1) uprgading the hard drive is pretty simple, just start with a clean drive in your pc, then run a software patch on it, then unscrew about 10 screws on the replay and put the drive in. You also need to remember that the stated hours is at standard quality, so 40 hrs at standard, 20 at medium, and ~ 13 at high.

2) transferring shows is pretty easy, but the format that replay uses is some kind of hybrid mpeg1/mpeg2 so many editors dont like to work with it. I have still not found a good ( simple) method for converting straight to divx or xvid.

3) The 5000 series is cool, but it does get slow especially when recording one show and watching another. I think i have had a few forced reboots, but no serious problems in about 3 months of owning a 5040.

Replay has really changed the way I watch tv, and commerical advance is really cool too.