Unable To Watch Prerecorded Show When No Satellite Signal

Since I'm having dish issues ( posted in another thread ), I thought I'd watch one of the programs recorded before the sat. signal went out. But the only screen that comes up is the searching for signal one. It won't go to the list screen or any other except check signal strength test. Shouldn't there be a way to watch something that was already recorded even if you don't have a signal?
John