[djones18]

I've had two Bolt + 3TB model failures due to hard drive failure in 24 months. Most recent renewed Bolt + failed after 6 months with continuous front panel flashing lights. Bolts have been in a fan cooled enclosure with stable power with reasonable ODTs (50s). Called TiVo this morning and they are sending yet another Bolt +. As anyone who has experienced this knows you loose all your recorded shows and one-pass set up. In my case 150 hours of recordings.

Tried to explain I'm not happy and am going off the Bolt line. Would they send an Edge? No. Requested Vox remote as compensation. No. Asked for another extended warranty on this replacement. No. Must purchase it again at $35. Asked for a new power supply. Yes.

That's little compensation for the loss of all recordings and being without a TiVo for several days. If we are now down to under one year reliability, this will be my last TiVo.

 

[KevTech]

As anyone who has experienced this knows you loose all your recorded shows and one-pass set up.

You can save your passes with kmttg then just put them back on the new Tivo.

I have my passes and channel list saved.

 

[zubinh]

You've certainly had bad luck with hard drives, the only thing I can suggest would be to purchase your Tivo through Best Buy and get their extended warranty. This way you can walk into a BB and get a replacement rather than waiting for one by mail. You do have to deal with Tivo customer support with the transfer of lifetime if you have that but I've done it twice without too much hassle.

 

[AZrob]

You've certainly had bad luck with hard drives, the only thing I can suggest would be to purchase your Tivo through Best Buy and get their extended warranty. This way you can walk into a BB and get a replacement rather than waiting for one by mail. You do have to deal with Tivo customer support with the transfer of lifetime if you have that but I've done it twice without too much hassle.

As a long-time purchaser of Tivo's from Best Buy, I can attest to the ease and sense of security their Geek Squad Extended Warranty has brought me. I have never had a hassle with BB over the return of a Tivo that is not working. Sometimes, though, if the model that broke was no longer being sold, BB would just reimburse me for the cost of my original Tivo.

However, what that means NOW is that you may not be able to bring in a 3TB Bolt unit and expect to get the same in exchange, because they don't make a 3TB version anymore (guess why?). So be prepared for only getting your money back, not a 3TB unit in exchange. I am on my 2nd Bolt Tivo+ (3TB) and although I have also religiously kept the temperature low with an Infinity fan, I am fully prepared for it to crap out any day. After all I've had it for a whole year .

One other option: I have heard that Tivo has a supply of refurbished 3TB Roamio Pro units that they will give you in exchange for a Bolt 3TB that has gone bad. I'm not sure what the cost is, but it may be less than the $60 I had to pay for the BB warranty. Something to consider, because otherwise you will have to find a way to upgrade any 1TB Bolt you get from BB (or purchase with the money they give you) to a 3TB unit - and that is not something I, for one, look forward to.....

 

[djones18]

All good ideas above and worth considering if buying new. I wasn't offered a Roamio Pro as replacement but I may have taken it if offered. My 3rd replacement Bolt+ will have Lifetime Service transferred from the previous units. It will cost me nothing since I have the extended TiVo warranty. Considering my experience that is a must for me. I'm hoping the renewed unit will last. However, if it fails I expect at some point I'll be offered an Edge when Bolt+ 3TB renewed units are finally gone.