Upgrading to HWS from H2K

[lazydogmot]

Hi, I am wondering how long it takes to transfer content from H2K (45% full, around 1TB) to an EHD (not yet purchased, if that makes a difference?). The reason for my question is that I want to get 2 HWS since they have the Netflix app and was wondering how soon I could set up that appointment. So will it take hours, days, once I get a HDD (I figure 1.5TB to be safe, we have yet to use one for regular storage). Only one H2K has any storage on it. Thanks for any help.

Tom

 

[JM42]

Assume transfer rate is about 20% of realtime. It should go a fair amount faster than that, but it is a safe planning figure.

Recent PTAT items can't be transferred(even if "saved to DVR" ) until they are outside the PTAT retention window (default 8 days), so go in NOW and change that setting to it's minimum and save the wanted items to the DVR.

If it's a straight H2K to HWS upgrade, they can ship the HWS units to you and you can replace yourself if your comfortable doing so, putting the timing entirely in your hands.

 

[lazydogmot]

Well, that brings up another question for me. Does SD transfer at the same rate as HD? We have a lot of SD from Disney Kids (not in HD, huh Allen) as well as a few other things. So is it 45% of 2000 times 20% equaling 180 hours or is it 45% of 500 times 20% equaling 45 hours? Or somewhere in between? Either way a long time.

 

[JM42]

Best advice is to go ahead and get the EHD and get started. You will get a much better idea once you know what your actual transfer rates are. It's not a set amount, rates can vary based on what else is going on with the box during the transfer time.

Best wild a** guess is you'll be done within a couple of days. Sooner if you are really diligent and keep the transfers going continuously.

 

[lazydogmot]

One more question, may not be the last. Do you select each program to transfer or can you select "all" to transfer?
Thanks.

 

[Bobby]

Individually, but you can do many at a time...

 

[reynoltd]

Do you have to sign a new two year contract to upgrade from a first generation hopper to a hopper with sling

 

[lazydogmot]

I'm guessing that you do. I've been with Dish since 1999 so it does not matter.

 

[thomasjk]

Yes.

 

[JM42]

One more question, may not be the last. Do you select each program to transfer or can you select "all" to transfer?
Thanks.

You tag the items you want to transfer and can tag multiple items at a time. As soon as you start a transfer you get an estimated time, but that time is always overstated at first, sometimes wildly, but will get pretty close to a realistic estimate after a minute or two. Do a few individual shows first and get a feel for the true rate.

 

[lazydogmot]

Last question Can the EHD be USB powered? I know a while back, the thinking was that it needed to have external power. Since it most likely be used only for transferring and not storage, does it mater.

 

[thomasjk]

Dish only supports external powered drives. Some folks have reported using a USB powered drive. A powered hub will also work.

 

[navychop]

For just a few hours use, you can probably get by with USB powered.

You might decide later to offload programs to it. Then you can just get a powered hub.

 

[lazydogmot]

Thank you all for your advice. I did it and two HWS's will be installed on the 23rd. I have to get busy, bye.

 

[KAB]

Dish only supports external powered drives. Some folks have reported using a USB powered drive. A powered hub will also work.

A powered hub MIGHT work.

 

[lazydogmot]

I got a WD MY BOOK 2TB (apparently you guys bought up all the 1TB ones). I'll pick it up today from Best Buy and let you know how the transfer goes.

 

[dwarren2]

A variable is the amount of ota recordings you want to transfer. They are not as compressed as Dish recordings.

 

[Hall]

A comment and a question....

1) The content doesn't make a difference - SD doesn't transfer faster or slower than HD unless you consider that SD content is likely smaller. That said, a 2-1/2 hour movie in SD will probably take longer to transfer than a 1/2 hour HD show. You are transferring "x" amount of data.
2) Do you need to transfer everything ?

 

[lazydogmot]

1) Yes, I understand what you are saying, now.

B) I would assume so. Everything that we have recorded, we either want to watch or watch again. There must be stuff we can find to record again but with all the searching to find that content and then recording it once more sounds like more work that transferring it......OH, twice. You may have a point, if that was your point. Thanks Hall.

 

[Hall]

We just replaced our Hopper with a Hopper w/Sling. Beforehand, I wrote down all of our recordings, including for some the season/episode info for series-based shows. After I wrote them down, quite a few I crossed off. The others, well, the plan is to create a timer for them and try and get them recorded again. If we do, we do, if we don't, we don't. Our HDD was 40-50% full like yours as well. A lot of it was recorded "just in case".

You mentioned Disney stuff.... Hah !! You can probably get all of that back in a matter of days with the way they re-run stuff !! Our 5-year old lost a few recordings like Mickey Mouse Playhouse and doesn't care at all. She found the Netflix button and is happy !