# VIP211K DVR Conversion



## Cap'n Preshoot (Jul 16, 2006)

This DVR conversion deal sounds almost too good to be true. If I'm reading the deal correctly, I pay only one $39.95 upgrade charge regardless of how many 211's there are on my account!! (?) Is that right?

And I pay NO DVR service fee!!

So again if I'm reading this right, it seems to imply that my EHD would be "portable" between my two 211K receivers? Is that how the rest of you are reading this?

Really????????

What's missing here? Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but what's the catch? When's the other shoe going to drop?

If all this is correct it would seem that Dish has just dropped a major torpedo in the competition's lake.

So then why would I even want to keep my 722? Why not get another 211 or 211K? The 2-room backfeed feature is of little value to me and the 211k runs considerably cooler & is a fraction of the size of the 722.

Is it possible the furnished DVR's (622, etc) are becoming a support liability & Dish sees this as an opportunity to put the part that most often breaks down (the disk drive) into the subscriber's lap of responsibility? Hey, I'm game for this!! Buy a superior quality disk drive & handle it like you've got a brain in your head & there's utterly no reason it shouldn't last for many years. Of course if the baby (or the cat) knocks it over..... that's your fault, isn't it?

Okay, I'm all prepared here and sitting down. Somebody feel free to burst the bubble for me. What did I misunderstand? What am I missing?

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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Read the forum for issues getting a good drive and moving between two 211s, but in essence you have it right.


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## Cap'n Preshoot (Jul 16, 2006)

James Long said:


> Read the forum for issues getting a good drive and moving between two 211s, but in essence you have it right.


*AWESOME!!!*


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## tcatdbs (Jul 10, 2008)

I just activated a 750gb WD Essential this morning. Called the 888# to activate, got a guy that had never done one, so I led him through it :lol: 

It actually went very well and took about 10 minutes. It doesn't "automatically" kick into format drive mode. Once activated, you need to go to menu option, I think TV Enhancements, then you get a screen that asks to format the drive. That takes 3 or 4 minutes, system reboots, and it's "just like" my VIP722! :hurah: 

I tried recording and scheduling, seems to work just the same (but lots more disk space). It's actually better than working with the archive drive on the 722, since you have folders and don't have to move things. Only difference is 1 tuner recording (unless you have OTA, which I don't). I assume you can't watch one show and record another at the same time. I'm REAL happy there's no DVR monthly fee! :hurah:


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## Cap'n Preshoot (Jul 16, 2006)

Tnx for info.

Don't have my EHD yet. Ordered last Sunday, should be on Santa's sleigh tomorrow.

Yes, I knew about the recording options. I have OTA and will usually record from OTA just to timeshift something like Leno, etc., so we'll still have the ability to watch SAT while recording OTA (or vice versa).

Tnx also for the heads-up on the setup. Assuming the drive arrives Wednesday I'll prolly be giving 'em a call that evening.

I'm still wrestling with whether to drop my 722 & get another 211k. I love the size of it and rediced heat. Sure tempting. As far as watch & record, actually I think you can. Someone reported (recently) he was doing exactly that in one of the other threads. 
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## tcatdbs (Jul 10, 2008)

In follow up... my WD Essentials HD is somewhat loud  . I didn't notice it until I went to bed. It "runs" all night, even with TV and 211 off. "Click" about every 1-3 seconds, not too loud, just loud enough to bother (and have wife say "what's that noise?"). I'm going to put it in a cabinet tonight to see if that helps. During shows, it "clicks" a lot more, and I do notice it during quiet scenes. It seems to run very cool, so in the cabinet shouldn't be a problem.

Also, I read in another thread you couldn't delete programs. Not sure where he got that, the menu is just like my 722, and you select what you recorded, and the delete option is available. 

What is the HD size in the 722? Mine shows about 62 hrs. HD & 306 hrs SD available (after adding back in the 10 hrs. of HD I have recorded). My 750gb WD on the 211 shows 73 hrs. HD & 296 hrs. SD with nothing recorded. THis makes no sense (or the 722 has a larger HD than I thought. 



tcatdbs said:


> I just activated a 750gb WD Essential this morning. Called the 888# to activate, got a guy that had never done one, so I led him through it :lol:
> 
> It actually went very well and took about 10 minutes. It doesn't "automatically" kick into format drive mode. Once activated, you need to go to menu option, I think TV Enhancements, then you get a screen that asks to format the drive. That takes 3 or 4 minutes, system reboots, and it's "just like" my VIP722! :hurah:
> 
> I tried recording and scheduling, seems to work just the same (but lots more disk space). It's actually better than working with the archive drive on the 722, since you have folders and don't have to move things. Only difference is 1 tuner recording (unless you have OTA, which I don't). I assume you can't watch one show and record another at the same time. I'm REAL happy there's no DVR monthly fee! :hurah:


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

I recommend that whenever you move or remove the EHD from a 211, that you always put the 211 in standby, then inplug it.

The only problem I have had is the corrupting of the buffer if it is still reading/writing when the USB is pulled - creates a BIG mess and Dish has issued no operating directions or caveats to my knowledge.

Ya pays yo money and ya takes yo chances.


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## Cap'n Preshoot (Jul 16, 2006)

tcatdbs said:


> In follow up... my WD Essentials HD is somewhat loud  . I didn't notice it until I went to bed. It "runs" all night, even with TV and 211 off. "Click" about every 1-3 seconds, not too loud, just loud enough to bother (and have wife say "what's that noise?"). I'm going to put it in a cabinet tonight to see if that helps. During shows, it "clicks" a lot more, and I do notice it during quiet scenes. It seems to run very cool, so in the cabinet shouldn't be a problem.


You may want to see if you can return it for exchange. I bought the WD My Book Essential 750 Gb and have observed no such disturbance. Absolutely whisper quiet, though runs continuous (as I believe it should).

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