Instructions for using my EHD

[mapleleaf-mick]

Are there detailed instructions anywhere that tell me how to record and playback movies, etc. on my EHD that I have attached to my 6131. The receiver has formatted my drive and everything seems ready to go. Of course the instruction manual for the 6131 makes absolutely no mention of a EHD.

Any assistance/suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks for reading my post.

[hugh]

mick, I would recommend first checking the Bell support site as they might have instructions there. Failing that, try searching the many threads on this forum and you should be able to find some pointers from existing 6131 users.

[Altaman]

All you need to do is select a program in the guide and it will ask you how you want to record (all, once, new, etc). You can also record directly from the remote by hitting the record button. Playback is as simple as selecting the PVR button on your remote and it will list all shows recorded.

[mapleleaf-mick]

Thank you gentleman for your assistance.

[pmiller000]

mapleleaf-mick has asked the one question that also has me totally perplexed. Where, oh where, can I find a detailed "User Guide" for the functions available to my EHD? The Bell "Support" site is a useless runaround, and most of the functions I have discovered have been thru trial-and-error. Recording off the TV is easy enough, but what about pausing live TV, skipping forward and backward, replaying recent live TV, etc. I need a comprehensive explanation of just what the EHD can do, and I cannot find any such thing anywhere.

[dirtroad]

The Dishnetwork Site has all the manuals, that you can down load in one .pdf
for each of the receivers, unlike each of the chapters from the Bell site.
I believe the 211 is very similar to the 6131.
See http://www.dishnetwork.com/support/d...s/default.aspx

[BEVinBOS]

Originally Posted by pmiller000

Where, oh where, can I find a detailed "User Guide" for the functions available to my EHD?
....
Recording off the TV is easy enough, but what about pausing live TV, skipping forward and backward, replaying recent live TV, etc. I need a comprehensive explanation of just what the EHD can do...

So, in order to save a few $$, I'm contemplating a 6131 with EHD rather than 9242 off ebay or a 9241 from official sources.

Can those with a 6131 + EHD comment - do you really get the full functionality of a (single-tuner) PVR receiver? Would you take a 6131 + EHD over your 924x if offered? Or is there a catch to this?

I currently have a 5100/5900. I would not want to lose basic PVR functionality. For me, pausing live TV, skipping backward, or using the buffer to replay/watch recent live TV is almost as important as the ability to record programming when I'm not around.

[pmiller000]

Originally Posted by dirtroad

The Dishnetwork Site has all the manuals, that you can down load in one .pdf
for each of the receivers, unlike each of the chapters from the Bell site.
I believe the 211 is very similar to the 6131.
See http://www.dishnetwork.com/support/d...s/default.aspx

Thanks Dirtroad,

The manuals look very useful. Unfortunately, there is no mention of EHD's, but I can certainly get a lot from what IS there.

PM

[pmiller000]

I can only tell you my experience with my EHD has been most(ly) satisfactory. I had an old 80GB HDD lying around, so I connected it to my receiver just to see what would happen, and it works fine. The total storage capacity for HD is only about 10 hours, but that's plenty for me. I have no desire to keep old programs, so I simply delete them after I watch them.

As I said in my original post, I am still learning what the EHD can do with live TV, but the process is trial-and-(mostly)-error. It will pause live TV, so you can watch your program in delayed fashion (and skip commercials). It will skip backwards (30 sec, I think), so you can watch slo-mo replays if you want. The only thing it won't do is record one thing while you watch another. But considering the price (free, for me) that's not too bad.

Still looking for a manual of some kind to explain it all.

[foddmxz600]

I just installed a 1tb western and I like it paid 99.99 for it plus 20.00 for a 3 year warranty it's great to catch the shows your going to miss and it does have all the features of the 9000 series except the dual tuner so you cant record one program and watch another

[supergenius]

A 6131 with EHD can do all the things the 924x can do except record one thing while watching another. I find my 6131 a little less responsive than my 9242 but it does work.

The thing I like about the 6131 is that it can use the entire space of the hard drive it is attached to without the extra step of having to manually transfer to the EHD. In other words, my 9242 will start erasing older shows once it hits 30hrs of HD recordings, whereas my 6131 will keep recording up to 133hrs of hd (with 1TB drive) without deleting anything.

[scrooloose]

I added a small hard disk to my upstairs 6131 just so I could pause live television, skip commercials, and record the occasional show. However, I find the lack of a second tuner a major inconvenience compared to my 9242. For serious recording, I would go with a 9241 (or 9242 if you can find one).

Most of the PVR features of the 6131 (with EHD) are similar to the 9241, so you might find this link useful
http://support.bell.ca/en-on/TV/Rece...ver_user_guide

-Mike

[dirtroad]

pmiller000
Thanks Dirtroad,.....The manuals look very useful. Unfortunately, there is no mention of EHD's, but I can certainly get a lot from what IS there.

http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads..._UserGuide.pdf and see Page 119 whole section on DVR conversion, 22 pages in all.

[ScaryBob]

Where can I find a detailed "User Guide" for the functions available to my EHD?

As mentioned, Dish manuals are a good place, provided a similar receiver can be found and that's usually the case. For onscreen PVR functions, the 6131 is almost identical to the 6141, 9200, 9241 and 9242 and the equivalent Dish units.

Does 6131 + EHD really = 924x PVR?

Functionally, in many respects. For responsiveness, archiving abilities and overall usability (like recording multiple shows at the same time while watching others) the 6131 is nowhere near as good as the 9000 series. For example, I can record 3 shows while watching two others with a 9242. the 6131 is max's out at 1 and 1 and doesn't do it as well.

[pmiller000]

Oops,

Thanks dirtroad, I should have looked more carefully. It's all there, as you say; all the explanation about my EHD and how to work with it. Yaay!