dish 211K with external hard drive

[Bumpyroad]

just got a 211K, have the necessary correct? USB hard drive and ready to go thru the set up procedure, and call Dish to have them sync/link it.
What is the format of the recordings? can they only be played thru the 211K? can I plug the USB into computer, etc. and play them somehow?
thanks
bumpy

[Bumpyroad]

ventrman wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
just got a 211K, have the necessary correct? USB hard drive and ready to go thru the set up procedure, and call Dish to have them sync/link it.
What is the format of the recordings? can they only be played thru the 211K? can I plug the USB into computer, etc. and play them somehow?
thanks
bumpy

If you read the Manual for your 211k Receiver, it states that the Hard Drive can only be used with Dish. It cannot also be used on a Computer.

what, read the directions?
unfortunately the manual is about 267 miles away now.
thanks,
bumpy

[ventrman]

Bumpyroad wrote:
just got a 211K, have the necessary correct? USB hard drive and ready to go thru the set up procedure, and call Dish to have them sync/link it.
What is the format of the recordings? can they only be played thru the 211K? can I plug the USB into computer, etc. and play them somehow?
thanks
bumpy

If you read the Manual for your 211k Receiver, it states that the Hard Drive can only be used with Dish. It cannot also be used on a Computer.

[Dutch_12078]

The VIP211 receiver series with an external HD supports the full list of expected DVR features when activated.

[Bumpyroad]

thanks all. that was what I was afraid of.
bumpy

[GordonThree]

I don't know about the 211k, but on my VIP 922 and Hopper, the external HDD wasn't available for use by the tuners to record to, it was just storage for hanging onto favorite shows... just something to be aware of, in case you're expecting something different.

[AllegroD]

HD is propritarily formatted the first you plug it into the 211k.

[Bill___Kate]

Nope. It uses a proprietary format that can only be played back through the receiver. Maybe some hacker has developed some kind of software to "crack it" and play it on a computer, but I am not aware of any such thing.