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I upgraded my Toshiba SD-H400 with the WeaKnees 750gb drive over a year ago. Since then the unit will drop the video output (goes black) but continues to record any programs with audio and video. This happens when I am watching a recorded program. I can switch to watching live TV and the video is still black with full audio. Powering off does no good. If I unplug the power to the unit, wait for a few minutes then plug the power back in, the TiVo shows powering up and everything is normal. I can watch the TiVo unit for quite a while, sometimes for a few days, then the video will go black again and I have to unplug/plug in. This seems to be happening more frequently. Could it be the new drive uses more power than the original drive and needs a new power supply? Or, could this be the motherboard is possibly going out? Could it be the TiVo software is flaky as was described in the Troubleshooting section under VIDEO DROPS OUT BUT AUDIO CONTINUES? What do you recommend? Thanks.
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Most likely, this is not a drive problem. You can try a 'clear and delete everything' (I think in the Toshiba it is called something slightly different) in the system reset menu; this will install a clean version of the TiVo software and will help rule out drive issues. -
Do you know if this normally clears all the recorded programs as well? Also, what are your thoughts on a possibly weak power supply. I noticed a new power supply for the Toshiba is fairly costly. I hate to spend $150 on an older unit if that might not be the reason for the problem. Do you know what I could look for in testing the Toshiba power supply to see if it is not strong enough with a volt/ammeter? I haven't looked at the power requirements of the new drive vs. the original drive. That is my next step. I am not sure what else might have caused this problem to start at the same time of the drive upgrade (was actually a Seagate 500 GB in Jan 2008.) Not very often, but sometimes I can trigger the video to come back by switching to DVD, then back to Live TV. If it doesn't come back, I do see a momentary video 'blip' on the black screen when I flip back and forth.Comment
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Yes, clear and delete everything will wipe programming.
This is not an easy problem (or unit) to diagnose with those symptoms. Nor is it easy to use a meter to test the power supply. I wish I had an easy answer for you.
If you do want to try a part, we do take returns. The return policy is here:
http://www.weaknees.com/payment.phpComment
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Thanks Jeff for helping with this. I will try to clear and delete everything. I need to transfer all the programs before I do that. I am also going to open the system again and make sure the airflow is not restricted and try to determine if this could be a thermal issue. The system settings show the temperature is in normal range at 52C. Under "Restart or Reset System" I have "Reset TiVo Settings", "Clear program information & To Do List", "Clear Thumb Ratings & Suggestions", "Repeat Guided Setup", and "Restart the Digital Media Server." Which one are you recommending I use to install a clean version of the TiVo software?Comment
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On that machine, it's called "Reset TiVo Settings" I think.
52C is definitely on the hot side . . .Been here a long time . . .Comment
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