Thank u DishsubLA; Enlighten me pls. Why would u put another gadget (old laptop) under DVR that generates more heat? I understand a small usb fan blows the hot air away and at least gives u confidence. Well, even if that is not necessary it won't harm anything. $10-15 investment won't break u.
maybe, the purpose is getting rid of the hot air around the equipment.
some believe a fan is a good idea, some don't. one thing is sure is you can't harm anything as far as I am concerned.
Sure. Back when the Hoppers reported the internal temp--a feature that has since been removed by Dish some years ago--the temp was quite HOT/HIGH with the fan roaring in high speed in attempt to cool it down. After placing the laptop fan under the Hopper, the fan slowed and became quiet and the internal temp was reported a SIGNIFICANTLY LESS than before. It was some years ago, so I can't recall the exact difference in temp, but it was a big difference, and even the Hopper felt very warm but not so HOT to the touch. Also the Hopper became reliable in operation. The laptop solution is, in my experience, only really needed if the Hopper is in an enclosed space and if the fan is running high and loud and if the Hopper is unreliable in operation.
The laptop fan success is also well-reported among TiVo Roamio owners, as well. These are solutions for people who encounter problems. Thankfully TiVo still reports internal temp, and I've observed significant difference in TiVo Roamio temps when using a laptop. The Roamios are notorious for their poor air flow cooling design and under-powered fan such that many DYI'ers have replaced the fan or placed laptops underneath with better results and a properly functioning Roamio.
Keep in mind that in most situations what appears to be a modest change/solution to excessive heat--such as my recommendation to just allow a few inches between the bottom of a Hopper and the surface beneath it can allow sufficient air flow to make a big difference in cooling temps--back when they were displayed by the Hopper. Going back to the first gen DishPro
DVR's (almost 20 years?), I have always placed every Dish DVR on top of coasters that allow a few inches of space under the DVR that result--observed back when Dish reported internal temps--in fair difference in cooler temps, and more reliable DVR operation. YMMV. I've even had Dish tech's who've observed this mention that it was the a good thing to do or the right thing to do. I do NOT find laptop fans necessary on NON-DVR units or clients because while these units can feel quite hot to the touch, they don't seem to suffer from unreliable operations and some have much larger slits that allow great amounts of heat to escape that the DVR units do not.
One does not require a huge full room fan blasting at the troublesome DVR to have an effect. Often all it takes is an
added modest, but constant flow of air that makes all the difference in the world. After all, we know that these laptop fans with their modest addition of air flow when placed under really HOT laptops also make a tremendous difference. This is why people use laptop fans in the first place. If one accepts the usefulness of laptop fans cooling really hot laptops, then it would be illogical to conclude that laptop fans could not possibly help an overheated DVR--without out at least trying it out to see for themselves. On the other hand, if one believes that laptop fans do nothing for laptops, then there is no point in discussing it with such a person in the first place.
I hope, as per your request, you feel "enlightened". If not, then everyone is entitled to their doubts. But laptop fans work for me. I was just sharing personal experience with success.
