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Odd Series3 Problems (pixellation, freezes, skips, etc.)

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  • #1

    Odd Series3 Problems (pixellation, freezes, skips, etc.)

    Hello all,

    I have some bizarre behavior on my Series3. I'm not sure if it's a hard drive issue or something else.

    - Most shows become heavily pixellated, skip, and freeze. Sometimes they "degrade" over repeated playings, and sometimes the problems are in identical locations.

    - Some shows are not fully recorded; it aborts after a few minutes.

    - Sometimes it takes 10-20 seconds to start playing a show.

    - This does NOT happen with SD recordings - only HD! It appears that SD recordings work perfectly fine. This is the really odd part.

    - Using Fios with 2 cablecards. Signal strength looks fine.

    - I have an external drive (proper one) with the stock internal.

    - Kickstart 54 passes (SMART and overnight)


    I don't mind replacing/upgrading the hard drive if that's what's wrong, but I'd like to be sure that's the issue before I do so.

    Also, is there a way to tell if it's the external or internal drive, without erasing all of my content? If I reboot with the external drive unplugged, of course it will erase all of those shows.

    Thanks!
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Have you seen this?

    http://www.wkforums.com/forums/showp...58&postcount=6

    Comment

    • #3
      Interesting, but I suspect not the problem

      Thanks.

      Our installation has worked fine for a couple of years without any change in performance. It's possible that Verizon changed levels on us, I suppose.

      I just tuned to a HD channel that was pixellating every few seconds, and I have zero RS Uncorrected and RS Corrected errors after several minutes. SNR is steady at 35dB.

      It does show "Tune State" as "In Progress" which is odd but may not be meaningful.

      On the cablecards, there's 24dB "OOB SNR" and it varies 1-2dB or so. Which seems fine.

      This would seem to rule out the Fios problem, no?

      (Though it does seem to be worse for some channels, without any RS errors is this problem ruled out?)

      Comment

      • #4
        Have you tried getting a new CableCARD?

        Comment

        • #5
          Not yet, I might as well try that.

          Comment

          • #6
            Solved: External drive problem!

            I finally bit the bullet and transferred the few shows I cared about, and divorced the external drive from the tivo.

            Problem solved!

            I have no idea what, specifically, is wrong with the external drive (it's the WD model, purchased from Tivo), as it passed every diagnostic that tivo offers, but there you have it.

            Now my issue is what to do next:

            It's out of warranty (1 year only?!), and out of stock, so I can spend $150 or so whenever they eventually become available, or spend $269 for a new 1TB drive here, or just by a whole new Tivo HD for $399 (Amazon), which already has 1TB internally.

            I'm leaning towards just getting a whole new unit, and selling the old one.

            Comment

            • #7
              If you don't have lifetime, getting a new unit is tempting. But you'll lose the remainder of any prepaid service.

              For $249 from us, you can get a 1 TB internal drive for this unit:

              http://www.weaknees.com/tivo-upgrade.php

              Saves the eBay hassle, and you get the remainder of any service you have on the unit.
              Been here a long time . . .

              Comment

              • #8
                Thanks.

                No lifetime, but Tivo does transfer remaining prepaid service to new DVR's (I'm on annual):

                http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/20

                I love the services you offer, but in this case an extra $149 saves me the hassle (and risk) of upgrading my existing unit, and I can probably unload the old one for the same amount anyway. Or use both.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Yup - that probably makes the most sense.
                  Been here a long time . . .

                  Comment

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