So I have TWC in NYC. I've already had bad experiences with their 'new and improved' DVR boxes that they call ODN or 8300HDC and unfortunately the signal level is so low in my apartment that they switched me back to this box while I am in the process of forcing them to fix the signal coming into my apartment.

These boxes are absolutely terrible and worse than the old box (Passport Echo) in every way.

They have a two second input lag, which is enough to defeat the entire device because it is so frustrating to use. It also makes you drill down to 3 levels of menus whereas the other one was much simpler. It has no scheduling priority that I can find so I have no idea how it treats recording conflicts. You can't set it to record only one episode at a time for a series--the minimum is 3.

But the last problem is the one I'm asking for help on because I refuse to believe such a huge software bug can exist and continue to exist for months and months:

When I set series manager to record only new episodes, it will ignore it and record everything. So if I want to record, for example, Daily Show, as new only, it will record every single time Daily Show is playing.

Is there any way around this or am I stuck with this garbage (cluttering up my DVR with 3 episodes of repeats for ANY series record I do)?

Very frustrated,
Chad

I'm in the suburbs of Kansas City, KS and had a 8300 HD for 2 1/2 years and it suddenly went crazy (recorded shows I didn't select, deleted shows on it's own that had been marked permanent, truncated shows, all sorts of problems. The bad times were just beginning. The TWC office gave me a shiny new 8300HDC in a box.

IT IS JUNK. Poor, slow response to IR commands, trying anything while 1 or 2 shows are recording was an invitation to have those programs riddled with dropouts in picture and sound, no conflict resolution that I could ever see except it would just not record some shows. I bought a WDC "My DVR Expander." It installed properly and did work but was filled with glitches - visual and audio - about every 10-15 seconds. I had a very specific phone call expressing my opinion of the HDC and they promised they'd have an 8300HD*Not C*waiting for me at their office - and they did - and it's been perfect. Fast channel tuning, WDC expander is flawless. For me, no more adventures in ODN-cable card land for me for a stupid box - I'd rather just have the old stupid box, it works fine. I'd suggest you ask them to reserve an older (HD) model and turn your HDC back in, and given them some verbal encouragement that we need better recorder boxes (like they care). One of these days (probably not soon) they are supposed to - maybe possibly - have a better PVR. Meanwhile, it's great to have the 8300HD back because it has the function to "record at this time only" which is totally lacking in the HDC. I guess part of the TWC game is to always lower customer expectations.

do you lose anything at all going back ?

the HDC has 90 gig for movied the HD has 50 but that may be nothing compared to the lag you get with the newer box.

anything lost in HD screen size functionality ( darkness of side bars option , any loss of HD choices ect) ???

enf1945, I did lose all programs going back, but it's been great to have full functionality of the older box. Having the WDC expander in place, I can record a LOT of HD programs and not constantly worry about deleting shows I might not have had a chance to watch yet. On both boxes I was set up to view 4:3 as 4:3 and 16:9 as 16:9, and never had any use for the "grey bars" when watching 4:3 as I have a LCD set. I don't see any loss of HD choices. Optimal settings generate zillions of pages on AVS Forum, it would be nice if the manufacturers would chime in and clearly state the true purpose of their made-up names for various parameters.

I do feel TWC is providing us with a PVR that works, but is far from a TIVO in functionality. I keep asking my local office if something better than the Scientific Atlanta boxes are on the horizon and the answer is NO. I'd like to get a HD TIVO again, but then of course my rates would soar and I'd have to pay penalties for breaking my contract for "all the best." Competition is close but not here (I don't have a clear view of the sky so no satellite dish is possible).