physical position of 501 receiver ?

wxtoad

New Member
Original poster
Oct 6, 2004
2
0
I'm trying to find out if I can install my 501 PVR on its side, rather than in its normal flat position? I would think it would be no different than a computer, and I remember putting some of those old flat desktops on their sides. I asked the DISH Tech Support folks, who said they could find nothing that says you can't but they still wouldn't recommend it.

Has anyone tried this? If so, any problems?

Thanks,Ted H.
 
It is generally not recommended for a hard drive, regardless of what it is in, to be on its side since it tends to degrade performance.
 
chaddux said:
It is generally not recommended for a hard drive, regardless of what it is in, to be on its side since it tends to degrade performance.
How can you degrade a hard drive that is prone to failure? DISH seems to have a higher failure rate than Directv or the computer industry.
:)
 
I would open a case of the PVR and take the disk model number, then check at manufacturer's site a User's Manual; some of HDD usually could work in both positions. I've seen in different desktops from IBM,DELL,etc hard drives different companies (Maxtor,Seagate,HP,IBM,Quantum,Fujitsu) holding in vertical position.
 
I have a 510 in my bedroom on its side. Works just fine. I see no difference in performance with the 510 I have in my den which is upright.
 
Oceangrace24 said:
em.. I have had my 501 for a year and a half and it hasn't failed.

I've had mine since they first came out and it's still working fine. Ignore boba he has a problem with Dish so his statements tend to be slanted at times.


NightRyder
 
ByrdWatcher said:
I have a 510 in my bedroom on its side. Works just fine. I see no difference in performance with the 510 I have in my den which is upright.
Both perform the same I'm sure, but I have to say a hard drive running in an atypical orientation could have a shortened life span.
 
thanks

Thanks, gang,

I think I'm going to go ahead and give it a try. I'm just surprised that no one cautioned me to be sure to put a 90-degree twist in the cable so the picture will still be upright. <g>

Ted H.
 
chaddux said:
It is generally not recommended for a hard drive, regardless of what it is in, to be on its side since it tends to degrade performance.
IDE hard drives work just fine on their sides, upside down, cable end down, cable end up, it doesn't matter. If you actually look inside of many PC's, you'd see that they are often mounted vertically.

The important thing is not to move them, or the equipment they reside in, while they are powered up.
 
wxtoad said:
Thanks, gang,

I think I'm going to go ahead and give it a try. I'm just surprised that no one cautioned me to be sure to put a 90-degree twist in the cable so the picture will still be upright. <g>

Ted H.

figured you would read all about it in the other forum
:)
 
chaddux said:
It is generally not recommended for a hard drive, regardless of what it is in, to be on its side since it tends to degrade performance.
Two things come to mind from this statement.

1.) Your experience must be lacking in the Hard Disk area if you are of the impression that the position of the mount will affect performance.
Performance is not related to the mount of the drive, but rather the spindle motor and the read heads. The same phyical forces are in place on a drive mounted anywhere from 0 to 360 deg. X,Y, or Z axis

2.) And I say this as a former Dish customer. Can you really degrade the performance of a Dish Network DVR more then it already is???