Hauppauge WinTV-HVR 1950 has heat issues

[johnboatcat]

I bought a new HVR 1950 to use with Sage and all worked well. After a day or so I noticed that the HVR would get a scrambled signal every once in a while. The only way to fix the signal problem was to stop all Sage services and un-plug the HVR and re-boot it. I did some reading on the net and found others with the same problems, even after returning and receiving new units. Heat was suggested as the cause, and the unit does get rather warm.

I have now positioned the HVR so that I only have this problem every couple weeks now. I have the unit suspended in the open air, bottom up. It is inside an entertainment center with all of the other little heat generators. It only seems to have the problem now when someone forgets and closes the cabinet doors, so I am going to say it is a "heat problem".

Thought this might help others with 1950's and might warn those that are thinking about one. Other than the heat issue the unit has very good audio and video quality.

Edit: I added a small box fan hooked to a usb port to blow by the 1950. It now runs cool as can be. No heat can be felt. It still locks up every few days. It now has audio but no video or error. Takes a shut down of the 1950 and a re-boot to fix.