Life Span of DVRs?

[DS0816]

I have two HD DVRs. One I have had since 2008; the other since 2009. The three-year-old one is actually a refurbished model (gray) that replaced a better-looking one (black) like my '08.

I want to know if it's a good idea to make arrangements to get them replaced? (That they're like a computer with only so many years' worth of good use.)

 

[Jimbo]

Use it till it slows down or the hard drive dies, unless you want to upgrade.

I personally used the HR20's for a long time, just got rid of my last one not too long ago, originally got in '06.
They had OTA tuners in them, but the newer equipment doesn't ( I think the HR34 may).

I would recommend upgrading to the HR24's if your trying to get rid of them.
Many will say go with the HR34's , but I'm not ready to jump that far, waiting for more consistency.

 

[texasbrit]

I still have a 2006 HR-20, great DVR.
The only thing that will possibly fail with age is the disk drive.

FYI the HR34 does not have OTA tuners, you need the AM21 just like with the other non-HR20 DVRs....

 

[Stargazer]

They should last for several years with the hard drive being the weak point.

 

[gadgtfreek]

With most of them now using AV-GP drives, you'd expect them to last a bit.

Mine have lasted me for 2 years, but then I upgrade LOL

 

[Jimbo]

I still have a 2006 HR-20, great DVR.
The only thing that will possibly fail with age is the disk drive.

FYI the HR34 does not have OTA tuners, you need the AM21 just like with the other non-HR20 DVRs....

Thanks Tex,
I don't have one and couldn't remember from reading awhile back.

 

[raoul5788]

My HR20-700 is still going strong after 6 years. Knock on wood!

 

[DS0816]

Thanks, everyone! I was concerned. There are frequent, but not everyday, problems in which the receiver is slow to respond when I enter numbers on the remote. It's as if I'm disturbing its sleep.

 

[jcrandall]

I think Directv considers a DVR to last 5 or 6 years. My theory is simple, there have recently been reports that they stopped asking for HR20 back on some cancellations etc. Most HR20 are late 2006 early 2007 from what I remember.

If they booked the boxes as a 5 year asset on their books and depreciated them that likely factors into their end of life decision and not wanting them back.

 

[Gus1394]

My HDD went on my 2007 HR20-700 a couple years ago and I just added an external 2TB HDD. Like many posters, I'm a little reluctant to part with it due to the OTA tuner. Also have an HR-34 that I have been running an external 2TB esata HDD on since day 1 in the hopes of saving the internal HDD, plus more recording space for those 5 tuners.

 

[RLDreams]

We got our HR22 in 2004(?) it failed in about 2006/2007 ( Lightning struck dish ) they replaced it with an HR23 which we are still using today. Yes we upgraded to a HR34, but still have the HR23 running in our daughter's den. So I agree with the consensus , unless it is giving you a problem ,keep it until it dies