Invero
@rr.com | reply to shinola
Re: Updates on Scientific Atlanta 8000 (SA 8000)
Shinola...
I have BrightHouse as well. To get to the info screen, you hold down the PLUS key on the box, and also one of the other keys. Info, I think. It'll then say DIAG on the box. Only then can you change to channel 611 and get the info. |
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Vchat20
@oh.sprint-hsd
| TWC PVR
Cant say mch except that we are supposed to be getting one tommorrow. came as a package with roadrunner free for a month. my mom ordered it. and after almost 2 weeks of hassle with the cable company losing track of the latest payment on the bill, we should finally have tommorrow. and hopefully, considering the pvr's are new to this area, I can do some technical checking on it and if something goes wrong, the cable company can either replace or fix it without asking too many questions. hope I can be of some help with this new hacking. 
P.S. I am looking for some links if anyone could provide me with some. im looking for techniical specs on this box including all the ports available, what they are for and such. normal size of the hard drive, etc. and if there is a board on the net somwhere that deals with this kind of stuff secifically, I would love to have a link. thx! |
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DonkeyBeliever
@rr.com
| Well same here Im getting mine tomorrow I spent 2 hours on the phone with Oceanic TW (Hawaii Cable :-\ from the fools that bring you AOL comes your Cable!) and I must say I learned jack crap Im almost thinking it would have been better to build that Linux Box and let it transfer to my Nice Big Fat 1 Terabyte Raid Array Proudly running Linux  :D! Well when the install guys come Im going to ask lots of question but I don't think Ill get an answer damn it sucks being 15 no one listens to you... Stupid Donkeys.... |
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Jeff Wilson
@rr.com
| I have now had this for 1 week and I am loving it. 2 tuners, PIP, online guide integration...fantastic. OK, so searching is not up to Tivo standards...that's ok. Also, I have had no problem taping off of the PVR to a VCR. My only complaint is that it really slows down channel surfing. But I recommend it highly!! Enjoy!
Jeff |
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Vchat20
@rr.com | Extra info
Well, just got the Explorer 8000 topday. havent even had it for 2 hours yet. and it is brand new. was still in the box when the guy installed it. now my question is, can a second Hard Drive be put in or atleast have a new one with more space? |
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trashcanmoe
join:2003-09-12
Columbus, OH
| How much program data does this unit store?
I just got my 8000 today after my TiVo broke again. (HD failed twice in less than a year.) So far so good, but the scheduling isn't up to what TiVo can do. Does anyone know how much program data the 8000 holds? So far it looks like about a week, but I'm hoping that it's still got some data to pull down from the TimeWarner mothership. |
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Vchat20
@rr.com | I think it can hold about a week of programming at a time. but if you flip through the guide ahead of what programming it does have to where it says No Data, it should retrieve extra info. |
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maartena
Stacked.
Premium
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to Vchat20
Re: Extra info
said by Vchat20  :
Well, just got the Explorer 8000 topday. havent even had it for 2 hours yet. and it is brand new. was still in the box when the guy installed it. now my question is, can a second Hard Drive be put in or atleast have a new one with more space?
No. The Harddisk contains the operating system and you can't replace it with an empty disk.
As far as I know you are able to connect a second disk - at least I have heard rumours that the FireWire port on the back will be used to connect an extra external harddrive for more space. But since the firewire port is still disabled, it may be a while before that is possible.
They are probably afraid that you would be able to connect it to a computer afterward, and run some program that cracks through the encryption (the format on the disk is encrypted) to move shows to DVD. I think that if you can buy a DVD recorder, you should be able to do it like that as well.
A lot of series that one can download from the Net have been recorded on DVD at broadcast, and then transfered to a PC by simply putting the DVD disc in the computer and edit it. So I do not see the problem of moving shows to the computer and keep permanent copies of it. For own use of course.
--
»www.deanforamerica.com - You have the power to make a change! Support Howard Dean 2004 |
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armagnac0
join:2003-10-30
Brooklyn, NY
| reply to Invero
Re: Updates on Scientific Atlanta 8000 (SA 8000)
For what it's worth, I get the multipage diagnostics by tuning to channel 611, *then* pressing the + and EXIT buttons on the box until there's a chime and DIAG appears on the box's display.
Brooklyn/Queens Times-Warner Cable DVR service, PowerTV 6.0.9sp (5) dated Jul 9 2003, 11:11:30 AM, Passport Echo 1.0.080 dated Jul 28 2003, 07:35:45. |
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Shinsa
@cox.net
| Status summry on Explorer boxes
The channel doesn't matter. And you can get that from the remote by...
making sure it is in CABLE mode
Press the PAUSE button and hold it down until...
the MSG light blinks on the front of the box (the light with a little envelope next to it)
Then press the "PAGE+" button (or page up)
You are now in the STATUS SUMMRY screens, Nothing here can be changed, but it does give you a lot of info.
Use PAGE button to change screens.
Screen 5 has power levels. Most important ones are LEVEL (or LVL) which should be between +5 and -10. If it is lower than -10 you *might* have display problems. The next one is SNR (or S/N) signal noise ratio, should be in the mid 30's, the lower the number (like in the 20's) the noisier the line is. |
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fordboy0
join:2002-05-17
Cincinnati, OH
| SA Explorer 8000HD
Sorry for the duplicate post. I accidentally posted to the main topic section.
Just wanted to let you all know that I've had my Explorer 8000HD for about a week now. It seems to exhibit the same features / issues that the 8000 does. It has the Passport / Pioneer software and I cannot figure out how to get info about it (TW Cincinnati). I've tried all of the standard channels (611, 199, 900, 999 etc) and the Pluskey method but no avail.
I don't understand why they gave this model to me since I do not have HDTV, but I have learned not to question the ultimate authority that is TW cable .
So far I am enjoying it. It sure is nice to be able to watch The Rockford Files or Seinfeld whenever I want! :P
Any caveats?
-Fordboy0 |
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golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Premium
join:2002-08-06
On a cliff
clubs:
| said by fordboy0 :
...I don't understand why they gave this model to me since I do not have HDTV, but I have learned not to question the ultimate authority that is TW cable. ...
How many of you that have the 8000HD actually have an HDTV? I'm considering purchasing an HDTV but TW in nyc, according to their web site, is broadcasting only 6 channels in HD.
--
Pain is just fear leaving the body. |
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Vchat20
Landing is the REAL challenge
join:2003-09-16
Warren, OH
clubs: 
| well, we dont currently have an HDTV, nor do we have n HDTV box, but the tv we have in our living room is about to go since it is over 4 years old and the picture is very fuzzy now compared top the other tv's in our house. and what we have decided is that once this TV does go, we are gonna try to get an HDTV. but, is the picture quality on the analog channels better or worse on an HDTV than a regular TV? I heard watching analog channels on an HDTV produces worse quality than a regular TV, but im not totally sure.
[text was edited by author 2003-11-01 02:47:04] |
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golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Premium
join:2002-08-06
On a cliff
clubs:
| said by Vchat20 :
... but, is the picture quality on the analog channels better or worse on an HDTV than a regular TV? I heard watching analog channels on an HDTV produces worse quality than a regular TV, but im not totally sure.
[text was edited by author 2003-11-01 02:47:04]
I'd like to hear some feedback on this also. It seems that all involved, networks, cable systems and satellite, have been slow to adapt to HD even though everyone is supposed to be on board by 2006.
Excerpt of legislation:
May 2002: All commercial TV stations are scheduled to begin digital broadcasting.
April 2003: Commercial stations must simulcast (simultaneously broadcast) at least 50 percent of their NTSC (analog) programming on their DTV channel.
May 2003: All public TV stations are scheduled to begin digital broadcasting.
April 2004: Stations must simulcast at least 75 percent of their NTSC programming on their DTV channel.
April 2005: All stations must simulcast 100 percent of their NTSC programming on their DTV channel.
December 2006: All TV stations must turn off their analog signal. |
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atomicmike5
join:2003-11-04
Fairfield, OH
| reply to fordboy0
I have TW Cinci as well, and I just had a tech out today to check out my box (he ended up replacing it). I watched him put it into diag mode, though...
He pressed the + (Select) and EXIT buttons on the front until the unit chimes (about 3-5 seconds). The front panel display will then show diag for a few seconds. You can then tune to channel 611 and access all the diagnostic information. The unit will stay in diag mode until you press the power button, etc.
Hope this helps for you... let me know if you have any trouble. |
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skopper
@vical.com | reply to Vchat20
I have a 50" Toshiba HDTV (using digital cable with the Explorer 8000) and the analog channels are as good as or better than on any of my analog TVs. Obviously, the digital channels are even better. Go HDTV. |
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nurok
@madbbs.com
| Needs a 7200rpm 8meg cache hardrive
This is the hardrive they used in these boxes. Well at least my box. I think the box could be improved greatly by a faster hardrive, especially one with 8meg cache. Hopefully when they make future boxes they will take the performance of the hardrive into account. The problems with slow channel surfing, as well as pauses in FF and RW could very well be solved if a faster hardrive were used.
DiamondMax 16
ATA Hard Drives
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Vchat20
Landing is the REAL challenge
join:2003-09-16
Warren, OH
clubs:
| Re: hdtv
well, i must say our area has to be technically inclined. weve already got like 5-10 channels of HDTV here. most are local networks like NBC, ABC, and CBS. one is a plain digital version of the local NBC channel which can be seen on a regular analog tv. even it is better quality than just plain analog. much sharper. but yeah, i think that we will be going for an HDTV once the one we have is done for (problem is the picture is unusually fuzzy compared to other tv's. can barely read the menu's on the dvr). just have to shop around though. |
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San Diego
@rr.com
|  reply to atomicmike5
Free Space and Used Space on the Hard Drive
To get into the Diag Mode on Passport Boxes...
Press the + (Select) and EXIT buttons on the front until the unit chimes (about 3-5 seconds). The front panel display will then show "diag" for a few seconds. You can then tune to channel 611 and access all the diagnostic information. The unit will stay in diag mode until you press the power button, etc., AND you can leave the diagnostic mode on and simply move it to the background by changing back to the channel you were on before pressing 611 (Use the LAST button on the remote to toggle back and forth). Useful if you are trying monitor how much space you are freeing up by deletion, or using up during a recording.
Thanks for sharing. If you go to the next to last menu item, DVR AVFS, after pressing 611 in diagnostic mode, it will give you Audio Visual USED and FREE SPACE to better manage your hard drive consumption. This is great stuff! Happy monitoring! |
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Sheildbreaker
@rr.com
| I live in Zanesville Ohio, have TW Columbus Passport Echo software, Held + and exit, dIAG showed up on the box, then pushed + and exit again and the summary screen showed up, which is channel 841. Channel up and down navigate menus. ALL of this done ON THE BOX not the remote |
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