Tag Archives: external hard drive

Technical Tips

Using an External Hard Drive with your HDPVR 630

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header_HDDShaw Direct’s Advanced HDPVR 630 has an integrated hard drive which allows you to record up to 175 hours of standard definition content, or about 45 hours of high definition content. Not enough space for all of the great shows you want to record? Not to worry – if you need more space, you can use an external hard drive to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

Wondering what kind of external hard drive will work with your HDPVR 630? Here are the required features to ensure compatibility:

  • Make sure the external hard drive has an eSATA connection, which is up to six times faster than even USB 2.0. This makes the external hard drive ideal for HD video. What’s more is that you can record two HD programs while watching previously recorded HD programming without any performance issues.
  • The external hard drive must be externally powered. Some may only be USB powered, but this will need to have its own power supply that plugs into an AC outlet.
  • The largest external hard drive that will work is 2.0 TB, which will give you an incredible amount of additional storage space. 500 GB will give you about 340 hours of standard definition or 90 hours of high definition; 1.0 TB will provide about 680 hours of standard definition or 180 hours of high definition; 2.0 TB gives you a staggering 1,360 hours of standard definition or 360 hours of high definition. If you were to fill a 2.0 TB external hard drive and the hard drive of your PVR with standard definition programming, you could watch shows from today (March 7) non-stop until May 10!
  • Look for an external hard drive that is rated for PVR or DVR usage. These are designed to be cooler, quieter, and support multiple HD streams being recorded or played at the same time. They’re also able to run all-day, everyday, which makes them the most reliable choice.

So, how do you go about hooking up the external hard drive to your PVR? There are just a few steps to get it ready:

  1. Connect the eSATA cable (it should be provided with the drive you purchased) from the external hard drive to the port labeled “eSATA” on the back of your HDPVR 630.
  2. Connect the power cable from your external hard drive to a power bar or wall outlet.
  3. If your external hard drive has a power switch, turn it on now. Ensure the power or status light illuminates.
  4. Restart your HDPVR 630 by holding down the power button on the front panel for 10 seconds.
  5. When the receiver comes back on, a setup wizard will guide you through the process of formatting the external hard drive for use with this satellite receiver. This will remove ALL data and partitions on the external hard drive.
  6. Formatting will complete within a few seconds and you will be alerted that your drive is ready for use.

There are some other things to bear in mind about using an external hard drive with your HDPVR 630. For example, you can only use one external hard drive with your PVR at any given time, and you can only use the external hard drive with one specific PVR. Additionally, the external hard drive won’t be able to be used with any other device while it’s “married” to your PVR.

If you decide to stop using your external hard drive with your PVR, or want to switch to a new one, you just need to disconnect it and reboot your PVR. The setup wizard will then alert you that your external hard drive is missing, and then will provide some prompts to delete it from your PVR. This will remove any associated recordings from the PVR list that were stored on the external hard drive, allowing you to connect a new one by following the setup instructions.

Having any problems using an external hard drive with your HDPVR 630? Check out Tech Central to read over some helpful tips, or let us know that you need a hand!

Equipment

600-Series Receivers – February 2013 Software Update

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Starting on February 12 (for HDPVR 630 units) and February 18 (for HDDSR 600/605 units), Shaw Direct will be deploying software version 09.15.  Once targeted (as seen on line I in OPTIONS 4-7), your receiver will automatically update at around 2:10AM local time.  It is not possible to force the update if you have not been targeted.

The overall look and feel is unchanged with this download, with the exception of updating branding.

This release provides increased VOD speeds, significant PPV enhancements, updated Closed Captions decoding and improved stability.  Prior to 09.15, the last software download was 08.26 in late October 2012.

09.15 Release Highlights

Overall Stability Improvements

  • General updates related to stability/reliability to reduce the chances of the receiver becoming “frozen”
  • If an issue is encountered that the unit is unable to resolve, a reboot may occur automatically to restore normal operation.

Shaw Direct On Demand (VOD) Dual Streaming & Usability Updates

  • Network and streaming drivers have been rewritten to enhance network throughput Speed Test - Results (GL)and VOD streaming performance.
  • A substantial increase in average speeds has been experienced with our Field Trial and Employee Trial groups.
  • If you previously had unexpectedly low Speed Test results, or issues streaming during local peak usage, an improvement should be seen with this release.
  • Unsubscribed content on VOD should display “grey” consistently, rather than sometimes giving a W4 error.

Shaw Direct On Demand (VOD) Adult Content

  • Support has been added for Adult content.  Adult content is found in a separate VOD menu, which is hidden by default.  A variety of Parental Control options are available to further limit access to this content.
  • To enable access to the Adult VOD store, Parental Controls must be enabled.  Then, press D to access the VOD menu bar, scroll to “VOD Settings”, and enter your password.  Change “Adult VOD” to “Enabled”.  Exit the menu, and press D again.  You’ll see a new button in the middle of the menu bar labelled “Adult”.
  • All Parental Control options (including Purchase Limit) will also apply to Adult content.
  • As with Adult PPV Content:
    • There is no free preview period on Adult VOD content
    • Coupons do not apply to Adult VOD titles
    • Adult VOD content features discrete billing.

PPV Order Enhancements

  • PPV programs now feature an “Order ID” in the Guide.  You can use this number to PPV - IPG with Order IDquickly place your order via the automated phone system (1-866-782-7778).
  • Once your receiver gets the order, the “!” alert icon will appear.  Pressing ENTER will display the Purchase History screen, which will list details of the title you ordered.  The “$” sign will also appear in the Guide on the title you purchased.
  • You must still setup an auto-tune, recording, or remember to tune in when the PPV starts.
  • If you didn’t receive confirmation of the purchase and the title doesn’t appear in Purchase History, use the “receiver refresh” option via the automated phone system or Self Serve to send the purchase through again.
  • In alignment with industry and studio standards, PPV movies recorded on the HDPVR 630 will be available for unlimited viewing for 48 hours, after which the title will automatically expire.

External HDD Updates

  • Once paired, eSATA hotplug is now supported.  However, unplugging your external HDD while it is connected is still not recommended. (Note that on initial pairing, you must still reboot the receiver to initiate the connection).
  • Units with a large number of recordings stored on an external drive should see improved performance after bootup, in the PVR List, and with the playback of recent recordings.

This release also updates the Shaw Direct logo to reflect the new brand launched in late Fall.

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Equipment

600-Series Receivers – Software Update

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If you own a HDDSR 600, HDDSR 605, or a HDPVR 630, your receiver should have downloaded our most recent software, version 08.26. To check if you have received the download, you can go into your Options menu > 4 > 7 and look at line H. If this says 08.26, you are good to go with the below changes!

While the overall look and feel of your interface will remain the same, we have added in some new features and have dramatically changed your On Demand experience!

For all 600-series models, you should notice the following changes:

Shaw Direct On Demand Interests Menu Revamp

  • We have completely redesigned our Interests Menu to make it even easier for you to browse through our 4000 + titles available through Shaw Direct On Demand. This is a direct result of user feedback!
    • Now, in the first column, you select whether you’re looking for Movies, TV shows, Music or your Premium subscription titles.
    • In the second column, you are now able to select the channel or network the title is provided by.
    • With the third column, you are still able to search by genre or other filters.
  • This layout separates content in a more logical manner, providing you with the results you were looking for in less keystrokes.
  • Be sure to check out the hundreds of titles that are available at no extra cost with your subscription! Any titles that are included with a network that you are not subscribed to will appear grey, just as you’re used to in your guide.

Other Shaw Direct On Demand Enhancements

  • Other improvements have been made to your Shaw Direct On Demand experience, such as faster rewind and fast forward response, connectivity improvements, more consistent display of season and episode information under a specific TV show, and the ability to order in both HD and SD.

Multi-Audio Selections

  • Some specific TV programs have additional audio tracks available, such as descriptive video (DVS) or another language. This is used to ensure accessibility for all of our customers. When available, you will see the headphones icon (as shown) in the info banner.
  • To select a different audio track, simply hit the ‘Source’ button on your remote and select from the list displayed in the top left hand corner
  • Your default audio preference (as set in Options > 4 > 1) will be restored once you change the channel.

For HDPVR 630 users:

External Hard Drive Support

  • You are now able to connect an external eSATA hard drive to increase your HDPVR 630 recording capacity by up to 2.0 TB! That’s equivalent to over 1000 SD hours, or 300 HD hours!
  • External hard drives must be connected via eSATA, must be externally powered, and cannot be over 2.0 TB. For the most reliability, the drive should also be rated for PVR/DVR usage.
  • For complete information on adding an external hard drive to your current HDPVR 630, please take a look here.

If you have any questions about this recent update or about your receiver in general, feel free to leave us a comment and ask!

*kg