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VegasVallley201's avatar
VegasVallley201
New Contributor II
6 years ago

Las Vegas Issue? 14 months of DVR'd shows and films ALL disappeared/deleted! New recordings not saving!

Is this a regional issue?

I just returned home from vacation--during my time away many shows were cued up to be recorded. I could not wait to catch up.
Additionally, for the past 14 months, I've carefully and mindfully recorded/DVR'ed many shows and movies that were either meaningful to me, relevant to my work, or which I intended to watch or re-watch simply for fun.
Imagine the punch in the pit of my stomach to discover--my first night home--all those carefully curated shows I missed while I was away on vacation are gone.  As well as the entire collection of amazing shows and movies I have gone out of my way to save.
All of them: gone.  Approx. 100 DVR entries, although only 65% of capacity--and I'd selected "Save until space is needed."
Further--new hows are scheduled to be recorded, they record but overnight they are wiped out and Deleted Items displays (0). 
I spoke with tech service tonight and the first-level rep reset my box but that didn't do anything. He connected me to a higher level "tech" and she was dismissive and apathetic/flippant about this issue.
I pay upward of $200/mo for Cox, and generally am quite pleased.  My favorite part of Cox, other than the Premium channels I pay for, is the ability to reliably save content that is meaningful to me, to view it as I am able, given my hectic and intensive work schedule.
I work in a technical field and it nearly impossible to believe the higher-level tech representative was correct in saying no one at Cox has the ability to even diagnose this problem. That it's "just broken."
I know--because it is my professional focus--the data is stored somewhere, the signal comes into the box, there is software -- many moving pieces that can analyzed. Cox has the ability to look at the equipment and analyze the signal from your perspective and evaluate the problem.
I can't overstate how tremendously disappointed I am that Cox failed me while I was on vacation.  Furthermore, many of the movies and shows I exactingly saved throughout the past 14 months cannot be re-found because they are no longer available on Cox.
With regret--but I'm utterly serious--I will cancel all Cox services if Cox is no longer trustworthy enough to reliably meet my entertainment needs. And to handle this situation honestly.  I know you-all have recovered data/content in the past. In this very TV Forum (not long ago) a Cox representative verified that Cox can--and she did--evaluate this situation and examine the behavior of the streams and data, and recover customer saved DVR content/lists when this same Cox-generated error occurred--the customers affected have affirmed that the Cox tech who posted here did in fact recover their data.
Furthermore, I am aware that you keep track of customer systems and what customers save.  And, incidentally, while on vacation your algorithm indicated it knew exactly which shows I had watched and DVR'd hen I was back home in Vegas previously -- so you actually DO have the data.
Please show the courtesy of a response and address this situation promptly, by restoring the data that is not displaying. This data is not "LOST" even if it is stored on the local hard drive.
Respectfully (and with profound frustration)...
DVR
DVR recording
Movies disappeared
Saved Content Deleted
Shows Deleted

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  • Becky's avatar
    Becky
    Moderator
    6 years ago
    Hi VegasVallley2019, your description of feeling punched in the stomach when you realized your saved DVR content was missing is spot-on. I've been in your shoes, and it was no fun. We hate to think about it, but technology occasionally fails us. Hard drive data corruption can occur due to mechanical component issues, software errors, or even electrical events. Once a DVR is unable to play recorded content and/or unable to record new content, the only option is to replace the DVR. You aren’t required to replace the DVR with the same model. Equipment is based on market availability. We can FedEx another DVR to you (along with a prepaid return label so you can return the defective DVR), schedule a service call so a field technician can install another DVR, or you can swap the defective DVR at a Cox Solutions Store. With the current Cox DVR technology, your On Demand purchases, rentals, Accessibility Settings, Recommendations, Favorites, and Watched List are cloud-based; meaning they are available even if you swap one DVR for another. Parental Control Settings, Video Resolution Settings, Audio Settings, Language Settings, Preferences, and recorded content are stored on the DVR hard drive and cannot be recovered in the event of a hard drive failure. There are two Contour 2 DVRs available; the Cisco Explorer 9865HDC and the Arris XG1v3. Both have a 2 terabyte (2TB) hard drive and 6 tuners (www.cox.com/.../identifying-your-cox-digital-receiver.html). I know this experience has been heartbreaking and disappointing, and that we may lose your business as a result. We are moving towards a complete cloud-based platform; we just aren’t there yet. -Becky, Cox Support Forums Moderator
    • VegasVallley201's avatar
      VegasVallley201
      New Contributor II
      6 years ago

      I was happy to receive a new box and to move forward as a Cox customer if Cox did the right thing and provided me with sizeable monetary incentive to remain a customer--due to the prolonged, stressful, and highly aggravating situation around a Cox software glitch or hardware failure (which your monitoring systems should have detected) resulting in my as-advertised "Personal Library" of 100 carefully selected shows and movies being deleted, plus none of the content recorded I'd set up while I was away on vacation, AND given that my Premium channels are all freezing and no longer working. 

      However, I was just was informed Cox will grant me a "courtesy" of $10.24 (more like a grave insult), and otherwise I can pound sand and no longer be a customer--Cox does not care.  I'm saddened and honestly shocked in 2019 you see your customers as so expendable. We're not.  Millennials have already eshewed cable companies--and go straight to Netflix, Amazon, Hulu. I am GenX---and if you regard all of us as annoyances rather than showing gratitude for our prolonged [misguided] patience and loyalty, despite high rates and unreliable service---you will go out of business. Not you "might," but you will. I tried to work with Cox....but I don't need you. CenturyLink is a superior option--and I am happy to pay th penalty not to deal with you again.  I tried every way possible to convince you PLEASE to let me continue being your customer--if you would only make appropriate restitution for this debacle.  You refused. Good luck with that business model.

  • EricaW's avatar
    EricaW
    Former Moderator
    6 years ago
    Hi, VegasVallley2019.

    This is extremely unfortunate. I honestly believe you are on the best course toward any possible resolution, by keeping the appointment you have arranged.

    Erica
    Cox Forums Moderator
    • VegasVallley201's avatar
      VegasVallley201
      New Contributor II
      6 years ago
      UPDATE: Cox did *precisely* what I said they would doi n a series of civil but direct posts back-and-forth in Facebook with a Cox CS rep last night. She kept posting things like above--to the effect of: "I think you will be happy with our local tech team who will be there tomorrow for your scheduled appointment."

      I told her she was wrong and laid out for her in excruciating detail what the well-meaning tech would do---i.e., he would only have the ability to force a new box on me rather than being able to diagnose the REASON that 14 months of my saved/DVRed content unceremoniously got wiped out--or explore viable attractive options--or be able to provide restitution.

      Sure enough, sweet guy shows up---shows me the work order had NONE of the meticulous notes I conveyed about what's *needeed* and expected, during and as outcomes, from Cox's visit.  Instead the work order literally said 2 words---after 2 hours of discussion on Facebook, AND 1 hour talking on phone---"REPLACE BOX."  Like the comment from Cox above, the other reps use the word "honestly." As in "Honestly, I have conveyed everything you've told me in the work order and they will be able to help you."

      As it happens, the actually honest tech who came to my house agreed that replacing the same model box is NOT what I need. He agreed that was NOT good customer service for the phone rep not to have relayed to his team what I TRULY needed. He was as frustrated as I---as I already told the Cox "social media" coordinator here on Facebook last night would be EXACTLY what would happen.
      In response she kept using vapid, empty, patronizing phrases like "Rest assured your voice is being heard." I told her I don't need reassurance about my "voice" -- this is a discussion about technology and about Cox providing the correct level and type of service to FIX the fiasco they have wrought.
      So what does Cox do? Deletes the evidence of this extremely long and detailed Facebook conversation with them last night.
      Now my DVR doesn't work, 100 shows and movies are gone, the tech did not recommend giving me the same old box, the tech indicated there is a newer superior box (which the woman here and on Facebook did not mention was a possibility and THEY have to recommend that---the field workers cannot make that determination.  He said Cox should have told me about it on the phone, on Facebook, and here on the Cox TV Forum---none of which happened.
      In summary, Cox, your internet is mediocre--everyone I know has already stopped using Cox and just uses Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, and Hulu---I'm thinking it's time I give up my sentimental attachment to this expensive manipulative dysfunctional dinosaur and move on from antiquated "cable" given that the company is behaving dishonestly, arrogantly, and cavalierly about losing a customer.
  • JamesDH's avatar
    JamesDH
    New Contributor III
    6 years ago

    Don't you love this Cox commercial about Cox being your friend in the digital age to sell us the DVR service: https://youtu.be/K8QYAfYG1VU 

    i so agree with you. I just lost over 700 hours of carefully selected DVR recordings from the last two years I invested in putting together my online Cox library- as Cox advertises in selling the DVR service: "Create your own movie library with the largest selection of the latest movies, your favorite tv shows etc. The tech came to my home to check out why my Contour 2 DVR receiver was constantly freezing when searching the movie guide, which clearly it is a problem with Cox wiring and the Panoramic WiFi router that my tv and computer are connected to - and he swapped out my Contour 2 receiver for another one and didn't do anything with the Panoramic router (which hasn't received a signal for update or reset in 109 days). He didn't tell me, no one told me, that all of my recordings are stored in the old Contour 2 receiver, not in the Cox data storage center, thus EVERYTHING IS LOST AND GONE IN THE NEW CONTOUR 2 BOX. They never told me I would lose everything when changing receivers. You know how I know something is very fishy and makes me think they are scamming us to buy and rent new shows and movies by losing all of things we recorded and watch from the stored recordings saved? Because in the new Contour 2 receiver all of my titles of movies I had stores in the recording saved section are on the new Contour 2 box as are all the titles of the movies I listed as my favorites; what is missing is the actual recordings. How could a brand new Contour 2 receiver have all the names of the movies and shows I recorded, but all my settings from the old Contour 2 settings are gone b/c it's a new receiver. Also my previous selected favorite channels guide settings are on thr new Contour 2 receiver. How is thst possible if its a brand new receiver with no prior settings in it, everything shoudl be factory new without any settings. The only thing NOT on the new device are all my recorded and saved movies. Why is that? This means they purposefully deleted access to the saved recordings, but its in the digital system that they were my saved recordings. They know exactly what I saved and they can transfer and restore any data they choose to transfer. They are not truthful at all. This is all about getting customers to watch and record new content to sell info to advertisers who get nothing from customers who are only watching recorded, saved movies. They want revenue from advertisers and stores all our,data and what we watch to sell it to advertisers. Advertisers are not going to pay increased ad rates if customers are not watching new programs b/c they are only watching their recorded programs. However, that is not my problem. That is why I'm paying $20 a month to record and watch what I want to watch plus the monthly charges for the movie channels and the cable itself..  This is a complete breach of FTC and consumer protection laws. See the photos below proves it. I went to my saved playlist and under rhe category SyFy it shows the one new movie I recorded with the new Contour 2 receiver The Fifth Elememt and next to it it shows a 2nd box of 26 programs that read "unavailble" When I click on unavailable it brings up everyone of the titles of rhe movies I had recorded on the old Contour 2 receiver but now they are no longer available for me to watch as recorded, saved movies. WHAT DID I PAY $8.50 per momth for the DVR receiver and $12.99 for the service to record selections for, only to have Cox break their annual contract, losing all of my recordings while,they continue charging for the equipment and service. This is a violation of consumer protection laws under California law and other state and federal laws as well as the FTC regulations and the FCC who regulates their business practices and ability to charge customers for services.