# Can a Dish 722k be powered off overnight?



## PeachyC (Jul 19, 2013)

I live in a remote area and am off the electrical grid. I collect and store solar energy and get along just fine with it though we are ever vigilant about power usage. I currently use an old, simple and reliable Dish 311 receiver. When it is not in use the power to it is switched off. I don't mind waiting a couple of minutes for it to reboot, and the receiver has never complained.

I am considering upgrading to a Dish 722k. (My wife fell in love with HD and and DVR while visiting her sister and is spurring this along.) I understand that this box consumes about 50+ watts per hour which my system can not handle 24/7. I am hoping that some one has some experience with turning off their 722k to save power and can answer a couple of questions. First, is doing this on a regular basis going to do harm to the receiver? Second, how long does a 722 take to become usable after being connected to power.

Thanks


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## gov (Jan 11, 2013)

Ummm,

one the neat things about a DVR is that it records items during the night when you're asleep that you want to watch later.

Under your power constraints, I'd probably just keep the 311.

Take missus out for a nice dinner or a gift certificate to a spa.


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## PeachyC (Jul 19, 2013)

Tried that dinner thing. Didn't deter her at all. Good thought though.

I use programmable timers to power down appliances when I want them to go off. I doubt that we would be recording unattended that often, but when we do, the timer would do the trick.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Well as long as the tuners are set for times after recordings are finished you'd be fine. In terms If that anyway. 

And once you have a DVR you will never go back. 

No way to add a little more capacity though? The things we'd do for tv. 



Sent from my iPhone using DBSTalk mobile app


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## CeeWoo (Dec 1, 2008)

Whenever I've had to power off my 722k, upon restart I get the standard messages 'acquiring signal this may take up to 5 minutes' and after that 'downloading program guide-this may take up to 10 minutes'. I can't speak to any damage that might happen if this is done often. 

BTW-depending on how many outlets you want (& if you don't require streaming), a 211k (with an external hard drive) might be a good solution. The 211 is what dish recommends for RV use, so I suspect it's solid when powered on & off repeatedly (at least mine has been-Yes, I have both)


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## PeachyC (Jul 19, 2013)

Thanks CeeWoo for the heads up on the 211k. I'll look into it. I should have thought of the RV similarity. We are and will remain a one TV house. 

Inkahauts more battery capacity would be required as well a another couple of panels. That is a SMOM (simple matter of money) of which I am at present a little light on. The batteries are due for replacement in a couple of years. Maybe then.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

You also will not get as frequent updates to the EPG data (some of that happens overnight), nor system firmware updates that happen sometimes overnight, and the PPV that "downloads" via SAT to the receiver over night. As others have mentioned it will also severely restrict your ability to record things during the night because of the longer warm-up time.

My general thought process is that IF you have a situation where the power consumption is in that much need of being conserved that you want to turn off the Dish receiver overnight... you probably should just not get that Dish receiver.

_Moving to the 722K support forum for better visibility._


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## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

There is no reason you can't turn power off to it overnight. Just be mindful there is nothing set to record, which can happen if timer conflicts moves a timer to a later time, or the next time it is on, which could be in the early morning hours. In most cases it will get any updates including program guide updates when it comes back on. That is actually what is called a hard reset, and I find my VIP receivers work the best with hard resets done regularly. You can get a program guide update anytime, that is not something that is pushed to the receiver, rather it retrieves it. A software update _may_ not get downloaded, but those are far and few between anyway.


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## PeachyC (Jul 19, 2013)

Hey Guys and Gals,

Thanks, and please keep it coming. My situation is a life style choice and makes for a weird set of circumstances. I worked in data processing from 1969 until my retirement. Much of what I know is dated but at least provides a basis for understanding. One thing that is burned indelibly into my brain is that what one finds in the tech specs and user manuals often (usually?) is contradicted by field experience. Thanks to you all for sharing what you have actually experienced or at least know of up close. 

HDDs ... spin up and down are wear and failure factors. Hours up at speed another. Personal computers manage these and several other factors in ways that make HDDs last for many years. Why a DVR resident HDD is not managed similarly is a mystery to me. So you folks are helping me understand what is, not what should or might be. 


I'm trying to make some informed decisions and you are helping. 

I can't thank you enough.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

The DVRs can't spin down the hard drives while they are on because they are always buffering live TV even when not recording... In standby, the DVR could spin down the hard drive... but then it would have to spin up again if a timer fired to record something or a remote user initiated access (even without Sling you can set timers remotely)... so the modern DVRs kind of don't have a spin-down mode that is applicable since it would take away from some of the available features.


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## gov (Jan 11, 2013)

If I understand correctly, you're photovoltaic. Have you considered adding a wind charger (assuming your site is suitable) to your system at upgrade time ??

Also, if a receiver has a standby draw of, let's say because I don't have the actual figure, 5 watts, but it takes 20 watts for 20 minutes to turn it back on, then shutting off the receiver for less than 80 minutes (if I did the math right) costs power instead of saving any.

I don't know if anyone has the actual start up power figures, unfortunately.


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## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

Sound like he would shut it off for much more than 80 minutes. Perhaps 240 to 300 minutes or so....


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## gov (Jan 11, 2013)

I'm anticipating the missus trying to help out by shutting off the DVR all the time.

"But you said . . ."


"Yes, Dear"


{LOL. just how things work at my house}

{funny where these threads go}


:coffee


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## PeachyC (Jul 19, 2013)

We are not heavy duty TV watchers. If the tube is on no more than 4 hrs on most days; often even less. You all have about convinced me that the really nice features of the 722 not be to useful to us. Cee Woo suggest that I look into the Vip 211 with an external hdd. I'm about convinced that given our lifestyle, that is probably the way to go. 

So thanks again for the good data and the good advice.


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## Grandude (Oct 21, 2004)

I agree with Cee Woo. The 211k would be your best bet. Very solid and doesn't mind being shut off. Has input for OTA antenna if ever needed.


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## PeachyC (Jul 19, 2013)

Decision Made. Ordered the Vip 211 this morning.

Thanks to all


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## CeeWoo (Dec 1, 2008)

I just hope the DVR feature your wife DIDN'T fall in love with was maybe the Streaming of movies from Dish on Demand. If it was, you didn't hear about the 211 from me 

BTW-when camping I bring a seperate battery that I use ONLY for tv. I then recharge when ever I run my little generator. Have a highly efficient 19" HDTV. Running the Receiver & TV thru an inverter I'm able to get over 6 hrs viewing from a fully charged battery. Can't get up to a full charge off the genny, but even so, recharges usually give me 4 to 5 hrs (usually allows me to get by for a couple days)


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## PeachyC (Jul 19, 2013)

No streaming on demand. 

We lived on a 35 ft sailboat for 15 years while cruising around the Atlantic. We got by with solar and wind generation with an occasional hit from a big alternator mounted on the engine. Going on the grid when we decided to go ashore just seemed a waste, so we didn't.

Thanks for your help.


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## CeeWoo (Dec 1, 2008)

Thank you-I've been wanting to get away from Generator and you may have given me the push to investigate solar.



PeachyC said:


> No streaming on demand.
> 
> We lived on a 35 ft sailboat for 15 years while cruising around the Atlantic. We got by with solar and wind generation with an occasional hit from a big alternator mounted on the engine. Going on the grid when we decided to go ashore just seemed a waste, so we didn't.
> 
> Thanks for your help.


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