External Hard Drive on a 722 receiver

[upsss]

1) I understand that there is no charge for using an external hard drive on a 722. What exactly I have to do to enable this external hard drive?

2) According to Dish, the external hard drive must have its own power supply. Does anyone know if the 722 USB interface can supply the standard 0.5A from its 5V output?

Most USB 2.5" hard drives draw less than 0.5A and work perfectly without an external power supply. Are there any other technical reasons why such a hard drive (without an external power supply) would not work on a 722?

 

[3HaloODST]

As far as I am aware you just plug it in and it works. You may have to get authorization over the phone though, but it is free.

The limitations as far as how much power the USB port can supply is mostly limited by the receiver's own power supply. It's just not that powerful. I strongly recommend using an external power supply for any drive whether it be 2.5" or 3.5".

Something like this Newegg.com - 2.5"/3.5"/5.25" SATA/IDE to USB 2.0 Adapter - Model CB-ISATAU2 has a nice power supply that is compatible with both SATA and IDE drives. The only thing it can't power are 2.5" IDE drives. There are molex-to-2.5" ide power adapters out there though.

In summary: It may work, but I recommend using an external power supply as the receiver's own power supply isn't that great.

EDIT: Oh, and another option is using a powered USB hub.

 

[Bobby]

Yes, you just plug it in and it works. No authorization needed. You must have an external power source, no getting around it....

 

[navychop]

They really do mean it when they say an external power supply is required. I have yet to see anyone report on this board that they have successfully evaded that requirement. And I have been known to spend the odd minute or two here.

 

[upsss]

They really do mean it when they say an external power supply is required. I have yet to see anyone report on this board that they have successfully evaded that requirement. And I have been known to spend the odd minute or two here.

That doesn't prove anything.
By definition, any USB port must supply 0.5A, unfortunately not all do. I am quite aware that the 722 power supply is very marginal. That is one of reasons I had to attach an exhaust fan to my 722.

 

[navychop]

You may not like the answer but it remains. You must use a powered EHD. You might get by using an unpowered EHD plugged in to a powered hub.

 

[3HaloODST]

That doesn't prove anything.
By definition, any USB port must supply 0.5A, unfortunately not all do. I am quite aware that the 722 power supply is very marginal. That is one of reasons I had to attach an exhaust fan to my 722.

Well, all I can say is you can try it, with a 2.5" drive it may work. I suppose only 2.5 watts shouldn't overload the PSU, but who knows if the port will actually supply it.

So, try it and report back to us whether or not it worked . Otherwise, get something like what I linked to, or use a powered USB hub.

 

[Peter Parker]

That doesn't prove anything.
By definition, any USB port must supply 0.5A, unfortunately not all do. I am quite aware that the 722 power supply is very marginal. That is one of reasons I had to attach an exhaust fan to my 722.

Sometimes we don't want something to be true but it still is. As others have said you can try it but it is unlikely to work. The powered USB hub idea might work but the 722 will not.

 

[upsss]

Regarding my 2nd question, I can accept any answer that is based on facts. Unfortunately so far, none of them are factual.

 

[Bobby]

And to continue on with this silliness, you've been told to try it for yourself and that's a fact. Try it and disprove us! Once you have disproved us or found out differently you'll have all the facts you need.

 

[navychop]

Regarding my 2nd question, I can accept any answer that is based on facts. Unfortunately so far, none of them are factual.

Meanwhile, dancing bears have become a common sight in the streets. This is bizarre!

FACT is, Dish says it won't work. FACT is, no one has reported otherwise. FACT is, your second question is moot. It ain't gonna work! We KNOW this. If you find some low load drive that works (RELIABLY), by all means let us know. But so far, it doesn't happen. You can run a test load on that USB output if you want, but either way, unpowered EHDs have not been shown to work. Arguing that it "should" work is pointless.

Other than that, best wishes to you. I hope you find a solution you can live with. The powered EHDs just aren't that expensive. We truly have a GREAT feature here. Complaining that some minor aspect is not as you wish is counter productive.

 

[Peter Parker]

The answers are factual you just don't want to accept the facts without an explanation that you think is acceptable.

Again if you want to try it in spite of what we have told you go ahead.

 

[3HaloODST]

What answer are you expecting exactly? You asked whether or not anyone knew if the USB port would actually supply half an amp at 5 volts, or 2.5 watts. I stated the fact, that I don't know, but the receiver's own power supply is not that great, and I doubt that a drive will work unpowered. I stated the fact that you could try it out for yourself if you think it will work. I then proceeded to state some more facts. A USB hub will supply the necessary power if the receiver won't. Fact. Getting an external power supply will supply the necessary power if the receiver won't. Fact. I'll just have to remember this in the future, and not waste my time answering your threads, for fear of being told my answer isn't factual and is therefore unacceptable.

 

[TheKrell]

They really do mean it when they say an external power supply is required.

Devil's advocate question. How do you know? It's probably not required at all and it will probably work with a sufficiently low-powered external drive. Dish is probably just saying that to avoid the support calls and fried power supplies that might ensue with some external drives. Did I say "probably" enough here? Note that I don't own such a drive so I can't try it myself. But that's an excellent idea.

I have yet to see anyone report on this board that they have successfully evaded that requirement. And I have been known to spend the odd minute or two here.

Neither have I. But having spent many odd minutes myself, I don't remember anyone trying and failing, either. Have you?

 

[Bobby]

Neither have I. But having spent many odd minutes myself, I don't remember anyone trying and failing, either. Have you?

Actually, I think I have but it goes way back and might be difficult to find, even with search... Just the same the OP should just try it and disprove what everyone is saying......

 

[3HaloODST]

Well with the price/GB ratio of 2.5" drives in comparison to their 3.5" brethren, it's no surprise to me that nobody has tried this. Even at that, the higher capacity 2.5" drives tend to have more platters which would require more power, which could end up being as much or more than the 2.5 watts that USB is supposed to be able to supply. Then there's rotational speed, obviously with the higher rotational speeds (such as 7200RPM drives) requiring more power.

I'd personally rather deal with a power supply myself, than gamble on buying a 2.5" drive that has low enough power requirements, and bet on the receiver even supplying the standard amount of power that USB specifies. Now, if I had a spare 2.5" drive lying around, sure I'd try it unpowered, just for the heck of it. I am still curious as to whether or not this could work, but really there's nothing much to be gained in knowing this, other than as I said if I had one lying around, and then I would just find out for myself.

 

[KAB]

Actually, I think I have but it goes way back and might be difficult to find, even with search... Just the same the OP should just try it and disprove what everyone is saying......

I remember somebody managed to get one to format, but did not function from then on.

 

[Bobby]

Well with the price/GB ratio of 2.5" drives in comparison to their 3.5" brethren, it's no surprise to me that nobody has tried this. Even at that, the higher capacity 2.5" drives tend to have more platters which would require more power, which could end up being as much or more than the 2.5 watts that USB is supposed to be able to supply. Then there's rotational speed, obviously with the higher rotational speeds (such as 7200RPM drives) requiring more power.

I'd personally rather deal with a power supply myself, than gamble on buying a 2.5" drive that has low enough power requirements, and bet on the receiver even supplying the standard amount of power that USB specifies. Now, if I had a spare 2.5" drive lying around, sure I'd try it unpowered, just for the heck of it. I am still curious as to whether or not this could work, but really there's nothing much to be gained in knowing this, other than as I said if I had one lying around, and then I would just find out for myself.

That's another requirement, the drive has to be single platter.....

 

[Peter Parker]

Devil's advocate question. How do you know? It's probably not required at all and it will probably work with a sufficiently low-powered external drive. Dish is probably just saying that to avoid the support calls and fried power supplies that might ensue with some external drives. Did I say "probably" enough here? Note that I don't own such a drive so I can't try it myself. But that's an excellent idea.

Neither have I. But having spent many odd minutes myself, I don't remember anyone trying and failing, either. Have you?

perhaps this is so. but the only way to find out if it works in spite of the DISH guidance and the arguments already presented is yo just try it. If the OP thinks we just don't know he is the likeliest candidate to try it but i would welcome it if ANYONE tried it and reported back.

 

[3HaloODST]

That's another requirement, the drive has to be single platter.....

Well... Not really. DISH's description was rather vague and misleading. They actually mean it needs to be a single drive, not a RAID 0 (or 5 or 10) array, though I think I have seen people getting RAID 1 arrays working as EHDs. For example, I have an older 500GB drive I had lying around, WD5000AAKS, it uses the older 250GB platters, and there are two of them in the drive. It works just fine as an EHD. The newer versions of the drive have a single 500GB platter which has the benefits of less power consumption, higher platter density (better performance,) less heat, and possibly less chance of failure.