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WD unveils a hard drive expansion kit for Dish Network DVRs

By Michael Hatamoto, BetaNews

May 15, 2008, 5:00 PM

To help Dish Network customers seeking to store even more television content when they are unable to watch it live, Western Digital today introduced the My DVR Expander USB Edition 500 GB HDD designed specifically for DVRs.

The HDD is able to store 60 hours of high-definition content or 300 hours of standard content. Users can connect the HDD to their DVR via USB 2.0 connection -- the HDD's predecessor required an eSATA port.

The hard drive stays cool and quiet because it features a no-fan passive cooling system, as WD wanted the product to be used for quiet use in the living room or bedroom.

Keeping with the "green" theme companies have adopted lately, WD implemented its GreenPower technology into this drive, which means it's designed to save at least 4 or 5 watts of power savings over competitive HDDs. In addition, WD claims this drive consumes one-third less power than a regular external HDD available today.

WD and Dish Network said the My DVR Expander can work with the ViP Series HD DVRs, and both companies expect further compatibility later.

Western Digital's My DVR Expander USB Edition for Dish Network equipment

Current Dish Network DVR users can likely use any recent model external HDD to expand their storage capacity, assuming they don't want to purchase the My DVR Expander from WD. The only requirements include that the external drive support USB 2.0, and have storage capacity between 40 GB and 750 GB. Dish Network asks users to format the HDD prior to attaching it and launching the DVR's options screen for the first time.

The WD My DVR Expander USB Edition is available now for $149.99 MSRP. Be warned, however, that Dish Network charges a one-time $40 port activation fee for external HD use.

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By Hollywood__

posted May 18, 2008 - 11:19 PM

I'm sure that USB port was working originally, then they updated the firmware to disable it so they could re-enable it at a cost of $40.

Cancel Dish and go DTV, let them know you aren't ****ing around.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted May 18, 2008 - 3:59 PM

Dish Network is so ghetto.

Score: 0

By fewt

edited May 16, 2008 - 9:22 PM

I imagine my phone call will go something like this.

Customer Service: "How can we help you today?"

Me: "My USB port is disabled, I'd like it turned on."

Customer Service: "Sir, I'll be happy to do that, but just so you are aware there is a $40 port activation fee."

Me: "What? I've already paid my activation fee to have this service turned on. I'm not paying another activation fee for a device I already have activated! You'll need to wave that, it wasn't made aware to me in any agreement I made with Dish Network when I signed up."

Customer Service: "Sir, I'm afraid that the activation fee is mandatory."

Me: "I paid the only activation fee I am going to pay
when I activated your service, so I'm going to need you to turn it on at no charge. Thanks."

Customer Service: "Sir, I'm afraid I can't do that."

Me: "Ok then, lets begin the process to cancel my account then."

Customer Service: "Sir, before we do that, let me get you to a specialist who may be better suited to helping with your particular issue."

Me: "Ok."

Retention Specialist: "Hi, how can I help you today?"

Me: "So, there is this hidden activation fee that you are trying to bend me and a lot of other people over with and I'm not going to pay it, even if I have to close my account out and go to one of your competitors. Oh, by the way, you have violated the terms of your agreement by not providing full service with my initial DVR activation so I'm going to need the cancellation fee waved."

Retention Specialist: "Sir, we haven't violated the terms of our agreement, as we are providing the services promised."

Me: "Then you need to either activate my port and provide the full service as agreed when I signed up with Dish Network, or cancel the service. If you refuse to refund the full amount of the cancellation fee I'll be forced to contact my attorney, and I'll get it back that way. Mind you, that could be very highly visible in the media and cause lots of bad press for your company, so I wouldn't recommend it."

Retention Specialist: "Ok Sir, here's what I'm going to do to help you. I'm going to go ahead and wave the fee this time, however I'm now making you aware that in the future you'll need to pay the activation fee to have ports enabled on your DVR if you change it."

Me: "Sounds good, can I get a confirmation number, and your employee ID?"

Retention Specialist: "I'm sorry Sir, I can't give you my employee ID, but here is your confirmation number."

Me: "Fair enough, thanks for your help."

Retention Specialist: "Thank you Sir, have a nice day."

I rarely pay activation fees, you just need to know how to apply pressure and get them waved. I picked up free new phones and got out of about $50 in activation fees just a few weeks ago by applying appropriate pressure.

"I've been your customer for over 14 years, and I have never paid an activation fee. If you charge me these fees in addition to signing a new contract I'll be someone else's customer in about an hour."

She said no, I said ok then lets cancel both of my lines, and she said let me get someone better suited to help you.

It went to retention, and the fees were immediately waved. I walked away with 2 free phones ($250 each retail, cheap phones but whatever), no activation fee, and they shipped them to me free for my troubles saving me another $20.

You can't let these companies walk all over you, just remember there are two things that make them cringe. A: losing a customer (the worst kind of advertising), and B: bad press.

If enough people make enough of a fuss over them instead of bending over and taking it, maybe they will eliminate them completely.

'nuff said.

Score: 0

By skimore

posted May 16, 2008 - 1:09 PM

the WB book is crap.. I see them break all the time.. and people lose all their photos.. and WD does not support their drives longer then 1 year for a reason..