# Wealknees Roamio Basic Model



## brianric (Aug 29, 2002)

Don't know if the Roamio basic model is a 2.5 or 3.5 drive, but Weakness is offering a basic model with 300 and 475 HD hours upgrade.


----------



## NYHeel (Oct 7, 2003)

brianric said:


> Don't know if the Roamio basic model is a 2.5 or 3.5 drive, but Weakness is offering a basic model with 300 and 475 HD hours upgrade.


Actually they're selling the plus model with a 2TB and 3TB drive upgrade as well.

I'm guessing it can't do 4TB then.


----------



## MeInDallas (Jul 31, 2011)

If they are putting a 3TB in the basic model, and it doesnt say anything about it being external, then that would lead me to believe it has a 3.5 hard drive internal. I dont know of any 3TB 2.5 hard drives. The largest I have found is 2TB.


----------



## tatergator1 (Mar 27, 2008)

Since they have these available the day after launch, I'm thinking the file system changes, if any, are minor and that the old self-upgrade methods will be the same, or easily adapted.


----------



## MeInDallas (Jul 31, 2011)

OK I just called Weaknees on the phone, and the guy I spoke with confirmed that the base model does indeed use a 3.5 regular size hard drive NOT a smaller 2.5 size drive.

Whew!


----------



## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

MeInDallas said:


> OK I just called Weaknees on the phone, and the guy I spoke with confirmed that the base model does indeed use a 3.5 regular size hard drive NOT a smaller 2.5 size drive.
> 
> Whew!


Wow, so the hard drive (using a 500GB WD spec sheet) weighs a pound, and the whole Roamio weighs 3.7 pounds. So the rest is only 2.7 pounds.

The Plus and the Pro weigh 6.9 pounds, and since those drives weigh 1.4-1.6 pounds, the rest is 5.4 pounds. I wonder what makes the Plus and Pro twice as heavy as the Base model...


----------



## MeInDallas (Jul 31, 2011)

My thought would be plastic. If you look at both models, the Plus and the Pro are metal cases, and the base model looks to be plastic of some sort.


----------



## NYHeel (Oct 7, 2003)

Could be the bigger case and the power supply.


----------



## MeInDallas (Jul 31, 2011)

Yep and the base model has an external power supply too.


----------



## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

MeInDallas said:


> My thought would be plastic. If you look at both models, the Plus and the Pro are metal cases, and the base model looks to be plastic of some sort.


Looks like a few other things missing, including a fan and a power supply.


----------



## MeInDallas (Jul 31, 2011)

I noticed that too, and the cable card goes in at the bottom. It reminds me of the new Genie from Directv, it is smaller and has no fan, and uses an external power supply too. The top of the base model looks like its all one piece of plastic that pops off the top.


----------



## Big Boy Laroux (Oct 10, 2006)

So how is it that the upgraded plus can go to 475 hours with 3 TB, but pro goes to 450? Tivo crap on the Hard Drive?


----------



## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Coupons still work on the upgraded units too. :up:

My will power is fading. I might be ordering a 2TB Plus today.


----------



## MeInDallas (Jul 31, 2011)

I told myself I wasnt gonna do it, and I'm getting weaker the more people are talking about them. I kinda want that base model for the OTA capability


----------



## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

tatergator1 said:


> Since they have these available the day after launch, I'm thinking the file system changes, if any, are minor and that the old self-upgrade methods will be the same, or easily adapted.


Must be.

I received this in an email 4 hours ago from Weaknees:



> "*Will WeaKnees be offering upgraded Roamios and kits for Roamios?*
> We're working on it and we have every expectation that we will have these units in larger capacities. But, since our testing isn't yet complete, we don't have final info. We'll be posting on our blog as soon as we have news."


So I went to the blog and found:



> "*TiVo Roamio Upgraded Units Now Available*
> Posted on August 21st, 2013, by Jeff
> We are thrilled to announce that we are now building and shipping TiVo Roamio and TiVo Roamio Plus DVRs with 2TB and 3TB drive options. For pricing and more information, see our TiVo Roamio Product page.
> 
> We still have four-tuner TiVo Roamio units in stock, but TiVo Roamio Plus and TiVo Roamio Pro units are on backorder for a few days until we receive our next shipment."


----------



## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

tatergator1 said:


> Since they have these available the day after launch, I'm thinking the file system changes, if any, are minor and that the old self-upgrade methods will be the same, or easily adapted.


If this is available less than a day after launch, there's prior knowledge going on. There's no way that the changes to the file system are minor enough for wk to have figured them out and redesigned their website this quickly without it.

Get ready for another monopoly on expansions until the rest of us can figure it out (if that's even possible without inside help).


----------



## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

MeInDallas said:


> I told myself I wasnt gonna do it, and I'm getting weaker the more people are talking about them. I kinda want that base model for the OTA capability


I'm in the same boat. I already have a Stream so it comes down to whether I need 6 tuners or not. And I don't think I really do. I might just order the 4 tuner unit with the free Stream, throw my own 2TB drive in there, and then sell the Stream to offset the cost.

I like that the 4 tuner has a power brick instead of an internal power supply, as that's easier to replace. I like that it does OTA even though I don't need it right now. And I like that it's only $200 instead of $600.


----------



## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

tatergator1 said:


> Since they have these available the day after launch, I'm thinking the file system changes, if any, are minor and that the old self-upgrade methods will be the same, or easily adapted.


Weeknees was one of the first if not the first to sell Premiere upgraded drives, iirc. I believe this was even before the new tools so they might do it differently.


----------



## MeInDallas (Jul 31, 2011)

Dan203 said:


> I'm in the same boat. I already have a Stream so it comes down to whether I need 6 tuners or not. And I don't think I really do. I might just order the 4 tuner unit with the free Stream, throw my own 2TB drive in there, and then sell the Stream to offset the cost.
> 
> I like that the 4 tuner has a power brick instead of an internal power supply, as that's easier to replace. I like that it does OTA even though I don't need it right now. And I like that it's only $200 instead of $600.


Good points, I was thinking the same thing. I wish Tivo had gone to external power supplies on all models, and the OTA is a big plus for me. I have the XL4 now but IF I ever did go away from TWC then it would be worthless to me. I just cancelled a 2 tuner unit on Monday because it was out of contract. I knew these were coming, but $600 I just cant see it right now. You know in a few months prices will come down some at least, but $200 I can swing


----------



## ppartekim (Jan 18, 2007)

Dan203 said:


> Coupons still work on the upgraded units too. :up:
> 
> My will power is fading. I might be ordering a 2TB Plus today.


Coupons? You mean I could get the 3TB base for less than the stated $449.. please give details.. CC getting warm waiting... 

That or I need upgrade instructions.. I see 3TB drives available at Fry's for ~$120.. vs the $250 add-on for Weakness..


----------



## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

For the basic the coupon is just ROAMIO and it takes $10 off.


----------



## brianric (Aug 29, 2002)

hefe said:


> Must be.
> 
> I received this in an email 4 hours ago from Weaknees:
> 
> So I went to the blog and found:





> We still have four-tuner TiVo Roamio units in stock, but TiVo Roamio Plus and TiVo Roamio Pro units are on backorder for a few days until we receive our next shipment."


You threw a scare into me. I ordered last night before the message. Customer support told me my unit should be shipping in 20 minutes, should get it no later than Wednesday.


----------



## tivogurl (Dec 16, 2004)

Dan203 said:


> For the basic the coupon is just ROAMIO and it takes $10 off.


In that case you're better off taking the $50 discount from the free stream code and ordering direct from TiVo.


----------



## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

tivogurl said:


> In that case you're better off taking the $50 discount from the free stream code and ordering direct from TiVo.


Only if there is a way to upgrade ourselves. If not then you'll have to wait for Weaknees to offer drop in drives and likely pay a premium for that.


----------



## mrizzo80 (Apr 17, 2012)

Would there be any warranty concerns with buying/putting in a claim on a 3 year extended warranty if people purchase a modified box from Weaknees...since they have to open the enclosure to modify the DVR? Thinking of biting on a modified 2TB Plus.


----------



## Devx (Jun 1, 2006)

Big Boy Laroux said:


> So how is it that the upgraded plus can go to 475 hours with 3 TB, but pro goes to 450? Tivo crap on the Hard Drive?


WK may have been able to supersize the drive which would give added usable capacity.

It's really tempting to go with a Roamio Plus 3TB now but the price premium, even with coupon, is still very high.


----------



## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

Devx said:


> WK may have been able to supersize the drive which would give added usable capacity.
> 
> It's really tempting to go with a Roamio Plus 3TB now but the price premium, even with coupon, is still very high.


Did JMFS offer supersize options? I haven't upgraded since the WinMFS days since I bought the XLs at launch and the Elite at the 2TB limit.


----------



## tivogurl (Dec 16, 2004)

mrizzo80 said:


> Would there be any warranty concerns with buying/putting in a claim on a 3 year extended warranty if people purchase a modified box from Weaknees...since they have to open the enclosure to modify the DVR?


That would certainly void TiVo's warranty. I assume you'd be buying the Weaknees extended warranty which presumably doesn't have that problem.

If you buy lifetime I don't know if Weaknees' warranty qualifies for the free transfer of lifetime to a replacement box like Best Buy's warranty does.


----------



## ydc (Nov 18, 2002)

Dan203 said:


> For the basic the coupon is just ROAMIO and it takes $10 off.


Following that theme, I put in ROAMIOPLUS with the (you guessed it) Roamio Plus in my cart and it took off $25. Haven't pulled the trigger yet though....


----------



## Goober96 (Jun 28, 2005)

ydc said:


> Following that theme, I put in ROAMIOPLUS with the (you guessed it) Roamio Plus in my cart and it took off $25. Haven't pulled the trigger yet though....


And ROAMIOPRO is $40 off.


----------



## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

tivogurl said:


> That would certainly void TiVo's warranty. I assume you'd be buying the Weaknees extended warranty which presumably doesn't have that problem.
> 
> If you buy lifetime I don't know if Weaknees' warranty qualifies for the free transfer of lifetime to a replacement box like Best Buy's warranty does.


And I see the Weaknees warranty is not transferable. I did not realize that.

Here are the terms and conditions of their three year warranty.

http://www.weaknees.com/pdf/ew-tivo.pdf


----------



## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

aaronwt said:


> And I see the Weaknees warranty is not transferable. I did not realize that.
> 
> Here are the terms and conditions of their three year warranty.
> 
> http://www.weaknees.com/pdf/ew-tivo.pdf


The weeknees warranty can't be transferred, but I believe they do support the lifetime transfer.


----------



## NYHeel (Oct 7, 2003)

innocentfreak said:


> Did JMFS offer supersize options? I haven't upgraded since the WinMFS days since I bought the XLs at launch and the Elite at the 2TB limit.


Yes it did. I upgraded my Premieres in December 2010 and he had supersize working at that point. And I've stuffed my 2TB to the max so it definitely came in handy.


----------



## bucm4sko24wle2mi (Aug 17, 2009)

4TB from WD or Seagate? Or does it matter?


----------



## MeInDallas (Jul 31, 2011)

Western Digital doesnt make an 4TB AV drive yet that we know of.


----------



## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

A couple more negatives against the Basic are....

No MoCa
Only 10/100 Ethernet

I use my Elite as an Etherent bridge for the rest of my AV rack, so not having MoCa is kind of a big deal. i know an adapater is only $50 but that's another devices with a blinking light and a power brick I have to put into the rack. So I just bit the bullet and got a Pro. $560 with coupon from Weaknees.


----------



## Big Boy Laroux (Oct 10, 2006)

Big Boy Laroux said:


> So how is it that the upgraded plus can go to 475 hours with 3 TB, but pro goes to 450? Tivo crap on the Hard Drive?


Just as an FYI cause i haven't seen it posted elsewhere -

Got my Roamio Pro yesterday and set it up today. In System info, it states "up to 476 HD hours"

So doesn't look like weaknees supersized the drive. Looks like Tivo is actually underselling the available space?


----------

