Installation guide

• ShowGuard/SportsGuard
Shows that are now running a minute or more past the half hour or hour are perfect reasons to activate ShowGuard. ShowGuard
is a feature that was written into the software but never implemented, that automatically extends all recordings by a set
amount (like 5 minutes) if there is not a show to be recorded immediately following. SportsGuard does the same thing with
shows flagged as sports.
I'm guessing ShowGuard/SportsGuard are not perfect, since they were never officially turned on, but ShowGuard seems to work
well in my experience with it.
It can be activated through WiRNS and the getshellcmds plug-in. Disclaimer: since it's modifying the registry, it's possible to
corrupt it and end up with a ReplayTV that won't boot. Following are the commands to activate ShowGuard and SportsGuard.
The ShowGuard time can apparently be changed in 1 minute increments* and I think the SportsGuard time can be changed in 15
minute increments (these commands go in the file shellcmds):
regedit setstr Software/Apps/ReplayChannels EnableShowGuard TRUE
regedit setstr Software/Apps/ReplayChannels EnableSportsGuard TRUE
regedit setstr Software/Apps/ReplayChannels SportsGuardTime 90
regedit setstr Software/Apps/ReplayChannels ShowGuardTime 5
Use these commands at your own risk. If you are not comfortable with the remote possibility of having to re-image your
ReplayTV, then you should probably not try to implement this feature. ShowGuard and SportsGuard should work on any model
ReplayTV.
*Edit: Previously it was believed that ShowGuard could be changed in 5 minute increments. Actual experience in 5XXX
ReplayTVs has shown it can be changed in 1 minute increments.
See my original ShowGuard/SportsGuard thread here.
• Fix for an apparently dead 5XXX tuner
Originally posted by Crunchy Doodle at AVS Forum here:
http://archive.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=2696620#post2696620
"Try this:
1) Press the power button to turn the unit off.
2) Disconnect the RF coax cable from the back of the unit.
3) Unplug the unit's power cord from the wall.
4) Reconnect the RF coax cable to the back of the unit.
5) Wait at least one minute.
6) Plug the unit's power cord back in and allow it to boot up.
7) Enjoy flawless ReplayTV operation.
This revived a seemingly dead tuner for my wife's 5000 series machine. Intuitive, isn't it?
Bye."
• How to achieve a quiet fan in a 50XX ReplayTV
If you're looking for a way to quiet the fan in a 5000 series ReplayTV, there's a thread on the issue at here. There are several
methods for making the fan quieter, including changing the voltage to the fan, adding a 47 or 100 ohm resistor to the lines
feeding the fan, or choosing a quieter replacement fan. Personally, I've replaced the fans in several 5040s with the Sanyo Denki
Petit 109P0812M701. I have no affiliation with them, but one place to buy this fan is here. You can probably find an adapter
cable to go from a Molex hard drive connector to a fan connector, or cut and splice the replacement fan to the original fan
power connector. It's currently not possible to replace the fan in a 55XX series ReplayTV or some newer 50XX ReplayTVs. The
fan in the 55XX series and some newer 50XX series ReplayTVs is controlled by the motherboard (rather than just powered) and
any fan other than the stock fan will produce a "fan lock detected" error message. (If the original fan starts spinning
immediately when the power is plugged in, you can probably replace it with a quieter fan. If the fan doesn't start spinning
until the ReplayTV has booted up, then it's a newer motherboard and the fan cannot be replaced with a quieter fan.)