# Will D* Replace a bad TiVo unit with another TiVo



## Steve Rhodes (Oct 4, 2006)

My father (late 80s) has a D* TiVo that just died. The unit can move the fan but the hard drive doesn't spin up. Dad knows TiVo. He's not capable really of learning the D* brand of software, even if it's better.

If we report this to D*, will they be willing to replace the dead TiVo with another TiVo system OR will they insist my dad take their software brand instead? 

I know D* still "supports" TiVo standard def units, but I don't if they still have them to install.

Help please. I'd like to know what to expect before I call and get some random tech who may or may not know what is possible. Thanks!


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

No, they will not.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

To elaborate on spartanstew's comment:

HELL no!

If you read the fine print (when DIRECTV decides to put their website back up), DIRECTV gets to determine what is "functionally equivalent". I helps to understand that repair is not an option that DIRECTV exercises.

The upside is that you'll probably get an OTA solution whether by being shipped the increasingly common HR20 or an AM-21.


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## fluffybear (Jun 19, 2004)

Folks had a 2 DirecTivo's and the hard drives started to fail, they replaced the first one with a R16 and when the second one started to act up earlier this summer, they replaced that one with a HD-DVR


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## tenholde (Aug 17, 2007)

What model Tivo do you have? I have a HD DTV Tivo I'm not using that I would give to you if you pay the shipping.

tenholde


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## joshjr (Aug 2, 2008)

tenholde said:


> What model Tivo do you have? I have a HD DTV Tivo I'm not using that I would give to you if you pay the shipping.
> 
> tenholde


If he is not interested then I am.


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## joshjr (Aug 2, 2008)

Steve Rhodes said:


> My father (late 80s) has a D* TiVo that just died. The unit can move the fan but the hard drive doesn't spin up. Dad knows TiVo. He's not capable really of learning the D* brand of software, even if it's better.
> 
> If we report this to D*, will they be willing to replace the dead TiVo with another TiVo system OR will they insist my dad take their software brand instead?
> 
> ...


This might be an option.

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

If I remember right they offer 1 of 2 different options. You could either send them your DVR and pay them to swap the HDD or order the HDD and swap it yourself. Either way he could keep the same TiVo.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

Hard drives in all but the R10 Directivos are user-replaceable with a little effort. So if it is just a failed HD you could probably resurrect the box yourself.


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## Steve Rhodes (Oct 4, 2006)

joshjr said:


> This might be an option.
> 
> http://www.weaknees.com/tivo-upgrade.php
> 
> If I remember right they offer 1 of 2 different options. You could either send them your DVR and pay them to swap the HDD or order the HDD and swap it yourself. Either way he could keep the same TiVo.


My son and I have used them many times before with good results. We may end up going that route or my son has an extra TiVo with prerecorded programs he's still watching but he may just copy the programs to DVD and give the TiVo to his grandfather. My son and I have HR20s now.

It would have been easier for us if D* just gave my dad another TiVo, but, since I now know they won't (and I did not suspect they would), we'll go another route to getting him a SD TiVo.

Thanks to all of you for your insight and prompt replies.


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## joshjr (Aug 2, 2008)

Steve Rhodes said:


> My son and I have used them many times before with good results. We may end up going that route or my son has an extra TiVo with prerecorded programs he's still watching but he may just copy the programs to DVD and give the TiVo to his grandfather. My son and I have HR20s now.
> 
> It would have been easier for us if D* just gave my dad another TiVo, but, since I now know they won't (and I did not suspect they would), we'll go another route to getting him a SD TiVo.
> 
> Thanks to all of you for your insight and prompt replies.


They have the SD DVR TiVo's pretty cheap on ebay. Just make sure its an owned unit and not leased. That may be cheaper.


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## say-what (Dec 14, 2006)

Steve Rhodes said:


> My father (late 80s) has a D* TiVo that just died. The unit can move the fan but the hard drive doesn't spin up. Dad knows TiVo. He's not capable really of learning the D* brand of software, even if it's better.
> 
> If we report this to D*, will they be willing to replace the dead TiVo with another TiVo system OR will they insist my dad take their software brand instead?
> 
> ...


Kind of hard for DirecTV to provide a unit that hasn't been manufactured for several years and that they no longer carry.

Your best bet is to try to find one on ebay.


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## Matt L (Nov 10, 2007)

It's realy quite easy to pop a new hard drive in, if you can follow directions and are not afraid to open up your computer. You can possibly even save the recored shows if the drive is not too trashed, but I would not count on that. If you are not comfortable with that go the wealknees route.


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## MarkEHansen (Sep 4, 2008)

The OP never said what DirecTiVo unit he's having problems with.
I have the Hughes HDVR2 DirecTiVo and had problems getting it to boot up. It turned out to be a problem with the power supply, which was pretty easy to fix.

Before doing anything else, you may want to make sure that the HD won't spin up because of a HD problem, rather than a power supply problem (the fact that the fan spins doesn't mean the power supply is fine).

However, YMMV.


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## Wedgecon (Jul 13, 2002)

CCarncross said:


> Hard drives in all but the R10 Directivos are user-replaceable with a little effort. So if it is just a failed HD you could probably resurrect the box yourself.


Actually hard drives are the only thing that is easily replaceable in R10. What you can't do with the R10 and other RID DirecTivo's is hack them without replacing a chip on the motherboard. A replacement from WeakKnees or putting an unmodified software image yourself on a new drive will work.


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## catocony (Oct 15, 2009)

I've bought two DSR 714s this year locally off of CraigsList with zero problems. Just get the unit id numbers before you hand over the cash and call in to DTV to make sure the units weren't leased or from a broken contract. If DTV says they're good to go, you can probably get one for $25-$50, depending on where you live.


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