[canadianice]

I have a similar problem with our DCT 3416 and expander. It has happend twice previously and both times I couldn't find any other solution but to format the drive again and lose our recordings.

Today we had a scheduled power outage in our area and I knew that this would be trouble. A few hours after power was restored I tried accesing the PVR and received an error stating that the service was unavailable - call Shaw.

Not wanting to lose our recordings for a third time I went online and used the online chat tool and spent an hour talking to the tech support person. We tried everything resetting the unit etc. Finally I get the - lets send a tech out so I have an appointment for Monday afternoon so they'll give me another refurbished DCT and I'll lose my recordings again unless I can find a fix before then.

I figured I should turn to the experts here to see if anyone has any advice.

In short when my PVR gets power and the esata cable for the expander is still connected the PVR will go through its boot sequence but will not turn on.

Once the esata cable is removed the unit will turn on as normal, then reconnect the esata cable and you get a message about formatting the drive, if you decline it gives you "Alert 13" which is to disconnect the external drive.

It seems to be an endless cycle unless you choose to format and lose your recordings which I've done twice now.

I will keep trying to cycle the power on the expander but I've tried that previously with no luck.

I've only had this box for three months, 6 months ago I purchased a new DCT from futureshop only to have it die completely after 3 months then they gave me this refurbished unit and surely I'll have another refurb unit on Monday.

Does anyone have any other suggestions that I may not have thought of?

 

[canadianice]

Well Shaw's tech came out on Monday afternoon to look at our DCT and expander.

I wasn't home but the tech told my wife that since the firmware upgrade they've had numerous problems with the Motorola 3416's and PVR expander's.

To my surprise when I came home they had swapped my 3416 for a DCX3400. The tech told my wife that anyone that has had a problem with the 3416 and expander has been swapped to the DCX3400.

The tech did ask us not to use the expander with the 3400 for about a month because a firmware update was coming. I haven't plugged it in yet but I can't see myself waiting a month to try it out.

One thing I can say for sure is that I won't be relying on the PVR & expander for long term storage of any recordings.

 

[canadianice]

The tech told my wife it was 500gb. I tried to confirm it in the setup menu by turning the power off and pressing menu but that information isnt there like it is on my old motorola.

Is there another model of the DCX3400 with a different sized drive? I had thought they were all 500gb.

 

[canadianice]

I will try the menu again when the ballgame is on commercial - it was power off and info on the other box but the user guide I downloaded for the 3400 suggested power off and menu which I think is a different setup menu.

I'll post an update when I have a definite answer.