my wife wants to be able to view many recorded shows on an old dtv tivo unit after the access card has been removed. We are getting a new R10 unit and want to be able to access the already recorded shows independently.

Well yes... but you will get the annoying "Insert Access Card" message....

I suggest leaving the card in it as there is no reason to remove it. You can not use the card in the TiVo in the R10. Once a card is registered to a unit, it is forever "bound" to it. You can not use it in another tuner. (Well yes you can if you upgrade... but don't do it! You can never downgrade! And w/o a card the unit's become worthless.)

"Well yes you can if you upgrade... but don't do it! You can never downgrade!"

Huh?

His new R10 will come with a new card, why would he switch them?