From 625 SD to ?

[cwb]

Dish is sending me a new HD DVR - don't know the model - probably a base-type DVR.

Question is; will I be able to purchase additional HDD's to format for the receiver?

With my 625, I was able to buy additional identical HDD's, put them in a Linux environment, and do a cp command, to copy the entire original disk, to a new one, and use it in the DVR.

Anyone know if I'll be able to do this with the new DVR?

[cwb]

Anybody?

[Krispy Kritter]

Hard for anyone to provide an answer when you don't even know the model #.

So yes, maybe.

[cwb]

It came in today here KK; it's a ViP 722k. Haven't opened the case yet.

Anyone know the HDD ?

[Brad]

Your thread title is awful, so I wouldn't expect anyone who knows the answer to ever see this topic. When I read "From 625 SD to ?" I think this is a topic about upscaling PAL-format video to another resolution.

If I were you, I would change the title so that it's clear you're asking about adding a new HDD to a Dish Network 722 DVR. Or if the forum software doesn't allow changing it, I would ask a mod to do so.

There used to be a Yahoo Group on this topic called dishmod but it looks like it's gone now.

[Krispy Kritter]

Looks like the HDD can be replaced, but it has to be a similar/supported HDD. There is a list in the topic here: http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/vip-722-internal-hard-drive-replacement.223265/

[cwb]

Thanks again KK...

Looks like some new file system on the HDD; is there a hack trick to mount the HDD? Or is it not discussed on the boards? Mods? Admin?

The file system did not mount in Linux environment, or a Windows environment with EXT FS app...........................

???

[cwb]

Learned a little here; maybe every one knows this already, but if any do not...

I plugged in an external USB Enclosure. 722 formatted the WD 3Tb drive (NOT in entirety), and I transferred ~150 recordings. THen I removed the disk, and mounted it in a Linux environment.

Recordings do not play in any media player that I have.

So, next step with another WD 3Tb drive, is to do cp /dev/ [WD 3Tb 1] /dev/ [WD 3Tb 2], and plug WD 2 into the USB, and see if it is duplicated and recognized.

If so, I'll pull it, and attempt to extend the proper partition to full capacity.

Cross yer fingers...

[Brad]

I'm not entirely clear on your goal, but for what it's worth, 722 recordings made to the internal drive are unencrypted. Recordings made to, or transferred to, external are encrypted.

[cwb]

THat's good info vapor - thanks ; sort of the answer to the original goal.

Goal HAD kind of changed - my title was a little off there...

Original goal was just to copy original drive, byte / byte, and have one in, while copying the other. Maybe now that IS still possible.

Now, I was looking at re-formatting EXTERNAL drives, to maximize recording capacity, and have half a dozen to swap, since I THOUGHT migrating recordings wasn't possible (but maybe now IS possible.

[Krispy Kritter]

Why copy the disk or "migrate" the files at all. Pull the original HDD and keep it until you want/need it. And simply put a new HDD into the unit for new recordings.

[cwb]

I got 17,000 recordings in my HTPC from the 625. Trees grew too tall, and I had to kill Dish in 2011. Hurricane Matthew dropped the right tree, and I'm re-starting the collection.

Couldn't fit them all on the 5 drives I rotated through the 625 - drive space was reserved for HBO's, Cinemax's, from free weekends, etc.

Same situation for the new 722 now, at least for another couple years...

[Krispy Kritter]

The files will only be playable in the unit that wrote them. Drives may or may not be able to be moved from unit to unit. And as the unit has a drive size limitation, copying them from a small drive to a larger drive seems like a huge waste of time if you have to then copy them back onto a smaller drive for playback in the unit. They will not be playable on a PC. If you want them playable on a PC, they will all need to be captured (not copied).

[cwb]

So the 722 records in a different format than the 625 I guess?

With 625 recordings, it was just 'move them to the PC', and the PC played them back to the TV, no quality degradation. MPC handles vids very well...

Sooooo... Will the 722 format 2nd, 3rd, 4rth, etc. drives in the external enclosure?

[Krispy Kritter]

The few times that I've messed with this, the data (files) on the drives was encrypted and couldn't be read by Windows. So it wasn't a matter of simply copying the files off the drive onto the PC for playback. I've surprised that's how it worked on your old unit. Most everything has some sort of encryption to adhere to the copyright policy. So all that I can add is to test and see what happens.