# New TiVo Mini, no video signal



## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

So back oct I bought two Minis when they made the switch to free lifetime but the prices were still $99. One of them I hooked up righ away. The other I intended to put in the guest room. I never got around to hooking it up until tonight. However even though I never hooked it up I activated it right after I got it just to be sure I got the free lifetime. Anyway I hook it up and I get nothing. No "welcome starting up screen", nothing. TV just says "no signal". I even tried an analog cable connected to the AV port and still nothing. The light on the front is on. The link lights on the Ethernet port are not. And when I tried to plug something in to the USB port it has no power. I tried swapping it in place if one of my other Minis and got nothing there either, so it doesn't seem to be the power supply. 

Is it just dead? Is there anything I can do to fix it? I held on to it for so long before hooking it up I might just be screwed if it's dead.


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## Marty1781 (Jan 2, 2004)

If you bought from a company like Amazon, sometimes they will help you out if you just explain the situation even though it's been over 30 days (might have to play customer service rep roulette and/or ask to speak with a supervisor if you don't get anywhere at first). If all else fails, seems you are still within the 1 year parts Tivo warranty so you can try giving Tivo a call and see what they can do for you.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

Have you tried this:

*There is no video output*
Verify there is power to TiVo Mini by checking that the white LED on the front panel is illuminated.
Verify you are on the correct TV input.
Verify all cables are plugged in correctly.
Change the video output resolution on TiVo Mini:
Press the Resolution button (located on the bottom of TiVo Mini). Each time you press the button, the output resolution will change.
Continue pressing the Resolution button until the TV displays a picture. Wait a few moments between each press for the new resolution to synchronize with the TV.

From here:

http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2560


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Yeah I tried that. Even tried the analog AV port. (I have the cable for it) It doesn't do anything. I don't even get a flicker on screen. And as I mentioned the USB poirt has no power and the Ethernet lighs never light up. So it's like it never even boots. 

Man what bad luck. What are the odds the one I never opened until now would be dead?


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## The Merg (Dec 2, 2007)

Just to look at all possible issues, have you tried swapping the two Minis?


- Merg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mae (Dec 10, 2001)

The Merg said:


> Just to look at all possible issues, have you tried swapping the two Minis?
> 
> - Merg
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Or the two power supplies?


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## The Merg (Dec 2, 2007)

That's always a possibility as well.


- Merg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

Dan203 said:


> So back oct I bought two Minis when they made the switch to free lifetime but the prices were still $99. One of them I hooked up righ away. The other I intended to put in the guest room. I never got around to hooking it up until tonight. However even though I never hooked it up I activated it right after I got it just to be sure I got the free lifetime. Anyway I hook it up and I get nothing. No "welcome starting up screen", nothing. TV just says "no signal". I even tried an analog cable connected to the AV port and still nothing. The light on the front is on. The link lights on the Ethernet port are not. And when I tried to plug something in to the USB port it has no power. *I tried swapping it in place if one of my other Minis and got nothing there either, so it doesn't seem to be the power supply.* Is it just dead? Is there anything I can do to fix it? I held on to it for so long before hooking it up I might just be screwed if it's dead.





The Merg said:


> Just to look at all possible issues, have you tried swapping the two Minis? - Merg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk





mae said:


> Or the two power supplies?





The Merg said:


> That's always a possibility as well. - Merg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


It seems he has already tried that too.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Yeah I also hooked up one of my exiting Minis in the guest room, using the power supply and HDMI cable that came with the new Mini and it works fine. So it's definitely the Mini itself.

Apparently I just got a dud.


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## mae (Dec 10, 2001)

Dan203 said:


> Yeah I also hooked up one of my exiting Minis in the guest room, using the power supply and HDMI cable that came with the new Mini and it works fine. So it's definitely the Mini itself.
> 
> Apparently I just got a dud.


Figured that given your level of sophistication. I know someone who faced with your situation, bought one at BB and then returned the DOA using the new purchase receipt. I questioned the ethics, but as he pointed out, BB didn't lose anything since they would return it to the manufacturer who was, after all, responsible for the defect. That would work while they are still clearing out the original minis.

As Rod Serling used to say on Twilight Zone, presented for your consideration....


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

I might consider that. I'm a little torn on the ethics of the whole thing. But it sucks to have spent $100 on something that doesn't even work and then get punished for it because I didn't open the box right away.

If I had just opened this one instead of the other one when I hooked up the one in the dining room I would have caught it inside the warranty period and been fine. Just dumb luck that I opened the other one instead.


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## mae (Dec 10, 2001)

One other thought...since you never activated it, maybe play CSR roulette a time or two and see if someone sympathetic might offer you an exchange. Since it is discontinued, they probably have them lying around, even if they are refurb.

I bought a mini 2 a few weeks ago at BB where they were mismarked as clearance and didn't plan on using it until we go to our place at the shore in a few weeks. But I did unpack it, hook it up and activate it just for this reason.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

I did activate it. I activated as soon as I got it, back in Oct of last year, because they said the free lifetime was for a "limited time" and I didn't want to forget about it and miss out. It had never been taken out of the box until yesterday though. 

I ended up ordering one from Amazon. They still had the old ones available. I'll just return the broken one in it's place. It's a little shady but like your friend said it'll likely end up being returned to TiVo anyway and it's there fault it doesn't work.


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## mae (Dec 10, 2001)

Dan203 said:


> I did activate it. I activated as soon as I got it, back in Oct of last year, because they said the free lifetime was for a "limited time" and I didn't want to forget about it and miss out. It had never been taken out of the box until yesterday though.
> 
> I ended up ordering one from Amazon. They still had the old ones available. I'll just return the broken one in it's place. It's a little shady but like your friend said it'll likely end up being returned to TiVo anyway and it's there fault it doesn't work.


Oh, missed that back at the beginning of the thread, but they should have been able to tell the TSN never called home to activate or download.

Anyway, glad my idea helped, you help so many here.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Got the new one, it works great. I'm even using wifi, via an Ethernet bridge, and it still works perfectly. (I intend to run coax to that room eventually so we can use MoCa instead)


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## davidblackledge (Sep 9, 2008)

Dan203 said:


> Got the new one, it works great. I'm even using wifi, via an Ethernet bridge, and it still works perfectly. (I intend to run coax to that room eventually so we can use MoCa instead)


I was so happy to find this thread, Dan... I'm having the exact same problem with a Mini 2. And I'm so sad to see the result :[

I bought a Mini 2 with lifetime for $150 from Amazon (Amazon Smile, technically) in April and activated it when it arrived, but just now, two months later, plugged it in when the wife wanted to buy a movie with the Series 3 and so things came to a head. She was finally willing to make the transition.

Plugged everything in, got the light in front, and no video signal. After reading your post I see it has no network lights in back, too, and hitting the resolution button on the bottom does nothing to help. Checked the HDMI cable and port by doing different combinations with the Series 3 that worked fine.

It sounds like the best I can do is call Amazon and cross my fingers, eh?

OMG I just realized while typing this! I forgot! it was already activated on somebody else's account when I tried to activate it! somebody else returned it (probably because it was BROKEN) and Amazon sent it to me! I think I called TiVo and they fixed it for me, but my activation date even shows one month before I bought it! March 12th... right about when Dan made this thread... hmmmmmmm. 

At least the TiVo website still shows I can get a mini for the same price with lifetime, if all else fails.

My favorite, though, is going to the mini page, clicking "Mini Troubleshooting" or "Mini Installation" links and they go to "File Not Found"


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## davidblackledge (Sep 9, 2008)

davidblackledge said:


> It sounds like the best I can do is call Amazon and cross my fingers, eh?


Ok, checked online... 30 day return policy. I'm screwed.

Any chance that TiVo would show pity on me?

I can't believe I fell for this "somebody else activated it and returned it already, but I'm sure it works" thought process of mine.
... same kind of thinking that has my foot wrapped and iced right now because I got angry today.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

davidblackledge said:


> Ok, checked online... 30 day return policy. I'm screwed.
> 
> Any chance that TiVo would show pity on me?
> 
> ...


Isn't it still under a 90 day warranty with TiVo?


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

davidblackledge said:


> Ok, checked online... 30 day return policy. I'm screwed.
> 
> Any chance that TiVo would show pity on me?
> 
> ...





aaronwt said:


> Isn't it still under a 90 day warranty with TiVo?


Should be. The 30-day return period is the "no obligation, money refunded" period.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

davidblackledge said:


> OMG I just realized while typing this! I forgot! it was already activated on somebody else's account when I tried to activate it! somebody else returned it (probably because it was BROKEN) and Amazon sent it to me! I think I called TiVo and they fixed it for me, but my activation date even shows one month before I bought it! March 12th... right about when Dan made this thread... hmmmmmmm.


Mine was a Mini 1, with the old Premiere remote and I made sure to mark it as broken when I returned it so hopefully they didn't sell it to someone else.


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## davidblackledge (Sep 9, 2008)

davidblackledge said:


> Ok, checked online... 30 day return policy. I'm screwed.
> 
> Any chance that TiVo would show pity on me?
> 
> ...





aaronwt said:


> Isn't it still under a 90 day warranty with TiVo?


Success! I am happy to say that even though the previous owner activated it more than 90 days ago, TiVo agreed with me and are exchanging it for another TiVo Mini 2.

In fact, the support guy gave me the whole story that Amazon was SUPPOSED to send that defective one back to TiVo due to the previous owner returning it to Amazon, but instead they sold it to me as "new."

Looks like this won't cost me a penny, too.

Thank you all for your help!

_... as a side note, I'm always disappointed when I call TiVo and they apparently haven't heard of me and my apps. 
In this case I asked what their canned answer is to people who complain about the dropped games... which is to have people hold out hope for future updates that include games if enough people complain. 
Apparently they don't tell them "go try enterwebz.tv!" _


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## ldobson (Jan 18, 2004)

Just bought a Mini 2 from Amazon, and also received a defective unit. Unit display's the *********** LED in the front, but no signal via HDMI or Component connection's and no ethernet activity lights at all! Lucky I had plugged it up just hours after receiving it yesterday, immediately did a online return and ordered a new one from Amazon for delivery on Sunday. Amazon Sunday delivery rocks!!

Still pretty disappointing, never had a TiVo product come DOA in the 10+ years I have been buying TiVo.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

This was my first DOA in 15+ years of TiVo use. That's why I didn't hesitate to register it before using it. It was just dumb luck that it was no good.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

I wonder if TiVo will ever bother to "refresh" defecetive Minis that are returned, or if they just chuck them in the trash.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Because they're solid state devices I'm betting they check the power cord, to make sure that's not the only issue, and if it's not they get recycled. Anything else on a Mini would require soldering to repair.


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