Should I upgrade to VIP 722?

[Mark A Sparks]

Hello,

I currently have a 322G which operates two separate tv's in two different bedrooms, a 301E that operates in another bedroom and the VIP211 in my main viewing room with big screen. I love the HD and just about everything about the VIP211 receiver.

I have been wanting to upgrade the VIP 211 to the VIP 722 so I could have the DVR function and VOD features for some time and am ready to do so now (I think?).

Before I make the change I wanted to get your feedback on a few things:

1. Should I get the 722 now or wait on the 922?
2. What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of the 722? (Pro's and Con's).
3. Other than the DVR on the 722 what other features does it have that the 211 doesn't?

I really don't know what to ask because I do not know anything about the 722 (except what little the dish website tells), I do know that the 211 has been a very stable and reliable receiver, any help would be appreciated.

Thank You,

Mark

 

[Voyager6]

You can turn your 211 into a DVR just by adding an EHD and paying the $39.95 fee. Then you could wait until the 922 is out (and stable) to upgrade.

 

[whatchel1]

The 722k can record 2 sat feeds & w/ the OTA module 930) can record 2 OTA.s all at the same time. There will be A FEW more bells & whistles on the 922 but some will likely migrate to the 722k since most everything is there to start with.

 

[CowboyDren]

I think that the remote on the 922 is going to be a barrier for a lot of people, and the search features, while AWESOME, will also be a bit daunting. I think you'd be suprised by how much content there is on the 722k and how easy it is to get to.

I don't know how much if any VOD functionality the EHD feature adds to non-DVR receivers. Of course, any receiver can do PPV, and any ViP has access to at least a part of the DishOnline catalog. But part of the magic of the 612/622/722 is that the movies are just sitting there on your [internal] hard drive, waiting to be unlocked and played. I don't know, I've never had a 211, 222, or 322, just my trusty 625 and a POS 722, and I've NEVER been compelled to pay for Dish VOD.

 

[Mark A Sparks]

You can turn your 211 into a DVR just by adding an EHD and paying the $39.95 fee. Then you could wait until the 922 is out (and stable) to upgrade.

Hey Voyager6,

Is the "EHD" an external hard drive?

If so, do I purchase this from dish?

Thank You,

 

[CowboyDren]

Yes, External Hard Drive. You pay that $39.95 to Dish once, and from that day on, all receivers on your account can use (or even share) an external hard drive. You also buy the disk(s), as big as 1.5TB (other limitations apply), available from any Big Box or computer parts store. You can get a half-terabyte for $80 at Best Buy online. The best part is that if you decide to get a 222 now, a 722 later, and a 922 way later, the hard drive and all of it's recordings can come with you to the new hardware.

 

[Voyager6]

Yes, External Hard Drive. You pay that $39.95 to Dish once, and from that day on, all receivers on your account can use (or even share) an external hard drive. You also buy the disk(s), as big as 1.5TB (other limitations apply), available from any Big Box or computer parts store. You can get a half-terabyte for $80 at Best Buy online. The best part is that if you decide to get a 222 now, a 722 later, and a 922 way later, the hard drive and all of it's recordings can come with you to the new hardware.

This is not quite correct. You cannot share an EHD for the 211 with the 622/772 receivers. The software is different. There would also be an additional fee to activate an EHD on a 622/722. Sorry, but the EHD is not now portable between the 211 and 622/722 receivers.

Check the Hard Drive Bargains thread for deals on EHD's.

 

[CowboyDren]

Thanks for correcting that; my apologies.

So to have EHD on a 211 and a 722, you have to pay the $40 twice?

 

[Voyager6]

Thanks for correcting that; my apologies.

So to have EHD on a 211 and a 722, you have to pay the $40 twice?

Afraid so, unless you can get a loyal customer discount (waiver) from playing CSR roulette.

 

[Z06_Pilot]

there is a string somewhere on this forum that details the differences between the 722 and 722k.

I just signed up for Dish and went with two 722k's instead of 722's.

I really, really like the flexibility of being able to record 4 HD programs at the same time(2 satellite and 2 with my OTA antenna)-although with the 722k you do have to order the optional OTA module in order to record any OTA program material.....well worth it...

I never have to worry about overlapping timers again!!

 

[whatchel1]

string?

there is a string somewhere on this forum that details the differences between the 722 and 722k.

I just signed up for Dish and went with two 722k's instead of 722's.

I really, really like the flexibility of being able to record 4 HD programs at the same time(2 satellite and 2 with my OTA antenna)-although with the 722k you do have to order the optional OTA module in order to record any OTA program material.....well worth it...

I never have to worry about overlapping timers again!!

I string is something that is made for tying things together. A thread is one of 2 things 1 you can sew with it or 2 as is here on the net in forums you write things.

 

[Bobby]

A string is a big thread...

 

[Mark A Sparks]

Adding DVR service to VIP211

Thanks to some great advice from all that have participated in this discussion I am going to purchase the external hard drive and use it with the 211 until the 922 is out and stable.

Plus I can always use the 211 on one of my other tv's when I upgrade those.

Got a question for you:

It states on the dish network website this about adding DVR service to the 211 and 211k:

The External Hard Drive must:
a. Be between 50 GB minimum to 750 GB maximum (external hard drives containing more than one physical internal disk may not be recognized by the receiver).
b. Have its own external power supply (not powered using the USB connection to the
receiver.)​

c. Support USB 2.0.


Should I purchase a 500 GB EHD or should I get a larger one? (I was going to get 1 TB but then noticed the item a. above)
Everything I record will be in HD.

Thanks :up

 

[whatchel1]

1 Tb

Thanks to some great advice from all that have participated in this discussion I am going to purchase the external hard drive and use it with the 211 until the 922 is out and stable.

Plus I can always use the 211 on one of my other tv's when I upgrade those.

Got a question for you:

It states on the dish network website this about adding DVR service to the 211 and 211k:

The External Hard Drive must:
a. Be between 50 GB minimum to 750 GB maximum (external hard drives containing more than one physical internal disk may not be recognized by the receiver).
b. Have its own external power supply (not powered using the USB connection to the
receiver.)​

c. Support USB 2.0.


Should I purchase a 500 GB EHD or should I get a larger one? (I was going to get 1 TB but then noticed the item a. above)
Everything I record will be in HD.

Thanks :up

If like the 622 & 722's it will support 1Tb now the website just hasn't updated that info.

 

[Mark A Sparks]

If like the 622 & 722's it will support 1Tb now the website just hasn't updated that info.

Thank You!

 

[CowboyDren]

I thought it was 1.5t, as long as the disk is a single-LUN device. This is consistent with the 2.1tb total limitation that TiVo HDs have, and since the TiVo HD and the 722 are pretty close to the same hardware...