Just a reminder, since those new to the world of TiVo ask about it all the time, that we have a TiVo 30 second skip page with all of the info about the feature, and a way to mail it to your friends. Check it out.
For several reasons, WeaKnees will (at least for now) stop selling the DirecTV DVR model R15. We will continue to sell all other DirecTV hardware: the TiVo-based R10 (in all of its configurations), the HD TiVo HR10-250 (several configurations), the D10/D11, and the H20.
We have had many, many complaints about these boxes, and many returns. Our customer base is made up of people generally interested in and accustomed to TiVo DVRs, and this machine just falls short. In addition, DirecTV has increased the price to retailers on this unit (and all hardware, as of January 1) so it is simply no longer economically feasible to suppport it, considering the rate of returns. We just can’t put our reputation behind the R15. Unless and until there are changes either in the features or economics or stability or all of these, we can’t offer this unit.
A month ago, we pleaded with all DVR owners to purchase an uninterruptible power supply. We consider this so important, that we’re reminding you again—please, if you have a TiVo DVR, purchase a UPS! A UPS, unlike a standard surge protector or line conditioner, will protect your TiVo from power fluctuations, surges and power drops. Because it has a battery to provide power, a UPS is able to increase power when it drops, and can step down power when there is a surge.
UPSs nearly always come with some amount of ‘insurance’ from the manufacturer, which promises that if any unit connected to the UPS is damaged from a power event (surge, brownout, etc.), the company will reimburse you for your losses. After talking with several manufacturers, we have learned a bit about how these insurance policies work.
Obviously, the purpose of a UPS is to avoid trouble down the road. However, if you do have problems, you’ll want to be sure that the UPS manufacturer’s insurance policy will cover your losses. To do so, you must install the UPS properly, and comply with the manufacturer’s requirements.
The insurance policy on UPS devices is likely to require you to jump through various hoops. For example, APC has a number of conditions that must be met if you expect to make a claim, including.
1. REGISTER YOUR PRODUCT ON TIME! You must register the product by returning to APC the warranty card provided with the product within 10 days of purchase. All information must be filled in, and you should retain a copy for your records. The warranty card must clearly identify the types of electronic equipment that will be plugged into the APC product for which protection under this policy is claimed. All connected equipment must be UL or CSA approved.
2. DO NOT USE A UPS WITH AN EXTENSION CORD, SURGE PROTECTOR OR OTHER DEVICE! The APC product must be plugged into properly wired and grounded outlets; no extension cords, adapters, other ground wires, or electrical connections may be used, with the sole exception of other standard APC 120 volt products. The installation must not include power protection products made by any manufacturer other than APC. The installation must comply with all applicable electrical and safety codes set forth pursuant to the National Electrical Code (NEC).
3. SUBMIT YOUR CLAIM QUICKLY! Any claim under the Equipment Protection Policy must be made within 10 days of the date of alleged damage to the connected equipment.
I suspect that the number of failures attributable to a faulty UPS is fairly small. However small, though, it seems pretty clear that the number of valid claims has got to be miniscule. How many UPS purchasers read the fine print sufficiently enough to register the product? And of those who have actually registered, how many fail to submit the claim on time? It’s gotta be a small number.
I don’t mean to suggest that UPSs fail frequently; to the contrary, we have many customers whose problems (TiVo-related problems, that is) disappeared the day they purchased a UPS. Inexpensive investment…well worth it.
A note from the troubleshooting archives: The Welcome! Powering Up Screen.
When you first boot any TiVo DVR, you’ll see a version of the “Welcome! Powering Up” screen. For most units, it’s one of these two below. For the oldest TiVos, it looks a bit different.
This screen is built into the firmware on the motherboard of the unit. Software updates don’t affect it, and you’ll see it even without a hard drive installed in the unit.
The next screen is the “Almost There” screen. It’s at this point that the TiVo starts to read data off the hard drive. So if you get as far as “Almost There” that means you have a hard drive present and the motherboard has begun reading from it. Older units with the gray “Welcome” screen can progress to a gray or orange-and-black “Almost There” screen depending on the software version.
So the progress during start up is a good place to do some troubleshooting if you suspect you’ve got a hard drive problem. If you get to the “Welcome! Powering Up” screen and no further, the TiVo can’t read the OS from the hard drive. So in 99% of those cases, a replacement hard drive with the right TiVo OS on it, properly formatted, will fix the problem.
Have a different problem with your TiVo? If you get no screen at all, then you may have a bad power supply, or just a cabling issue. If you get further than this screen, then you could still have a hard drive problem or another issue.
Just what you’ve always wanted – a WeaKnees button for your Google Toolbar. If you are running Toolbar 4 – the beta – you can add a WeaKnees button for quick access to our site. Just click here:
And here’s one for the blog:
And, of course, for the Upgrade Instructions:
Add TiVo Upgrade Instructions Toolbar Button
Finally!
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