Hauppauge Stands Behind Its HDPVR Recorder

When I forked over the $205 to Amazon for the Hauppauge HDPVR high definition television to PC recorder, I thought two things: “I hope it’s worth it” and “How the hell do you pronounce Hauppauge?” I found out the answer to both questions this week when my recorder died after 22 months of otherwise perfect operation.

Before Crasstalk came along, I spent most of my free time working on MythTV. I don’t care for the DVR service that the cable providers are offering. The monthly fees are a part of it, but that the menus on those provider DVR units are also full of ads is unacceptable. There are already ads during the content, product placement ads in the actual shows, they even shove ads in with my monthly billing statement. MythTV is partially an act of defiance on my part. I want at least some control over the content stream coming into my home.

To record high definition cable so you can watch it later, one of your best options is currently the Hauppauge HDPVR. It records up to 1080i using the component output from your cable box. For about $200 you can add one of these to your “master backend” for MythTV and thereby access all of the cable channels that you may be paying for in your cable lineup. Here’s what happens:

Actually that's a VCR on the left there, but you get the idea

This captured photo from the Hauppauge website is somewhat simplistic but accurate. To use the HDPVR you need a computer to hook it up to with USB. Microsoft Media Center support has recently been provided, but I prefer to use MythTV. MythTV is an open source Linux based DVR system. In either case media software will engage the HDPVR using the USB. The HDPVR will capture video using component (Red, Green and Blue) outputs from your cable or satellite set top box. There’s a hardware encoder inside the HDPVR that will elegantly and efficiently compress the video stream using H.264 encoding. This “codec” creates mpg files from the rich HD content. That content can then be accessed later using the software of your choice. It’s a great deal. Until it quits working.

Sunday I turned off the power to the congested array of computer products in the office, including my HDPVR. I shut it down “nicely” which is to say that I turned off my battery backup power supply. I suppose that was like unplugging it, but I do this all the time and it wasn’t actually in-use at the time. When the small construction project du jour was complete, I powered my MythTV system back up.  I discovered to my dismay that the HDPVR was no longer available as a “tuner”. All attempts to revive the little dude were unsuccessful.

Quelle horreur! I was speaking French that day, but not the kind I learned in school. I was especially triste over the prolonged delay in manufacturing of the HD HomeRun Prime cable tuner from Silicondust. This was supposed to be shipping out July 25th and now it’s looking more like August 22nd. Not that big of deal until my primary tuner died. That, and the “small construction project” that got me into this position had also ate any additional finances I had for quickly replacing it.

When I explained the failuer to my other half, he asked if it was under warranty. Checking the warranty page on their website, I expected to find out I was past the warranty. “zut alors!!” I exclaimed, reading the words below:

Hauppauge Computer Works, Inc. warrants a Hauppauge hardware product to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of 2 years from date of initial retail purchase.

I called them up on Sunday and they weren’t open. I guess we can’t have everything. I called them on Monday and I reached a gentleman within about two minutes. I explained how I was using the device until it wouldn’t work anymore. He was very friendly and asked only for the serial number and lot number from the HDPVR. He instructed me to send the device to their location in Hauppauge, NY and they would send a replacement to me within 3 – 5 business days. I expressed how pleased I was about this two year warranty and he added that they actually cover the replacement unit for an additional two years.

I think it’s safe to assume that my replacement HDPVR is being packaged right now by unicorns and elves while they dance happily and sing gay songs about how much they love doing what they do. How else can one explain why in a time of Limited Warranties, fine print and undelivered features, Hauppauge Computer Works, INC wants to provide me with a working product for two almost four years from the date of purchase, without even asking me to pay for an extended warranty? Perhaps they simply still believe in the old adage: “you get what you pay for.”

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