830 PVR Discussions

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Yes the on demand material looks about the same as bluecurve but I was hoping it would also have the live TV feature for those times when the satellite signal disappears for whatever reason (one could just go over to the wifi and check out the live TV listings, without using another device, like a laptop)..

Our 830 has rebooted 3 times this year and twice it did a hard drive check. Today it froze again and after talking to a tech for an hour it started up again. But this time we got this screen (see pic) he suggested the factory reboot, the 830 is working again but we lost all of our recorded shows that we haven’t watched yet.
is the beginning of the end?

Nothing to do with previous posts (I think) but from everything I've read on this thread so far suggests the 830 will take over exactly where the 630 left off with what I'm sure will be thousands of problem posts.

My issue has to do with its poor uhf remote strength. I recently received an 830 after my 'trusty' cabinet mounted 630 failed. By fail I simply mean the 630 suddenly would simply power off at will and reboot, run for a few minutes and then repeat. SD support spent little time trying to troubleshoot the 630 and simply agreed to send me a replacement. Foolishly I just assumed it would be another 630 but it turns out it is an 830.

After installing the 830, I soon discover that the remote will not control the unit even after enabling the UHF menu setting in the cabinet unlike the 630 with its external antenna did. SD support claim there is no solution for this as 'some materials do block signals regardless."

So as a workaround, I swap a 630 I have in a different room into the cabinet location on of course it works perfectly. Only problem is the 830 now in place where that 630 was, while seemingly functioning fine (so far!) is really annoying in that it lacks any front panel display (Time/Channel/Satellite Connection) like the 630 had. Amazing how dependent one becomes on such features. Why was this eliminated? Besides a cost saving measure, could it be the display might have contributed to why it produced so much heat, even on a wire shelf, which may have led to its failure?

In any event, here are my questions:
1) Does anyone know a way of strengthening the 830's remote control uhf beyond the setting change?
2) Is there any way of replacing the HDD in my nonfunctioning 630 and to get it back to recognizable by SD given I can't do the external connection first (as documented in previous posts) before placing it in the unit?
3) Does anyone here happen to have a new or slightly used fully functioning 630 they would be willing to sell.
4) And what do I need to do to be able to connect a privately purchased used 630 and have it work?

Am still tearful over the amount of valuable recordings lost on the 2TB drive married to the failed 630.

All input and help appreciated.