# Roamio has power but TV shows no input



## pams64 (May 17, 2015)

I purchased a Roamio last December after having a Series 2 for eight years with no problems. Friday night, an electrical storm came through my area and when I turned the television on Saturday morning, I got a blank screen coming from the TiVo. Power was going to the unit (green and yellow lights on unit worked), but the TV registered "no input". I switched out the HDMI cable, used a different HDMI port, nothing changed. Thinking the unit was fried, I went to Best Buy and bought another Roamio. (I was not aware of the $49.99 exchange offered through TiVo.)

When I got the new unit home, I activated it, went through a few updates, and all was fine for about five minutes. Another thunderstorm came through, even though it was not severe, and my tv screen went blank again. Same problem as before!!

After an hour of dealing with technical support and customer service, they agreed to send me another unit at no cost. So this is my question...are Roamios that sensitive to lightening strikes in the surrounding area? (I'm not talking about direct hits on or near your house.). I should also point out that all of my electronic equipment (including the Roamio) is connected to surge protectors and nothing else was damaged on Friday or Saturday. My Series 2 survived several hurricanes with no problem. How do I prevent this from happening again with unpredictable summer thunderstorms (many severe) looming ahead? Ideally, the unit could just be unplugged from the wall, but sometimes we aren't home when these storms come through. 

Anyone have a similar problem or any advice?


----------



## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

I don't know. But I put a ups on my tivo just in case.


----------



## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

tootal2 said:


> I don't know. But I put a ups on my tivo just in case.


+1

A UPS is a must in my book.

FYI I had a similar issue last week. There was a severe lightening strike right near the house. A bit later I went to watch something on TiVo and nothing. After freaking out for a bit, I decided to try the component video inputs and all was fine. Turns out the strike took out the HDMI port. The HDTV was not on the UPS. (Another story as to why, but the second HDMI port still works fine so all is essentially well for the time being.)

I know you tried a different port. This was just meant as an anecdotal story.

BTW - How old is your surge protector? Did you know they lose their effectiveness? As they absorb more surges their components deteriorate.


----------



## pams64 (May 17, 2015)

Thanks for your suggestions!


----------



## jamesteixeira (Nov 22, 2014)

We just had a lightning strike that sounded very close. I get no picture on my roamio but the fan is working. No other indication of it being on. It was on a UPS. Unplugging doesn't work. Help.


----------



## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

If the lights on the front don't even come on then it likely blew the power supply. If it's a Roamio Basic or OTA then the power supply is juts the little brick and you can get another one from TiVo for like $6. If it's a Plus or Pro then it's internal. You can get one from Weaknees for about $50 but you have to be comfortable with the internals of a PC to install it.


----------



## jamesteixeira (Nov 22, 2014)

I talked to TIVO and they will replace my roamio plus for $50. I don't want to void any warranty although I would like to pull the hard drive from it and put it in the replacement unit.


----------



## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

jamesteixeira said:


> I talked to TIVO and they will replace my roamio plus for $50. I don't want to void any warranty although I would like to pull the hard drive from it and put it in the replacement unit.


Not possible. The shows on the HDD are encrypted using a chip inside the original TiVo. Putting the drive in another TiVo will make all the shows inaccessible. The only way to recover the shows would be to fix the original TiVo.


----------



## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Did the OP try rebooting the TiVo. Because an HDCP issue with HDMI could also cause a blank screen. Over the last ten years I've run across this issue a few times with HDMI devices. Fortunately it's been rare in my setups.


----------



## Diana Collins (Aug 21, 2002)

pams64 said:


> ...I should also point out that all of my electronic equipment (including the Roamio) is connected to surge protectors and nothing else was damaged on Friday or Saturday. My Series 2 survived several hurricanes with no problem. How do I prevent this from happening again with unpredictable summer thunderstorms (many severe) looming ahead? Ideally, the unit could just be unplugged from the wall, but sometimes we aren't home when these storms come through.
> 
> Anyone have a similar problem or any advice?


Do you have a surge suppressor on the coax? Sometimes cable companies and antenna installers are bit lax about lightning suppression. Even a near miss can cause a voltage spike on the coax that will fry the TiVo. It may simply be that the Roamios are more sensitive than the older units.


----------



## jamesteixeira (Nov 22, 2014)

I had the Roamio plugged into a UPS. I did not run the coax through a surge suppressor. The Roamio was connected via HDMI to my TV. All 4 HDMI inputs on that TV were fried as well.

I tried connecting the Roamio via Component input to the TV. These inputs are still working but there is no sign of life in the Roamio except for the fan in the back of the unit.

I believe we had a very close near miss as I can see no damage to the outside of the my house. The damage to electronic equipment was extensive. 

1. 1 TIVO Roamio - no power
2. 1 TIVO Mini - no output or sign of life but front light is on
3. 1 TIVO Mini - ethernet port seems to not work
4. 1 TV - no power
5. 2 TV's - all or most of the HDMI lost
6. 1 TV - had no HDMI but was connected via component - all component inputs lost
7. 3 Netgear Network Hubs - no sign of life
8. 1 Roku 3
9. 1 Haupage HDPVR
10. 1 Samsung bluetooth soundbar
11. 1 Electronic Phone base unit
12. 1 Chromecast
13. 1 GFI circuit in the kitchen is out and not accepting reset

Everything except 3, 7, 8, 11, 12 was connected to UPS or surge protector. No coax or ethernet cable was run through a surge protector.


----------



## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Shouldn't your homeowners insurance cover the damage to these items? Of course that doesn't negate the fact that it sucks and will be a PITA replacing everything.


----------



## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

aaronwt said:


> Shouldn't your homeowners insurance cover the damage to these items? Of course that doesn't negate the fact that it sucks and will be a PITA replacing everything.


But the upside is........ALL NEW TOYS TO PLAY WITH!!!


----------



## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Don't most UPSes have warranties against damaged equipment as well?


----------



## JBDragon (Jan 4, 2004)

jamesteixeira said:


> I had the Roamio plugged into a UPS. I did not run the coax through a surge suppressor. The Roamio was connected via HDMI to my TV. All 4 HDMI inputs on that TV were fried as well.
> 
> I tried connecting the Roamio via Component input to the TV. These inputs are still working but there is no sign of life in the Roamio except for the fan in the back of the unit.
> 
> ...


You left a huge hole. I get my TV from a Antenna. When I put it up, and was running the COAX cable, I have ground wire on the Antenna shaft going down into a very long Copper grounding ROD I had to power hammer into the ground. The COAX cable runs down just under the house where it connects to a grounding block, with a ground wire going out to that grounding Rod. Down under the house further I have a COAX cable splitter mounted. That I've also mounted a ground wire to. So any spikes have to go through not 1, but 2 grounds that go directly to that new grounding ROD. Inside my house I either have Surge Protection or UPS units for all my power connections for my devices.

My Ethernet Network? No. Other then my 24port switch and Router and cable modem all plugged into a UPS. I used something like this as my first COAX cable grounding block just under my house.

http://www.showmecables.com/product/F-Type-Dual-Grounding-Block-3-GHz.aspx

In fact I have my Antenna run on one side, and my Comcast Internet only connection run on the other side. Again trying to protect myself from any and all paths to my hardware. I don't think my Ethernet Network I have to really worry about.

Having a older house, Most of my power outlets didn't even have a ground. Only the kitchen and Bathrooms. So I ran a new ground wire to all my outlets that were going to have any type of devices plugged in. All those outlets are grounded to that new grounding rod also. I was under my house a couple days, running Ground wire, COAX Cables and my Cat6 Gigabit Network cables all over, and nice and neat in very low light conditions and not a lot of space to move around in. Fun, Fun, Fun. Once it's done, It's pretty much forever my lifetime done and future proof.


----------



## scoombs (Jun 23, 2002)

My Roamio Plus shows no lights when plugged in, but the fan and hard drive are spinning. The power supply from the problem unit powers another Tivo with no issues, and the problem unit exhibits the same behavior when using the good power supply from the other Tivo. So in summary the Roamio Plus will not get front lights (including power light) using either power supply, and both power supplies run the other Tivo with no problem. Bad motherboard, correct?


----------



## tampa8 (Jan 26, 2016)

Not necessarily. The hard drive could be spinning but no more than that. But I don't know if the lights come on without the hard drive starting up or not.


----------



## scoombs (Jun 23, 2002)

tampa8 said:


> Not necessarily. The hard drive could be spinning but no more than that. But I don't know if the lights come on without the hard drive starting up or not.


The power light should come on as soon as power is connected and then a Roamio will boot to onboard flash, with or without a hard drive installed (and will then format if it happens to find a blank hard drive attached). Mine gets no power light, and does not appear to start the bootup process from flash.


----------

