[robobrien]

I purchased an A92000 off of ebay. I've been reading about issues with the Mini's downgrading from TE4 to TE3, but haven't seen any issues with upgrading.

I am running TE4 on my Bolt (version 21.x) and before I lose the mini, i can see it is running TE3 (version 20.x). I have both the bolt and the mini connected to coax and using MoCa

I started with delete everything and went through the guided setup. it completes, connects to the Internet and finds my bolt. i can see recorded programs and go through menus if i start quickly, because then the screen starts flashing between please wait and whatever menu i am on, and then goes to the screen with the dog chewing the ethernet cable 'check your internet' page that seems to be the symptom of downgrade issues.

I've tried the delete and guided setup a few times, tried different names for the mini and tried rebooting the bolt with no success.

So, i will call Tivo later, but figured i would check in with the actual experts first. Any tips or ideas? Anyone else see this issue?

 

[Mark1Up]

This is the same or very similar to issue I am having. My original mini went into boot loop failure so I picked up two used minis off of FB marketplace last Friday. Had both used minis added to my account without issue but neither once can connect to my Bolt. They are able to connect to a Premiere XL. Both the Bolt (TE4) and the Minis (TE3) are directly connected via Ethernet to my router’s built in switch. All devices can successfully do TiVo Service Connections. I have a case escalated to a “specialist” but haven’t heard anything yet.

A couple of interesting things I am seeing on the Bolt that may or may not have anything to do with the issue.

1) My Shows -> Devices: Your TiVo box is not connected to the network, so other TiVo boxes cannot be displayed.

2) Help -> Troubleshooting-> Whole Home -> Streaming Troubleshooting -> TiVo Boxes: Seeing Bolt (this TiVo box) listed twice (also see both minis listed with normal text i.e. not greyed out).

Anyone’s thoughts on these items and issue would be welcome and appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[krkaufman]

Makes me wonder if TiVo has broken something in the process of resolving the downgrade issue.

 

[robobrien]

@krkaufman, that was my concern as well. I spent some time with Tivo support last night and after going through 2 mostly unhelpful agents, I got one who spent some time checking a few things. he said "Upon checking the Tivo Mini is mising some group information for it to upgrade. What I am going to do is escalate the case to have this information added ant it will take within 24-48 hours." He was saying since it's an older A9200 box, it doesn't have the right security permissions to upgrade and the 'group information' has to be manually associated to the TSN for this mini. Sounds plausible, since I haven't seen anyone else seeing these symptoms.

He said I should get notified by email when it's complete. So, I'll see how it goes and update this with the results.

 

[mattyro7878]

My 9200 could not see any of my boxes (all greyed out) . All I did was restart my Roamio ( the box the mini is grabbing a tuner) and halfway thru the restart all boxes were available to the mini.

 

[robobrien]

So, Tivo finally got back to me and said they made the changes. No change to the symptoms. I worked with tivo support and tried some more things they recommended with no luck. Either Tivo has broken the upgrade process now, or there is something specifically wrong with this particular mini. I got a refund from the ebay seller and am going to purchase another used one, see if that one is any different.

 

[Mark1Up]

I’m still waiting to hear back on my “escalated” case for this same issue. I have two used Minis (TE3) that fail to go into upgrade mode when trying to connect to Bolt (TE4). Determined it is not likely to be a network issue since both the Bolt and Minis can connect to a Premiere XL and don’t have any issues completing TiVo Service Connections.

 

[nknight]

Interesting. I've got exactly the reverse problem than the reports above. I've got my entire Tivo collection of DVRs (3 boxes and 1 mini) running the older TE3 UI. In the case of one Roamio, I did the downgrade process and it worked flawlessly. I prefer the old menus so much more over Hydra.

I bought a used Mini off of eBay. Transfer to my account worked ok but I was disappointed to see it boot to the black, new menu system.

As-is, it will not connect with any of my machines and does the connection loop described above. Playing games with unplugging the host/target machine from the network temporarily, the looping will stop (sometimes it goes to a dead-end screen, but normally I can get control). Phoning home countless times, rebooting many times and my case is no different.

I have a MINI A9200 with the new interface. I'm open to discuss a trade with someone who has a similar box with the TE3 interface. This is the LAST piece I need to complete my Tivo plan after cutting the cable. But right now, I'm still missing that piece as this isn't doing what I need!

My next step was to open a case with Tivo Support. Sounds like you guys have done that and been there. Trades? Shop on eBay again and ask specifics about the UI level?

Update: I forgot to mention that I DID do the "reload guide" many times too. And at one point I reset everything and started from scratch. Nothing different.

 

[krkaufman]

Interesting. I've got exactly the reverse problem than the reports above. I've got my entire Tivo collection of DVRs (3 boxes and 1 mini) running the older TE3 UI. In the case of one Roamio, I did the downgrade process and it worked flawlessly. I prefer the old menus so much more over Hydra.

I bought a used Mini off of eBay. Transfer to my account worked ok but I was disappointed to see it boot to the black, new menu system.

As-is, it will not connect with any of my machines and does the connection loop described above. Playing games with unplugging the host/target machine from the network temporarily, the looping will stop (sometimes it goes to a dead-end screen, but normally I can get control). Phoning home countless times, rebooting many times and my case is no different.

I have a MINI A9200 with the new interface. I'm open to discuss a trade with someone who has a similar box with the TE3 interface. This is the LAST piece I need to complete my Tivo plan after cutting the cable. But right now, I'm still missing that piece as this isn't doing what I need!

My next step was to open a case with Tivo Support. Sounds like you guys have done that and been there. Trades? Shop on eBay again and ask specifics about the UI level?

Update: I forgot to mention that I DID do the "reload guide" many times too. And at one point I reset everything and started from scratch. Nothing different.

You're describing the symptoms of the sister thread, for older Minis that can't downgrade from TE4 to TE3:

Trying to Move Mini from TE4 host to a TE3 Host

 

[nknight]

Thanks for the link. After 10 pages of reading there was at least some glimmer of hope at the end: a post that was not 5 years old (only a couple of days) saying Tivo is aware of the issue and working on a fix. However, the start of that thread is dated early November so there seems to be no urgency on Tivo's part. I'll look for my Mini to update in the next 2 weeks but I'll have to move to another solution after that.

Is it allowed to post a WTT/Wanted-to-trade thread here?

I'm still open to trading my TE4 Mini A92 for a A92/A93 Mini running TE3.
(Successfully traded ending in both parties working and happy)

If I manage a trade OR Tivo fixes this issue, I'll update this post and invalidate my trade offer. Until then ...

 

[krkaufman]

Is it allowed to post a WTT/Wanted-to-trade thread here?

See also: Buyer/Seller Area

 

[jardenz]

This issue is maddening. Thought that buying a Mini on ebay was a quick fix to parents A93 TE3 Mini that died (host DVR a TE4 Bolt, TE4 upgrade happened without my knowledge).

Except the ebay A93 TE3 mini never gets "Upgrade to TE4" prompt during guided setup, so it works for about 30 seconds and then the blue dog "check internet connection". Then, ordered an A92 Mini - again from ebay - thinking that would finally be the solution, and that one turns out to be DOA from an unscrupulous seller. I'm really hating the Tivo ecosystem right now and would dump it if it didn't mean having to spend even more time re-training non-technical people on a different system.

 

[Mark1Up]

Spoke with TiVo support at 11:30 ET. They said the issue with TiVo Mini not able to upgrade or downgrade between TE3 & TE4 is now considered to be a known issue that is being worked under internal case BZDM-12684. They didn’t have any time estimates at this point. I am considering this to be good news that they are recognizing and hopefully working on this issue.

From email just received:

Known Issue/Outage/Trend Name : BZDM-12684
TiVo Outage Number : CS0035687
Status : Known Issue

 

[brobin]

Yes, and it only took them 3 months to recognize the issue! My guess is that the Pointy Haired Boss has determined that the cost to handle customer service calls has now reached the point where it's cheaper to fix the problem. Let's hope that the task is assigned to Dilbert and not Wally. Whenever I read the Dilbert comic strip I think of TiVo.

 

[azmp1]

I’m having the same issue with 3 outta 6 Of my a92 minis. 3 upgraded to te4 just fine and three get the blue dog screen... TiVo support was useless, she actually told me this is an undocumented issue (i see she was wrong, big surprise...) and she sis is escalating the call, so someone will get back to me.
Meanwhile, three of my minis are out of commission. Not happy at all!

 

[robobrien]

Spoke with TiVo support at 11:30 ET. They said the issue with TiVo Mini not able to upgrade or downgrade between TE3 & TE4 is now considered to be a known issue that is being worked under internal case BZDM-12684. They didn't have any time estimates at this point. I am considering this to be good news that they are recognizing and hopefully working on this issue.

From email just received:

Known Issue/Outage/Trend Name : BZDM-12684
TiVo Outage Number : CS0035687
Status : Known Issue

@Mark1Up, thanks for the details, nice to at least see a known issue ticket number. Not sure how long it will take for them to actually address it.

 

[robobrien]

To add some follow up from me. I worked with Tivo support multiple days with the A92 upgrade issues and ended up going nowhere. So, i got my money back from the ebay seller. With that refund, i bought an A93 from a different seller, hoping it was a model issue or a bad Mini, since the majority of reports, still, were about downgrade issues, not upgrade ones. It finally arrived and it's got the same exact issue. I think I'll go to the Buyer/Seller page and see if anyone wants to trade.

 

[knotacare]

This is the same or very similar to issue I am having. My original mini went into boot loop failure so I picked up two used minis off of FB marketplace last Friday. Had both used minis added to my account without issue but neither once can connect to my Bolt. They are able to connect to a Premiere XL. Both the Bolt (TE4) and the Minis (TE3) are directly connected via Ethernet to my router's built in switch. All devices can successfully do TiVo Service Connections. I have a case escalated to a "specialist" but haven't heard anything yet.

A couple of interesting things I am seeing on the Bolt that may or may not have anything to do with the issue.

1) My Shows -> Devices: Your TiVo box is not connected to the network, so other TiVo boxes cannot be displayed.

2) Help -> Troubleshooting-> Whole Home -> Streaming Troubleshooting -> TiVo Boxes: Seeing Bolt (this TiVo box) listed twice (also see both minis listed with normal text i.e. not greyed out).

Anyone's thoughts on these items and issue would be welcome and appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark

Mini Lux cannot detect Roamio

 

[capkj]

Another member has just reported in the sister thread Trying to Move Mini from TE4 host to a TE3 Host that they have successfully downgraded Two Mini's From TE4 to TE3. I have not yet had the opportunity to try downgrading my own mini's that are stuck on TE4, but perhaps, if they have fixed the downgrade problem this issue may be resolved as well.
Good luck!

 

[Mark1Up]

Thanks for the heads-up on the downgrade working now. I just plugged in one of my TE3 Minis but am still getting the same result (not upgrading to TE4 to match my Bolt). I did see that my Bolt got a software upgrade to 21.10.2.v11 (from 21.10.2.v9). Hopefully the downgrade getting fixed is a good sign that they will fix the upgrade issue soon.