My 510 lost all of its recordings

[OrangeandBlue33]

Over the weekend we had a brief power outage (5-10 seconds). After the power came back on I happened to check my PVR recording list and to my surprise there was nothing listed. However, it did say I had only 60 some hours of recording time left. I assumed that my stuff must still be there, but I couldn't figure out how to "get them back." Anyway, I called a CSR and she walked me through a possible way to get them back. She had me unplug the unit for about 10 seconds, plugged it back in and PRESTO - EVERYTHING IS GONE and I now have 99 hours of recording time available. Any secret to avoid this happening again? It actually did the same thing again yesterday. The CSR offered to send me a new unit for ONLY $14.95. Is this normal to charge even though the unit is less than 2 months old and under warranty? Please help me out if you have any info.

Thanks!

OrangeandBlue33

 

[md_paul]

Consider a small UPS. They're not too expensive and will allow your receiver to "ride out" short power outages. The receiver shouldn't normally lose all recordings when power is dropped, but depending on how the power is lost (quick on/off flickering, short on/off flashes, etc prior to the loss), you are always gambling that all will be okay when the power returns. A small UPS will improve your odds.

- Paul

 

[boba]

Read your warranty shipping is not covered under the warranty. You can send your defective unit to them and on receipt of the defective product they will ship one back to you free of shipping but you may be looking at 1-2 weeks without a receiver. You can also do the advanced exchange for $14.95 they ship you a replacement you put the defective receiver in the shipping box and return it to DISH prepayed you are without a receiver 2-3 days. Third choice you can buy the Digital Home Protection Plan for $5.99 and DISH pays all shipping charges on advanced exchange and you cancel DHPP after you have the new unit. Go to DISH's website and search for warranty.

 

[awax]

Because the unit is so new, throw a fit about the replacement charge sometimes you can get it waived. I can understand the charge if you have had the unit for like 6 mo or a year but it hasn't even been 60 days.

 

[aperry]

Gee, a Dish PVR/DVR losing all its recordings... There's a real shocker...

Seriously though, sorry it happened to you, you will likely find a lot of folks it has happened to as well (including on my 721, about 2 weeks after I got it). It has performed like a champ ever since though, FWIW...

Ditto to what awax said, depending on the CSR, if you throw a fit about the shipping charges (given the newness of your unit), you can probably get them to waive the shipping charges.

Good luck!

 

[Stargazer]

I would be raising all kinds of heck with them if I had a receiver that was just a month or two old and they wanted me to pay $14.95 shipping because of a defect in their product.

I know of a customer that had a 301 for less than two years and he mentioned more than once on different occassions about how he thought the reciever should have lasted longer than that, that the reciever should not have failed that soon, as if he should not have to pay for a replacement, and I didnt blame him. The receiver sat there the whole time and they did nothing to it to cause that to happen but warranties cannot last forever.

I think what Dish should do is cover a percentage of the cost over a period of time, For example, 100% first year, 80% second year, 60% third year, 40% fourth year, 20% fifth year, nothing thereafter plus shipping and handeling. Perhaps even 80% 18 months, 60% 24 months, 40% 30 months, or different percentages. Either that or at least offer an extended warranty such as that for one small fee upfront to cover such a warranty for part or in whole.

 

[David_Levin]

I wouldn't bother replacing it. The Dish receivers just aren't robust enough in this reguard (there other scattered reports of wiped programs arounud).

The UPS is going to be your best protection. I'd recommend it if power problems are frequent in your area. You'll even be able to record through a brief outage. I plug my recorders into one (VCR, DVDR and PVR), but not the TV.

 

[OrangeandBlue33]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll give them another call back and see if we can "work something out". I'm bummed that I'm having problems already. I love the 510. I hadn't heard too many problems with it and was hoping I'd get decent life out of it (I have a 4000 that I've had for over 6 years with never a problem). I know - when you start adding hard drives too stuff you just never know.

Thanks again!

OrangeandBlue33

 

[Randy_B]

If you have CC autopay, E* waives any shipping charges.

 

[Mike_H]

If you have CC autopay, E* waives any shipping charges.

That hasn't been my experience. I have CC autopay and they had no problem charging me $14.95.

 

[DarrellP]

I feel for you, my 501 lost 33+ hours of recording 3 different times from 2 different units. Lately it's been behaving as long as I reset it weekly.

 

[Mike_H]

Never lost all recordings with my 501. Only two anomolies. #1 - a PPV was being recorded and then crashed in the last 30 minutes, destroying the entire 3 hour length. #2 - A PPV movie was recorded overnight and when I played it back it was only playing back the spanish language version.

Recently it glitched enough with pixilation and frozen frames that it was replaced under the $1.99 warranty plus $14.95 in shipping.

New unit is quieter and seems to be working fine.