This is the noise my S3 is making...any ideas?

[mrdazzo7]

I posted a video with the noise my S3 is making. This is the refurb I just got less then two weeks ago after dealing with the freeze issue for two months before that. I REALLY don't want to send *this one* back too, but there's no way I'm listening to this noise 24/7 once my A/C is put away (it drowns it out for now...)

Anyone have an insight into what this noise could be caused by? ... Thanks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo3eyomwdPc

[BigJimOutlaw]

Could be a jittering exhaust fan if the sound is coming directly from the back where the fan is located, a really loud hard drive (potential failure waiting to happen), or the case itself or something inside it is vibrating.

The fan is easiest to diagnose (just put your ear up to it). If it's not that, the only way to find out for sure which of the other problems it would be is to open it and power it up for a minute to find the source of the rattle.

[mrdazzo7]

Could be a jittering exhaust fan if the sound is coming directly from the back where the fan is located, a really loud hard drive (potential failure waiting to happen), or the case itself or something inside it is vibrating.

The fan is easiest to diagnose (just put your ear up to it). If it's not that, the only way to find out for sure which of the other problems it would be is to open it and power it up for a minute to find the source of the rattle.

It's not coming from the back, I think it's coming from right where the drive is located. I'm gonna have to get another replacement. Hopefully Tivo doesn't think they're charging me another $50 either...

[lrhorer]

I posted a video with the noise my S3 is making.
Are you sure that isn't your washing machine? ;)

This is the refurb I just got less then two weeks ago after dealing with the freeze issue for two months before that. I REALLY don't want to send *this one* back too, but there's no way I'm listening to this noise 24/7 once my A/C is put away (it drowns it out for now...)
Why would you ever put your A/C away (from South Central Texas, the land of 80 degree winter nights)?

Anyone have an insight into what this noise could be caused by?
Since I have no idea how far away the microphone was from your TiVo, how sensitive the microphone was, or what the end-to-end system gain is from your capture device to my speaker output, it's very hard to say. The clicking noise could be drive seeks, but in that case, the period between clicks should be quite variable. I didn't notice much variability. Is the clicking more or less constant from the timne power is applied?

What I would suggest is opening up the TiVo and then applying power. If you are not comfortable with working with live electronics, then have a techie friend do it for you. This should make the source of the noise more evident. Also, I would shut down the power, remove the cables to the hard drive and then power the TiVo back up. The only two moving devices are the fan and the hard drive. If the unit still makes the noise with the drive shut down, it's the fan. Otherwise it's the drive. S3 TiVos use more or less standard SATA hard drives. You can pick up a 500G or 750G SATA drive for about $100, and replace the drive, if that's what's making the noise, expanding your storage space, to boot. Follow the instructions here (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=370784). TiVo fans are available online.

[mrdazzo7]

Thanks for the suggestions, but I just called Tivo and they're doing another exchange. I don't have the $$ to upgrade the drive right now and since I just got this refurb not too weeks ago, I'm not paying the $49 RMA fee either. Hopefully "third times a charm" and this one works right. The fall season is getting extremely close.