(first, about the HTML format in which I¹m receiving TiVo Central posts. I think it¹s Yahoo Groups that does that). My own posts in plain text come back to me in HTML).
Now, about the freezing TiVo HD. I went to a third level tech support person this afternoon with TiVo. The first person didn't know that the TiVo HD used cablecards instead of a cable box. However, before transferring me to a second level person, he said if it happened two or three more times I should complain again. I responded that I'd already missed a few things I'd wanted to record and didn't think I should have to go through this a few more times. He then said he'd found an "issue" that should qualify me for a replacement; he gave me a case number and transferred me... To someone who doesn't deal with the HD boxes. She agreed I should receive an exchange DVR and transferred me to HD tech support... Where I was told that because it was working NOW, they couldn't grant me an exchange unit. He also said it might be the cablecard, and then said that I should EXPECT this once a month or so, because computers "always" freeze up from time to time when their RAM gets confused or full (I'm not kidding, he really said this). He said anyone who uses a consumer grade computer should have to expect to reboot because of a freeze from time to time, perhaps once a month or so!!! I responded that I thought this was RIDICULOUS, and that my Series II unit had NEVER done this, nor had my own home computers behaved so badly. He asked me to check the diagnostics next time it freezes (assuming I can get at the diagnostics next time it freezes), to see if signal strength is a lot lower than 100, or if SNR ratio is outside the range of 35-39 dB. He suggested perhaps I'd see clues that the system was about to lock up (increasing pixelation artifacts, or delays in menu command execution, etc.). I don't recall seeing such problems before previous freezes. He also said that ALL TiVos will replay the setup "Intro to TiVo" videos whenever reconnected to AC power that's been interrupted. News to me! Jim Robertson --
