Grrrrr

Wouldn't you just know it? I finally get a dvr, something *everyone* says i'll absolutely *love* and i won't know how i got along with out it.... and the fucking thing seems to be a dud! It was installed on Saturday. It seemed to be ok, i recorded something, i set up a couple of series schedules. Then Saturday evening i had the sound muted for awhile and then it wouldn't un-mute. I thought i just had the wrong button pressed on the universal remote and changed that, even tried to power off and no joy. I actually had to unplug the thing to reset it. I may still have got my buttons all mixed up, i can't remember now so i'm tentatively putting that down to user error.

But Sunday evening i was working on something on the computer with the television on low. I realized it was awfully quiet and looked around to see a blank screen. Hmmm... I changed the channel.. oh good, there's picture and sound.. but wait... 30 seconds in and the screen went blank again. And continued to do that. Again i unplugged the machine and it reset itself. No more problems like that but now the dvr functionality seemed to be unavailable or disabled or something. I couldn't get through to the cable company, just sat on hold for so long that i gave up. First thing Monday morning, i tried the box again, and couldn't get into any dvr functions. I got through to the cable people straight away and she sent a reset signal to the box which usually takes 10 - 20 minutes to rebuilt the menus and things. by the time i went to work a half hour later, still no dvr functionality and no hd channels either. Rats....

I got home from work and tried it again. Same thing. After Corrie, i called up and first they restored the HD. Probably the morning reset didn't include that i guess. She sent another signal that resends the software down. Still no good. I called back an hour later and now they've set up a service call for me. Rather than wait days for an evening appointment or nearly 2 weeks for a saturday, i'll have to take this afternoon off and wait for the cable guy. Again.

This just pisses me off! Get a new "toy" and it doesn't work and it's so disappointing! Not a very good first impression, that's for sure. I'm sure i will love it once it's all sorted out. I hope they just put in a new box altogether rather than see if the current one needs adjusting because i don't really trust it now. I guess that's the beauty of renting it though, they have to fix it and i don't have to be worried about waranties or anything.

I should have started a betting pool

So i got off just before noon and was home by 12:30. Guess when the tech finally came? 7:15 tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I called at 5, oh yes you're on the list, they're just running late. I called at 7 and she said i was the next stop. So he got there and said he was the evening shift, he reckons the day shift guy screwed up or something. Probably got late and he decided to go home for his supper. To quote gramie_dee "gobshite!" The guy that arrived finally brought a brand new box and when he looked at the old one he said he thought it might have been a refurbished one! I can't tell you how many ways that's just wrong. I know, i know, probably with most people they're ok but they're refurbished for a reason, because they broke!!! Anyway shiny new one in the house. It takes awhile for it to regenerate all the menus and functionality.

Mom had come over in the afternoon, and i was supposed to take her home and bring the car back for myself. She's away for a few days and i needed it for the weekend. Anyway, you just know if she'd not been waiting, the tech would have come early! She stayed, though, and I took her back while the box regenerated itself. On the way home, i decided i was quite hungry so i went to the grocery store and bought a pre-cooked chicken, some cole slaw and potato salad which isn't as good as my potato salad, btw. Too mushy and wet. And when i went to get back in the car.... shiny dime at my feet! Awwww!

The other thing the guy did was spruce up my cable coming into the house and the signal seems even better now. Cross your bits that it's all good. Onward and upward but i wish i hadn't wasted a half day vacation on it!