This post is a follow-up to this post.
First, the picture quality, while noticeably worse than the Pioneer, isn't bad. While I don't have an audiophile's hearing, I do have pretty good eyes when it comes to picking out flaws in images, so I'm fairly picky about my picture quality. Is it reasonable on the 8300HD? Yes, just not perfect.
Also, the interface, while clunky, gets the basic job of watching, pausing, and recording done. As I try more advanced operations, I'll get a better feel for how well it stacks up against the TiVo. Watching and pausing an HD basketball game yesterday, it worked as advertised without any serious hitches. One thing that is better than TiVo is the availability of 3 different FFWD speeds, with the highest blipping along at around 30X -- very good for skipping through halftime or the first part of a show you've already seen.
More as I know it...
Has anybody dealt with the on demand factor yet? I have two boxes and both have to be rebooted constantly in order to get those channels up and running again. I DO however have cablevision which may factor in. Comments or suggestions? I'm ready to throw both boxes out the window!
How do you use the USB port on the Explorer 8300 HD? And where do you go to use it?
has anyone encountered the following problem about the Explorer 8300 HD -- it does not shut down completely after the unit is turned off-- a fan keep running for ever-- the unit used to shut down after 15 minutes of being turned off-- somehow , six months after owning the unit, the fan keeps running for ever and does not turn off even though the unit is powered off??? can anyone explain this odd behaviour???
my fan stays on forever too. i can't stand it
Can I plug my explorer 8000 via usb cable or any other cable to my computer and control my recordings.
help. a friend gave me a explorer 8300 dvr.
i can't get a clear screen on the tv nor can i get the settings on the tv to show up. the tv and dvr don't seem connected and the tv has a fuzzy connection without voice. does the cable company have to turn something on to make it work? I have a cable coming from the wall going into cable in on the dvr. i have another cable coming from the dvr, cable out, going into the tv in cable plug.
Mel
I personally do not have one, but to my knowledge and from reading previous posts on this site. The only way that the SA8300 will work is that if you rent it from the cable company, since they have to input the serial number (something like the mac address for cable modems & etc) of the unit to link it to their system so where the handshake is possible. The cable service has to be able to know where the unit is (via the serial number of the unit or mac address) to say hello to it, and where the unit can say hello back aka the handshake. Plus you also have to subscribe to their Digital Tier to be able to use it. I know with Austin Time Warner, they will not let you rent one if you do not subscribe to the Digital Tier. So you have to pay twice each month to be able to use the SA8300, once for the Digital Tier service and then to rent the unit. That is why I do not have one.
I got told by Austin Time Warner several times, because I have called repeatedly last year. That if I purchased one from eBay or received one via someone else and not renting it through them, in their opinion it is a stolen unit and they will not activate it. This may have changed, someone might have been able to hack it so where it connects without having to have digital service or renting the unit. But I have not seen anything yet, via web searches.
I do not want digital channels, not yet anyways. But I would like to have a DVR (not a Media PC) that hooks up to my entertainment center to record standard channels to replace my VCRs, without having to pay for monthly service fees or rental fees. From the suggestions I have received from this site and others are. The only options that I know of are a Media PC, TiVo (but have to pay a monthly service fee), or a DVD-Recorder w/ HDD (but these have problems with the online interactive tv guide from what I have read online, some taking a full day 24 hours or so to get a correct tv guide listing and some I have read are taking over a week to get a correct listing. And during this time having no use of the unit.) Things may have changed, I do not know.
Just replying to your post. I hope this answers some of your questions. And if I am wrong on anything please someone correct me. Or have other answers or suggestions, please post.
bmheiar@aol.com
Does anyone know how to connect a dvd/vcr combo to a scienftfic atlanta hd-dvr?
Can someone tell me how to reset the memory in Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD?
The DVD/VCR hooks up to the VCR connection on the back of the 8300 set-top box. When you burn a DVD of what you recorded on the DVR, turn on the DVD/VCR, insert a block DVD and use the "Copy to VRC" function on the "List" selection screen.
Mel
Unfortunately bmheiar is right. I just spoke with a tech at Time Warner and she stated that they will not have the capability to allow users to access from after market or e-bay bought systems until early 2009. I was just about to buy a second one on e-bay too.