Hard Drive Bargain Watch

It did not seem obvious that thenerds sold that model, but thanks. DB35=FreeAgent?
 
That's a great price, but the DB35 series is designed for DVR use, PCBAY does not carry them.

That's correct. I bought the 750GB from PCBay for my PC and not for DVR usage. However, if the external drive is used only as backup and not viewing or recording directly to it, I don't see why I would need a DVR-specific hard drive anyway.

I'm sure I'll get one of those DVR-specific drives after E* releases the update. IF they ever release the update.
 
I thought that we were going to have to use SATA drives in an external mount case that will interface w/ the USB port on the 622.

Ultra ATA-100 and up is still faster than the USB 2.0 interface and the DB35 drives are designed to maximize your throughput without wasting a lot of time on the more elaborate error correction processes.
 
...However, if the external drive is used only as backup and not viewing or recording directly to it, I don't see why I would need a DVR-specific hard drive anyway.

Exactly - if you are simply transferring files back and forth from drive to dvr and back again, it wouldn't matter.

I plan on playing the files directly from the external drive, if they allow that, so I want the DVR specific drives for that very reason. I don't want to have to wait for HD files to move back and forth.
 
I thought that we were going to have to use SATA drives in an external mount case that will interface w/ the USB port on the 622.

Belkin, and others, sell enclosures that will take a PATA drive (AT100, 150 etc) and interface externally via USB 2.

I guess as long as we are only talking one stream in action at a time, it would make no difference. Seemingly, it could even easily support watching an HD program off the external drive while recording another, if they ever support such functions.
 
I guess as long as we are only talking one stream in action at a time, it would make no difference. Seemingly, it could even easily support watching an HD program off the external drive while recording another, if they ever support such functions.

The interface on the drive does not matter - all modern drives are faster than the USB 2.0 interface. Dish had said that the USB 2.0 interface will handle multiple streams no problem so PATA or SATA does not matter.

Ultra ATA-100 is 800mbps, USB 2.0 is 480mbps
 
I don't want to have to wait for HD files to move back and forth.
That, my friend, hits the nail on the head (for supporting DVR drives).
Plus, for the 320GB drives, the cost difference is negligible.
 
Yes, and 19 per stream, tops. I understand. Still, my concern is which will hold up better under this kind of use. This assumes one day Dish allows using the external unit for playback and live recording. Might as well buy something that supports that best, right off.

So, DB35 or FreeAgent or whatever they come out with between now and release. I'll wait, and no doubt this thread will be current at release and I can buy then. Maybe I won't be the first person to get it activated, but that's ok. A few days for delivery is better than a last minute discovery of yet another, missed, price cut or word coming out that certain brands don't work well.
 
I will be recording to the internal HD then moving recordings to my multiple back-up hard drives, so the wear and tear on the backups should be negligible.
 
I found this drive and was wondering if it would be applicable to the 622. Thanks.

PROVANTAGE: INOi MH720-00500 500GB Hard Disk Drive Digital Media Player (720p)

Short answer - no. That's a bit more than an external drive - it's a media player. I'd be surprised if it will work with Dish's planned external USB support in that I would think Dish is going to require that drives used for Dish recording be formatted for use by the 622 (most likely using Linux's ext3 disk format and with some added special file encryption keyed to the 622 account that this media player won't like at all)

That media player is very similar but doesn't seem as good as the TVisto (try googling for some reviews) I've got one and love it. It runs around $120 at NewEgg without a drive. The TVisto support 1080i and you can slap any ATA 100 hard drive into it up to 500 Gigs in size - which goes for around $110 at Newegg as well. So for roughly the same price, $230, you can get a better media player. But a media player is a very different animal compared to just an external USB drive - and it WILL NOT play your DISH content. It's more designed to hold and play ripped DVD's or DIVX content, MP3's, photos, etc.

Now for just an external usb drive, I'd simply get a good enclosure that's got a built in fan - like the AMS Venus series (vary from $39 to $49 depending upon the drive type you want (SATA or ATA)) and pair it up with a nice large 500gig drive from Newegg (~$110) and you've got a great 500 GB USB external drive ready to go for roughly $150.

Cheers,
Supercharged_Z06
 
Newegg, the Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3500641AS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive (OEM) for $100 with free shipping
 

DVR percent meter issue

No signal Port 4 External LNB

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