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camper
just visiting this planet
Premium Member
join:2010-03-21
Bethel, CT

camper to 67845017

Premium Member

to 67845017

Re: cbl box is smoking hot and fan constantly running

said by 67845017:

That's not a DVR.
The Panasonic unit I have has a tuner and a hard disk in it, and records TV shows to the hard disk. Therefore, it is a DVR.

Perhaps you might want to offer why you do not consider it to be a DVR.

In any case, the idle power usage is only 3 watts.
67845017 (banned)
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL

67845017 (banned)

Member

It's a hard drive recorder.

The units I mention all receive programming guide data, internet connectivity through Ethernet, home networking capability, and function almost exactly how the cable company DVRs of today do. It's a much more apples to apples comparison.

Let me clarify. For purposes of this discussion, in order to do a more accurate comparison of like technology, the PV HS2000 by Panasonic, the Tivo, and ReplayTVare all more closely related to the present day cable DVR than the HDD/DVD recorder you mentioned.

Because the DVRs I mentioned above are much more computer-like than what you are discussing, I think the power draw is greater as well. Basically those devices are/were PCs with dedicated hardware.

camper
just visiting this planet
Premium Member
join:2010-03-21
Bethel, CT

camper

Premium Member

Semantics aside, even a set-top box that has a DVR in it can power down to a low-power state, they are just not designed to do that at this point in time.

I would proffer that at some point in the relatively near future the set-top boxes (even those with DVRs in them) will move to more efficient power consumption profiles.
67845017 (banned)
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL

67845017 (banned)

Member

I never said that they wouldn't. My point is that I'm not surprised that they don't.

In particular, cable/DVR boxes from the cable companies are now only starting to do what my ReplayTV could do years ago. So, why shouldn't present boxes also be power-hungry? They're behind the technology curve.

camper
just visiting this planet
Premium Member
join:2010-03-21
Bethel, CT

camper

Premium Member

said by 67845017:

I never said that they wouldn't. My point is that I'm not surprised that they don't.

In particular, cable/DVR boxes from the cable companies are now only starting to do what my ReplayTV could do years ago. So, why shouldn't present boxes also be power-hungry? They're behind the technology curve.
Yes, we are in agreement.
67845017 (banned)
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL

67845017 (banned)

Member

I think it's further proof (as if we didn't have enough already I suppose) that without real competition, innovation and advancement is slowed.

camper
just visiting this planet
Premium Member
join:2010-03-21
Bethel, CT

camper

Premium Member

said by 67845017:

I think it's further proof (as if we didn't have enough already I suppose) that without real competition, innovation and advancement is slowed.
btw, I just had a new STB installed, SA Explorer 3250HD.

When it is powered on, it uses 19 watts.

When it is "powered off" (via the front panel power button), the power usage drops to 18 watts.

It looks to me as if all that is powered down is the front panel LEDs. The box itself still remains warm and sucking up power.

The cable industry really has to do better than this energy-wise. I wonder how many STBs, and STBs with DVRs, that Comcast has out in the field; just sitting there sucking up power while doing very little.....

heat84
DSLR Influencer
join:2004-03-11
Delray Beach, FL

heat84

Member

The reason the boxes have to stay on all the time is because Motorola doesn't know how to program their boxes to save guide data and subscription info in NVRam or on part of a hard drive. That's the only reason it needs to stay on. Having to reload all that data every time the box loses power is so 80's. Maybe even 70's.

If you don't mind waiting a few minutes for guide data, you can just unplug the box every time you're done watching TV.
67845017 (banned)
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL

67845017 (banned)

Member

More than just a few minutes . . .

My ReplayTVs did it so much faster.