Thanks to good/bad timing (my old Moxi DVR from Charter burned up over the weekend), I now have a brand new second-generation Moxi, which just came out of the testing period yesterday afternoon. If you have any kind of digital video recorder,  you’re way better off than people without a DVR, but Charter customers who got the original Moxi know it’s special. Unfortunately, it also runs super-hot and is full of complicated and touchy bits and pieces. The one that died was my third, and while I’ve sampled the Charter DVR (a Motorola box) in the bedroom, I just couldn’t envision life without a Moxi. I was going to accept another used one but was thrilled to find out Monday that the new one was just coming out of the testing period, and mine arrived today. It’s handsome, with a sleek, black face, and in most ways works identically to the original Moxi, which is a good thing. (Except that the buttons are now translucent white, the remote is almost exactly the same, and I’m especially happy about that.)  The only major difference, which technician John warned me about, is that the interface is a little slower. This is noticeable when choosing a channel from the guide and especially when setting a recording; it seems to think about it for 2 or 3 seconds longer than the original did. Still, I’m very happy.

By the way, I understand you can’t just call Charter and swap your DVR out for a new Moxi. They are for new installs at this point but will soon be more prolific. Even for a repair-replacement, you’re more likely to get a refurbished or returned Moxi or a Motorola box. Of course, it’s hard to get a straight answer from Charter when you call so you might have to keep checking back if you’re interested.