# 722 to Hopper 3 Upgrade - Will I Lose all my EHD recordings? Yes or No? Anyone Know.



## bjf2007 (Oct 22, 2007)

Hi,

I have a old 722 and have saved recordings to the EHD.
I have both older USB2 and the later USB3 drives.

I want to upgrade to the Hopper 3.

I've read mixed information on the net about on losing the EHD recordings
when you upgrade from the older 722 to H3.

I do not want to lose any of them.

I've seen posts with comments like "should work".

What I'm after is hearing from someone who has done this and had it work.
And they can still view all their old EHD (from a 722) recordings when connected to their Hopper 3.

Looking for someone who did a direct upgrade from a old 722 to the Hopper 3.

Like I will be doing.

I've called Dish Tech Support and get a "should work".
But nothing definitive.

I don't want the nightmare scenario that I upgrade and lose all my old EHD recordings.

If the H3 only likes USB3 hard drives should I buy new USB3 drives and transfer all the old recordings off the USB2 drives.

I hope someone here can answer with for sure info.
I want to upgrade this week but am holding off until I know the answer.

I've seen other posts that talk hopper to hopper 3.
But that is not my scenario.

I've also called other Dish dealers and got nowhere.

Not sure why this EHD question seems so hard to find an answer on the net.

I've seen the other recent post but again it's just a "should work" answer.
But that is guessing. 

I would like a "Will" or "Will Not" work for sure, from some who knows 100%.

Thanks Much for your help, bjf


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## STDog (Mar 22, 2007)

Everything I've read says the H3 will have to reformat the drive to use it.
It uses a different filesystem, different way of storing recordings, and isn't backwards compatible.

Beats me as to why they didn't include backwards compatibility to read the old drives.

The physical drives will work fine.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

If coming from the VIP series, which the 722 was, many have posted that they can indeed see and play those recordings. Some have issues trying to actually copy them from the EHD to the Hopper though.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## bjf2007 (Oct 22, 2007)

lparsons21,

I've not seen the posts you mention of others having success playing the EHD after going 722 to H3.

Is that what you were meaning.

Or were they 722 upgrades to other boxes and then again later upgrade to the H3.
Which would not be what I would be doing.

Mine would be a 722 to H3 directly.

Wish Dish would give a 100% that you Can or Can't go to H3.
Why leave customers in limbo with no firm answer.
Better just write code that keeps the feature working on each new DVR model.

Thanks, bjf


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

As long as the 722 was one of the Vip series, the recordings are playable on the Hoppers. Is it 100% assured? No because this is tech and nothing in tech is 100%.

Do some googling and you should be able to find some posts about it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

bjf2007 said:


> I've seen posts with comments like "should work".


Nothing in life is guaranteed except death.

The code is written so content written by a 722 should be readable by a Hopper 3. But someone has lost all of their recordings on every receiver model DISH has sold/leased. DISH has made the attempt to make the content portable ... but there are no guarantees. Except eventually that content will be lost.

(And yes, I sound like I am about to leave for a funeral ... I'd rather be pessimistic and happy the recordings work than promise they will work and be disappointed.)


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## bjf2007 (Oct 22, 2007)

Iparsons21,

Thanks.

Did some searching came up with nothing with solid answer from users with that same setup.

I will keep looking.

I realize nothing is 100% the problem is one that Dish caused.
Don't expect that but as dependable as the 722 series would be what I would be looking for in regards to the EHD working.

If I get a H3 and after 3 or 4 day update on H3 my EHD is still not found or it want to format.
I'm just out of luck. No reversal options to go back to 722 my box would be gone and off the account.
My EHD recordings would be gone for me to see.

This is what is the bad thing.

You have to assume it will not work and then just live with an old DVR.
But I would like to upgrade to the H3.

The entire point of the EHD was to build a collection and take it with you on future upgrades.
And stay a Dish customer for years to come.

I just Dish would remember this when bringing out future DVR's, in regards to the EHD.

I'd probably not wasted time and efforts to save anything to the EHD.
This was a big reason I've stayed a customer and given them my money over other choices.

On a side note my previous 722 hard drive failed and I lost all those important recordings.
So to now have it possibly happen with my EHD is not good.

Like the other poster stated this new box might have new code and such and it won't work, so be it.
But they should just tell us a for sure answer.

Thanks for the help.

Best, bjf


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

The external drive from your 722 will work on an H3, but possibly not for a week or so.

The Hopper needs time to organize and download its software.

If it does not recognize your EHD the first time, DO NOT allow it to format the drive.

Instead wait a day or two and try again, in the interim have a Dish CSR send a re-authorization to your receiver - often called a re-hit.

It may take several repetitions of this proceedure to finally convince the H3 that the EHD is a part of the family, but it will.

Again, do not allow the H3 to reformat your EHD, it will eventually recognize the drive if you are patient - it may even take the replacement of your receiver, but it will work.


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## bjf2007 (Oct 22, 2007)

Thanks Jim5506,

If I go with the H3 I will follow your directions.

Might just wait for the next gen box.
The 8k box. lol

Best, bjf


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## Blowgun (May 23, 2008)

bjf2007 said:


> Thanks Hall of Fame,


Just so you know, there is no one participating in this thread with the username of "Hall of Fame". "Hall of Fame" is a _Member Title_, just like your current title is "Cool Member" and mine is "DHMO User". Look directly above the title and you will find the actual username of the person you are addressing.


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## bjf2007 (Oct 22, 2007)

Thanks for posting about the name mistake.
Got that fixed. Sorry for the mix up.

Thanks again for the information regarding the original post.

Best, bjf


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## bjf2007 (Oct 22, 2007)

I do have another question If anyone here might know.

If I upgrade my 722 to a H3 and after a couple weeks my old EHD recordings are
still not showing with the H3.

Can I return the H3 get back a 722 and then be able to view the EHD recordings once again.

Or does dish do something to the account once you upgrade to a H3.

Thanks, bjf


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I don't think Dish is going to let you go back to a 722 after they upgrade you to a Hopper 3. The Hopper 3 requires a new LNB and switch assembly that is not backwards compatible with older equipment... so in order to go back to a 722, you'd have to swap everything back out again for older LNB/switches... and I'll just bet Dish isn't going to do that.


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## bjf2007 (Oct 22, 2007)

Stewart Vernon,

Thanks for the reply.

I was more wanting to know if you could swap back from a H3 install to a 722 and then once again be
able to view all your EHD recordings.

Or is there some technical reason that it couldn't be done.

Didn't know if they do something that if you did revert back to a 722 then it would still want to format the EHD and
you would still lose it all. Or such.

I would guess it would work just fine like before.

Best, bjf


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## TheGrove (Jan 10, 2007)

AFAIK in THEORY if you did switch back you would be able to play the recordings. The EHD is tied and coded to your account and works with any EHD compatible device (622/722/Hopper) on your account. So as long as your account doesn't change it will work. This is also how those of us with multiple hoppers or 622/722 DVR's can transfer shows between DVR's.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

IF they allowed you to switch back, I would *think* that the recordings would still work on a 722... the problem, as I see it, though is the technical aspect of the other equipment they have to swap out. As I noted, the LNB and switches are not cross-compatible... so in order to upgrade to a Hopper 3 they have to swap out the LNB and switches to the new stuff... and a 722 will not run on that... so you'd be unable to use a 722 with the new configuration even if the 722 itself could see the EHD still. I doubt Dish would "downgrade" your LNB and switches back to the older stuff that the 722 needs to see. I hope that makes sense.

Now, IF you were to purchase LNBs and do all that work yourself? I dunno... it depends on what their computer will allow them to do.


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## bjf2007 (Oct 22, 2007)

Thanks for the followup answers.

Best, bjf


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## bjf2007 (Oct 22, 2007)

Anyone here have the H3 / 4k Joey and the EHD.

Would like to know if you are watching tv on the H3 in your main room will the 4k Joey in the bedroom allow you to use the EHD and watch
old tv recordings from the EHD. So you won't have any problems for either tv while both are being used.

Will the playback of the EHD be smooth and fast forward / reverse, etc. all work as smooth as if you were watching on the H3 in the main room.

I'd guess yes but not sure how good these 4k Joey's are for speed of playback.

Would I see any lag or slowness using the 4k Joey in this setup for both EHD playback and things on the H3 internal hard drive.

Thanks, bjf


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## Jason F (Sep 12, 2007)

Any updates to this situation since last August? Anyone else done this upgrade path recently and have any insight?

We're considering upgrading from our ViP722K to a Hopper3 but I am concerned that we may have issues accessing our recordings that we currently have stored on an EHD including a lot of shows my little kids like to watch.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

As long as you're not changing accounts, your EHD recordings from the 722K should be accessible from your new Hopper. (I.e. you're not having your wife sign up as a new account....)


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

STDog said:


> Everything I've read says the H3 will have to reformat the drive to use it.
> It uses a different filesystem, different way of storing recordings, and isn't backwards compatible.
> .


where is the BS came from?! have you read tech info posted here ? how H/ViP partitioning the EHD ?
when H asking to reformat it, it does not mean what you posted
*it use SAME filesystem. SAME way to store records and IT IS backward compatible !*


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## STDog (Mar 22, 2007)

P Smith said:


> where is the BS came from?! have you read tech info posted here ? how H/ViP partitioning the EHD ?
> when H asking to reformat it, it does not mean what you posted
> *it use SAME filesystem. SAME way to store records and IT IS backward compatible !*


That was 7 months ago. Did you bother to read the rest of the thread?

At that time the H3 would often say it needed formating snd if you did, you lost everything.

If you said no, and retried (with rehits from CSRs) it would eventually work.

I don't remember now (7 months later) the discussion that lead to the belief that the H3 was using a different partitioning scheme (GPT instead of MBR) and/or filesystem.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

STDog said:


> If you said no, and retried (with rehits from CSRs) it would eventually work.


eventually, you did correct yourself - bravo ! 

[FYI, "re-hit" doesn't change the EHD's filesystem and way to store records and backward compatibility ]


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## kucharsk (Sep 20, 2006)

I upgraded from a 722 to a Hopper 3 and the EHD lost zero content.


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## lbeck (Jun 27, 2006)

I'm another guy with hundreds of recordings on my vip 722 EHD and wanting to upgrade to the Hopper 3.

When Dish ships my Hopper 3 will I be able to hook up my EHD to check it out, then refuse it if my recordings won't transfer? I have several EHDs and could transfer the best stuff to them if it's a matter of 722 -> Hopper3 -> Different EHD.

I'm really tempted to upgrade to the H3, but like the starter of this thread, I'm concerned about losing my HDD video library.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

it should work, if no gremlins living in your house


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## lbeck (Jun 27, 2006)

Well, I bit the bullet and a tech is coming by tomorrow to install my Hopper 3 and remove my 722. I was hoping to keep them both temporarily and return the 722 after everything is transferred. So now I need to figure out how to preserve my video library on my EHD *and* on the resident hdd of the 722. I'm assuming that I now need to transfer all of my stuff from the internal HDD to the EHD and then the Hopper will find it once connected.

Crossing my fingers....


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## JamesDD (Apr 12, 2017)

lbeck said:


> Well, I bit the bullet and a tech is coming by tomorrow to install my Hopper 3 and remove my 722. I was hoping to keep them both temporarily and return the 722 after everything is transferred. So now I need to figure out how to preserve my video library on my EHD *and* on the resident hdd of the 722. I'm assuming that I now need to transfer all of my stuff from the internal HDD to the EHD and then the Hopper will find it once connected.
> 
> Crossing my fingers....


Ibeck - how did it go???


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

well known method - keep many EHD with a label [Soap opera, Sitcom, Friends, HoC, etc] and do transfer to appropriate EHD of each show according the label


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