Applies to: Exact SRT 7404 French original hosted by Darty. Its pages show production dates 30 January 2015 and 30 December 2014, not a single identified revision. It documents TNTSAT use for metropolitan France and Monaco. Current card rights, service eligibility and replacement compatibility are not established; SRT 7408 and SRT 7006 instructions do not apply automatically.
Work through these checks
Read the existing reservation’s action and time
Under Avancé → Programmateur, inspect the existing entry without saving edits. Type de programme distinguishes Lecture, enregistrement, mise en veille and démarrage; also record cycle, date, start, duration and channel. Compare these with the receiver’s displayed date/time. This original warns that date/time settings are lost after power loss when GMT is off; record an observed mismatch without changing it.
What the result means: A non-recording action or a mismatched clock is a scheduling finding, not proof of USB failure. A correctly described reservation still does not prove that its recording completed.
Inspect the existing DVR folder, not just the timer
Use Avancé → Explorateur fichier to inspect the already connected storage. The original places recorded programmes in its DVR folder. Note whether the folder/file exists and any original error. Normal playback of a selected existing recording is documented, but do not start or stop an active recording to fill this checklist. A previously seen elapsed-time recording banner is different from a saved file visible now.
What the result means: Report either an absent DVR file or a present file with a specific playback problem. Those branches require different follow-up; neither is resolved by deleting a reservation or formatting storage.
Compare storage requirements without a destructive test
From existing device records, note USB 2.0 compatibility, FAT32 and the drive’s power arrangement. The original gives a 5 V/500 mA USB limit, warns that some hard drives need more power and does not guarantee every device. Its recording section requires enough free space and high-speed storage for HD. A visible file or free space does not measure write speed. Keep the current data; do not format, swap a power adapter or make a sample recording to investigate.
What the result means: Give support the actual branch: timer action/time mismatch, missing file, playback error or a documented storage limitation. Compatibility uncertainty calls for checking the exact existing device, not assuming that a new disk, firmware or card will fix it.
When to stop and get help
Do not create a test recording, format storage, erase files, alter timers, reset the receiver or replace a card to investigate this symptom. Factory settings erase installed channels and settings. Stop for damaged equipment; storage-power or RF changes belong to qualified support. Keep an existing firmware update uninterrupted.
What to tell support
Keep the existing timer type, cycle, date, time, duration and channel; receiver clock; USB identity and known format/power arrangement; DVR filename and exact playback error. Distinguish remembered recording-time banners from files visible now. Share private card or serial identifiers only with support.
Original troubleshooting guidance based on the official sources below. Menu names can change. This is an independent guide, not a manufacturer service bulletin or a bench-tested repair.