It takes 10 days or so for Starchoice to send a replacement so it might be prudent to call them and start the process of a replacement. Ours sufferred the same fate. We decided to replace it while it was on it's last legs and by the time the replacement came, we had to do a front panel reset every time we wanted to change channels. Fortunately, we only had a couple of days of that.

:D

I thought I would give an update on my 530 status. I received my replacement 4 days ago. It was a brand new receiver. It came with A4 and downloaded CC the first night. I have been doing a lot a recording of both HD and SD programming and have not seen any of the audio dropouts or pixelling that my previous receiver demonstrated. I think I got a good one this time. I hope.
Lester, have you received your replacement yet? I hope you have better luck this time around also.

Yes Superbry I recieved it this afternoon. I have set it up temporarily and it seems to be working fine. It is a brand new unit and the CS person confirmed that from the serial number. I am still running the old one as well because there are some important recordings I need to burn to a disc so that I do not lose them. I will also record the same programs on each unit to check for dropouts.
Lester

Don't hang on to it too long or else you'll get dinged with the unreturned equiptment fee ($699 on the DVR530). It gets reversed when you return it, but its still a hassle.

Well, my Hard drive finally bit the bullet. Didn't see it coming and I lost a lot of recorded shows I hadn't watched yet. I was having to do many soft resets and my DVR list was showing empty alot until it finally wouldn't show my list after rebooting. Spent 1 hour confirming with SC that my unit was dead and they are sending me a new one. I still have to power off some times just to change channels. I am not too happy I won't have a functioning DVR for Christmas, but at least I am getting another one. I really hope it is a new one and not a refurb unit where the HD will crash again!

They did tell me that they will not send a new unit just because you have to do soft resets. They say 2-3 per week is normal and even up to 1 a day is acceptable to them. He also stated that factory resets are common and acceptable every two to three months. They will not send a new unit just for this. If you start having to do factory resets every week, then they will consider sending you a new unit.

This isn't my opinion or fact - it was just what I was told.

Well, I recieved my new receiver last night. It was ordered on Monday night so the turnaround was very fast! I didn't hook it up because I didn't have time to stay on hold. I will do it tonight. It looks like a new unit - not refurbished. I hope so!

Well, my Hard drive finally bit the bullet. ... I really hope it is a new one and not a refurb unit where the HD will crash again!
I'm curious as to how you arrived at "The Hard Drive Died"?
Was it your estimation or Starchoice's?
And based on what symptons and previous behavior?
While they can certainly go, I suspect other causes firstly based on first hand observations of several failed units.

Please elabortae if possible.

My replacement 530 arrived yesterday (21 Dec). It was indeed shipped from Mississauga and not Alberta as the CSR had indicated and it only took 5 days from the time I called. First thing I noted opening the box was that this was a new unit, not refurbished:) . As I was going through the activiation, I noticed that the "target version" changed to 00.00.CC almost immediately after she asked what version was indicated. At 2:30am, I happened to be up and the unit was scrolling numbers on the front display indicating a download in progress and afterwards it checked out fine with 00.CC. I'm hoping this one lasts more than a few months...

Well I guessed the Hard drive was failing when the DVR list showed empty quite a bit. I really started to get suspicious when the pause wouldn't work and neither would rewind. The final straw was when it said it was recording but I couldn't "hear" the hard drive anymore. My hard drive was loud and you could no longer hear it.

Through all the factory resets and reboots I tried and *C, I only heard it give one last gasp and then nothing.

Now, it could easily have been the software that drives the hard drive, but to me the hard drive wasn't working for whatever reason - so I say it "crashed" :)

I didn't check this morning, but I hope the target CC came down over night. It came with the A4 and it was shoing problems already. I had to turn it off several times to get it to change channels - sound familiar?

Anyhoo - got my fingers crossed I can find all the kids shows I had taped!

Cheers and Merry Holidays!

I suppose that's possible then.
I have seen ocasions where the DVR list was empty and after a reset it was good again.
So maybe the disk wasn't showing ready when the s/w went looking for it.

Hopefully the new unit does the trick for you.

I was having the problem of the DVR list showing empty for at least 3 or 4 months. Sometimes 1 reset would fix it, sometimes it took several. Finally, no reset would work.

Sofar the new unit is good. Only strange thing is the new unit has the same ID as the old unit!? Wierd.

Cheers and merry Christmas

Lost access to my 530 today after a sequence of 20+ reboots in 3 hrs. CS is sending me a replacement....fingers crossed...but have to appreciate *C Customer service. All I have to pay is $13.99 shipping charge.

I just received a DSR 530 as a Christmas gift.

I got on here to find out people's opinions and experiences. GOOD GRIEF!!! Do any of them work? I believe I should just take this back and get my money back before I even open the box.

Is this piece of equipment really the useless piece of metal being decribed on this thread?

I would like to know if this thread is just a huge over representation of bad experiences or if most of the 530's actually work OK.

My first unit quit with the release of the new code. The replacement has given me no trouble at all.

The recording functions make it a very nice machine. Recording HD movies and then watching them when I want is worth any trouble I have had.

keep it

I have had mine (installed) since last Saturday and have used various functions. It is working flawlessly so far. I received the code update the very first night.

The machines tend to work OK until you start putting stuff on them. Once they become approximately 1/2 full of recordings, you'll notice the machine will act up. Also, once you start using all of the different functions of the machine, you'll notice some are not working as they should.

It's hard to go back to a VCR once you have had a PVR or DVR, but keep in mind that there are PVRs out there with more features and less troubles. My advice for you is to return the unit while you still can. I think there is a 10 day trial period. Once you go over that, StarChoice will make you pay a cancellation fee, or they will want you to give them your new DVR with no money in return for it. Be very careful.

I been using a 530 since they first cames out, other than a few reboots it has been a good machine.
I will never go back to live tv. ;)
Alot of technology for about $350 net after applied credits.

Of the 10's of thousand of units out there, how many of those are DHC memebers AND post good things about it?
Sure there are several.

Now, what it the purpose of this forum?
To help people out with their problems and share advice and experience.

So that suggests to me that the majority of opinions expressed here are from those seeking help for problems.

Do you think their viewpoint is typical?
Or as you have have put it:
I would like to know if this thread is just a huge over representation of bad experiences or if most of the 530's actually work OK.

There are probaly as many naysayers as their are fans, with fans steadily increasing, since it REALLY has improved dramatically from it's launch.

So taking the trend of improvemnt with the mostly positive above posts and knowing that the posts here are heavily skewd towards the disinfranchised and that a major upgarde is set for the coming spring, I'd honestly say, join the ranks of happy DVR530 owners that in spite of an occasional hiccup, and what unit doesn't, wouldn't let their unit be pried loose, save a few.