Here’s something that DISH customers have that DIRECTV customers, at the moment, don’t. Yes, you can take your plain-jane Wally receiver and turn it into a 1-tuner DVR. It’s absurdly easy. Pretty much any external hard drive will let you do it. Here’s the specs you need:
- Self-powered hard drive (not powered by USB)
- Minimum 500GB capacity
- Minimum USB 2.0 compatibility
That’s a very low bar and truth is you can find hard drives very inexpensively that will do it. If the drive itself is powered by USB, all you need to do is add a powered USB hub to the mix and you’re set. Solid State Drives tend not to work for DVRs as they do wear out more quickly. Besides, they’re more expensive.
The big question: why?
There will be folks who want to do this just to get some sort of DVR capability. It makes sense if you’re going to let the Wally record a bunch of content at home and then take it on the road in your RV. But otherwise, it’s not a great experience. With only one tuner, you’ll find yourself unable to watch your programs if something is recording. If two things are airing at the same time, good luck there too. Personally I think you’re better off with a Hopper Duo which at least gives you two tuners to work with. But if it’s something you want to do, for whatever reason, you can do it.
The other big question: why not DIRECTV?
This capability has been part of DISH receivers for a long time. Yet it’s something that DIRECTV doesn’t offer. For a very short time, DIRECTV offered the H44 receiver with an optional branded hard drive to let you convert it into a 5-tuner DVR. I reviewed it back in 2015. I pointed out that it was a good option for people who weren’t ready to get a DVR but wanted options for later.
The H44 hard drive option wasn’t a popular one. People who wanted DVRs tended to get them right up front, not upgrade. Although it was technically possible to get an off-brand external hard drive instead of DIRECTV’s pricey 500GB option, few did it. The hard drive didn’t use USB but instead the eSATAp standard which never really took off. I think you could still order the hard drive up until a few years ago but you can’t anymore. The H44 itself is now used for commercial customers.
But hey, it’s your system. Do it your way.
Whether you have DIRECTV or DISH, there are plenty of ways you can customize your satellite TV system. Maybe you want the ultimate “mancave” with 24 different receivers for big sporting days. Maybe you want the ability to record 32 programs at once. It’s up to you. Home or business, RV or boat, there’s practically nothing you can’t do with satellite TV.
But of course you need two things. You need access to the right parts, and you need someone who knows how to do it. You’ll find the same parts installers use on their trucks when you shop at Solid Signal. And, if you need the best customer service, call us at 888-233-7563. Don’t call the DIRECTV or DISH call centers. If you do that, you’ll end up with someone overseas who just knows how to read a script. Call Solid Signal during East Coast business hours and you’ll get a trained and certified technician. There’s a big difference.
Find out how big the difference can be… call 888-233-7563 or fill out the form below.
