# New DVR on the way



## blsimpson (Oct 7, 2009)

Hello,

I currently have a DVR R15-500 that has stopped working.. We woke up one morning, and the power and record buttons on the face of the unit are flashing, and its not responding to anything.. I called D, and they are sending out a new unit, and it should arrive today..

My question is this.. Would it be possible to remove the drive out of the old unit, and place it in the new unit? There are recordings on there that we dont want to lose..

Any help would be great. Let me know if you need any more info..

ben


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

No, the recordings are encoded to match the specific receiver where they were originally saved. Unfortunately, if you can't get the old DVR to work, you've lost those recordings.


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## blsimpson (Oct 7, 2009)

Thats what I was thinking. Thanks for clarifying. Glad I came here and asked before I took the time to just get frustrated..


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## Jhon69 (Mar 28, 2006)

blsimpson said:


> Hello,
> 
> I currently have a DVR R15-500 that has stopped working.. We woke up one morning, and the power and record buttons on the face of the unit are flashing, and its not responding to anything.. I called D, and they are sending out a new unit, and it should arrive today..
> 
> ...


Then you should get a DVD recorder so you can transfer them before the hard drive crashes unfortunately hard drives do not last forever.


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## blsimpson (Oct 7, 2009)

Jhon69 said:


> Then you should get a DVD recorder so you can transfer them before the hard drive crashes unfortunately hard drives do not last forever.


It happened on Monday, and we had a couple of shows from Friday night, and Sunday night.. Not really a big deal. We aren't in to keeping a bunch of stuff saved.. Nothing on there I cant find on the Web..

I was mainly interested in all the recording setting we had set up.. Gunna be a major pain to set them all back up..


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

blsimpson said:


> I was mainly interested in all the recording setting we had set up.. Gunna be a major pain to set them all back up..


One of the top HR2x Wish List requests is to be able to store your Recording Settings and Series Lists on a USB flash drive using the USB ports. Hasn't happened yet...

- Merg


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

If caught or captured I'll disavow any connection to this message BUT...

What you described as the problem with your old DVR sounds like a power supply problem. If by some chance DirecTV sends you a replacement of the EXACT SAME MODEL you could try swapping the power supply. It's as easy as swapping the HDD and is simply a separate circuit board with all plug in connectors.

Of course, you'd have to open up the unit(s) which is a no-no according to your subscriber lease agreement which is the reason for my disclaimer.

But I'd try it if it was me.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

Unless you are very experienced with taking electronic products apart, working on them, and putting them back together, I would advise in the strongest way possible that you do not attempt to repair the defective unit. Besides being against your terms of use/service, it has the potential of damaging either or both units, or if it were to fail as a result of your efforts even have the risk of causing a fire or other damage beyond the unit itself.


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## Keybounce (Jun 19, 2009)

And let me add that some power supplies are known to store significant voltage even two days after being disconnected.

No, I don't know that DTV power supplies are like that. Heck, I don't know if modern power supplies are like that. I do know that old supplies, and old Tube TV's did hold charges a lot longer than you'd expect.


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## ThomasM (Jul 20, 2007)

Keybounce said:


> And let me add that some power supplies are known to store significant voltage even two days after being disconnected.
> 
> No, I don't know that DTV power supplies are like that. Heck, I don't know if modern power supplies are like that. I do know that old supplies, and old Tube TV's did hold charges a lot longer than you'd expect.


The DirecTV receivers have modern "switching" power supplies with bleeder resistors that retain no voltage 10 seconds after being disconnected from the wall outlet. And they are as easy to change as a HDD. The connectors are designed so unless you are completely unskilled in replacing computer hardware you can't connect it incorrectly. (Like the power plug that feeds a HDD-the molex connector is "keyed" so it can only be plugged in one way)

Now I have some relatives that still can't figure out how to set the clock on their VCR, so I'm sure there are a lot of people who would get into trouble attempting this which is no doubt why DirecTV frowns on folks opening up their receivers...


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## Movieman (May 9, 2009)

Jhon69 said:


> Then you should get a DVD recorder so you can transfer them before the hard drive crashes unfortunately hard drives do not last forever.


To the OP if the DVR is at least somewhat responsive this is a good idea. From what you described though it might be too late for this step.


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## Keybounce (Jun 19, 2009)

ThomasM said:


> The DirecTV receivers have modern "switching" power supplies with bleeder resistors that retain no voltage 10 seconds after being disconnected from the wall outlet. And they are as easy to change as a HDD. The connectors are designed so unless you are completely unskilled in replacing computer hardware you can't connect it incorrectly.


That is so much saner than when I gave up working on power supplies .


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## bradpr (Sep 8, 2007)

"Then you should get a DVD recorder so you can transfer them before the hard drive crashes unfortunately hard drives do not last forever."

I have a DVD recorder, but it won't record copy protected broadcasts. Anyone know of a good video signal cleaner that will allow me to back up all of my recorded content to DVD?


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## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

It would be easier/cheaper to find a DVD recorder that will record all your programming. My Toshiba DR400 records all programming from D* including PPV, HBO, SHO and more.


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

Yep, same here with my Philip's DVD-R. I've had no copy protection issues with it.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

The DR400 is still available (it was introduced five years ago) on a few sites.


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## CJTE (Sep 18, 2007)

ThomasM said:


> Now I have some relatives that still can't figure out how to set the clock on their VCR, so I'm sure there are a lot of people who would get into trouble attempting this which is no doubt why DirecTV frowns on folks opening up their receivers...


Gotta love those 12:00 flashers!


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

bradpr said:


> "Then you should get a DVD recorder so you can transfer them before the hard drive crashes unfortunately hard drives do not last forever."
> 
> I have a DVD recorder, but it won't record copy protected broadcasts. Anyone know of a good video signal cleaner that will allow me to back up all of my recorded content to DVD?


I believe some people have had issues when their receiver is connected to the TV via HDMI. Use component or S-Video cable from the receiver to the TV and give a try then.

- Merg


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## STEVED21 (Feb 6, 2006)

Where can you get a new power supply? I have a similar issue wth an owned R-15


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

STEVED21 said:


> Where can you get a new power supply? I have a similar issue wth an owned R-15


If your R15 is leased or if you have the Protection Plan, contact DirecTV. You can get a free replacement with no commitment extension. And as Carl6 mentioned above, if the receiver is leased, it is a violation to open/modify the receiver.

- Merg


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## STEVED21 (Feb 6, 2006)

The Merg said:


> If your R15 is leased or if you have the Protection Plan, contact DirecTV. You can get a free replacement with no commitment extension. And as Carl6 mentioned above, if the receiver is leased, it is a violation to open/modify the receiver.
> 
> - Merg


 I am aware of this. Mine is definitely owned. Someone mentioned replacing the power supply. I'd like to know where you can get one. I had some stuff on that unit I might want to recover.


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## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

STEVED21 said:


> I am aware of this. Mine is definitely owned. Someone mentioned replacing the power supply. I'd like to know where you can get one. I had some stuff on that unit I might want to recover.


Maybe you can find a "good for parts" unit on Craigs list. I have one with a bad drive collecting dust, I'm sure there are many around for cheap.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

STEVED21 said:


> I am aware of this. Mine is definitely owned. Someone mentioned replacing the power supply. I'd like to know where you can get one. I had some stuff on that unit I might want to recover.


Yup. The best way to get one is from a non-working one that was owned.

- Merg


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

And there should be a decent supply of owned R15's out there because they were used to replace failed Ultimate TV receivers wth the PP. And anyone who had an Ultimate TV without the PP would have really been living on the edge!


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