External hard drive question: record on vip722k and watch on vip211k?

[hvarma2008]

Is it possible to do the following?
1.record programs on vip722k transfer them to external hard drive.
2. Disconnect the external drive from vip722k and connect to vip211k.
3. Now watch programs from external drive on vip211k

The reason I ask is that there have been few questions on this forum regarding external hard drives on vip211k, which is not a DVR.

Thanks,

Hemant

 

[nsafreak]

No, it's not possible. The 722k and the 211k use two different filing systems for the files that they put on the external hard drive. If you try and do what you outlined then you'll just get a prompt on the 211k to format the hard drive so that it can be used as a DVR, provided that you paid the $40 activation fee of that feature. Likewise would be the same if you tried to take recordings that you made on the 211k and watch them on the 722k.

 

[hvarma2008]

Does this mean that the vip211k will have DVR like functionality if I add an external drive to it? Can I record programs on 211k after I add the external drive?
I already paid the $40 activation fee a few years back.

 

[nsafreak]

Ah, but the question is did you pay the $40 fee to enable the external hard drive on the 722 or did you pay it to enable the DVR functionality on the 211k? They're two separate fees that enable different features. There's no longer a fee to hook up an external hard drive to your 722k but I'm guessing that the fee you paid back then was to enable the feature on your 722k. If that's the case you're going to have to pay another $40 fee to enable the feature on your 211k. However if you do pay that fee then yes you will have DVR functionality once you add an external hard drive to that unit and you'll be able to record programs to that hard drive.

 

[dwarren2]

You'll be able to record 2 programs at the same time. One from the ota tuner and the 2nd from the Dish tuner.

 

[hvarma2008]

I thought the fee covers all receivers on the account, is that no longer true? How confusing!

 

[yaz96]

I thought the fee covers all receivers on the account, is that no longer true? How confusing!

That's the Dish way.

 

[Bobby]

That's NOT the Dish way. The 211 is NOT a DVR and that's why it costs $40 to make it one. The 622/722s are DVRs and the $40, initially, was to be able to expand the hard drive space to save programming. Two different deals here. Now, of course, you no longer have to pay the $40 to expand hard drive space, but if you want to make a 211 a DVR it still costs you $40......

 

[Ray C]

hvarma2008,

The information Bobby and nsafreak provided is correct. You can PM us here at DISH Internet Response Team so we can look at your account to see if you have the proper activation code on your account. As nsafreak said if you paid the activation fee a few back, it was probably to activate the USB port on your 722 for the EHD.