Man do I hate Dish Network

MTboatguy

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Woke up this morning, turned on the satellite and boom Hard Drive Failure on the DVR! This is the third time in the last year and a half, then have to wait several days for a replacement receiver to show up! I don't understand why the HD fails in these machines so often, they are the same darn drives we run in computers that can last for several years, Now I will have to go somewhere else to watch the next chase race!
 

Volphin

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They must be using ultra cheap stuff! Never had an issue with my DirectTV DVRs.
 

MTboatguy

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The Hard Drives in the dish stuff are Segate SATA drives optimized for Video, same darn drive I run in two of my Dell Power Edge Servers! I would probably change to Direct, if they didn't raise the price so much after the fist year!
 

bruceb58

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I have had a few failures as well years back. If the unit sits in an enclosed area I noticed they get hotter than I think they should so I moved then to an area with more air moving around or got one of those laptop coolers to sit under it and plugged it into the USB port on the back.

I only had problems with Dish units. Since I switched to DirecTv, I have never have had a failure but I do make sure I keep them cool.
 
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MTboatguy

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Bruce, it may have something to do with heat, when I get the new receiver, I am going to re-configure my system for more airflow around the receiver so perhaps it stays a bit cooler. It just amazes me as my servers sit in a rack that is quite tight and never have I had a problem, also, they should come up with a receiver that once an error code is thrown on the hard drive, you can still watch live TV and take the hard drive out of the system. If we can make forward load hot swappable drives for a computer they should be able to do it on these satellite computers!
 

bruceb58

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I bet they have more fans going though. Might even be worth connecting a 5V fan to a USB plug, plug it into the DVR and then mount that to the DVR.
 

MTboatguy

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I have seen some dual fan add on fans that work that way with t- stat controlled fans that would be pretty easy to build and they hook to the side of the receiver, I might make one up and see how it does, uses the same type of fans that I use in my media center computer.
 

four winns 214

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I have Dish. No failures on my Hopper so far. I had Direct. As others have mentioned, I tired of their constant rate increases. I really like the Dish iPad app and the Hopper's integral Sling Box. I can be on layover anywhere with a decent internet connection and watch live and recorded content. The app also makes setting up something to record a cinch. Can do it anywhere you have an internet connection.
 

Boomyal

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Have had Dish HD, with the Hopper and two Joey's, for about 4 years. Not one glitch. On this note, however, I will look at the Hopper, which sits on top of a dresser, and see if elevating it would be of any air circulation benefit.
 

ezbtr

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Bruce, it may have something to do with heat, when I get the new receiver, I am going to re-configure my system for more airflow around the receiver so perhaps it stays a bit cooler. It just amazes me as my servers sit in a rack that is quite tight and never have I had a problem, also, they should come up with a receiver that once an error code is thrown on the hard drive, you can still watch live TV and take the hard drive out of the system. If we can make forward load hot swappable drives for a computer they should be able to do it on these satellite computers!
Those servers have a lot more cooling ducts and airways to keep cool though, I always give plenty of space for cooling and elevate my stuff
 

MTboatguy

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Those servers have a lot more cooling ducts and airways to keep cool though, I always give plenty of space for cooling and elevate my stuff

Actually you would be surprise, the Dell power edge servers really don't have many cooling ducts on them, it is a pretty tight enclosed case.
 

Boomyal

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Those servers have a lot more cooling ducts and airways to keep cool though, I always give plenty of space for cooling and elevate my stuff

My Hopper has side air vents. It sits on a dresser in the master bedroom. Upon initial receipt, I had used little cork stick on pads (3/16" thick) on both sides of the case to make sure there was sufficient clearance from wall on one side and anything sitting on the dresser top on the other. Also after reading MT's description of overheating, I placed some wood paint stir sticks under the feet to raise the Hopper even higher off the dresser top.
 
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