Hopper freezing up issues (This is not the first Hopper to malfunction)

[Canesman]

My significant other has been having major problems with her Hopper freezing up. It happens when she tries to see programming on her Joey in her bedroom and it also happens when she tries to see DVR programs on the Hopper in the Living room. The picture just randomly freezes up after about a minute or so. Then it continues and freezes up again intermittently.
This issue has happened before back in January and the service rep person said it was a bad hard drive. They sent her a new one and now 9 months later it seems like this Hopper is also having hard drive issues.

Now she is angry and thinking about switching to another service provider. I told her that my Hoppers never have these issues. Could it be the place her Hopper is stored? It does not seem like it is a poorly ventilated slot in her entertainment center.

Just need some help here before we go through the telephone service crap again.

 

[david_jr]

Suggest you contact DIRT here on the site.

 

[ChadT41]

If not well ventilated, can cause those issues. Go to newegg.com and buy a cheap USB laptop fan and plug it in behind the hopper to keep it cool.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Could also be a bad node, or bad cable run. Hard to say without seeing the setup.

 

[ChadT41]

Could also be a bad node, or bad cable run. Hard to say without seeing the setup.

The only reason I wouldn't jump to that, especially with his last price of info, is because it took 9 months for it to start giving problems again. There is one way to test it though. Link the Joey to the other hopper and see if issues continue, or stop.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

You never know, some people keep their nodes outside unprotected and the recent drop of tempatures in the weather could be a cause, not only affecting the node, but the cable also expands and contracts with the change in the weather.

 

[ChadT41]

You never know, some people keep their nodes outside unprotected and the recent drop of tempatures in the weather could be a cause, not only affecting the node, but the cable also expands and contracts with the change in the weather.

I get that and agree it is possible, just wouldn't be my first go to. Even with the added cost of the fan, that would be my first. Especially on these boards, with power users, likely have the parts avail temp

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

BTW the only reason I mention this is because it happened to me... mine would work fine then when it got cold failed..

Replaced the node and all was good in the world again.

 

[ChadT41]

BTW the only reason I mention this is because it happened to me... mine would work fine then when it got cold failed..

Replaced the node and all was good in the world again.

Just out of curiousity, was it a duo node, and was it a gen1 without the black dot on it? If so, those were found defective in the days extreme highs/lows

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

BINGO!

 

[Canesman]

Thanks for the info and the help guys.

They will send someone to her place this week and I will mention everything said here.

 

[Scherrman]

My HWS just started acted this way yesterday. Not sure why since my older Hopper works fine. It's affecting the Wireless Joey in my bedroom too.

Shouldn't be the Node since it's warmer than its been in a few weeks now and I replaced the Node this Spring.

I'm worried I have a bad HWS. May need to start transferring some recordings to the EHD.

 

[havok72]

I had the same issue. They sent out a tech twice and replaced my Hopper and did not fix it. I ended up finding a coax connection just slightly loose. I may have tighten it a half a turn and the problem when away. I couldn't believe that all it took, but I haven't had an issue since.