# Two Roamio Pro units, both defective with front panel issues?



## shrike4242 (Dec 1, 2006)

I purchased a Roamio Pro directly from Tivo on 12/27/13 under the "save $100 when transferring the service from another device", working to have this upgrade a S3 that has been in service since 2006. The Roamio Pro arrived on 01/03/14 and I worked through activating it with a service transfer and then activating the S3 again to get shows pulled off of the S3 to the Roamio Pro.

Over this past weekend in the process of doing the transfers, I noticed that the blue transfer indicator light on the right section of the front panel on the Roamio Pro would not light up at any time. The green power indicator and the amber response indicator on the left side of the front panel would light up, though nothing on the right side of the front panel. Called Tivo Tech Support on 01/06/14, asked them about the transfer light not illuminating on the front panel and the tech confirmed that the light should be on when transferring the shows from another device to this unit. The tech then went to go start discussing doing an advance exchange of the unit and while on hold about that process, the call ended on Tivo's end. Not wanting to start over again with another tech support discussion, I ordered a new Roamio Pro from Amazon on 01/07/14.

The new Roamio Pro arrived on 01/09/14 and I set it up this morning (01/10/14), having called Tivo last night to move the service from the first Roamio Pro to the new unit and then temp activate the old Roamio Pro so I could pull shows from the old Pro to the new one.

After starting to transfer shows, this second Roamio Pro also didn't have the blue transfer light illuminate on the front panel like the first unit. I can't check to see if the record indicators light up since I've had issues with Charter and getting cable cards to pair up with the first Roamio and they're showing up next week to bring a tech, multiple CableCards and multiple tuning adapters with them to get the CableCard issue worked out.

I've called Tivo tech support about the second unit and they're completely baffled about the situation with both units. Since the first rep indicated that the first Pro is defective, it's not a huge leap to assume the second one is also defective.

I would think that the chances of getting two devices that are defective from two vendors that were manufactured more than a month apart is pretty much zero, especially when it's the same defect.

From every illustration I've seen on the Romaio product page (www.tivo.com/shop/roamio), the Transfer indicator is clearly shown next to to the recoding indicators.

I have both units being replaced from both Tivo and Amazon and I hope to get a working unit on Monday.

Has anyone purchased a Roamio Pro and had a non-working front panel display? Seems like an odd issue and I couldn't find anything in any searches about this being an issue.


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## sbourgeo (Nov 10, 2000)

shrike4242 said:


> Has anyone purchased a Roamio Pro and had a non-working front panel display? Seems like an odd issue and I couldn't find anything in any searches about this being an issue.


Haven't heard of that issue either. I got my Pro directly from TiVo in early December and the blue transfer LED works just fine.


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## shrike4242 (Dec 1, 2006)

sbourgeo said:


> Haven't heard of that issue either. I got my Pro directly from TiVo in early December and the blue transfer LED works just fine.


I could see maybe getting one unit that's defective, though two from two different vendors, manufactured over a month apart? That's some very odd luck indeed.

I don't mind being the "lucky" guy in this situation, though one would have been more than enough.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

On my Roamio Basic the Blue Transfer ring is very dim on half the circle. Like barely visible. I figure the LED is out of position. If I ever open it up I will mess with it, but otherwise I didn't bother. Although if it had been out completely I would have exchanged it.


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## shrike4242 (Dec 1, 2006)

aaronwt said:


> On my Roamio Basic the Blue Transfer ring is very dim on half the circle. Like barely visible. I figure the LED is out of position. If I ever open it up I will mess with it, but otherwise I didn't bother. Although if it had been out completely I would have exchanged it.


Would you mind snapping a pic and post it in here?

I'm curious what "barely visible" looks like. Also, if you could grab the picture when it's recording, as a comparison, it would be helpful.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

shrike4242 said:


> Would you mind snapping a pic and post it in here?
> 
> I'm curious what "barely visible" looks like. Also, if you could grab the picture when it's recording, as a comparison, it would be helpful.


It really depends on the viewing angle how little is visible. But the blue circle is a night and day difference when compared to what it looks like on my Roamio Pro. Which has the entire Blue circle illuminated.

I'll take a pic when I get home tonight.


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## sbourgeo (Nov 10, 2000)

aaronwt said:


> It really depends on the viewing angle how little is visible. But the blue circle is a night and day difference when compared to what it looks like on my Roamio Pro. Which has the entire Blue circle illuminated


FWIW, the blue light is also very visible on my Roamio Pro.


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## crxssi (Apr 5, 2010)

aaronwt said:


> On my Roamio Basic the Blue Transfer ring is very dim on half the circle. Like barely visible. I figure the LED is out of position. If I ever open it up I will mess with it, but otherwise I didn't bother. Although if it had been out completely I would have exchanged it.


You are probably exactly right. On mine, it is incredibly bright.


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## crxssi (Apr 5, 2010)

shrike4242 said:


> I could see maybe getting one unit that's defective, though two from two different vendors, manufactured over a month apart? That's some very odd luck indeed.


Are you sure it really *is* transferring the show successfully when the blue light never comes on? I have had several experiences where the blue light never comes on, but that is when the transfers are failing to ever work and I end up having to cancel things and reboot both TiVo's. (Thankfully that hasn't happened in quite a while now).


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## shrike4242 (Dec 1, 2006)

crxssi said:


> Are you sure it really *is* transferring the show successfully when the blue light never comes on? I have had several experiences where the blue light never comes on, but that is when the transfers are failing to ever work and I end up having to cancel things and reboot both TiVo's. (Thankfully that hasn't happened in quite a while now).


I spot checked numerous shows out of what transferred, and the transfers did happen, as the shows played from beginning to end without issue.

The same situation happened with the first set of transfers from my S3 and multiple Premiere units to my first Roamio Pro as well as from the first Roamio Pro to the second Roamio Pro. Both times, the light didn't come on in any fashion, dim or otherwise.

EDIT: I just watched a show from the Roamio Pro on a Premiere XL and it worked without any issues.


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## MrPlastic (Apr 27, 2008)

Hi Shrike 4242

I purchased a Roamio Pro from a Fry's when it was just released. Tivo was overwhelmed with orders and I got the pro because it was the last one or I would've gotten a plus. Anyway the right side indicator lights were out. It took me a while to figure it out. And I found some one else had the same problem in the forums. I was able to exchange with Tivo with no problem and as the customer rep pointed out anything they sent out was double checked for problems. The new unit was fine.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

aaronwt said:


> It really depends on the viewing angle how little is visible. But the blue circle is a night and day difference when compared to what it looks like on my Roamio Pro. Which has the entire Blue circle illuminated.
> 
> I'll take a pic when I get home tonight.


I took a couple of bad cell phone pics on Friday but forgot to upload them. So here they are.
Here is my Roamio Basic transfer Ring










Here is my Roamio Pro transfer ring


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

Do the Roamios use a light tube to transfer the light from the LED on the MB to the front panel? 
If so, it's probably just a matter of the light tube being slightly out of alignment.


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## shrike4242 (Dec 1, 2006)

MrPlastic said:


> Hi Shrike 4242
> 
> I purchased a Roamio Pro from a Fry's when it was just released. Tivo was overwhelmed with orders and I got the pro because it was the last one or I would've gotten a plus. Anyway the right side indicator lights were out. It took me a while to figure it out. And I found some one else had the same problem in the forums. I was able to exchange with Tivo with no problem and as the customer rep pointed out anything they sent out was double checked for problems. The new unit was fine.


Good to know I'm not the only person so far that ran into this issue.



aaronwt said:


> I took a couple of bad cell phone pics on Friday but forgot to upload them. So here they are.
> Here is my Roamio Basic transfer Ring
> 
> Here is my Roamio Pro transfer ring


See, I don't even have that on either Roamio Pro I've pulled out of the box so far. As MrPlastic mentions above, he had the same issue and he had to replace it through Tivo.

I do see the differences between the two units and I'm surprised there's that much variance on the light brightness.

My issue is that I didn't notice it before I started to pull content from my S3 over to the first Roamio Pro, though the second one I checked immediately before considering it an issue and found it immediately.



steve614 said:


> Do the Roamios use a light tube to transfer the light from the LED on the MB to the front panel?
> If so, it's probably just a matter of the light tube being slightly out of alignment.


I would assume the same for how it works, so it wouldn't surprise me if that's all that it was. As I'd rather not crack open a new Tivo for a reason that I shouldn't, then hopefully when they get my unit back, they adjust whatever issue is causing the light not to show up.


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## shrike4242 (Dec 1, 2006)

Set up the replacement unit I was sent from Amazon and I have a bright blue transfer indicator. It's also an early September-manufactured unit like the first Amazon-shipped unit, with a TSN slightly lower than the first unit. 

Never thought I'd be so happy to see a blue light on the front of a Tivo.


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## sbourgeo (Nov 10, 2000)

Good news, hopefully this one will live long and prosper!


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## shrike4242 (Dec 1, 2006)

To give an update since my last post:
1) The 2nd unit from Amazon has been working great without any issues. All of my content has been pulled off the initial unit. 
2) I've had multiple conversations with TivoMargret initially via email about this issue and then multiple phone calls from reps inside Executive Relations in working through the issues with the non-working units. The non-working/initial unit bought from Tivo is going back to Tivo's HQ in California where they're going to dissect it and see what the issue is with the right side of the front panel. 
3) The replacement unit sent from Tivo is on the way back for a refund as the one I bought from Amazon dropped in price down to $433 to deal with a third-party vendor dropping their price to $399 without fulfilling orders, detailed here:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=513413

Ended up with the difference back from Amazon since it was within 7 days from date of receipt, so ended up with a Pro for $433 after all the headaches subsided.

I do have to say that I have been extremely impressed with the reps I've spoken with at Executive Relations and they certainly made me feel like a valued customer in working through all of these issues.


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## Millionaire2K (Jun 16, 2008)

Well I hope to get some help now as today my RED rec light stopped working. Its been working fine for the past few months. I recorded a ton of show over the past 2 weeks and it worked great. Now today the red light no longer works. I find it hard to understand how a led could just stop working within a few months. My Tivo has not been moved or abused.

I don't want to exchange a box over a dang light. But I also don't want a broken Tivo. I feel like something else may be the problem.

I rebooted and confirmed the from panel settings.


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## bmgoodman (Dec 20, 2000)

Millionaire2K said:


> Well I hope to get some help now as today my RED rec light stopped working. Its been working fine for the past few months. I recorded a ton of show over the past 2 weeks and it worked great. Now today the red light no longer works. I find it hard to understand how a led could just stop working within a few months. My Tivo has not been moved or abused.
> 
> I don't want to exchange a box over a dang light. But I also don't want a broken Tivo. I feel like something else may be the problem.
> 
> I rebooted and confirmed the from panel settings.


Not to get into the whole "warranty voiding discussion", if you take off the case, look at where the front panel wires connect to the motherboard. I suspect that if you make sure they're securely connected, your front panel light problem will go away.


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## Millionaire2K (Jun 16, 2008)

bmgoodman said:


> Not to get into the whole "warranty voiding discussion", if you take off the case, look at where the front panel wires connect to the motherboard. I suspect that if you make sure they're securely connected, your front panel light problem will go away.


BEST ADVISE EVER!!

I removed the cover and instantly saw the problem. The cable was put in crooked and was half out. I pushed the other half down and BAM, it WORKS!!

WOOOO!

Thanks a "Million"


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## leres (Jun 1, 2001)

I bought a Roamio Pro from amazon a few weeks ago. I remember reading there were LEDs that shows when it was recording or downloading content but it was until last night that I investigated why I never saw them. I immediately found this thread, pushed the right front panel LED connector all the way home and could finally see these LEDs in operation. At first I was confused because the both mainboard LED connectors were seated but then I realized then I realized that there are also connectors on the front panel PCB.


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## nooneuknow (Feb 5, 2011)

I have three base Roamios, all likely from the same pallet, bought from Best Buy.

As I had noticed with my Premieres, and TiVoHDs, no two identical models of the same generation TiVo ever have the same brightness. They start at the brightness they are, and never seem to shift over time.

It's not a single LED. They are all equal on each one, just not between different identical TiVos. One TiVo is so bright it is distracting, one is so dim, the lights in the room must be off to clearly see them, the other seems just right.

What still comes to mind for me is: If TiVo allows this much variation in the front panel (or the upstream circuitry driving it), just how many other parts inside might be operating at such loose tolerances?

I try to keep telling myself it's just the batch of LEDs, used when the front panel was made. They are likely made on their own separate line, then binned for whole unit assembly. I still have not convinced myself this is all there could be to it. OCD. Yep, that's me.


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## shrike4242 (Dec 1, 2006)

Well, good to see that my old thread helped out someone fix their issue with their Roamio. Glad that you could get it fixed, leres.

I think that Tivo wanted my defective unit because they wanted to see the issue for themselves, nooneuknow, so I'm sure they want to try and limit the variances down to nothing, hopefully.


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## TheBirdMan (Jun 4, 2014)

What triggers the blue light to come on. I have a Pro and 4 Mini's. I have yet to see the light on. I've tried streaming and downloading to my iPhone but no blue light. Is there anyway to test it to see if it works?


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## dbattaglia001 (Feb 9, 2003)

TheBirdMan said:


> What triggers the blue light to come on. I have a Pro and 4 Mini's. I have yet to see the light on. I've tried streaming and downloading to my iPhone but no blue light. Is there anyway to test it to see if it works?


I think you have to be transferring a recording from one tivo to another (download, not stream), downloading from amazon instant video, or transferring a show from a computer.


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## shrike4242 (Dec 1, 2006)

dbattaglia001 said:


> I think you have to be transferring a recording from one tivo to another (download, not stream), downloading from amazon instant video, or transferring a show from a computer.


Correct. Has to be one of those items.

With a Pro and 4 Minis, you won't see the light come on unless you're pulling something down from Amazon. Streaming from Netflix or Hulu won't bring up the transfer light either, I think.


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