Made the switch to U-verse today. Got a DVD recorder and started recording some shows off the SA8300 HD before they came out today, figured I'd finish up over the weekend.

However, as you may be guessing by now - when I went to hook up my old SA8300HD to start the old "copy to VHS" routine - I can't get the DVR box to come online by just connecting to my TV after U-verse installed today.

I'm guessing the cable feed actually gave the box some sort of software it can't operate without? I obviously don't care about live TV - just trying to access the recorded shows to copy them off.

Am I hosed here? If so, anyway I can quickly hook the cable TV back up at the box to do what I need to do and rehook up u-verse afterwards?

Okay - here is one idea - I'm guessing that my coax got unhooked in the attic - but the signal is still live outside at the box/ped.

What if I hooked up a coax cable at the side of my house where the first coax run comes up from the ground to go into the house. Then just run that cable through the window next to it to the 8300 HD box and voila! I should have the connection to the box I need, right?

Feel free to chime in here.

Most cable boxes must be reauthorized via the coax every time they are unplugged. If you unplugged the power and you no longer have Comcast, then you can't reauthorize the box to access the recordings.

Most cable boxes must be reauthorized via the coax every time they are unplugged. If you unplugged the power and you no longer have Comcast, then you can't reauthorize the box to access the recordings.

What do you mean - I unplugged my box all the time when I had comcast - I technically still have comcast service -haven't canceled yet.

I'm not sure you read my post thoroughly. I still have comcast signal at the ped or box, they just hooked up u-verse at the house.

So my second post still stands - since comcast should still be hot from the ped to my house, can't I hook up there?

I know it appears they prob unhooked it in the attic.

Well, if the cable isn't connected, then it can't authorize to Comcast's head end equipment, thus you can't do anything with it. If you really want to watch those recordings, you'll need to get that fixed. To answer your question, yes, it does get software from the head end - when it's powered on, it netboots to get the software it's supposed to run. So without that connection, the box is rendered useless.

Well, if the cable isn't connected, then it can't authorize to Comcast's head end equipment, thus you can't do anything with it. If you really want to watch those recordings, you'll need to get that fixed. To answer your question, yes, it does get software from the head end - when it's powered on, it netboots to get the software it's supposed to run. So without that connection, the box is rendered useless.

Thanks - the cable IS connected, but only at the house I think.

I'm pretty sure they disconnected the coax line coming in at the attic as it splits to all the outlets. That is where they probably connected up the RG3 to the coax they disconnected make the coax in the house live with their signal.

So I guess what I'm asking is if people think I can connect directly to the coax at the side of the house to get the comcast signal, or does something happen inside the house that I'm missing now?

So I guess what I'm asking is if people think I can connect directly to the coax at the side of the house to get the comcast signal, or does something happen inside the house that I'm missing now?Your question was already answered:If ... you no longer have Comcast, then you can't reauthorize the box to access the recordings.

Your question was already answered:

I'm sorry, I don't see that it has. Someone made a comment based on an inaccurate assumption.

I still DO HAVE COMCAST. The signal is still hot, it has NOT been turned off yet, I have made no calls to Comcast, they have not been notified that my service is to be disconnected.

Therefore my assumption still stands that signal must be hot back at my ped and perhaps also at the side of the house.

If I can hook up a cable to the side of my house where it first comes out of the ground (connected to ped at other end), then I'm assuming I could "reauthorize" my box.

The only thing I think that U-verse did was disconnect the coax that ran from ped in the attic. Then there in the attic they did their thing.

My question relates to whether or not there is something special going on inside the house that I need to reauthorize the box, or if I can just do it by hooking up at the outside cable.

I guess I must be horrible at explaining this, as it seems no one is really understanding my situation.

I guess I'm just going to have to try it as it seems no one can comment on the specifics.

No, you explained it fine in your third post. People sometimes have poor reading comprehension skills.

The coaxial running through your house is just to get the signal to your TVs, nothing more. Since your cable service is still active, you can just re-connect the coaxial in the attic, that U-verse disconnected, and it should work. Any coaxial in your house is obviously considered the customer side of the wiring.

Once you do de-activate service, Comcast will de-authorize your cable boxes, and then a tech. will disconnect the cable wherever it is outside of your house.

I'm sorry, I don't see that it has. Someone made a comment based on an inaccurate assumption. I still DO HAVE COMCAST.The signal is still hot, it has NOT been turned off yet, I have made no calls to Comcast, they have not been notified that my service is to be disconnected.I'm sorry if I misread your message. The portion highlighted in bold was not clear in your earlier messages.

No, you explained it fine in your third post. People sometimes have poor reading comprehension skills. Bull. I wasn't the only person who was not sure of the case. There is no reason to believe that things would work any differently because the subscriber was thinking of canceling, so the question, as such didn't make sense in that context.

Bull. I wasn't the only person who was not sure of the case. There is no reason to believe that things would work any differently because the subscriber was thinking of canceling, so the question, as such didn't make sense in that context.
I didn't say you were. ;) (I didn't quote anyone's posts.)

You and another person, posted after the OP's third post (in your case, after the fourth post), and it is clear that the OP still had an active Comcast account.

What do you mean - I unplugged my box all the time when I had comcast - I technically still have comcast service -haven't canceled yet.

I'm not sure you read my post thoroughly. I still have comcast signal at the ped or box, they just hooked up u-verse at the house.

So my second post still stands - since comcast should still be hot from the ped to my house, can't I hook up there?

I know it appears they prob unhooked it in the attic.


Rather than saying, 'poor reading comprehension skills', I guess, I should have said, 'mis-read or don't read all of the posts in the thread', (whichever the case may be). I guess I wasn't in such a good mood that day.:)