Hacking a DISH 501 Receiver

[Ulfwald]

I will be ending my contract with DISH at the end of november, and I have one of their DISH 501 PVR boxes. What I want to do is be able to still access the recording part of the box and utilize it as a recorder, as well as then be able to download the shows I really want to save, like some the cooking shows my wife likes, the landscaping shows I like, etc to my computer then burn them to dvd. Is there a site that discusses installing a network card into the unit, and being able to flash the unit so I can use it just as a dvr? I do not want to use it to steal satellite signals, as a matter of fact, to save money, I am ditching my dsl, DISH, and Local telephone whicxh also includes long distance. I am then going with comcast cable and getting VOIP with Vonage. This will save me about 200.00 a month. So I want to be able to use the dvr box, mainly because I had to sign a 2 year contract to get the dang thing.

 

[Ulfwald]

ok 21 views and no replies? any one know how to do this or where I can find out how to do it?

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Will it work like that? Part of the Hard Drive's ability to record so much has to do with the fact that it's recording compressed MPEG2 packets (raw signal) from the satellite.

I'm not sure it holds much if you feed it an uncompressed signal and try to use it like a TIVO.

 

[BriGy86]

ihacked.com or something like that

one of the members here has it in their sig

it shows how to "hack" home electronics

 

[Ulfwald]

No idea, and I am a real newb when it comes to this stuff, so that is why I am asking here.

 

[Xylitol]

This thread makes me laugh

 

[Ulfwald]

why does it make you laugh?

 

[eelw]

Don't you have to return the IRDs back to DishNet?

 

[Ulfwald]

Nope, I own the equipment free and clear because i signed a 2 year agreement with them