Computers & Tablets

[JaTexas]

I am searching for suggestions for for the right external hard drive (in stock or on line) for attaching to a Dish 722 Receiver.  

I only want to do this once as we live about 50 miles from our Beaumont TX store and want to get it right the first time.

The Dish spec page reads:

• For a  612, 622, 722, 722k or 922 receiver, the storage capacity fort he external hard drive should be between 50 GB and 2 TB.
• The external hard drive must have its own power supply.
• The external hard drive must support USB 2.0.
• The external hard drive must not use flash memory and should only be a single-platter drive.

[TheLexMachine]

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@JaTexas wrote:

I am searching for suggestions for for the right external hard drive (in stock or on line) for attaching to a Dish 722 Receiver.  

I only want to do this once as we live about 50 miles from our Beaumont TX store and want to get it right the first time.

The Dish spec page reads:

• For a  612, 622, 722, 722k or 922 receiver, the storage capacity fort he external hard drive should be between 50 GB and 2 TB.
• The external hard drive must have its own power supply.
• The external hard drive must support USB 2.0.
• The external hard drive must not use flash memory and should only be a single-platter drive.

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You can't use an off-the-shelf external HDD for what you want to do. You should buy a specific kind of HDD for DVR use (Can't get that at Best Buy) and a reliable enclosure such as the Antec MX-1 (which you can get at Best Buy). If you use an off-the-shelf product, it will go bad pretty quickly. Google "western digital av hdd" and that will get you started.

[MichaelHWG]

May I ask why he can't use any off the shelf HDD?

I have used the 722 in the past and had no problems connecting USB external HDD's to it. The 722 detects the drive and formats it and uses it.

However I would recomend this external drive from WD which is specifically made for expanding DVRs
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Western+Digital+-+My+Book+AV+1TB+USB+2.0+and+eSATA+DVR+Expander/9958432.... Digital TIVO&cp=3&lp=8

The only difference between the drive above and pretty much any other drive is it doesn't include any software (something the formating the 722 would do anyway would of removed anyway)

[TheLexMachine]

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@MichaelHWG wrote:
May I ask why he can't use any off the shelf HDD?

I have used the 722 in the past and had no problems connecting USB external HDD's to it. The 722 detects the drive and formats it and uses it.

However I would recomend this external drive from WD which is specifically made for expanding DVRs
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Western+Digital+-+My+Book+AV+1TB+USB+2.0+and+eSATA+DVR+Expander/9958432.... Digital TIVO&cp=3&lp=8

The only difference between the drive above and pretty much any other drive is it doesn't include any software (something the formating the 722 would do anyway would of removed anyway)

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Most drives are 7200 RPM and they produce a lot of heat. The average external hard drive product uses a case with a very small fan and a vent. Simply put, they overheat and burn out fairly quickly. The WD DVR expander products use the type of drive I referred to before which is the same brand they put in DVR boxes, but their case design is pretty much the same as any other boxed together product not to mention it's vertical and you don't want a vertical case because those get knocked over easily. It's more sensible to buy the drive separately, get a flat-laying enclosure with good dedicated cooling and a long eSATA or USB cable, and put it together yourself.

[MichaelHWG]

The WD Expander lays horizontally or you can stand it vertically, I own the drive and it runs at around 90 degrees F so pretty cool.

It will be no problem for the OP to use the drive as it can lay flat as you suggest and it doesn't have a heating issue. Vented all around and runs under 100 degrees F.

Only problem with this drive is older tivo models do not like the eSata cables it comes with but since the OP would connect via USB and its a 722 they won't have any issues with it.

[Entropy]

Not sure why they recommend a single-platter drive.  That one is VERY tough.

Other than that - people have pretty much stated what you need.  The reason ordinary external hard drives are not a good choice is because many are designed for intermittent use and have insufficient ventilation/cooling for long-term use.

For example, my WD Elements drive is a sealed plastic case.  BAD.  I have a Fantom GreenDrive which, while not marketed explicitly for DVR use, has a metal case with vents - that should work well long-term.