Tivo Roamio reliability

[easyrider]

Our Tivo Roamio OTA finally needs to be replaced or repaired. I think we bought this in 2015 with a lifetime subscription. Running 7 years is fairly reliable, imo. I ordered another today.

I plan on tearing the Roamio down to see if the noise is just the fan, the disc or both. The fan looks easy to replace. The disc might be. The replacement fans are an upgrade.

Bill

 

[dioxide45]

DVRs are so 2000s...

 

[DrQ]

Our Tivo Roamio OTA finally needs to be replaced or repaired. I think we bought this in 2015 with a lifetime subscription. Running 7 years is fairly reliable, imo. I ordered another today.

I plan on tearing the Roamio down to see if the noise is just the fan, the disc or both. The fan looks easy to replace. The disc might be. The replacement fans are an upgrade.

Bill

For the disk replacement, you might have to use a linux system to use dd to clone the old disk.

On another side issue, does your Roamio reboot occasionally when you play back from a DVR recorded show? Ours does, it doesn't happen often, but I suspect it happens when the DVR tries to retrieve the commercial off the internet prior to playback.

 

[easyrider]

For the disk replacement, you might have to use a linux system to use dd to clone the old disk.

On another side issue, does your Roamio reboot occasionally when you play back from a DVR recorded show? Ours does, it doesn't happen often, but I suspect it happens when the DVR tries to retrieve the commercial off the internet prior to playback.

No reboot problem and most of the time it was quiet. The noise is a vibration type and amplifies through the case. When I hold the case there is less noise. The noise comes and goes but recently the noise last longer. I will be taking the case off to see what is vibrating. It looks like the fan is an easy replacement and I see there is a replacement for the disc. It does have the lifetime subscription is why I might fix it.

The new Tivo I just bought will only have the 1 year subscription. I might call and upgrade that to lifetime.

Bill

 

[easyrider]

DVRs are so 2000s...

We dvr our local channels to skip commercials and watch programs when we want. The other thing we like is the ability to take the Tivo to the cabin where there is no phone, internet or tv/ radio signals. Most of our tv viewing is with a Firestick.

I need to get a vcr to watch old family recordings or transfer the 8mm and vcr tapes to a newer format. I am looking for ideas.

Bill

 

[TheHappyWanderer]

DVRs are so 2000s...

You got something from the 3000s already? I am impressed.

 

[dioxide45]

You got something from the 3000s already? I am impressed.

Well, there is 2010s and 2020s in between...

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

......I need to get a vcr to watch old family recordings or transfer the 8mm and vcr tapes to a newer format. I am looking for ideas.
Bill

I still see used VCR's for $5-$15 at all the regular donation / resale places such as Goodwill.
I would buy one & test it first on a tape that has no sentimental family value.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

DVRs are so 2000s...

The Tivo @easyrider owns can digitally record free OTA -TV ,for viewing when you want.

Free - so I can spend money elsewhere
is so - I remember stagflation.

 

[cerralee]

I have a roamio bought 05/2015 with the life time. So far it still runs great. I’ve gone through three TiVo minis. Only one is still going. I switched the lifetime from a series 2 for $199. I hope it lives for a few more years. It does so much better than the cable companies rented DVR and I can watch it in different rooms with the minis. Stay strong Roamio!

 

[easyrider]

The Tivo Edge is the newest ota Tivo. It is sold by Tivo for $450 with the lifetime subscription. The same Tivo with lifetime subscription costs $300 at Channelmaster.com. The only problem I'm having is with the Fox signal and I plan to try a signal booster.

Bill

 

[MrockStar]

My Magnavox OTA Hard drive/DVD recorders are still going strong and no subscriptions. I looked into the Tivo's and there a great way to record OTA on the hard drive, however i want to record movies and concerts to DVD and edit out the commercials which the Magnavox can do well. Bill i hope it's the fan.

 

[hurnik]

Head over to the tivocommunity forums. Typical things to die are fans and hard drives (same as every other cable company DVR and your PC/laptop).
I skipped over the Roamio, (had the Tivo XL whatever, the first one that came out with HD) and then upgraded to the Bolts (stupid case design, IMO). Every Tivo I've had, I immediately replaced the hard drive with something larger (save on some money) and had lifetime on everything. So far (knock on wood) I think in all the years (I owned Tivo since they first came out) I only had one Lifetime unit die on me (like something with the circuit board). I wanna say it was only $100 to replace. I also have 4 or 5 mini's (I forget, too many TV's).

They've gone downhill since Rovio bought them (Mostly on the crummy guide info). But, for me, it's still cheaper than Verizon's DVR/setup (I'd need one of their 6-tuner boxes and like 4 other "receiver" boxes that would cost me around $65/month extra). No thanks.

 

[easyrider]

Head over to the tivocommunity forums. Typical things to die are fans and hard drives (same as every other cable company DVR and your PC/laptop).
I skipped over the Roamio, (had the Tivo XL whatever, the first one that came out with HD) and then upgraded to the Bolts (stupid case design, IMO). Every Tivo I've had, I immediately replaced the hard drive with something larger (save on some money) and had lifetime on everything. So far (knock on wood) I think in all the years (I owned Tivo since they first came out) I only had one Lifetime unit die on me (like something with the circuit board). I wanna say it was only $100 to replace. I also have 4 or 5 mini's (I forget, too many TV's).

They've gone downhill since Rovio bought them (Mostly on the crummy guide info). But, for me, it's still cheaper than Verizon's DVR/setup (I'd need one of their 6-tuner boxes and like 4 other "receiver" boxes that would cost me around $65/month extra). No thanks.

Thanks for the info. This new Tivo Edge can't get Fox and has a weak signal with ABC. I might send it back.

Bill

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Thanks for the info. This new Tivo Edge can't get Fox and has a weak signal with ABC. I might send it back.

Bill

It might be your antenna needs "work"

 

[isisdave]

If I leave mine unplugged for any length of time, like a week, when it starts up it does it with the "all LEDs flashing" catastrophe signal. But if I wait 20 minutes, it decides to start up anyway!

I can sympathize. I feel that way many mornings.

Tivo has been bombarding me with the same offer nearly daily for months. If I'll just buy an Edge for Cable, I can get lifetime service for $99 or something. The thing is, cable is crashing. The cable version has four or six tuners, and the OTA one only has two. If they still had a box that did both, I might bite. My premier only has two tuners, but can access both cable and antenna.

You know about weaknees.com I imagine? All things Tivo.