via laptop connected to tv with hdmi cable.
 
Assuming it's an HD program, the EHD program stream file is already MP4. Just saying.

Because of the damnable DMCA which IMHO goes way way too far. Taken literally, you can't even rip an owned DVD for your use elsewhere. :(
It depends. In many countries it is perfectly legal to make backups of any DVD or CD that you own as long as you keep it for personal use.
 
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