Phillips Series 2 Tivo Random Restarts

[jregnault]

Hello all - I currently have an 80 GB Phillips Direct TV w/Tivo Series 2 receiver, I would say it is about 2.5 years old. It has been experiencing random restarts over the last week (happened twice). I checked the internal temperature (40 degrees, which is normal), I will get a UPS to replace the surge protector I currently use, but I wanted to know what my options were in case the receiver's hard drive is dying.

I have owned Tivo since it first came out (started with Tivo connected to digital cable, went back to satellite once I was in a place that offered clear southern sky exposure). I love Direct TV (hate Comcast, my local cable provider) , love Tivo, and love the integrated receiver (aka, not dealing with the IR blaster issues).

I refuse to use Direct TV's DVR, based on what I have seen and heard, and refuse to go back to cable. Is it true if I had to get a new Tivo box (and use IR to connect to a Direct TV receiver), I couldn't enjoy the current recording options I have with recording 2 shows at once, etc.?

I am just trying to come up with a contingency plan, in case my unit dies. Also, would it be possible to find a new unit (not refurb)? If my unit does die, would Direct TV replace it with the same unit, or their lousy new DVR? I don't really want to have to hack my unit, or send it away to have the drive replaced. I only have one Tivo unit (this one), and January is a big Season pass season for me, so sending it away isn't really an option either.

Any feedback is appreciated - thanks!

[John T Smith]

Lots of reading about the recent problems

Season Pass Problems
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=332166

More on SPP - Bad Guide Data
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=332358

POSSIBLE Reason for Season Pass Problems
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4717264&&#post4717264

Random Restarts Due to DirecTv?
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=333247

And Yet More on Random Restarts
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=333005

Where to I get a DirecTv Tivo?
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=316297

DTivo Hacking, Networking, etc
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=24

[jregnault]

Looks like I am not the only one experiencing random restarts - I will go ahead and invest in a UPS, but I am going to wait and see if the restarts mysteriously disappear over the next couple of days as DTV works out their issues.

Thanks also for the tips on places to buy another unit if mine does die.

[John T Smith]

Thanks also for the tips on places to buy another unit if mine does die.
If you think you will EVER want another DirecTivo... buying sooner rather than later would be a Good Thing

New units have not been made for about a year, so the supply is shrinking... or gone entirely, depending on where you look

[elmofongo]

Both my DirecTivo's are doing random evening reboots for the past 10 days.
It sucks.

-Adriano

[DevilDogs]

My Hughes HDVR2 DirecTivo has rebooted a few times over the last couple weeks. I do have it on a UPS.

[elmofongo]

Correct me if I'm wrong but if the reboots are triggered remotely during a connection to DirecTV, then a UPS would not help.

[John T Smith]

Send an email to DirecTv... the more complaints, the faster they
will work on a solution (well... maybe... who knows with DirecTv)
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/customer/howToReachUs.jsp

[psweig]

sd-DVR40 reboots every day around 2:30 PM. This, after no trouble until the 2006 holidays. System info says it is indexing at that time. Indexing every day??

[CraigHB]

Like a lot of D* TiVo users on this forum, I was having problems with my Samsung S4040R doing random reboots over the last week or so. At first I thought it was the box so I put a spare S4040R I have into service. It hasn't been hooked up for about 6 months. I changed the box out, forced a couple dial-ins/reboots, let it acquire the guide data for a couple days, then entered all my season pass/wishlist data. Seems to be working well. Haven't had any random reboots and it seems to be grabbing all the season pass shows ok.

Sounds like some screwy stuff is happening on DirecTV's end, logs filling up?, bad guide data?, who knows. Just more motivation for me to switch to S3/Cable like I plan to. DirecTV is really going downhill.