I am not sure about the new transfer box but I have been using the HD DVR for many years without any problem whatsoever. I also used Airtel DVR but the quality and software, even though similar to TS, is frankly inferior and personally I was not happy with it, especially the recording function.
I think this is a rare case of a defective box being provided and would be resolved by a replacement. Other than that, TS is the only brand I have faith in as far as hardware is concerned. My comparison area is TS, Airtel and DishTV, all of which I have used / continue to use. And this forum is my source for getting to know about the bugs in D2H DVR.
Regarding technicians, their knowledge is limited and I have no faith in their technical ability other than antenna alignment and cable connection to STB. And this is true for all DTH.