# HR10-250 goes to black screen overnight



## BJBBJB (May 10, 2002)

My HR10-250 for the last two nights has had an issue that I have not seen with my various other Tivo units. I've had reboot issues and all the other fun but not this....

Overnight, something happens and by the next day, the green light is on in front but the video output is a black screen. Not gray, no output, just blank.
No audio. The green light is on but no buttons on the remote or unit cause it to do anything. The fans are spinning and the internal temp is fine.

Unplugging the unit and then plugging it back in causes a reboot and it will work fine for the evening. But for the last two days by the next day, back to a black screen.

It is running 6.3C I do see a service data download overnight and a re-index in the AM. 

Any ideas? I wish I knew when 6.3 downloaded but I am not sure.
Any help would be most appreciated. 

BJBBJB


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## Hersheytx (Feb 15, 2003)

I have the same problem. Been going on for almost 1 month. I reboot and everything is fine. I have a friend down the street who has everything the same as me and got his about 2 weeks before me. He has never had this problem. 
I was kind of hoping for a patch, but not sure if that will come.
Its not a huge deal right now since I really use my TIVOs and HD TIVO for my viewing habit.
And it does record everything I want it to, it just needs to be rebooted to see it.


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## gobble (Feb 18, 2006)

I have the same problem. Was hoping to find the solution here and found this thread.


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## BJBBJB (May 10, 2002)

Well night number three it did not freeze and a reboot was not required. Not sure what that proves. When yours has this issue is it on a daily basis or intermmitent?

BJBBJB


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## TyroneShoes (Sep 6, 2004)

Mine quite often greets me with a black screen, but each time simply changing the channel from 582 (where DTV parks it during push content) gives me working audio and video again. They have started to do this a lot since December or so.


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## rbuckingham (Mar 4, 2007)

I have exactly the same issue. Has anyone tried calling DirecTV to get a replacement?

(I can't change channel; the unit is completely locked up, so that's not a workaround)


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## jbs01 (Jul 21, 2002)

Same thing with me too. My HR10-250 updated to 6.3c towards the end of February. Then, for three nights in a row, it locked up giving the black screen and no input control. Fortunately, it hasn't locked up for the past two nights, so I'm hoping the gremlins are gone.


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## Les_D (Mar 6, 2002)

I only saw this once, and it wasn't locked up when I found it, but both tuners were on 582 so it must have rebooted in the night.

My main problem is that the audio glitches are back on OTA and it reboots every few days.


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## cheddarspaz2 (Oct 24, 2006)

I restored my 3.1.5e "back-up" image after updating to 6.3a because of the constant rebooting and black screens. 

Now, restored a 6.3b image, made a call and everything fine; until 9am this morning. Screen went black. Turned off the TV for an hour and came back to "snow" on the screen.... odd, back to the same old c.r.*.p. 

Its either back to 3.1.5e or upgrade to 6.3c and see if the problems go away. 

What a pain.


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## annenoe (Oct 19, 2003)

similiar problem. But only on sat channels - black, no message. OTA channels are fine. Reboot gets me back. Just started with 6.3.c (upgraded directly from 3).


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## Mark W (Dec 6, 2001)

I am having the exact same issue, screen black, nothing can be done except to unplug it, and have it reboot. I would say that the frequency for this happening with me is about 1 -2 times per week. Has anybody called D* about the problem?


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## Les_D (Mar 6, 2002)

I called them last night and got to tier 2 support.

They first said I should press the red rest button to format the hard drive...
...
I calmly told her that Tivo did not have a red reset button...
"Yes Sir, It does... It's Red... Please Press it as you plug it back in...

My head nearly exploded as I told her that this was an HR10-250 and runs the TIVO software.
...
...
Oh, That doesn't have a rest button.
No...
...

So, now they insist that a C&DE would "Fix" the problem.
I explained "kindly" that I had done a C&DE twice when this problem started when the 6.3a software was downloaded, and that it only "Fixed" the problem for a few days, at best.

She then had the nerve to say that it may be necessary to do this every week or two to keep the DVR stable...
...
...
Then what the hell did I pay $500 for?
Certainly not to delete everything EVERY week or two!
...
...
Well sir, this is what our engineers have said will fix the problem. If it does not work we'll need to replace the DVR.

I'm getting tired of this, but Comcast is about $20 a month more for similar programing...


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## cneubert (Aug 22, 2004)

The cause of this "black screen" is being discussed here:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=343076


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## kpura (Sep 28, 2001)

Hi All,

I am having the exact same issue with my unit, except that I am not using any OTA channels as was described as a possible solution. Just over a month ago, I replaced my hard drive with a kit from Weaknees, so the hard drive should be good (or could be the cause of the issue). Additionally, I am using an HDMI to DVI conversion cable, so although video is HDMI based, the audio is running separately through RCA. Any ideas?


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## cutt (May 12, 2004)

kpura said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I am having the exact same issue with my unit, except that I am not using any OTA channels as was described as a possible solution. Just over a month ago, I replaced my hard drive with a kit from Weaknees, so the hard drive should be good (or could be the cause of the issue). Additionally, I am using an HDMI to DVI conversion cable, so although video is HDMI based, the audio is running separately through RCA. Any ideas?


I've seen the same thing a few times since the beginning of august. 
I upgraded to a larger hdd in the hope that it would fix that problem too,
but 1 week later, it was 'black' again in the morning.

now I'm suspecting it's getting hung up because of rain fade on the
sat channels, we had a big storm the last night it went down.

saw the problem on both 6.3d and 6.3e


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## kpura (Sep 28, 2001)

In my case, weather is not an issue. In the last week, it has been sunny, and clear when the lockups have occurred. I also checked the basics like sat strength, which is in the 90's, and obvious cable connections. I am assuming this is not related to the HDMI issues, since I have no sound through the RCA ports when the lockups occur.


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## Sir_winealot (Nov 18, 2000)

I've had this happen 3 times in the last week now. Turn on the TV to a black screen ....remote is completely unresponsive. Normally, a remote button push will cause the green light in the front of the unit to fade with each button push, yet it remains steady while this happens.

Unplugging the unit fixes things ...but I've never seen this happen before.


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## mrfixit454 (Feb 9, 2004)

Looks like we are back to this again... seems to have started when they messed with the viacom channels. Anyone else getting the system, locking up and black screen? reboot solves it for a day or 2. I am on 6.4a-01-2-357. Power supply about 6 months new and HD is about a year old. Running HDMI and temps are normal. It did happen tonight while watching local ABC affiliate (off the dish). Not sure about the other times as we find out about the black screen 1st thing in the morning most times. Have not tried clearing program data and to do list yet but might in the next day or so. Need to write down on my SP's.

Fixit


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

Way to open a 5 year old thread.

Isn't it time to throw away that HR10-250 and buy a DVR from this decade?


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## mrfixit454 (Feb 9, 2004)

Thanks!


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