# What is the size of 722 DVR HDD?



## ssmark (May 23, 2011)

1) I am looking to connect a external HDD (is it free to enable to that feature?) and need to make a decision to buy a 1TB or 500GB HDD.

2) What is the size of the existing HDD (in GB and number of hrs of HD programming) on 722?

3) Can we record a program to external HDD directly?

4) Can we play a program from external HDD directly?

5) Is the program recorded in a format that I can connect it to my Windows PC and watch it?

TIA !!


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Every question been asked many times here and given answers (same) many times.

Use Search and just read the info... 
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=169500&highlight=722+internal+500+gb+drive


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## [email protected] (Jan 19, 2011)

ssmark said:


> 1) I am looking to connect a external HDD (is it free to enable to that feature?) and need to make a decision to buy a 1TB or 500GB HDD.
> 
> 2) What is the size of the existing HDD (in GB and number of hrs of HD programming) on 722?
> 
> ...


1. I recommend the 1Tb if you are recording mostly HD programming.

2. 500GB and the number of hours is really hard to say as it will depend on HD, SD, compression ratio and such.

3. No, it will record to internal Hard Drive and then you will need to move to the External Hard Drive.

4.Yes, play back can be directly from the EHD.

5. No, recording are encrypted so you will not be able to view on a PC. If the EHD is connected to a computer it will need to reformatted and recording will erase.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

ssmark said:


> 1) I am looking to connect a external HDD (is it free to enable to that feature?) and need to make a decision to buy a 1TB or 500GB HDD.


 It is free. A 750GB drive will hold 100-120 HD movies. The smaller the drive, the less you lose if the drive crashes, but the more drives you're going to need. I currently have six.



> 2) What is the size of the existing HDD (in GB and number of hrs of HD programming) on 722?


The size of the drive is irrelevant. A certain amount of space is taken up with software kinds of things and a certain amount is devoted to VOD downloaded overnight. But one can expect about 60 hours of HD programming will comfortably fit without too much worry.



> 3) Can we record a program to external HDD directly?


No. You have to move programming to the external hard drive (EHD). Note that I said "move", not copy.



> 4) Can we play a program from external HDD directly?


Yes.



> 5) Is the program recorded in a format that I can connect it to my Windows PC and watch it?


The drive will be reformatted to a Linux format and contents are encrypted. There are ways to back the drive up to another drive using a Windows computer. But you cannot watch it except on a ViP DVR on your account.


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## quizzer (Aug 29, 2006)

> No, recording are encrypted so you will not be able to view on a PC. If the EHD is connected to a computer it will need to reformatted and recording will erase.


Is it possible to have the EHD as backup for both VIP 722 AND laptop?


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

No, the DVR will want to reformat it if it has partitions it didn't create. More EHD info at http://www.dishuser.org/byodvr.php


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## ssmark (May 23, 2011)

Awesome. 1TB it is...

I am assuming it connects to EHD through USB which also means to connect more than 1 EHD, I would need a USB hub.


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## Ray [email protected] Network (Dec 28, 2010)

You can use up to 2 TB HDs on the 722 series receivers. You can only have 1 EHD plugged in at a time.



ssmark said:


> Awesome. 1TB it is...
> 
> I am assuming it connects to EHD through USB which also means to connect more than 1 EHD, I would need a USB hub.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

ssmark said:


> Awesome. 1TB it is...
> 
> I am assuming it connects to EHD through USB which also means to connect more than 1 EHD, I would need a USB hub.


You need a powered hub with a switch. You should probably do a search on "USB hub", but here's an example of a post on the matter:


olds403 said:


> Kensington ShareCentral switches work like that. I have 2 - 5 port models daisy chained, the 5 port will support up to 4 external drives with an on/off switch for each of the 4 drives. It has its own power supply.


You should read the thread VIP722 and a USB Hub.. and a few others. And keep in mind that Dish Network does not support the use of hubs for obvious reasons.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

BobaBird said:


> No, the DVR will want to reformat it if it has partitions it didn't create. More EHD info at http://www.dishuser.org/byodvr.php


You should add some latest tidbits and your article would one answer to such repetitive posts:
- using external USB hub: connect multiple EHD, but only one is powered
- 922 support multiple EHD 
- front and rear USB ports are equal
- PC backup: only by Linux and for small amount data under first partition, say for photos.


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## kosmok1000 (Apr 11, 2011)

can the internal HD be upgraded?


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

kosmok1000 said:


> can the internal HD be upgraded?


If you own it...might be hard to get the box open to replace the internal though. Otherwise you are leasing the DVR and it shouldnt be opened.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

kosmok1000 said:


> can the internal HD be upgraded?


No. The model support only 500 GB data (I didn't mention a drive !). 
So, upgrading to 1 TB will not expand the DVR space, at all.


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## quizzer (Aug 29, 2006)

P Smith said:


> - PC backup: only by Linux and for small amount data under first partition, say for photos.


Can you give me more details on how to set this?

Having the EHD to hold some critical laptop backup data (whats the size?) using Linux AND hold DVR recordings.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

"quizzer" said:


> Can you give me more details on how to set this?
> 
> Having the EHD to hold some critical laptop backup data (whats the size?) using Linux AND hold DVR recordings.


Why would you want to do this? It's possible but its non-standard. And you really risk crashing the drive if the Dish box burps and they do get indigestion now and then. Dish VIP DVRs are sophisticated dedicated computers, but the emphasis is on dedicated.

FYI: If you're interested in discussions that sometimes technically go beyond what we usually discuss here (or what we don't allow here), check out this Yahoo group and this Yahoo group. But I strongly recommend using the VIP DVR's and EHD's in conformance with the firmware/software design.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

quizzer said:


> Can you give me more details on how to set this?
> 
> Having the EHD to hold some critical laptop backup data (whats the size?) using Linux AND hold DVR recordings.


I have to agree with phrelin here...the effort to do this just to share a HDD is kinds pointless. External HDD's are a dime a dozen, get one for each, trying to share one is risky, and a pain in the rear.


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## Wilf (Oct 15, 2008)

Hard drive prices have gone up recently because of shortages. You might want to wait until the prices come down again.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Is that ever the truth! On October 19 I bought a Western Digital WD Elements 1 TB External Hard Drive from Amazon for $69.99. A few days later because of the flooding in Thailand the priced jumped up by $60 and has stayed at $129.99.


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

phrelin said:


> It is free. A 750GB drive will hold 100-120 HD movies. The smaller the drive, the less you lose if the drive crashes, but the more drives you're going to need. I currently have six.
> 
> The size of the drive is irrelevant. A certain amount of space is taken up with software kinds of things and a certain amount is devoted to VOD downloaded overnight. But one can expect about 60 hours of HD programming will comfortably fit without too much worry.
> 
> ...


WOW! That's a lot of movies!


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## quizzer (Aug 29, 2006)

Thanks to phrelin and all who answered my question.

I will buy one more, a portable one for the laptop and keep this 1.5 TB non portable for the DVR.


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## ssmark (May 23, 2011)

Can we share a EHD between 2 DVR 722s? I have 2 (one in movie room and one in living room).


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## lets go (Dec 5, 2011)

I beleve the same size of and dvd player


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

ssmark said:


> Can we share a EHD between 2 DVR 722s? I have 2 (one in movie room and one in living room).


Yes, you can share the drive between any VIP DVR on your account. I share them between a 722 and a 612.


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## ssmark (May 23, 2011)

That is different than what the support agent said to me in a chat just now.

Name removed (ID: XXX): Once you connect the EHD of one receiver to other, that will ask you to format the hard drive.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

ssmark said:


> That is different than what the support agent said to me in a chat just now.


This happens much more often than it should. Suffice it to say that the support agent was reading the wrong script.

If you connect an EHD and it want to format it, tell it no.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

lets go said:


> I beleve the same size of and dvd player


Huh ?


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## [email protected] (Jan 19, 2011)

ssmark said:


> That is different than what the support agent said to me in a chat just now.
> 
> Name removed (ID: XXX): Once you connect the EHD of one receiver to other, that will ask you to format the hard drive.


The Chat agent was incorrect on this. The answer from phrelin was absolutely correct. You can move an EHD between any two HD DVR receivers on an account, just not between a DVR & non-DVR receiver.


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