# HR10-250 Power Supply Differences?



## Thehypnotoad (Sep 28, 2006)

Does anyone know if there are differences in the power supplies that are used in the HR10-250? I've been working to replace a bad power unit in one of my HR10-250's and have been dealing with an eBay seller who sent out one power supply that didn't work and now the second supply that he sent also doesn't work. 

I decided to try swapping the supplies he sent out with those in my two working units and found that neither power supply worked in either of the units. All I get is a slight hum and clicking from the power supply and neither the fan nor hard drive run. I can however, take either working power supply and put them in any of the three units that I have and get them to work fine. So it would appear that it's not a logic board or hard drive issue. 

The only difference that I can see is that all of the working power supplies are labeled REV C1 with a total power of 85W MAX on the large capacitor and the on the power supplies that I was sent the capacitors are labeled REV A and REV A1 and they show a total power of 78W MAX. Also the output voltages listed on the capacitor are different between the REV C1 power supply and the REV A/A1 one.

So is that what is causing the power supplies to not work in the units or did he send two bad power supplies to me?

Thanks in advance!


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## cramer (Aug 14, 2000)

Don't bother with (scammers on) eBay. You are more than likely getting a "dead" power supply from some other failed/failing tivo. Go to a reputable dealer and get a new power supply. (like weaknees)


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## Thehypnotoad (Sep 28, 2006)

cramer said:


> Don't bother with (scammers on) eBay. You are more than likely getting a "dead" power supply from some other failed/failing tivo. Go to a reputable dealer and get a new power supply. (like weaknees)


While I know there are plenty of scammers on eBay and elsewhere in the world, I don't think (based on earlier dealing with this seller) that this is the case. I guess you get what you pay for but given the going rate for HR10-250's these days the $74 that weakness wants for a power supply seems pretty steep.


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

$74 isn't too "steep" if the power supply actually works. I'm not aware of any "version differences" during the HR10-250's lifetime that would cause some power supply revisions to work while other didn't. I'm guessing you got some bad supplies.


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## Matt L (Aug 13, 2000)

When I needed a power supply I just picked up a couple of used hr10-250 units on ebay. Paid $35 for 1 and $ 40 for another. Pull one of the supplies and it's been working fine now.


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## chuckg (Sep 1, 2007)

Series 2 DTivo supplies are 78W. The Series 2 and HR10-250 supplies look much the same. See pix.
http://www.weaknees.com/tivo-power-supply.php

But based on the pictures, they are different. Note the absence of diodes and resistors in the lower right corner of the HR10 supply.

I bought a DSR708 on eBay and so have a spare power supply which I am reverse engineering. Very slowly.

Series 2 voltages;
3.3
5
12
30


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## Thehypnotoad (Sep 28, 2006)

chuckg said:


> Series 2 DTivo supplies are 78W. The Series 2 and HR10-250 supplies look much the same. See pix.
> http://www.weaknees.com/tivo-power-supply.php
> 
> But based on the pictures, they are different. Note the absence of diodes and resistors in the lower right corner of the HR10 supply.
> ...


Thanks for an answer and not an opinion on eBay or prices. Looking at the pictures of the boards and the voltage, the supplier has sent Tivo series 2 power supplies and not an HR10-250 power supply.

Good luck with your reverse engineering project!


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## CrashHD (Nov 10, 2006)

Thehypnotoad said:


> All I get is a slight hum and clicking from the power supply and neither the fan nor hard drive run. I can however, take either working power supply and put them in any of the three units that I have and get them to work fine.


I have seen this happen when putting a known good power supply in a box with a dead motherboard (the clicking and no fan).


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## Thehypnotoad (Sep 28, 2006)

CrashHD said:


> I have seen this happen when putting a known good power supply in a box with a dead motherboard (the clicking and no fan).


or if you put a Series 2 Tivo power supply in an HR10-250 with a good motherboard.


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## TyroneShoes (Sep 6, 2004)

CrashHD said:


> I have seen this happen when putting a known good power supply in a box with a dead motherboard (the clicking and no fan).


The general rule of troubleshooting is that if you replace the same part 3 times, the problem is most likely elsewhere. Or as Einstein said, repeating the same actions over and over expecting different results is one definition of insanity.

In my experience, when a good PS won't come up, it typically means that there is a short (or open) in the device you are powering. My guess is a shorted MB.


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## CrashHD (Nov 10, 2006)

Thehypnotoad said:


> or if you put a Series 2 Tivo power supply in an HR10-250 with a good motherboard.


I believe that has been reported to produce smoke


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## Thehypnotoad (Sep 28, 2006)

CrashHD said:


> I believe that has been reported to produce smoke


Only if it stays in too long...

Oh well, long story short is that the seller refunded all of my money including shipping since it was his error on the power supplies and told me to keep them. So now I've got to figure out what to do with two potentially good Series 2 power supplies while still needing one for my HR10-250.


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## chuckg (Sep 1, 2007)

Thehypnotoad said:


> Only if it stays in too long...
> 
> Oh well, long story short is that the seller refunded all of my money including shipping since it was his error on the power supplies and told me to keep them. So now I've got to figure out what to do with two potentially good Series 2 power supplies while still needing one for my HR10-250.


I will buy the bad one. Interested in the differences between the various D*Tivo power supplies. Too many hours to fill each day 15 years into early retirement. 

BTW, the most likely failure is a bad capacitor in the output section.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Repair-a-Hughes-HDVR2-Tivo-Power-Supply/
http://www.badcaps.net/
I had 5 or 10 links to various D*Tivo power supply troubleshooting pages. Threw them away as I am quite capable of troubleshooting simple (and cheap) switching supplies like these.


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