yhp
join:2006-12-27
Philadelphia, PA | reply to mariod
Re: [DVR] External DVR Storage There's nothing in that thread about cloud-storage for DVR recordings.
ComcastTed specifically says that the 3.0 _guide_ is cloud-based, not the recorded shows. He goes on to give detailed advice about who can and can't add storage to their existing STBs.
And the DVR section of the X1 FAQ says nothing about cloud storage of recordings. In fact, there are three or four questions in the DVR section of the X1 FAQ about age-old physical-equipment problems: power outages, zero space left, etc:
»xfinity.comcast.net/x1/faq/
and all the answers only make sense if you're "recording" to a device in your living room. |
|
Russ
join:2011-03-17
Houston, TX
kudos:1 | said by yhp:There's nothing in that thread about cloud-storage for DVR recordings.
ComcastTed specifically says that the 3.0 _guide_ is cloud-based, not the recorded shows. He goes on to give detailed advice about who can and can't add storage to their existing STBs.
And the DVR section of the X1 FAQ says nothing about cloud storage of recordings. In fact, there are three or four questions in the DVR section of the X1 FAQ about age-old physical-equipment problems: power outages, zero space left, etc:
»xfinity.comcast.net/x1/faq/
and all the answers only make sense if you're "recording" to a device in your living room.
The following excerpt is from Comcast's Ted Hodgins, Sr. Director, Video Product Development - Navigation, in Media & Entertainment, "New Features for Scientific-Atlanta/Cisco Cable Boxes" blog. Please note the underlined words and that Comcast is notorious for failing to meet its schedule. quote:
Our goal this year is to be able to use the cloud for DVR recordings. The X1 Experience is expected to have a cloud DVR opportunity where individual DVR recordings are not stored on the in-home device. This cloud DVR experience would really negate the need for a limited and physically in-the-home external hard drive and all boxes could be AnyRoom DVRs. Plus the opportunity to retain your DVR recordings should you move or you need to replace the DVR.
See »Re: New Guides for SA/Cisco Areas (Info from Ted Hodgins Blog)
--
Cisco RNG 200N & SA 8300 HD DVRs-S26 Guide
Links
'Guide Blog'
'Schedule'
'Info'
'Patch Thread' |
|
yhp
join:2006-12-27
Philadelphia, PA | Um-Hm. I'm a Digital Econ TV-only subscriber in Philly with a DCX3400.
So in answer to mariod's question - yes, I'd like the $100 eSATA drive option today, please. Oh, wait. My box isn't even cleared for Extender with A30 in place.
So, wow. You're right! I'll save that incredibly exorbitant $100 price tag for a hard drive, and simply wait for
1) X1 to be rolled out in this market, and
2) Comcast to issue me compatible equipment, and
3) DVR-in-the-cloud "opportunities" to be enabled.
Done, and done! |
|
Russ
join:2011-03-17
Houston, TX
kudos:1 | I wouldn't wait for Comcast to offer DVR recordings in the cloud. It will be a long time before Comcast makes that available to all its customers. If you need more storage and can get the right equipment with the right software to support an external drive, I think it would be worth the cost. |
|
yhp
join:2006-12-27
Philadelphia, PA | said by Russ:I wouldn't wait for Comcast to offer DVR recordings in the cloud. It will be a long time before Comcast makes that available to all its customers. If you need more storage and can get the right equipment with the right software to support an external drive, I think it would be worth the cost.
I should have used some smileys. My point was that $100 for a TB of DVR storage now (mariod's rhetorical question) is a great deal when compared to playing waiting and service games with Comcast. |
|
| said by yhp:My point was that $100 for a TB of DVR storage now (mariod's rhetorical question) is a great deal when compared to playing waiting and service games with Comcast.
Except you're not paying $100 for a TB of storage.
I already have 500gb of storage. You're paying $100 for GBs 501 through 1501. For only a year or two before its defunct. Is that really worth $100?? |
|
1 edit | said by mariod:said by yhp:My point was that $100 for a TB of DVR storage now (mariod's rhetorical question) is a great deal when compared to playing waiting and service games with Comcast.
Except you're not paying $100 for a TB of storage. I already have 500gb of storage. You're paying $100 for GBs 501 through 1501. For only a year or two before its defunct. Is that really worth $100?? If reliable cloud DVR support ever becomes available, you'll have the the external hard drive available for other uses such as a back up drive for a portable or desk computer. My laptop has an eSata port as does my desk computer. A TB means storage for a huge number of pictures.
--
There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.
Sherlock Holmes in
The Boscombe Valley Mystery
A. C. Doyle
Strand Magazine, October 1891 |
|
|
|
| 1) I already have a backup HD.
2) Prices on non-Comcast sanctioned, even if you needed another 1tb of storage, HDs are still better than the $100+ tag that comes with this drive.
Here's a usb 3.0 1tb mybook for $10 cheaper. »www.amazon.com/Book-Essential-Ex···&sr=1-49 |
|
1 edit | reply to mariod
said by mariod:said by yhp:My point was that $100 for a TB of DVR storage now (mariod's rhetorical question) is a great deal when compared to playing waiting and service games with Comcast.
Except you're not paying $100 for a TB of storage. I already have 500gb of storage. You're paying $100 for GBs 501 through 1501. For only a year or two before its defunct. Is that really worth $100?? A few things:
1.) You're assuming Comcast can actually get their X1 platform 100% working (it's currently missing some common DVR features that other platforms have, and has 3 tuners completely disabled). So you're assuming that not only will Comcast have fixed the bugs in the X1 hardware/software platform (which is where the X1 Guide is initially being tested), but that it can then quickly and bug free deploy it across their whole footprint of varying hardware platforms (newer Moto, Cisco, and Pace boxes) all within the next two years. That would be very aggressive for any cable provider, let alone the nation's largest. And given Comcast's poor track record that's highly unlikely.
2.) Cloud DVR storage is controversial and so far has been put on hold by legal issues when other MSOs have tried it. So you cannot depend on a sudden increase in space beyond your local storage. Notice the language from Comcast about such a feature has been very tentative. Also consider that people feel better about local storage because Comcast cannot just suddenly have a glitch at their facility and kill your cloud storage by mistake or say force your recording to age out after a certain number of days and be deleted on purpose due to agreements with content holders.
3.) Don't expect Comcast to start offering to swap out your Moto DCX series DVR with an X1 platform based one, without you asking/paying more. Look how long Comcast has kept ancient hardware in service, the Moto DCT-2000 series is still in use for people with SD TVs. So you might get the software upgrade to the X1 Guide on the DCX, but you'll still have 500GB of local storage.
4.) Lastly, you already have one of Comcast's largest DVRs so maybe you don't care to have more space. But those of us with a bit older/smaller capacity DVRs would like it. |
|
The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA | reply to mariod
said by mariod:1) I already have a backup HD.
2) Prices on non-Comcast sanctioned, even if you needed another 1tb of storage, HDs are still better than the $100+ tag that comes with this drive.
Here's a usb 3.0 1tb mybook for $10 cheaper. »www.amazon.com/Book-Essential-Ex···&sr=1-49
pretty sure you need a drive with esata and not USB for the comcast DVR. |
|
Reviews:
 ·Comcast
| said by The Q:said by mariod:1) I already have a backup HD.
2) Prices on non-Comcast sanctioned, even if you needed another 1tb of storage, HDs are still better than the $100+ tag that comes with this drive.
Here's a usb 3.0 1tb mybook for $10 cheaper. »www.amazon.com/Book-Essential-Ex···&sr=1-49
pretty sure you need a drive with esata and not USB for the comcast DVR. Correct, the usb port is disabled on the set top boxes for use in media storage.
--
I'm always up for a good chat and helping with VoIP testing so my contact info is below.
Gigaset.net: Michael Wolf
Callcentric: 17772288600
SIP URI: sip:226976325024#9@sip.gigaset.net and sip:17772288600@in.callcentric.com
Skype: MikeWolf051 |
|
yhp
join:2006-12-27
Philadelphia, PA | reply to mariod
said by mariod:said by yhp:My point was that $100 for a TB of DVR storage now (mariod's rhetorical question) is a great deal when compared to playing waiting and service games with Comcast.
Except you're not paying $100 for a TB of storage. I already have 500gb of storage. And I have 340GB on my DCX34xx.
Some customers have only 250GB on their DCX34xx.
You're paying $100 for GBs 501 through 1501. For only a year or two before its defunct. Is that really worth $100??
Someday, when Comcast's awesome technology renders my purchase "obsolete" (LOL) "a year or two" (your words) from now, I will have had a "year or two" of not thinking for even a minute about what shows to delete or whether I should really record something in standard-def to save space.
It's an annoyance. In 2012, it's an insult. It takes time. Time adds up. It's easily worth $100.
YMMV. |
|
| reply to The Q
said by The Q: pretty sure you need a drive with esata and not USB for the comcast DVR.
That's my point. You're paying more for an external HD that isn't even USB, making it less functional to then start using with a computer when cloud storage arrives. |
|
Reviews:
·Comcast
| Um, the Western Digital My Book AV DVR Expander has both USB and eSATA connections, so it can still be used on a computer or other device with USB.
I'm not sure why anyone would be mentioning a My Book Essential for DVR backup due to it only having USB. |
|
| said by Mike Wolf:Um, the Western Digital My Book AV DVR Expander has both USB and eSATA connections, so it can still be used on a computer or other device with USB.
I'm not sure why anyone would be mentioning a My Book Essential for DVR backup due to it only having USB.
You're still missing the point.
Someone posted that if DVR goes to the cloud, then you have an extra external HD to use as backup for your PC.
My point is that I can get an extra backup external for my PC for much cheaper than the one required for use with a DVR. |
|
Reviews:
·Comcast
| Yes, but then you wouldn't be able to use it with the DVR in the meantime, so you'd be losing out on the added DVR capacity. I'd think It would be smarter to get the DVR extender so you can use it with the DVR and then when it may no longer be needed, you can then use it on the computer or whatever. |
|
| said by Mike Wolf:Yes, but then you wouldn't be able to use it with the DVR in the meantime, so you'd be losing out on the added DVR capacity. I'd think It would be smarter to get the DVR extender so you can use it with the DVR and then when it may no longer be needed, you can then use it on the computer or whatever.
You're being weird about this.
The point was not to use it as an external hard drive simultaneously.
I said, it seemed like a waste to spend $100 for an external HD that would be defunct in a couple years.
Someone else said "but when its no longer used with your STB, then you can just use it as a external to your computer"
All I'm pointing out is that if I was going to use it as an external to my computer, I can get an HD for much cheaper, so that post-defunct functionality isn't really of much value. |
|
1 edit | said by mariod:All I'm pointing out is that if I was going to use it as an external to my computer, I can get an HD for much cheaper, so that post-defunct functionality isn't really of much value.
Actually you seem to be missing the point. We're all well aware that there are cheaper (and probably better too) solutions for external computer data storage.
That's not the point. The point is if you like idea of expanded DVR storage right now, today (assuming you have the A30 update), $100 seems pretty reasonable for lack of hassle of trying to swap out a DVR for a newer model that has a larger hard drive (but still won't be as large as a DVR with the 1TB expander drive connected).
So then if it ever comes to pass that this cloud DVR storage thing happens, oh well you've had the utility of the 1TB of DVR storage for what's likely years to come (at least 2 years), so big deal you've paid $100 for 2 years of greatly expanded DVR storage and then you can re-purpose it for data storage at that point in time.
It's not that you can use it for data storage now, which is what you keep talking about with the price comparisons to other external hard drives, it's that hey you paid $100 and yeah it was eventually made obsolete, but it still has standard PC/Mac compatible interfaces on it so it can still be re-purposed into computer data storage duties, it isn't a proprietary piece of hardware and it isn't something you have to give back to the cable company.
As an aside, I can't see why you are so hung up on this DVR Expander drive thing. So what? let people spend $100 on it, if you think you know better, so be it, don't buy one.
Cloud DVR storage is a lot easier said than done. Aside from the legal issues about holding copies of a person's recordings in the cloud (which may or may not be considered a fair use copy) the biggest issue from an end-user perspective is the bandwidth required to make it work just like local storage. An hour of HD recording is roughly 7GB an hour, so that could use up your broadband data cap pretty quickly. Let alone the other issues with trying to get remote storage to behave as quickly as local storage to pausing, playing, fast forwarding, etc.
Then there's the nightmare of the cable company side, where the data storage demands would be colossal. |
|
Russ
join:2011-03-17
Houston, TX
kudos:1 | reply to mariod
There is no guarantee that Comcast will actually provide DVR recordings in the cloud or if they do when it will be available to every customer. Currently, Comcast is doing a small scale test of this in Boston.
For example, the TiVo interface was ported to the Motorola DVRs years ago and was offered to customers in the New England area. This option was never expanded beyond the New England area. Now, Comcast has a deal with TiVo to allow certain TiVos to access Video on Demand, but its in only a few markets.
--
Cisco RNG 200N & SA 8300 HD DVRs-S26 Guide
Links
'Guide Blog'
'Schedule'
'Info'
'Patch Thread' |
|
| reply to SpHeRe31459
Comcast's storage might not be quite so colossal if they're smart about how they store customers' data. It's possible that they could store only one copy of a "recording" any number of customers wanted to store and tag each item with unique cable box identifiers such as its MAC address for those customers who wanted to access the item. The cable box would only need to access a data base table making the connections between saved items and customer cable box. There's likely to be a lot of redundancy of saved programs by 22 million customers. I think this is the way Amazon, or is it Google, is saving online music files for its customers. This is likely the way Amazon "saves" purchased books for Kindle users rather than multiple copies of the same book for its millions of users.
I may have been the person who started to conversation about re-purposing the hard drive that might be used as a DVR extender for external storage on a computer. I think several folks in this thread have it right - it's a possibility that might be very useful. As I understand it, this hardware has both SATA and USB ports, but I don't know which version of either. Anyway, wrt computers, particularly laptops, having the new solid state drives with relatively low capacity and high price, fast external storage is probably a must and SATA being particularly fast would serve very well for this purpose. External drives with SATA ports are likely more expensive than those with only USB, even USB 3. It appears that the solid state drives can wear out from multiple writes, but not reads, so they're great for the OS and application software, but not the swap file or data storage that may be updated frequently. Desk top computers typically have room for multiple drives but the newer style laptops seem to place an emphasis on being so thin and lightweight that having both an SSD and spinning drive crammed in is impossible.
--
There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.
Sherlock Holmes in
The Boscombe Valley Mystery
A. C. Doyle
Strand Magazine, October 1891 |
|
