| reply to aguiar0016
Re: [DVR] External DVR Storage Is it really worth it to buy a $100 hard drive when we're all going to be moving to X1 and cloud storage this year? |
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The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA | said by mariod:Is it really worth it to buy a $100 hard drive when we're all going to be moving to X1 and cloud storage this year?
wait, we all are this year? where did you see that? That would be exciting news! |
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| reply to The Q
said by The Q: wait, we all are this year? where did you see that? That would be exciting news!
ComcastTed in October:
»forums.comcast.com/t5/XfinityTV-···5#M57148
We continue to test and trial the new cloud-based X1 guide on our Cisco RNG cable boxes and the plan would be to deliver the X1 experience (On-Screen Guide 3.0) on the Cisco RNG 200N and the Cisco 150N cable boxes by the end of 2013. |
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The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA | said by mariod:said by The Q: wait, we all are this year? where did you see that? That would be exciting news!
ComcastTed in October: » forums.comcast.com/t5/XfinityTV-···5#M57148We continue to test and trial the new cloud-based X1 guide on our Cisco RNG cable boxes and the plan would be to deliver the X1 experience (On-Screen Guide 3.0) on the Cisco RNG 200N and the Cisco 150N cable boxes by the end of 2013. Ah, I live in a Motorola area so the Cisco boxes are not available to me.
Do you really think it will be on all those box types and all areas this year? |
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yhp
join:2006-12-27
Philadelphia, PA | reply to mariod
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. |
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yhp
join:2006-12-27
Philadelphia, PA | reply to mariod
said by mariod:Is it really worth it to buy a $100 hard drive when we're all going to be moving to X1 and cloud storage this year?
A $100 hard drive works out (in one year) to $8 a month for 1TB storage capacity.
Given that DVR service is now $8 a month, and the most widely available DVR STBs top out at half a TB or less, I'd say it's a bargain - in the upside-down land of the Xfinity Universe, that is.
Of course, some people enjoy paying equipment swap fees, waiting in line at the service office, waiting at home for a truck roll, losing their existing recordings when they swap out their box, reconnecting their audio equipment, etc. |
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Silly question to ask, you as a Comcast customer should know how things can get delayed for months and years. |
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Russ
join:2011-03-17
Houston, TX
kudos:1 | reply to yhp
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)
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Cisco RNG 200N & SA 8300 HD DVRs-S26 Guide
Links
'Guide Blog'
'Schedule'
'Info'
'Patch Thread' |
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Russ
join:2011-03-17
Houston, TX
kudos:1 | reply to The Q
said by The Q:said by mariod:said by The Q: wait, we all are this year? where did you see that? That would be exciting news!
ComcastTed in October: » forums.comcast.com/t5/XfinityTV-···5#M57148We continue to test and trial the new cloud-based X1 guide on our Cisco RNG cable boxes and the plan would be to deliver the X1 experience (On-Screen Guide 3.0) on the Cisco RNG 200N and the Cisco 150N cable boxes by the end of 2013. Ah, I live in a Motorola area so the Cisco boxes are not available to me. Do you really think it will be on all those box types and all areas this year? Comcast plans on supporting X1 on the more modern Motorola STBs.
I don't think it will be on all those boxes and in all areas this year.
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Cisco RNG 200N & SA 8300 HD DVRs-S26 Guide
Links
'Guide Blog'
'Schedule'
'Info'
'Patch Thread' |
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yhp
join:2006-12-27
Philadelphia, PA | reply to Russ
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! |
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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. |
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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. |
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| 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?? |
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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.
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There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.
Sherlock Holmes in
The Boscombe Valley Mystery
A. C. Doyle
Strand Magazine, October 1891 |
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| 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 |
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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. |
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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. |
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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.
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Skype: MikeWolf051 |
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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. |
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