Dying drive?

[tralfaz]

With my first Tivo, I got what I thought were signs of a dying hard drive: when switching channels, I got pixelated, stuttering video for 3 to 8 seconds. Sure enough, after a few weeks the hard drive went. Replaced the hard drive and all has been well ever since.

Recently, my second Tivo began showing the exact same problem. Assuming the hard drive was on its way out, I preempted the problem. Bought a new hard drive, used mfstools to copy the original hard drive to the new one (copied everything, including recordings, about 37GB). Put the new drive in the Tivo, and all's well.

Except all isn't well. Everything is there, all of my saved shows, and it shows increased recording time. But the pixelation and stuttering is still there when I change channels.

I've switched the video to bypass the Tivo and flipped around to make sure there wasn't a problem with my cable box (perhaps with a bad or weak signal, or signal noise). No issues - channel changing works fine.

This concerns me... was the hard drive not to blame after all? Or did I somehow duplicate the issue by copying the Tivo drive in its entirety? Or could it be something else?

[classicsat]

Is it a DirecTV TiVo? Did you just get 6.3e? If you are using S-video, disconnect it and use composite instead.

[tralfaz]

Not a DirecTV Tivo - standard series 2 Tivo, out of an orange box, presumably bought at Best Buy (gifted to me). Its service number starts with 540 (40 hour) - not at home so can't give the model #.

Connected to a Motorola cable box via RCA cables (same as composite? I get confused with all the choices these days), not s-video.

[hkancyr]

I recently had this problem and it wasn't just when I changed channels. I too went the HDD route and I even bought a powersupply from weaknees. No luck pixelating continued.
This was an old 240 with a lifetime sub on it. I had hacked it from day one, but Weaknees said to call TiVo and see what they can do. Well TiVo said to send them $150 and they will send me a refurbed 540 with an 80 GB drive and I can keep the lifetime on it. As we conversed, I told them that I had tried to repair it myself with a new HDD and they promptly told me that I shouldn't do that and that voided the swap, but hold on a second and let me talk to my boss. She did and said, don't ever do that again, and the deal was still on. Cool, I got the 540 and set it up and it ran for a couple days, it then died. I spoke with TiVo again and they said they would send me a UPS label to RMA the replacement unit.
I just got an email from TiVo that they sent out the replacement, a 649! So now my old, noisy 240 is being replaced with a DT and I still have the lifetime on it. Not a bad deal for $150, if it works. If it doesn't work they will probably replace this one with a HD if the progression continues.......right.
So if your problem turns out to be a bad TiVo don't despair, even if it is an oldie.

Bottom line, call TiVo, wait on the phone for 30 minutes or so and when they pick up act as if you were on hold for 5 seconds. I credit my good luck with being nice on the phone, also TiVo is a reputable company, that helps too.