The complaints of all the home theater widows I know could fall into two categories: Too many remote controls, and not enough available storage space on the digital video recorder (DVR). Our suggestions for the former are an ongoing quest, but Seagate has made a quantum leap in the latter, with their Showcase DVR Storage Expander series of external hard disk drives.
Available in 500-gigabyte and one-terabyte capacities, and with high-speed USB 2.0 and eSATA connectivity, the drives are remarkably affordable, especially if you've been watching the steady drop of storage costs from the "a-buck-a-gigabyte" days. The half-TB USB model retails for $124.99, the same size in eSATA has just been reduced to $119.99, while a full TB in either format is a mere $164.99. Seagate was kind enough to let me try out the 1TB USB product: For the details of my hands-on installation and use of the Showcase, check out the recent update to my review of the Dish Network ViP722 HD DVR Receiver. This USB model also works with Dish ViP612, ViP622 and ViP722K receivers. Just as impressive, certain non-recording DISH receivers (ViP211, ViP211K) can be turned into full-fledged DVRs with the addition of a Showcase drive.
Design and performance of the Showcase have been optimized for modern home theaters, with the 5900 RPM Pipeline hard disk drive running quietly (21 decibels, well below the noise floor of a typical listening room), staying cool, and even offering a three-position dimmer switch to help it blend into any darkened room. While the eSATA version is compatible with TiVo Series 3 recorders, it is not yet sufficiently tested to be an official "approved for TiVo" device. Multiple DIRECTV, Pace and Scientific Atlanta boxes are also supported, although you might want to place a call to your service provider to confirm your readiness to accept an external storage device, along with any possible fees.
Our take? Two thumbs up to Seagate for allowing us to easily archive more TV shows and movies than we'll ever have time in this lifetime to watch.
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