DishPro Homebrew?

[unomeasjon]

Hey guys, let me say the site looks great. Anywho, I was searching around the net recently for a "hack" if you will... so that I could maybe run homebrew code on my old DishPro DVR. Im not with the Dish Network service anymore so that won't be a problem. We loved DishNetwork but had to leave for price reasons. Since we technically owned the DVR receiver after we cancled our service dish said we could throw away or do what ever we wanted with the receivers.. So I being somewhat smart kept the DishPro DVR and one of the normal non dvr receivers... Then later my dad brought a non working DVR home from work that had fireware issues. So back to the question, do you guys know of any thing that would run on the DVR's that would like maybe let me have the box sit between my TV and record off of my TV? If not Ill just take the harddrives out and use them as storage in my computer.

Regards,
Jon :

 

[harshness]

Anywho, I was searching around the net recently for a "hack" if you will... so that I could maybe run homebrew code on my old DishPro DVR.

If you could find a complete replacement for the software and figure out how to pipe what you want to record, you would be in business. I'm guessing that the DVR has only a satellite tuner for input.

 

[unomeasjon]

Well I don't really want to mess with the dish firmware / OS ... Id rather try running some sort of linux distro or custom code that doesnt require a mouse / keyboard to install. That way I could just take out the HD install on it put the hardrive back in and use the hardware. I can't imagine this hasnt been done before.

 

[harshness]

Well I don't really want to mess with the dish firmware / OS ... Id rather try running some sort of linux distro or custom code that doesnt require a mouse / keyboard to install. That way I could just take out the HD install on it put the hardrive back in and use the hardware. I can't imagine this hasnt been done before.

It would have to be from the ground up custom code as the original code for processors of the day wasn't Linux. Porting Linux to embedded processors is no small task.

 

[unomeasjon]

Hmmm two 120 gb harddrives.. I think ill just put them in my computer. Lol.. They have fast spin up speeds also. Maxtor QuickViews

EDIT: If anyone wants to know whats on the drives I will share. Im sure some of my recorded shows from awhile back are on here.

 

[stck4evr]

Yes, depends what processor is in that DVR, and how the board is layed out. Even if linux disto is available for this processor, you (developer) has to do many things to get that board to "boot up". First code is in assembly, in flash. It has to configure the processor so that you can access the memory. Now just the memory map is simple - what is harder is you need to know and program the actual timings for the specific memory that is sitting on the board. There's other stuff to do after that. All this is done by BIOS on a PC, but in embedded propriatary boards there is no BIOS - you are doing the "BIOS"...

 

[unomeasjon]

woah 1337 hax

 

[TheKrell]

Well I don't really want to mess with the dish firmware / OS ... That way I could just take out the HD install on it put the hardrive back in and use the hardware. I can't imagine this hasnt been done before.

Well, imagine it because the firmware for Dish receivers is not stored on disk. In fact, it will make a quite serviceable disk-less receiver if you remove the disk.

However, before you take out those 120GB disks and waste them on a PC, you might consider instead selling the receivers on Ebay. If they are ex-subbed receivers with no balance owed, then they will surey net you at least enough to buy brand new 250GB disks.

By the way, you didn't mention the model numbers. The original Dish DVR models (50x) are worth something to some of us because they have no extra DVR fee. The 501 is not saddled with the loathsome Dish On Demand either. No, you said 120GB... Must be at least a 510 which was subject to the extra fee and did get DoD. Anyhow, the 5xx series receivers are married to their disks, so taking them out and reformatting them in your PC will seriously reduce the receiver's value.

 

[unomeasjon]

Well, imagine it because the firmware for Dish receivers is not stored on disk. In fact, it will make a quite serviceable disk-less receiver if you remove the disk.

However, before you take out those 120GB disks and waste them on a PC, you might consider instead selling the receivers on Ebay. If they are ex-subbed receivers with no balance owed, then they will surey net you at least enough to buy brand new 250GB disks.

By the way, you didn't mention the model numbers. The original Dish DVR models (50x) are worth something to some of us because they have no extra DVR fee. The 501 is not saddled with the loathsome Dish On Demand either. No, you said 120GB... Must be at least a 510 which was subject to the extra fee and did get DoD. Anyhow, the 5xx series receivers are married to their disks, so taking them out and reformatting them in your PC will seriously reduce the receiver's value.

I can always make an image of the discs then format them. Then if I feel like selling just reformat and load the img file back onto the disc. Pop it into the receiver and sell it. I just checked they are both 510's

Its a shame.. They have decent boards in them and they have alot of audio and video capabilities.

 

[goaliebob99]

Hey guys keep in mind that this is a legit forum and that any hacks that aid in the reception of satellite theft will result in warnings if not being banned from here. Im just saying keep it legit guys as your doing a good job of it. Also, on dishes site there is open source code for some linux recivers that dish offers allthough there is not enough code there to make a working reciver. As far as the hard drives go. If there yours I would throw them in a pc, format them and use them for storage. I would be intrested in a foldign at home, home brew on a dish dvr LOL ...