Dish to enable external HDD use with its DVRs, use Ethernet to 'phone home'
By Darren Murph 
posted Aug 9th 2007 10:06AM
posted Aug 9th 2007 10:06AM
Dish Network users (and the ones that are about to be), commence rejoicing. According to MultiChannel, the satellite television provider is readying its "USB External Storage" solution, which will dole out a software update that allows users of the ViP622 HD DVR to attach their own USB hard drive for storing content. Notably, this wonderful luxury will only require a $39.99 "enabling fee," but we've no doubt the hardcore recorders won't mind a bit. Additionally, Dish is also scheduled to finally enable the Ethernet port for users who have wanted to "phone home" via this method, you know, considering you probably ditched your landline four years ago anyway. Reportedly, this will mark the first step in launching the new DishONLINE video-on-demand service, which could be operational next month. In other sat news, the latest DirecTV bird is set to actually make a difference "on or around September 15th," but for those itching to flank their ViP622 up to 750GB of their own storage, you'll be waiting 'til August 15th.
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it says.... "but for those itching to flank their ViP622 with a terabyte or two of their own storage..."
The add-on USB storage only supports up to 750GB hard drives.
Source: http://www.tvpredictions.com/echostorage080807.htm
750gb external + 320gb internal = Terabyte (give or take minus VOD space)
"Notably, this wonderful luxury will only require a $39.99 "enabling fee," but we've no doubt the hardcore recorders won't mind a bit."
I have no doubt that a lot of those "hard core" recording group would object to the fee on nickel & diming grounds.
I don't think it's a terrible price, have people that use the feature pay for it. A problem to consider is that it may also encourage makers to withhold features to sell them for an extra charge later.
You have to realize that this is somewhat groundbreaking in the grand scheme of things. This is exactly what users have been begging for for ages. Of course the fee isn't warranted, but to have the option to do it, I'd bet quite a few people just overlook it in their excitement to add more storage.
If this trend catches on, it will prove more difficult to "charge" for the "feature."
It's about time these receivers started using those network connections. I live in a rural area, no cell-phone coverage, so I won't be ditching my phone service, but it'll at least keep me from having to wire a phone jack where my receiver is at. I'll just plug it into my wireless bridge.
I've been using an external eSata 750Gb drive with my
DirecTV HR20 HD DVR for months and there was no fee
when that Sata port was enabled.
I'm curious to know if both the internal drive on the
VIP 622 and an external drive can be used together.
With the HR20, it's one or the other.
You can use internal and external with DISH. The external will actually be for what they call archiving. Meaning you can move recordings from internal to external and then play them from there.
As the person who wrote this article for MultiChannel and a dedicated Engadget reader I thought I would give you guys an update.
At the moment this upgrade has rolled out only to a few hundered receivers as a test. I am told that they will soon be rolling it out to a handfull more and if no problems are found then they will do a full rollout.
Also please remember that even if you have received this new software, you can not order the Enternal Storage service from Dish Network until August 15th. (In other words DONT CALL TO ACTIVATE UNTIL THE 15TH!)
Enjoy guys!
Scott
SatelliteGuys.US / MultiChannelNews.COM
And make note--you can move your recordings around to other ViP recievers in your home to view elsewhere. For $39, you get a very very nice sneaker-net solution for those without multi-$Ks invested in HD home video networking.
Note: The eSata drive can only be recognized by this Dish dvr box. This makes it useless for long term archiving. Seems to me, the old VCR technology is infinately better for archiving. Why do they make the the hard drive so it can only play on this one DVR? With VHS at least you could make a tape and play it on ANY machine!
Note: The above 'sharing' feature is apparently not working at launch...but it IS an integral functionality to the service that they've talked about for a long while and that they'll hopefully be rolling out very soon.
Hmm, "sir, there are five sets of features on that STB and we charge $39.95 per feature to enable them on the STB that we are already charging your $10 per month on. Hello, sir?"
There is no technical reason that would prevent them from activating the feature without human support. This is nothing more than a classic 'french fry nickel and dime move'. Also, I do not see why the limit should be 750GB on a USB-connected HDD source. What would happen if you plugged in a USB 'hub' and connected more than one USB HDD device?
I feel that this should be free. I mean we pay for the external hard drive and set it up ourselves. They can not justify this fee. I am voting with my feet on this one.