How do I replace a Hopper full of shows?

[Luddite by Choice]

4 Dish techs have told me, beginning when it was new, that my Hopper 3 w/Sling is buggy. It's getting worse, and they tell me to buy a 2TB self-powered external HDD (no SSD or flash drive) for $60-$80, archive my Hopper contents onto it, replace the Hopper, then dump those EHD contents onto the new Hopper.
1. I can't find a self-powered 2TB EHD on the internet. They're apparently dinosaurs.
2. I'm not about to archive my Hopper onto an EHD unless I am sure I can retrieve its contents. I've lost too many entire Spectrum and Dish drive contents with "sure things".
3. What am I not finding? Are there any self-powered EHDs available that are simple plug and play (reformatting is OK, but anything beyond that is gobbledygook to this Luddite by Choice.)

 

[HipKat]

4 Dish techs have told me, beginning when it was new, that my Hopper 3 w/Sling is buggy. It's getting worse, and they tell me to buy a 2TB self-powered external HDD (no SSD or flash drive) for $60-$80, archive my Hopper contents onto it, replace the Hopper, then dump those EHD contents onto the new Hopper.
1. I can't find a self-powered 2TB EHD on the internet. They're apparently dinosaurs.
2. I'm not about to archive my Hopper onto an EHD unless I am sure I can retrieve its contents. I've lost too many entire Spectrum and Dish drive contents with "sure things".
3. What am I not finding? Are there any self-powered EHDs available that are simple plug and play (reformatting is OK, but anything beyond that is gobbledygook to this Luddite by Choice.)

2TB is the old standard. You can go as high as 7 TB now. And you don't have to transfer them to the new Hopper, just connect the drive as additional storage. That IS a sure thing - unless your Hard Drive is bad.
Regardless, I do want to remind people, when you record shows, you don't own those shows. They are only playable on Dish Hoppers. At some point, you'll probably leave Dish - hopefully not soon - and have no way to play those recordings.

 

[John2021]

why would you want a self powered drive there slower than ones that come with an AC plug??? there is a way to transfer shows via eithernet. that's providing the drive isn't bad then it won't transfer your shows and that takes days to do

 

[HipKat]

why would you want a self powered drive there slower than ones that come with an AC plug??? there is a way to transfer shows via eithernet. that's providing the drive isn't bad then it won't transfer your shows and that takes days to do

The Ethernet method rarely works anymore. An EHD is the only way that works all the time

 

[navychop]

At some point, you'll probably leave Dish - hopefully not soon - and have no way to play those recordings.

Or even if you stay, you may lose whole drives of programming. I did. Major sticky point for me with Dish. Now, other con$ideration$ take precedence.