Serious Stuttering on HR10-250 - Anyone Else Have This Problem?

Sparty99 · 06-04-2006, 04:02 PM

I've had an HR10-250 for just over a year now (lovely that this happens just out of warranty). Recently, the HD channels, including the ones running OTA are stuttering to the point of unwatchability. There have been occasional stutters on non-HD channels, but nothing to the extent of the HD channels.

The other problem is that the stuttering is going over to the items I've recorded prior to this problem arising, which leads me to believe it's something going on with the unit. Has anyone else had this problem, and do I have a dead unit?

Thanks in advance for your help.

A J Ricaud · 06-04-2006, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serumgard

I've had an HR10-250 for just over a year now (lovely that this happens just out of warranty). Recently, the HD channels, including the ones running OTA are stuttering to the point of unwatchability. There have been occasional stutters on non-HD channels, but nothing to the extent of the HD channels.

The other problem is that the stuttering is going over to the items I've recorded prior to this problem arising, which leads me to believe it's something going on with the unit. Has anyone else had this problem, and do I have a dead unit?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Classic symptoms of a failing hard drive.

GhostDog69 · 06-04-2006, 07:41 PM

Did you check the internal temperature? With it getting warm in the house over the last week or 2 I noticed one of mine getting a nasty stutter (~2 years old). I turned on the a.c. and rebooted and it's been fine for the last few days.

Mark Lopez · 06-04-2006, 07:53 PM

Before blaming the HD, try switching the channel and then back again. Be sure you are actually changing the channel and not just swapping tuners. The buffer should be clear when you switch back. This resolves the stuttering for me every time. If that doesn't help, then the drive is probably on it's way out.

Sparty99 · 06-06-2006, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Lopez

Before blaming the HD, try switching the channel and then back again. Be sure you are actually changing the channel and not just swapping tuners. The buffer should be clear when you switch back. This resolves the stuttering for me every time. If that doesn't help, then the drive is probably on it's way out.

Been done. The stuttering occurs not just with the shows that I'm watching, but also with the ones that are saved and were recorded prior to this issue arising. I've done a reset by way of the menu, and by unplugging the unit (several times) and by doing a complete reset (including unplugging the satellite cables).

Thanks for the tips though.

atlantadan · 06-06-2006, 10:50 PM

Not sure what "shuttering" is but if it's something that is is pixeling, tile-ing and freezing up, happening to me also. Happeing both via OTA and sat feed, so I called DTV and they said "hard drive failure". So they are sending me a n/c replacement, as it's 9 months old.

Might be a bad batch of hard drives

IOTP · 06-06-2006, 11:40 PM

I don't get any studdering.

What I do get is:

1. Intermiddent failures to connect to the 110 sat where all the hidef is.
2. Intermiddent reboots. I hit the tivo button, and get "please wait..."

Very, very frustrating.

I cannot locate any solutions on either problem.

A J Ricaud · 06-07-2006, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IOTP

I don't get any studdering.

What I do get is:

1. Intermiddent failures to connect to the 110 sat where all the hidef is.
2. Intermiddent reboots. I hit the tivo button, and get "please wait..."

Very, very frustrating.

I cannot locate any solutions on either problem.

Have you tried unplugging the unit for a few minutes? Sometimes this clears up some problems.

IOTP · 06-07-2006, 09:51 PM

I have tried that. Someone mentioned that it could be a bad multiswitch. I get 92-95% on all three sat's. (101/119/110) so I dont know what it could be. Problem is I need to be home when the DTV service comes out, and getting a SATURDAY appt is next to impossible. I work M-F, 9a-5:30p.

Sparty99 · 06-09-2006, 09:41 AM

Well, I took DirecTV's advice (very stupid of me, I'm now aware) and ran a Clear and Delete everything. After letting it run all night, it's still running the Clear and Delete. So I called DirecTV to see if there was anything they could do for me, despite the fact that I was out of warranty (albeit, by less than a month). They said they'd be happy to replace my unit, if I'm willing to pay $20 for shipping (no big deal), agree to a 2-year programming commitment (not a big deal, but if they're willing to do this I could deal with it), and switch to a lease (not a chance). I politely explained that I was dismayed that my situation would have been completely different had the problem arisen a month previously, and he told me there was nothing he could (or would) do for me.

So I've ordered a replacement drive from PTVUpgrade, and will be switching from DirecTV the minute the Series 3 becomes available.

stingray · 06-09-2006, 11:59 PM

I been having problems with my HR10-250 too, blank screen , freezing for a few seconds and my receiver is making noises. I know I been told the HD is dying but its been like a month, I was going to try the clear and delete but after reading this thread I am not sure.

Should I just get a new receiver, I have one or two months left of my warranty?

mahler2 · 06-10-2006, 07:49 AM

Had same problem w/first HD Tivo after about 2 months. They replaced it and it was fine until recently, when it started acting up again. It starts w/an occasional glitch, then gets worse and worse until unwatchable. Restarting fixed it at first, but then even that didn't helpl.

IOTP · 06-10-2006, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serumgard

Well, I took DirecTV's advice (very stupid of me, I'm now aware) and ran a Clear and Delete everything. After letting it run all night, it's still running the Clear and Delete. So I called DirecTV to see if there was anything they could do for me, despite the fact that I was out of warranty (albeit, by less than a month). They said they'd be happy to replace my unit, if I'm willing to pay $20 for shipping (no big deal), agree to a 2-year programming commitment (not a big deal, but if they're willing to do this I could deal with it), and switch to a lease (not a chance). I politely explained that I was dismayed that my situation would have been completely different had the problem arisen a month previously, and he told me there was nothing he could (or would) do for me.

So I've ordered a replacement drive from PTVUpgrade, and will be switching from DirecTV the minute the Series 3 becomes available.

They sent me a unit once, it didnt fix it. So I sent it back. My HR10-250s an upgraded unit with a 2nd 250GB installed. Plus they wanted me to LEASE the unit, and after paying $900 for the original unit, I was like definitely sending it back.

It's all wierd.

Madison Heights? That's pretty cool -- I grew up in Warren, near 13 Mile & Hayes.

Jim

atlantadan · 06-10-2006, 06:49 PM

DTV sent me it a replacement unit no charge, hook it up and so far, all my problems are gone (fingers are crossed

Everything now pointing to a bad hard drive.

Only downside, all the programs I have save on the bad box I'm going to loose. I'm not going to waste the time going to VHS, so guess I start over.

DTVPro · 06-10-2006, 07:20 PM

you tards have so much invested in equipment, but won't invest a few bucks a month on the protection plan to make sure when the equipment is replaced you don't pay for s/h and still own the unit?

Your own fault

why would you spend 900 dollars on a unit, then after it's out of warranty, complain to the company you bought it from because they'd basically replace it for 20 bucks but you wouldn't own it anymore?

The thing's useless if you leave DTV anyways, so what's the big deal? As long as you kept the original hard drive after you upgraded the drives, pop the old drive in the unit, ship it back to em.

Protection plan is definately worth the price you have to pay for it, get it and it would fix most of the problems people complain about here

Sparty99 · 06-11-2006, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DTVPro

you tards have so much invested in equipment, but won't invest a few bucks a month on the protection plan to make sure when the equipment is replaced you don't pay for s/h and still own the unit?

Your own fault

why would you spend 900 dollars on a unit, then after it's out of warranty, complain to the company you bought it from because they'd basically replace it for 20 bucks but you wouldn't own it anymore?

The thing's useless if you leave DTV anyways, so what's the big deal? As long as you kept the original hard drive after you upgraded the drives, pop the old drive in the unit, ship it back to em.

Protection plan is definately worth the price you have to pay for it, get it and it would fix most of the problems people complain about here

Yeah, you're right, it is our fault. It's also a proven fact that any company's protection plan is their greatest profit center. So 1 out of 100 people might make money off the protection plan when they get a crappy unit, but the other 99 people are needlessly throwing money into the pockets of DirecTV. So, yeah, right now, I'm wishing I had purchased the DirecTV plan because I wind up screwed, but it's not going to inspire me to change...it's going to inspire me to hate DirecTV.

And no, the unit is not useless after we leave DTV. If we don't lease the unit and maintain ownership after we're done with DTV, we have the right to resell that unit rather than turning it over to you guys.

nsdp · 06-11-2006, 12:44 PM

I have been a tivo user since 2000 and every one I have had comes with a bottom of the line harddrive. My new HD Directivo came with a WD2500BB drive. You don't find this model available for sale on the net at any reputable dealer. I learned about three years ago to buy the server/enterprise harddrives , they are now about $10 more than the midgrade drives. The WD2500SD that I bought at newegg was $91 shipping included. they had it on sale. The server grade drives are designed with 1,000,000 hours meantime to failure and intended for 24hour 365 days a year service. They are also designed to handle the higher temperatures of a rack server. That is 15C higher than the design temperature of a standard hard drive. I have never had anything but a harddrive fail on one of these units , so I figure it's worth it to go ahead and replace the drive and not worry about losing any thing I have saved. The only time you get screwed around is when Directv does a download. I lost my turbocache card when my T60 downloaded 3.5. I am waiting for the new drivers to get posted on that.

goherd90 · 06-11-2006, 06:04 PM

OK...mine not only goes black for a few seconds every so often on all channels..ie, HD and even locals, but as of just a few days ago I can no longer get espn2hd channel 72. I've tried everything, reboot, clear and delete...directv had no clue and was baffled. They will be sending me a replacement this week. How could only 1 channel have a problem?????? Even the signal strength on the transponder had a 95 signal!. I was thinking it was a faulty cable or something, but I doubt it would only impact one channel correct????

Sparty99 · 06-11-2006, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goherd90

OK...mine not only goes black for a few seconds every so often on all channels..ie, HD and even locals, but as of just a few days ago I can no longer get espn2hd channel 72. I've tried everything, reboot, clear and delete...directv had no clue and was baffled. They will be sending me a replacement this week. How could only 1 channel have a problem?????? Even the signal strength on the transponder had a 95 signal!. I was thinking it was a faulty cable or something, but I doubt it would only impact one channel correct????

I've finally got mine up and running on the bad drive, but I'm only getting 3 HD channels (ESPN2, Discovery and HDNet). Wonder how big a problem this is.