If it is dead, then an extraction may be necessary, but that would more than likely void warranties.
Plus it depends on whether it uses a Drive or Memory Block to store the shows, a Drive can be removed and hooked up to a computer, the Block cannot.
I highly doubt it would allow you to copy stuff off of it through the USB of the device itself, if it even functions.
If you don't care about warranties, then open it up and hope for a Hard Drive.
Read the stickers first though, don't want to break any laws.