Anyone have a DVR with a Hard Drive?

[drgnfly30]

On a whim I decided I needed a DVR with Hard Drive today. I went to Best Buy & only found two models, a Toshiba floor model with no box, remote, manual for $280 (orig $399) & an LG that had all the features I wanted & some i didn't quite understand - it was an open box for $450 (orig $599) so i lugged it home. I got everything out of the box & realized that it had been returned twice already. I got it all hooked up & turned it on.. it was LOUD! So I turned it off.. but the noise didn't, the Hard Drive (I presume) kept running even when off.

I packed it back up & returned it to BB, while in line a guy behind me had the Tosihba model (in a box) & I heard him comment to the clerk that it was too loud.

Are they all like that ??? I really really want one but not if it's going to annoy me so much!

 

[Sylvester McBean]

I'm pretty sure all DVR's are HD-based. but who knows with technology these days. if you don't disconnect the power, the HD can fire itself up anytime it wants. ours comes standard from our cable company with our Hi-Def package. I've never heard it make a sound. my Ipod's HD started firing up and whining right before it crashed.

 

[Tina]

I would avoid the open box items at these stores. They are all returned items.

We have Directv Tivo receivers and they are not loud at all. If the house is completely quiet, you might hear a slight whirrrr when they click on, but that's about it.

 

[Shutterbug]

I have DVR through my cable company. You can hear the hard drive turning away even after its turned off(but not unplugged) but its not loud. Its in my bedroom and I dont have any trouble sleeping.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Probably the cooling fan whir.

 

[dcgrumpy]

We have a Tivo and a MediaCenter and used to have ReplayTV. The only time I hear them is when it is completely silent in the house and even then it is very faint.

 

[bicker]

Ditto here with our three TiVos... whisper quiet, including the old one. There are different schools of thought, but many experts believe that the best way to extend the life of a hard drive and keep it running trouble-free is to keep it moving at all times.

 

[floridafam]

Our old DVR made a lot of noise but they replaced them with different models that are very quiet. We get ours from our cable company.

 

[Aneille]

Directtv Tivo's here and pretty silent. My DH has also replaced I think all the HD's himself with bigger ones and still no sound but maybe a faint whir.

He did replace one with an older harddrive that we had and it was really loud. It was the fan on the HD I think but it didn't matter because he took it out and put in another that was quieter.