# Bolt+ - Power Outtage - Four Flashing Lights



## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

I've been down this road before with the TiVo Bolt (the white box). I tampered with it and basically screwed it up., I think. Well, maybe it would still work with the original hard drive. I don't know. PMR vs SMR drives might've been the issue.

Fast-forward from my post from May 14, 2016 to Sept. 30, 2016, I purchased a 6-Tuner Black Tivo Bolt+ with 3 TB. The thing had been working decently until Thursday July 12, 2018. Up until then, I have to admit that my recordings had spots of stutters, that is, I think you call it screen tearing and temporarily losses of picture and audio, we're talking very sporadic drops that lasted up to maybe a second, and unusual noises from the hard drive that I didn't notice from the TiVo Bolt (white box) with the original hard drive.

I purchased the lifetime subscription of Tivo and I did not purchase a warranty. Figured I didn't need it...of course, like everyone else thinks the same way, and what do ya know, maybe I've got a lemon.

Has anyone else had this happen to them? That is, their TiVo DVR essentially dies from a power outage. Should I call TiVo and see what they say? I'm worried about their policy about transferring subscriptions over (they say you can't) to a new box. Rather than trying to open up this box and messing with it (assuming my hard drive went bad), I'd rather just buy a new box.

Just for kicks, does anyone know what hard drive is used in the Bolt+ in case I do decide to attempt replacing it?


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## casino187 (Aug 27, 2005)

JOSHSKORN said:


> I've been down this road before with the TiVo Bolt (the white box). I tampered with it and basically screwed it up., I think. Well, maybe it would still work with the original hard drive. I don't know. PMR vs SMR drives might've been the issue.
> 
> Fast-forward from my post from May 14, 2016 to Sept. 30, 2016, I purchased a 6-Tuner Black Tivo Bolt+ with 3 TB. The thing had been working decently until Thursday July 12, 2018. Up until then, I have to admit that my recordings had spots of stutters, that is, I think you call it screen tearing and temporarily losses of picture and audio, we're talking very sporadic drops that lasted up to maybe a second, and unusual noises from the hard drive that I didn't notice from the TiVo Bolt (white box) with the original hard drive.
> 
> ...


I just had the 4 flashing lights on my bolt+. I read that it could be a hard drive or power supply.the power supply was fine so I was able to get the TiVo replaced for only $49. I know this probably doesn't apply in your case.

I do have a brand new power supply if you'd like to buy it for cost. Which is around $20 shipped. I don't have any need for it.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

casino187 said:


> I just had the 4 flashing lights on my bolt+. I read that it could be a hard drive or power supply.the power supply was fine so I was able to get the TiVo replaced for only $49. I know this probably doesn't apply in your case.
> 
> I do have a brand new power supply if you'd like to buy it for cost. Which is around $20 shipped. I don't have any need for it.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Can you explain how you got your TiVo replaced for $49? Was it under warranty or not? Where did you send it to? Who fixed it? Was it a completely new box? Were your recordings and OnePass settings saved?


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

JOSHSKORN said:


> Can you explain how you got your TiVo replaced for $49? Was it under warranty or not? Where did you send it to? Who fixed it? Was it a completely new box? Were your recordings and OnePass settings saved?


Tivo support has some latitude as to the rates they use to replace out of warranty units, I've had a similar experience, no way to know unless you try, but once the item is entered in the system you can't try to play innocent if you get a result you don't like.

But as others have said, 4 flashing lights is most frequently a hard drive which I'd consider doing myself esp if it wasn't a 3TB unit.


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## casino187 (Aug 27, 2005)

JOSHSKORN said:


> Can you explain how you got your TiVo replaced for $49? Was it under warranty or not? Where did you send it to? Who fixed it? Was it a completely new box? Were your recordings and OnePass settings saved?


If you are paying for the TiVo monthly or annual plan then you just call them and tell them what is happening and they will send you a new box for $49. I think it is a refurbished box. And you send them your old box. You lose all recordings and one passes. It's fast and simple. I was able to open the TiVo app on my phone and still see my one passes so I wrote them all down just in case.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

JOSHSKORN said:


> Can you explain how you got your TiVo replaced for $49? Was it under warranty or not? Where did you send it to? Who fixed it? Was it a completely new box? Were your recordings and OnePass settings saved?





dianebrat said:


> Tivo support has some latitude as to the rates they use to replace out of warranty units, I've had a similar experience, no way to know unless you try, but once the item is entered in the system you can't try to play innocent if you get a result you don't like.
> 
> But as others have said, 4 flashing lights is most frequently a hard drive which I'd consider doing myself esp if it wasn't a 3TB unit.


And sometimes, it pays to continue talking when you are on the phone with customer service. One consumer posted here of getting a $79 replacement offer; talk, and then a $49 offer; and then talk some more, and free. But YMMV, needless-to-say.


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## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

Mikeguy said:


> And sometimes, it pays to continue talking when you are on the phone with customer service. One consumer posted here of getting a $79 replacement offer; talk, and then a $49 offer; and then talk some more, and free. But YMMV, needless-to-say.


Well I had a little bit of success with that. The agent initially wanted to charge me $149 but then offered it at $79, so it came out to roughly $86 with tax. Now to send it in.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

JOSHSKORN said:


> Well I had a little bit of success with that. The agent initially wanted to charge me $149 but then offered it at $79, so it came out to roughly $86 with tax. Now to send it in.


Good for you--and for TiVo as well, for treating its long-standing customers with such consideration. (Sony doesn't do that . . . .)


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## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

Mikeguy said:


> Good for you--and for TiVo as well, for treating its long-standing customers with such consideration. (Sony doesn't do that . . . .)


So I didn't have access to my printer so I couldn't print out the shipping labels, so after discovering that I have a scanning code for FedEx to look at, I went to my local Fed Ex pick up store and they said they couldn't read it, that I'd have to go to a FedEx Kinko's. Luckily, they had a public workstation there so I was able to login to my E-mail and print the shipping labels. They charged per minute, I forgot what the fee was and 15 cents per page. I'd spend more gas money driving 4 miles to the nearest FedEx Kinko's anyways.

Anyway, I got it shipped off. It costed me an additional $8 roughly for the box and the computer/printing services.

That said: Bring Your Own Shipping Box (I'd assumed they wanted the unit inside of the TiVo box and inside of another box) and print out your shipping labels beforehand.

I was instructed to ONLY ship the box. No cables, no remote.

Anyone care to share how long the exchange process took? I might be out of town by time the replacement gets back to me.


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## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

Those that have done the RMA process...will I be able to use the same CableCard or should I contact my provider and get a different CableCard?


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

JOSHSKORN said:


> Those that have done the RMA process...will I be able to use the same CableCard or should I contact my provider and get a different CableCard?


Use the same card. You may have the channels ok, but get the card paired when you get chance. If you have premium stuff like HBO the pairing may be needed to get them. It varies by cable feed.

Obviously if you fried the card, get a new one.


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## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

JoeKustra said:


> Use the same card. You may have the channels ok, but get the card paired when you get change. If you have premium stuff like HBO the pairing may be needed to get them. It varies by cable feed.
> 
> Obviously if you fried the card, get a new one.


It would make no sense to me, the behavior of my Bolt+ (with the Four Flashing Lights) if I somehow fried my card, granted, I suppose a domino effect is possible. Guess I'll find out when I get my replacement. I'll probably be on vacation when it arrives, but at least I'll have someone at home to pick it up, just wouldn't know how to install it properly (with setup, pairing, etc.).


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## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

I received my replacement Bolt+ in the mail today and have plugged it in. Those who have had to go through this before, how do I get my TiVo service changed to the replacement Bolt+? I assume I have to call them, right and I cannot do it online? What number would I call?

EDIT: TiVo must have ported my service over to the new box. In My Devices, I don't even see my old box listed as an Inactive Device. Everything seems to work just fine. My only problem is that I apparently now have the newer interface that people have been talking about for a couple of months, so I'll need to figure that out.


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

JOSHSKORN said:


> EDIT: TiVo must have ported my service over to the new box. In My Devices, I don't even see my old box listed as an Inactive Device. Everything seems to work just fine. My only problem is that I apparently now have the newer interface that people have been talking about for a couple of months, so I'll need to figure that out.


You can downgrade but you would want to do that before recording much as you lose all recordings.

Scott


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## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

HerronScott said:


> You can downgrade but you would want to do that before recording much as you lose all recordings.
> 
> Scott


I actually prefer the old interface but that's just because I'm used to it. I'll get used to the new one. It's not worth the hassle of trying to downgrade my Bolt+ and now my Mini's that I've upgraded. Thanks, though.

Update: my replacement Bolt+ is working quietly, unlike my previous Bolt+, I could hear it recording and it was having video playing issues. It was just very random issues of the screen going black for a second, very intermittent. So, maybe the hard drive was starting to go for awhile and I just never thought anything of it.


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## gespears (Aug 10, 2007)

Did they send you a replacement power supply with it? Or did you use the old one?


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## jdkullmann (Mar 10, 2004)

So my 23 month old 3TB Bolt Plus just got 4 flashing lights. Pretty sure it's the HD. Weaknees wants $299 + $49 to repair. Tivo has new ones for $499 but they are out of stock. In the old days I could replace the HD myself after installing "tivo" software on it I downloaded from somewhere. Is that still possible? Where is the s/w these days? And do people use a particular HD when doing this? Thanks.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

jdkullmann said:


> So my 23 month old 3TB Bolt Plus just got 4 flashing lights. Pretty sure it's the HD. Weaknees wants $299 + $49 to repair. Tivo has new ones for $499 but they are out of stock. In the old days I could replace the HD myself after installing "tivo" software on it I downloaded from somewhere. Is that still possible? Where is the s/w these days? And do people use a particular HD when doing this? Thanks.


If you are confident that you want to replace the hard drive, see: Bolt Hard Drive Upgrade Choice

No special software needed.


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## thyname (Dec 27, 2010)

JOSHSKORN said:


> Well I had a little bit of success with that. The agent initially wanted to charge me $149 but then offered it at $79, so it came out to roughly $86 with tax. Now to send it in.


I paid $79 as well when this happened to me yesterday with my Bolt+

Out of warranty, about two years old, in annual plan

They quoted me $149 first, then lowered it to $79 after I *****ed a little bit.

I figured I had not choice but take it.


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## peternelson (Sep 19, 2005)

Same thing here :-( My Bolt+ died last week when watching a show, and after unplugging it for a while and plugging it back in, I got the dreaded four flashing lights. I had owned the box for a little over a year, and TiVo customer support tried to charge me $149 for a replacement box - although I was able to talk them down to $79.

My replacement box came today - but after pairing my old CableCard and going through Guided Setup (which seemed to take suspiciously long) it booted up with the new Hydra interface (yuck!) Fortunately I was able to downgrade following instructions I found elsewhere on this forum.

The only problem is I can't figure out how to transfer my OnePasses from my dead TiVo - when I try to do it online, the TiVo website says my old TiVo is offline and won't show me any of my old OnePasses(?). Did I screw up because I downgraded to Hydra, and that wiped them out somehow?


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## limoman (Mar 27, 2003)

peternelson said:


> The only problem is I can't figure out how to transfer my OnePasses from my dead TiVo - when I try to do it online, the TiVo website says my old TiVo is offline and won't show me any of my old OnePasses(?). Did I screw up because I downgraded to Hydra, and that wiped them out somehow?


Hi Peter,
Were you able to figure out a way to transfer your OnePasses from your dead TiVo to the new? My replacement Bolt+ arrives tomorrow and I have 150+ OnePasses to deal with. Ugh.


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## JOSHSKORN (Aug 27, 2015)

limoman said:


> Hi Peter,
> Were you able to figure out a way to transfer your OnePasses from your dead TiVo to the new? My replacement Bolt+ arrives tomorrow and I have 150+ OnePasses to deal with. Ugh.


for my replacement, I had to start fresh. I lost everything, which sucked. in otherwords, I lost my recordings and I had to redo all of my OnePasses.


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