Welcome to DVR Woes!

The intent of this blog is to share DVR woes. The impetus is my new (and not improved) DVR box I was forced to by my cable company, Suddenlink. I am positive that I am not the only person who is going through the woes of the new (and,as before, not improved) programming for the box.
It all started Friday, November 28th. In the wee, early hours of the morning it was my habit to manage the future recordings. Sorta got my brain started. Manipulating data and drinking coffee. What more do you need, really? I noticed right away that the guide (bible) was only going out like 3 days. WHAT? I need a full week of items to manage - all 800+ channels of it! So, being the smart person I am, I called the cable company. The very nicest folks! I swear! Well trained, polite, helpful. Sometimes a bit patronizing, but hey. I fall for it sometimes too. Anyway - this particular guy was a bit bored with my issue, but I can see where it might be boring hearing someone bitch about the guide not being quite up to date. Forgiven! He happily refreshed the box (can't they put a little button up in there for us that won't abuse it?) Ok, so THEN what happened was.....wait for it - NOTHING! Then about 3 hours later I got a full whole weeks worth of programming and I did a snoopy dance. Yessiree! Managing the process to death. Cancel this dupe, change that one to this time. In OCD heaven. It was exactly the way I wanted it. I AM a customer of service, after all. And we all want it the way we want it. So that it fits our lifestyle. Use that puppy up a thousand ways. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY.
And then....cue the music......On Sunday - yep - only a couple days out. BUMMER! Again, being a smart smart person, I called my friends at the cable company (Suddenlink). They tried to refresh. No dice. And again, nothing....Monday - a refresh. I start to bite my nails - whatever will happen to me????? Where's my tv stuff? What will I do for entertainment in themornings??? WHAT IF I MISS TOP CHEF?????????? Yesterday - Tuesday, I got the nicest lady. And then the nicest lady again. A different one as they encourage you to build as many relationships as possible. They all refreshed, and tried to help and it just wasn't working. The news was not good. We had to be gone for the day, but were hopeful that resucitation would work, and the box would live again. Rushed home, checked it, called my friends (again just the nicest people!), but the news, well, it was not good. The faithful box was dead. Resolution? Get a new one! So, with minutes to spare until the local office closed I wrote down all the programs I had set to record, and off the dead box went to the dead box graveyard. A new one arrived shortly, and we plugged it in. We were gonna be so happy. Waited patiently. It started to load! It was a different guide, but hey! what could possibly go wrong? And then.......