SA 8000HD & 8300HD w/ Passport software (TWC) [Text View] - Page 8

markhout

09-21-05, 04:27 PM

I've had the 8300HD (TWCNYC) for a long time now. It's always been connected via a Ram HDMI/DVI cable to the DVI input on my Samsung HLP5063 DLP. Never had any HDCP errors until recently. The only thing that has changed is that I'm now using an Oppo DVD player (connected with another HDMI/DVI hybrid cable to the HDMI input on my Sammy) which replaced my Panny S97 player (was connected HDMI/HDMI to the Sammy). When I connected the Oppo for the first time a few weeks ago (while the 8300 was already connected) I got the HDCP error. I unplugged both the 8300 and the Oppo from the Samsung and then reconnected and all seemed to be fine. But today I keep getting these random HDCP errors and the only way I was able to fix it was to totally disconnect the Oppo's HDMI cable from the Samsung. Just wondering if the 8300 (or perhaps my Samsung) is somehow extra sensitive to having two HDMI/DVI hybrid cables connected. The Oppo does not require an HDCP handshake to work whereas the Panny did.

Any thoughts?

Same issue here in B'lyn, albeit with an entirely different setup (with a Pana S97 on the HDMI port and the 8300HD on component of a AE700 projector). HDCP errors where they should not be, the box being connected by component to the AE700.

Initially they were incidental, once a night, and recoverable with a hard reboot, later there was no way out.

Also, the 8300HD ran really hot (at least hotter than I expected given the humid summer weather!).

Spoke briefly with TWCNYC customer service, they tagged my account that I would exchange my box and I switched boxes the next morning at 8am with no queue at the 27th St TWC office in B'lyn within 5 min.

Upon connection the new 8300HD needed a 'zap' (as they put it) from Customer Service, and now works like a charm.

Hope this helps.

M

pepar

09-21-05, 05:46 PM

Upon connection the new 8300HD needed a 'zap' (as they put it) from Customer Service, and now works like a charm.

"Reach out and touch somebody's DVR, make it a better world if you can." :D

EricScott

09-21-05, 06:11 PM

Same issue here in B'lyn, albeit with an entirely different setup (with a Pana S97 on the HDMI port and the 8300HD on component of a AE700 projector). HDCP errors where they should not be, the box being connected by component to the AE700.

Initially they were incidental, once a night, and recoverable with a hard reboot, later there was no way out.

Also, the 8300HD ran really hot (at least hotter than I expected given the humid summer weather!).

Spoke briefly with TWCNYC customer service, they tagged my account that I would exchange my box and I switched boxes the next morning at 8am with no queue at the 27th St TWC office in B'lyn within 5 min.

Upon connection the new 8300HD needed a 'zap' (as they put it) from Customer Service, and now works like a charm.

Hope this helps.

M

Interesting. Unfortunately I have a lot of unwatched programs on the DVR. It's been working fine for the last few days.

craig john

09-21-05, 11:57 PM

My 8300 will not do the HDCP handshake with my Yamaha RX-V4600 receiver. If I hook it up directly to my pj, (Sony HS51) it works fine. However, when I hook it up through the receiver, I get the "Your display does not support HDCP, use the component connections." message. What's up with that?

Craig

pepar

09-22-05, 12:32 AM

rbienstock

09-22-05, 12:04 PM

I'm wondering whether anyone has tried to communicate with Pioneer regarding the SATA question. I'm wondering whether they don't support SATA because no cable company or other customer has asked for it or whether it is technically impossible due to the way that Passport Echo manages disk space. I ask because the sense I get from talking to my local TWC rep (a semi-high-level exec) is that TWC has no interest in supporting the SATA port, but that they have no objection to end users attaching their own personal auxilliary drives. In other words, the functionality isn't there because Pioneer didn't put it in, and not because TWC asked them to block it. If this is true (and I have no reason to doubt my source), TWC would never ask Pioneer to enable this feature for them, but perhaps if they heard from some end users, they might respond. Who knows.

As an alternative, I'm wondering if anyone has tried imaging the disk drived supplied in the 8300 and then copying that image onto a bigger drive. Would/could that work? Would that be another way to get more disk space even without SATA capability?

Anybody?

hall

09-22-05, 02:00 PM

Firmwares on devices such as these are often hard-coded to a specific disk size. For example, SA knows that their 8000-series boxes will have either 80gb or 160gb HDDs in them and it handles either accordingly. If you put a 250gb in, if you're lucky it will fdisk 160gb of it, but not more 'cause it doesn't "understand" anything bigger. I believe people have ran into this with Dish Network DVRs in fact.

Goatweed

09-22-05, 02:08 PM

this might sound like a stupid question, but I'll ask it anyway. Recently, a techie told me that it's recommended to shut down the boxes and the tv sets, not just the TVs. Example, my XBR400 goes into a standby mode when I "shut" it, but I leave the DVR on. Should I be shutting that off as well? He seemed to not only think it, but he was almost shocked to hear that I did this normally & wil all the other boxes in my house. I've also been doing that for as long as I can remember, and I never heard of it being an issue.

pepar

09-22-05, 02:31 PM

hall

09-22-05, 03:18 PM

I've had a Dish 522 DVR, SA 8000, SA 8000HD, and SA 8300HD DVRs and it's not possible to turn them "off". That is, without unplugging them from the wall outlet (AC power). Pushing the power button only turns "off" the video output(s).

I'd like to ask this "techie" HOW to turn off my DVR.

pepar

09-22-05, 03:27 PM

Anybody?

Hello. :)

The tech supervisor at my provider - no one you've ever heard of - told me that there would be a firmware upgrade in "the 4th qtr" that would activate the eSATA port on my 8300HD/Passport.

He further told me that while they were activating the port, they will not "support" the drives which would need to be subscriber purchased. There would also be a compatibilty list made available.

If a provider is not getting add'l revenue from it, they would see supporting our drives as being a net loss. And who among us would want to pay our cable providers any more anyway? I guess competition has made them wake up enough to offer HD-DVRs, and even turn on external storage, but not enough to make them support that storage.

I'm sure eSATA is coming to Passport. And my guess is soon, at least in my little backwater of York, PA.

HeelPhan

09-22-05, 04:38 PM

Got a firewire 8300HD box from TWC Western Ohio (passport). Unfortunately, it appears the firewire ports are not yet active.

Does anyone know of plans to activate the firewire on the 8300HD box?

outraegis

09-26-05, 02:14 PM

My wife and I have four 8300HD units here (Palm Bay, FL/Bright House Cable), with only one connected to an HDTV. The other units are in the house because the HD box has the larger hard drive.

In any case, I'm having a wacky problem with one of the boxes. It's connected via S-Video to a regular 4:3 big screen TV. The analog audio output goes to an H-K amp.

We're having constant gray-screen crashes when we try to record or watch anything. It's most repeatable when we try to record on two channels and watch something already recorded. The problem also sometimes occurs when we're recording on a single channel and attempting to watch something pre-recorded, but that's not as common.

Things I tried:

* Changed from optical output to analog
* Changed the default output setting from 1080i to 480i
* Had Bright House change out the box and give us a new box
* Made an appointment for Bright House to swap out the box yet again.

We do not have this problem on the other 8300HDs, so, at first, I thought it was just this box. But we just had Bright House swap out the box for a different box and we're having the same problems.

It's driving us nuttier than we already are, and the reboots are ruining my wife's season premieres. Does anyone have any ideas how we can fix this (other than to go back to Dish and TiVo)?

Thanks!

margoba

09-26-05, 02:23 PM

The 8300 is not as sensitive to heat as the 8000 was, but it could still be a problem. Is this particular unit enclosed in a tight spot? Maybe heat is the culprit. Just a longshot guess.

-barry

John Mason

09-26-05, 03:06 PM

We're having constant gray-screen crashes when we try to record or watch anything. It's most repeatable when we try to record on two channels and watch something already recorded.
My 8300HD only has 2 tuners, so it can record two tuned channels at once, and with an extra 1-GHz splitter connection the analog NTSC from the cable would permit watching a third channel from a separate tuner on a VCR, etc. Reads like you're overtaxing the 8300HD's two-tuner capabilities. -- John

outraegis

09-26-05, 03:23 PM

> It sounds like you're overtaxing the two-tuner capabilities...

John, so are you telling me that recording on the two channels is overtaxing the two-tuners? Then why are there two tuners? We're not trying to record ona third channel or even watch a third channel. We're just trying to watch something that's been pre-recorded while the DVR goes about its business.

It shouldn't crash when watching something.

scsiraid

09-26-05, 03:25 PM

hall

09-26-05, 04:55 PM

> It sounds like you're overtaxing the two-tuner capabilities...

John, so are you telling me that recording on the two channels is overtaxing the two-tuners? No way. We do this ALL the time.

outraegis

09-26-05, 05:12 PM

So any ideas why _both_ boxes crash when doing this? I'm completely out of ideas and my wife's pissed because she can't watch her shows.

pepar

09-26-05, 05:38 PM

So any ideas why _both_ boxes crash when doing this? I'm completely out of ideas and my wife's pissed because she can't watch her shows.

Low tech, but works every time: An antenna.

:D

michaeltscott

09-27-05, 08:08 AM

I know that it doesn't matter to many of you, having long since upgraded to the 8300HD, but stalwart me, unwilling to accept the 11 GB decrease in recording space, still have my trusty 8000HD. Well, I just woke up in the wee hours of the morn to find that my STB had been upgraded from Passport Echo 1.5.159, which'd been since the end of last year, to 2.5.022, released on the 9th of this month, which, lo' and behold, has incremental guide searches!

I'm not quite sure whether they added any other features. There's a channel skip list in the setup that I'm uncertain whether was there before or not; when you cancel individual series recordings, it leaves them in the list, but grays them out which it definitely didn't do.

I'm so happy. Hopefully they've fixed more bugs than they've added :).

hall

09-27-05, 11:07 AM

I thought all of the 8x00HD boxes ran the same software and if so, 2.5.022 is quite a jump from what you had. Even those with 8300HD boxes who were beta-testing newer software were only in the 1.8.xxx range.

What do you mean by "incremental guide search", by the way ?? Do you mean you use the on-screen keyboard to pick the letter "A", then it filters out letters as you continue typing ??

michaeltscott

09-27-05, 03:09 PM

Yeah, that's what I meant. This sort of feature is general called "incremental search" in text editors which implement it because they advance through the buffer to the next match as you specify increments of the search term--individual characters--instead of your having to specify the entire thing (see a Wikipedia definition here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incremental_find)); using this, you might find what you're looking for with a couple of keystrokes. Emacs/Xemacs, my editor of choice, implements it. The letter filtering is cool. I implemented a feature like this for a contact list name search on a phone I was working on--no onscreen keyboard, of course.

BTW, to be clear, the "graying out" of cancelled programs I mentioned above was for cancelling individual instances in the upcoming recordings list.

The only other thing I've found, which may have also already been there, is a million options for setting close-caption color, font style, font size, font background type, font background opacity, etc, and whether close-captioning will be on on digital channels and/or analog one. I've adjusted my close-captions to be much nicer now (I usually have them on all the time, though my hearing is fine; I watch DVDs the same way).

hall

09-27-05, 03:20 PM

Where are you accessing these "million options" at, via the Settings button and then "A" for more ?? If so, the settings you describe are definitely new.

michaeltscott

09-27-05, 03:38 PM

If you go to the Close Captions option in advanced setup (yeah, SETUP + A), hit the LEFT key to change it. Instead of just ON and OFF, there will be a long column of other options. To turn it on and off, you'd hit LEFT again, then UP and DOWN to select one of those. To access one of the other options, from the ON/OFF option, hit UP or DOWN. So, on the main option, my selection reads "(ON, CC 1, DTV CC 1)". By default it said "(ON, CC 1, NONE)", so I was getting no close captions on the digital channels.

Actually, there are 9 suboptions on that menu: ON/OFF, Analog CC type, DTV CC type, Text-Style, -Size, -Color, -Opacity, Background-Color and -Opacity. You can even set flashing text and/or flashing background. How useful.

pepar

09-27-05, 03:49 PM

I thought all of the 8x00HD boxes ran the same software and if so, 2.5.022 is quite a jump from what you had. Even those with 8300HD boxes who were beta-testing newer software were only in the 1.8.xxx range.

I've had ResApp Version: Passport Echo 2.2.020 since March. Granted I'm on a smaller system, but it shows there's more available beyond the 1.8.xxx version.

michaeltscott

09-27-05, 04:01 PM

michaeltscott

09-27-05, 04:04 PM

I've had ResApp Version: Passport Echo 2.2.020 since March. Granted I'm on a smaller system, but it shows there's more available beyond the 1.8.xxx version.I'm certain that Pioneer makes regular drops of these versions to their customers. It is up to them, however, to decide when and if to push them. If they don't think that the fixes and/or new features are worth the trouble, they won't. Some of them have interactive applications that have to be ported over and tested. My system, for instance, has a channel where you can pay your bill.

pepar

09-27-05, 04:24 PM

michaeltscott

09-27-05, 05:05 PM

Of course the old 2.7 GB trick-play buffers only provided 20 minutes at 19 Mbps, but that was fine by me. There were only a handful of 19 Mbps channels on my system in any case, all extended basic or premium subscription (the HDNets, TNT HD, ESPN HD, Discovery HD). The 11.4 GB saving was worth even more at more typical rates. CBS looks great at an average rate of 13 Mbps--the 11.4 GB gets you 125 minutes, with a 30 minute trick-play buffer. NBC is okay at an average 15 Mbps for 108 min rec/26 min buf; Fox looks good and sounds amazing at an average 10 Mbps for 163/39 and ABC looks and sounds fantastic at an average 17 Mbps for 96/23. The new 8.4 GB trick-play buffers only give you an hour, no matter what the average bitrate.

Two hours of CBS is a huge loss, when I'm recording 8 hours of it a week. If I'm out of town for a week, the DVR will run out of space and start deleting old stuff a day earlier than it previously would have. Oh well.

stoli412

09-27-05, 05:57 PM

Hi all,

Just got an 8300HD installed today. It's connected to my Pioneer plasma via HDMI. Picture is coming through perfectly, however I get NO sound through the speakers that are directly connected to the plasma. I have HDMI audio enabled on the plasma. I couldn't find ANY settings on the 8300 related to audio (aside from volume).

I've read through this thread and see that there is a problem with HDMI and 5.1 sound, but I couldn't find anything about no sound at all through HDMI. The TW technician said it is a known problem that HDMI sound doesn't work at all, and they're working on a fix. But no sound at all contradicts what I've read in this thread.

This is a just a temporary setup until I get my entire home theater system unpacked and rewired (I just moved into my new place). Once that happens the 8300 will be connected to the plasma via HDMI, and the A/V receiver via digital coax or optical. I know I'll probably have to deal with the no 5.1 sound issue then, but for right now I need at least *some* sound through the TV speakers via HDMI.

Does anyone know what's wrong and how I can correct it? Thanks, I appreciate your help!

IamtheWolf

09-27-05, 06:04 PM

Does anyone know what's wrong and how I can correct it? Thanks, I appreciate your help!

What version of Passport do you have?

hall

09-27-05, 07:09 PM

michaeltscott

09-27-05, 08:29 PM

michaeltscott: Still running on 1.8.103 here in TW-Western Ohio. What version were you running previously, 1.x.159 ??

The closed-captioning stuff you referred to must not be new to your s/w revision either. It's in the one I'm running now.Yeah--I was running 1.x.159 (I thought that "x" was 5, but I can't be sure--1 sounds reasonable too :)).

Could be that the CC stuff was in 1.x.159 and I just never noticed it.

stoli412

09-27-05, 08:51 PM

What version of Passport do you have?Sorry I took so long to respond, I was at work when I first posted.

The version is 1.8.103. TWCNYC/Brooklyn.

hall

09-27-05, 09:12 PM

So, has anyone had their Saved Shows on their 8300HD just go *poof* ?? They're all gone.... Now I need to find CSI:Miami and Extreme Home Makeover....

scsiraid

09-27-05, 09:58 PM

So, has anyone had their Saved Shows on their 8300HD just go *poof* ?? They're all gone.... Now I need to find CSI:Miami and Extreme Home Makeover....

Ive never lost a thing..... Now that ive said that... im probably toast.

pepar

09-27-05, 11:52 PM

So, has anyone had their Saved Shows on their 8300HD just go *poof* ?? They're all gone.... Now I need to find CSI:Miami and Extreme Home Makeover....

I had it happen early on until I found I could set the recordings to manual erase only. Before that, they disappeared from being overwritten.

holl_ands

09-28-05, 04:28 AM

Early this morning TWC-San Diego uploaded new PASSPORT software versions.

For the SA8300HD PVR:
PASSPORT Echo 2.5.022, dtg Sep 9 2005
PowerTV 6.14.64.1sp, dtg jul 28 2005
PowerKey PKEY_3.8.4.1-p +dvrs3, dtg Jul 29 2005

and another for the PACE DC-550P and SA3250HD:
PASSPORT 4.2 build 051, dtg Sep 7 2005
still using the earlier OS and PowerKey versions:
PowerTV 2.4.18m1, dtg Dec 27 2004
PowerKey 2.0.4.10-PRD, dtg Jul 28 2004

=============================================
The relays in the SA3250HD clattered away all morning. [Really freaked my wife.]
It was in an endless cycle trying to upload the new build.
I finally got off the computer and looked at it in action. I found that when it completed
the software upload cycle it defaulted to CH1, which is one of those new buggy interactive
channels (which are prone to locking up the STB, forcing a reboot).
I waited until the instant it completed the PASSPORT splash screen and quickly changed
to another channel before it locked up and finally all was well.

=============================================
New features are listed in the SA8300HD Extended Diagnostic pages,
including an IR BLASTER, IEEE-1394 FIREWIRE and MULTI-ROOM DVR.

There is a new IEEE-1394 FIREWIRE status page saying that it's not supported,
although elsewhere it (still) says that this hardware feature is provided.
(That probably means that it's on the chip).
Since there is no FIREWIRE connector on the rear, this is only one small baby step forward.

Now that Multi-Room DVR feature has been added, maybe TWC-SD will offer something new soon.

The SA8300HD SETTINGS menus also changed:
By default, the Clock Display was reset to CLOCK.
By default, NC-17 rated programs are BLOCKED.
There is a new feature to SKIP channels, which deletes selected channels
from the CH UP/DN sequence, but not the Navigator Guide.

There is a new Audio Digital Out selector for DD vs HDMI vs Stereo.
This should help with the problem of HDMI Receivers forcing the STB to Stereo mode.
However, twice it spontaneously reverted to Stereo mode, so I had to change it
to Stereo & Exit and then change it back to Dolby Digital & Exit to re-enable DD5.1.

I'm still trying various features, but noticed when programs are deleted from future recording list,
instead of simply disappearing, they remain in the list with a cancel recording symbol.

=================================================
I didn't see anything one way or the other re whether the new version supports
External SATA Drives (like some SARA versions).
Looks like someone is just going to have to try it to find out.

============================================
Every time I turn it ON, the SA8300HD video display is messed up with part of the screen
obscured by black boxes. This will clear up after changing channels.

==========================================================
I also have a serious problem with SA8300HD auto-shutdown feature via HDMI.

I have a Hitachi Plasma connected via it's DVI port to the SA8300HD's HDMI port.
In the past, all I had to do was turn on the Hitachi, and it would automatically tell
the SA8300HD to come on-line and to go off-line when the HDTV was powered down.

Now the auto-shutdown causes the SA8300HD to endlessly cycle some internal relays, making
quite a clatter in the process. [NOW I understand why my wife was freaking out this morning!!!!]

If I shut down the SA8300HD first, and then the HDTV, no clatter. [Except from the wife....]

===========================================
I sent a problem summary to TWC-SD about their new and improved buggyware.
And inquired re New Features....

hall

09-28-05, 08:18 AM

I had it happen early on until I found I could set the recordings to manual erase only. Before that, they disappeared from being overwritten. I could understand it deleting old shows, unless they're marked to not be deleted, but in this case, the HDD was nowhere near "full". I had no hourglass icons on any programs. It deleted EVERYTHING.

hall

09-28-05, 08:24 AM

Early this morning TWC-San Diego uploaded new PASSPORT software versions.

For the SA8300HD PVR:
PASSPORT Echo 2.5.022, dtg Sep 9 2005 Will have to ask my contact at my local TWC when we can expect this. Who's the guy in Florida who's beta testing with his local Brighthouse Cable ?? He was testing a s/w version nowhere near this "high" of version....
There is a new feature to SKIP channels, which deletes selected channels
from the CH UP/DN sequence, but not the Navigator Guide. That still sucks then..... I want to filter out channels from the guide completely. I do NOT want my 6-year old reading the titles of the soft-porn ! I don't need the 20+ NASCAR PPV channels listed. I would also have ENCORE, foreign language channels, and so on not listed too.
Every time I turn it ON, the SA8300HD video display is messed up with part of the screen obscured by black boxes. This will clear up after changing channels. My 8300HD did that when I first connected it via DVI for about a week or so then stopped doing it on it's own (????).

archiguy

09-28-05, 10:01 AM

There are also some new diag info (I don't recall "Channel App.", though it's useless in any case), and, son-of-a-bitch, this version steals my 11.4 GB, implementing the stupid "60 minute" 8.4 GB trick-play buffers (big enough for 60 minutes each at 20 Mbps--I'd much rather have the additional 86 minutes @19 Mpbs recording time). Well, I guess change is inevitable. I might as well wait until my provider rolls out outboard expansion HDDs before upgrading to the 8300HD, though.

Mike, if you have Passport software (which I know you do...), you're likely to be in for a long, long wait. I can't get anything out of my local TWC (also using Passport) as to when this SATA expansion feature will be implemented; they tell me they have no plans to do so. So, I'm figuring it's not going to be anytime soon (before '07 at least). And that sucks, basically.

And those buffers are necessary to the operation of the machine. Some folks are under the mistaken notion that they can watch stuff "live" on the 8300. Not true; you never watch anything "live". Everything seen was always recorded, even if only a couple of seconds ago; that's what makes 'trick-play' possible as well as being able to record and watch multiple streams at once.

pepar

09-28-05, 10:13 AM

I could understand it deleting old shows, unless they're marked to not be deleted, but in this case, the HDD was nowhere near "full". I had no hourglass icons on any programs. It deleted EVERYTHING.

That is weird. Are you surge protected, filtering and/or conditioning the AC?

CANNON-FODDER

09-28-05, 10:19 AM

Some folks are under the mistaken notion that they can watch stuff "live" on the 8300. Not true; you never watch anything "live". Everything seen was always recorded, even if only a couple of seconds ago; that's what makes 'trick-play' possible as well as being able to record and watch multiple streams at once.

Archiguy, <just looking for information> do you have a source for that? I would like to see what is actually happening with regard to the display lights and output of 480i after a channel change until actual use of the buffer which creates an immediate switch to the 480p light. I believe, but have not tested, that live simultaneous viewing of recorded shows is always in 480p. Have to check that a live 480i light changes to 480p if the channel remains the same and a recording begins. I don't have a way of checking the actual output stream, just going by the lights, but there does seem to be a difference, although not drastic enough to overcome my reluctance to rule out the power of suggestion. I have not seen any of the documentation that describes this in detail (that I would understand without knowing of the implicit assumptions made by AV engineers anyway).

v/r,
C-F

pepar

09-28-05, 10:38 AM

Mike, if you have Passport software (which I know you do...), you're likely to be in for a long, long wait. I can't get anything out of my local TWC (also using Passport) as to when this SATA expansion feature will be implemented; they tell me they have no plans to do so. So, I'm figuring it's not going to be anytime soon (before '07 at least). And that sucks, basically..

Y'all are probably tired of me singing this song, but . . we must keep somewhere in the back, middle or front of our minds that CABLE is a monopoly. The only reason they implement a new feature is to counter - and counter-market against - SAT. If they do not hear footsteps behind them, no . . new . . features. Like Seinfeld's soup Nazi: "No SATA for you!"

Honestly, I'm just happy to have hi-def and the ability to record it. You're right though, 20 hours of HD recording is like getting only a taste of the most delicious dessert you've ever had. And to see those around you - posters on this thread - having a huge plateful of dessert - 300GB - 400GB - 500GB add-on drives - is absolute torture.

archiguy

09-28-05, 10:51 AM

What TWC is trying to do here in Charlotte is get the firewire ports working; that's their priority (or so I've been told). But, considering all the problems they have with firewire on the plain ol' SA3250 STB, which include CP issues that now preclude recording of the two HDNets (this is recent; it was HBO-HD for a year before that, but now that one's "come back") as well as anything flagged "Copy Freely" (forget it), I'm not holding my breath.

It's been heartbreaking to lose the ability to tape record HDNet Movies via firewire; most of my hi-def D-VHS movie/concert collection has come from that outstanding channel. My local TWC has absolutely no interest in solving this problem. Simply "turning off" the flags for the two HDNets would solve it in a New York minute, but they're unwilling to do so, even though Mark Cuban is decidedly against applying the flags to his channels. Doncha' just love monopolies?

pepar

09-28-05, 11:08 AM

It's been heartbreaking to lose the ability to tape record HDNet Movies via firewire; most of my hi-def D-VHS movie/concert collection has come from that outstanding channel. My local TWC has absolutely no interest in solving this problem. Simply "turning off" the flags for the two HDNets would solve it in a New York minute, but they're unwilling to do so, even though Mark Cuban is decidedly against applying the flags to his channels. Doncha' just love monopolies?

I could be wrong, but I thought that it was the content owner/originator that set the flags. You seem to be saying the cable provider is doing it.

archiguy

09-28-05, 11:13 AM

I could be wrong, but I thought that it was the content owner/originator that set the flags. You seem to be saying the cable provider is doing it.

Yes, I believe that to be the case. No way on God's green earth would Mark Cuban copy protect content on HDNet. He's on record as being totally against that crap, bless his heart. The cable companies are doing it whether they've been asked to or not.

rbienstock

09-28-05, 11:33 AM

pepar

09-28-05, 12:15 PM

Yes, I believe that to be the case. No way on God's green earth would Mark Cuban copy protect content on HDNet. He's on record as being totally against that crap, bless his heart. The cable companies are doing it whether they've been asked to or not.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but I'm having trouble reconciling that with the fact that the IP holder/content owner is the one that who gets to say how the rest of us get to use the content. I mean, like it's Cuban that owns it - so just who the he77 are the cable providers to be protecting it? How's this something they're allowed to do? And why would they want to? I seek enlightenment. :)

pepar

09-28-05, 12:17 PM

EricScott

09-28-05, 04:16 PM

I'm having an annoying issue with my 8300HD. My display locks into "Full" mode whenever it sees a progressive signal. What I would like to have happen is for the 8300HD to output HD programs in 1080i and analog programs in 480i. That way I can use the progressive stretch on my monitor to have 480i shows fill the screen but not be too distorted. Unfortunately, it seems like this is impossible to do. If I select 1080i and 480i as my only supported formats, the unit outputs all analog shows in 1080i and nothing is ever shown in 480i. If I select either 720p or 480p, then the unit will display analog shows in those formats instead of 1080i, but so far I have not been able to get the unit to output 480i unless I turn off all the other formats, in which case HD programs are also shown in 480i, which is obviously unsatisfactory. Is there any way to get this to work?

The 8300 works exactly the way you are describing it. The only way to force 480i is to disable all other formats. Otherwise, 480i will revert to 480p, 720p or 1080i (in that order) depending on what else is selected. At least that's the way it behaves on TWC NYC. Since I'm using the HDMI out and my display doesn't support 480i over HDMI it's not a big issue for me but I can definitely see how it can be annoying. One possible solution is to use component out for SD viewing which definitely will pass 480i if it is a selected output format.

pepar

09-28-05, 05:10 PM

The 8300 works exactly the way you are describing it. The only way to force 480i is to disable all other formats. Otherwise, 480i will revert to 480p, 720p or 1080i (in that order) depending on what else is selected. At least that's the way it behaves on TWC NYC. Since I'm using the HDMI out and my display doesn't support 480i over HDMI it's not a big issue for me but I can definitely see how it can be annoying. One possible solution is to use component out for SD viewing which definitely will pass 480i if it is a selected output format.

My understanding is that, if you select all formats, the box passes what it receives. In my market, the standard def local channels - that the CATV company receives via antenna - are passed to my display as 480i. The standard def channels that they get from satellites - think "superstations" - are passed to my display as 480p. (That's how they received it.) And, finally and as one would guess, the hi-def channels are all passed to my box in the format in which the originated.

EricScott

09-28-05, 07:07 PM

My understanding is that, if you select all formats, the box passes what it receives. In my market, the standard def local channels - that the CATV company receives via antenna - are passed to my display as 480i. The standard def channels that they get from satellites - think "superstations" - are passed to my display as 480p. (That's how they received it.) And, finally and as one would guess, the hi-def channels are all passed to my box in the format in which the originated.

Maybe. In my area there are almost no truly analog channels left. So pretty much everything comes through at 480p.

CANNON-FODDER

09-28-05, 07:57 PM

Passport TWC-KC, seems to output [as in lights up the 480i lamp] 480i over component only after a channel change before any buffer use. Once the buffer is engaged by pressing pause, rewind, fast-forward (even though it is nonsensical to try to FF past the live point), or instant replay (I haven't tried STOP on live TV) the output reverts to 480p. The picture seems to change also, but only slightly in comparison to the '480i'. I do not have a device that would tell me if the STB is really putting out 480i or always 480p like some have suggested.

v/r,
C-F

Barry928

09-29-05, 03:00 AM

Will have to ask my contact at my local TWC when we can expect this. Who's the guy in Florida who's beta testing with his local Brighthouse Cable ?? He was testing a s/w version nowhere near this "high" of version....

Yes I am also confused about the version numbers and how that applies to different cable systems. Today I received echo 1.8.112 to test and was told this was the last of the 1.8 series of echo software. They are developing echo 2.x and echo 3.x which will have SATA support and a hard-drive spin down feature to help save wear and tear on the drive, plus a couple of other features including multi-room DVR. We won't see this software in Orlando until the Dec. timeframe.

I will ask for clarification about the feature sets and echo version 2.5.022 posted earlier in the thread.

pepar

09-29-05, 08:52 AM

Yes I am also confused about the version numbers and how that applies to different cable systems. Today I received echo 1.8.112 to test and was told this was the last of the 1.8 series of echo software. They are developing echo 2.x and echo 3.x which will have SATA support and a hard-drive spin down feature to help save wear and tear on the drive, plus a couple of other features including multi-room DVR. We won't see this software in Orlando until the Dec. timeframe.

Ohmigosh, hard drive spin down to save wear and tear on the drive. It's almost like we're in the 21st century!

My cable provider told me several months ago that they were internally testing MR boxes. They also told me that my SATA port would be activated "in the 4th qtr." I don't know if the two are connected as the new firmware would be for the existing boxes and MR will take a separate rollout.

pepar

09-29-05, 10:00 AM

I considered posting this on "SATA, it works!" but thought this thread most appropriate. Just received this email:

Mr. Horn:

I just got an update from Pioneer.

The DVR will support an external SATA drive sometime between 12/15/05 and 12/31/05.

You would be responsible to purchase and connect your own SATA drive.

I will notify you when the SATA port is active and available for use. I hope you are enjoying the . . . DVR service.

(name deleted)
Director of Technical Operations

tekdredger

09-29-05, 12:21 PM

michaeltscott

09-29-05, 12:25 PM

A guy on our local San Diego board (hdtv.forsandiego.com) sent a query out to TWC to find out what the update (to 2.5.022) had been about and whether there would be any support for the 1394 and SATA-drive or for multi-room DVR. He got the following reply:
The recent upgrade was to solve some minor technical problems and add enhancements to the services we already provide through these boxes. There is now an auto-prompt for extended recording time, parental control enhancements, configurable hard disk spin down and the ability to mass delete recorded programs. The VOD additions now allow 10-minute block FF and enhancements to navigating the guide.

There are no immediate plans for adding support for the other outputs, but I should think some sort of multi-room box will be available sometime in the future, as that makes sense from both a technical and customer service standpoint.He obviously knew some of the features implemented in the new release, but nothing about future plans. There doesn't seem to be anything in the setup for "configuring hard disk spin down" and "auto-prompt for extended recording time" and "mass delete recorded programs" are also a mystery. We'll see.

michaeltscott

09-29-05, 12:27 PM

Woohoo!

Now we just have to hope that it will get rolled out across the country.Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any "across the country". Adoption of the new stuff seems to happen when the local provider is good and ready, which might not be until a year or more after it first appears someplace else :mad:.

pepar

09-29-05, 12:45 PM

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any "across the country". Adoption of the new stuff seems to happen when the local provider is good and ready, which might not be until a year or more after it first appears someplace else :mad:.

That is very true. It almost seems that smaller cablecos are more agile than large ones. If they are progressive as well, then they will be the earliest adopters.

hall

09-29-05, 01:27 PM

That is very true. It almost seems that smaller cablecos are more agile than large ones. If they are progressive as well, then they will be the earliest adopters. I know this sounds like I'm defending the bigger cablecos, but remember how they got big: By buying up lots of smaller cablecos or trading with other big ones. When that happens, they get a hodge-podge of hardware and equipment, some of which isn't compatible with each other. The smaller cablecos have likely used one vendor all along and have like equipment that's compatible from the beginning.

hall

09-29-05, 01:30 PM

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any "across the country". Adoption of the new stuff seems to happen when the local provider is good and ready... My source at TWC told me that Echo v1.8.112 only rec'd corporate approval for release very recently and we'll see it in the next month or so. It's unusual that you guys in LA and SD are running such a newer version than all the other TWC franchises across the country. Granted, maybe you few are beta-testing, but you haven't suggested so. The odds of a few members here being chosen for beta-testing without asking or being asked is real slim. Finally, I doubt they'd beta-test widespread in such a large metro area(s).

pepar

09-29-05, 01:36 PM

I know this sounds like I'm defending the bigger cablecos, but remember how they got big: By buying up lots of smaller cablecos or trading with other big ones. When that happens, they get a hodge-podge of hardware and equipment, some of which isn't compatible with each other. The smaller cablecos have likely used one vendor all along and have like equipment that's compatible from the beginning.

Less baggage always allows on to be more agile.

tekdredger

09-29-05, 04:19 PM

My optimism lies in the fact that the memo that pepar posted suggested that Pioneer is at least developing the eSATA option. TWC can't offer it or support it if Pioneer doesn't first write the software to enable it.

pepar

09-29-05, 04:36 PM

holl_ands

09-29-05, 04:55 PM

My source at TWC told me that Echo v1.8.112 only rec'd corporate approval for release very recently and we'll see it in the next month or so. It's unusual that you guys in LA and SD are running such a newer version than all the other TWC franchises across the country. Granted, maybe you few are beta-testing, but you haven't suggested so. The odds of a few members here being chosen for beta-testing without asking or being asked is real slim. Finally, I doubt they'd beta-test widespread in such a large metro area(s).

If you read this and other threads, you'll soon learn that each local network pretty much does their own thing,
with hopefully some cooperation and coordination with TW Corporate.

The STB manufacturers must love all the extra work building and half-way testing all of those different software builds,
since it means they can get paid many times over for the same bloddy half-done job.

But the software groups must be hopelessly trying to stay on top of dozens of
different builds for a variety of new and legacy hardware platforms.
And "New Features" always seem to take precedence over fixing what's broke (e.g. CableCard, DVI/HDMI, FIREWIRE).
And subsequently, even more things break in the process (e.g. CableCard, DVI/HDMI, Closed Captions).
And apparently end up being "Beta" tested on only a few different HDTV's.

Contrast this to highly efficient SAT software development...one size fits all.

The result is a variety of version numbers being scattered across the country,
plus local "tailoring" such as the COPY FREELY fiasco that I thought had been solved a year ago.

Beta Testing??? We are ALL Beta testers.....

=======================================================
TWC actually ANNOUNCE that we've been chosen to be Beta Testers???
TWC actually ANNOUNCE something important in advance of actually dumping it on the customer? NEVER HAPPENED!!!!!

TWC actually ANNOUNCE which boxes they support for HDMI...or FIREWIRE...or SATA?
Or when they will greatly expand their HD offerings???
TWC actually ANNOUNCE anything???? You certainly won't find it on their websites....

holl_ands

09-29-05, 05:18 PM

Nor do they seem capable of asking their customers what they WANT in an STB.
Here's my short list:
1. HD-DVR with working External SATA Drive port.
2. HD-DVR that has working IEEE-1394 FIREWIRE port.
3. HD-DVR that also has On-Air Tuner. [And a SAT Rcvr with CableCard.]
4. HD-DVR to display remaining recording capacity in both Time (SD/HD) and Mbytes.
[Without having to get up, punch some buttons and navigate to an Extended Diagnostic menu.]
5. Working Two-way CableCard and affordable retail HD-DVRs that accept them.
[That could solve nearly every item in this list.....]

6. SA3250HD (and HD-DVR) IEEE-1394 FIREWIRE port to implement D-VCR START/STOP controls.
7. Ability to SKIP displaying selected channels in the Navigator Guide.
8. Ability to Remote Control two different STB's in the same room.
[This would go away if HD-DVR had FIREWIRE port.]
9. STB's that actually power down when you hit the OFF button.
10. Multi-Room DVR???? Nah, not on my priority list...

pepar

09-29-05, 05:33 PM

holl_ands: I bet you feel better now. :)

michaeltscott

09-29-05, 06:47 PM

Sorry--I didn't notice the intervening holl_ands posts--he's the person who asked my local TWC reps about 2.5.022 and got the response that I posted.

It just seems like you hear about someone getting an update that solves an urgent problem (like the HDMI/Dolby D/Stereo audio setting in this release) in a TWC system in one area of the country and then your TWC system doesn't get it until many months later. It's frustrating.

michaeltscott

09-29-05, 07:02 PM

pepar

09-29-05, 07:10 PM

hall

09-29-05, 07:11 PM

The OFF button's not a power-down button. Just to reiterate and "prove" that it's not really "off", yesterday my 8300HD was what is considered turned "off", i.e. power light is NOT lit. I turned it on and was 20 minutes into a show I like. What did I do ?? I rewound to the beginning of the show (and could go further, for that matter) so I could watch all of it. The box isn't off at all and the "trick play" buffer is still working (the box is still recording).

hall

09-29-05, 07:55 PM

Here's my short list:
3. HD-DVR that also has On-Air Tuner. [And a SAT Rcvr with CableCard.]
4. HD-DVR to display remaining recording capacity in both Time (SD/HD) and Mbytes.
[Without having to get up, punch some buttons and navigate to an Extended Diagnostic menu.]
7. Ability to SKIP displaying selected channels in the Navigator Guide. I definitely would LOVE to have # 3 and # 7. My local TWC doesn't carry one or two local digital channels (Thank you Sinclair) and if I could pick them up OTA I couldn't give a rat's ass if the cablecos and Sinclair come to an agreement. I've mentioned #7 many times here and to my cableco. I don't want my son even READING the titles of adult channels, for instance. No, I'm not a prude either, but my son's only 6 years old.

# 4, I think, would be hard to accurately implement. It'd be a real rough guesstimate having guess how space is available for analog OR digital OR high-def and then combinations of all.

Carnivore

09-29-05, 08:21 PM

COMPOSITE OUTPUT?

Can somebody explain to me how to enable the composite output? My main TV is connected to the component video outputs, and I have connected the composite video output to a UHF frequency-agile modulator hoping to send the signal to additional TV sets in other rooms. I would like to be able to walk into the kitchen and see whatever is playing on the 8300HD in the living room at the same time. I was under the impression that this box was capable of outputting a signal through both the component and composite outputs simultaneously but that doesn't seem to be happening for me. What am I missing? I'm on TWCNYC.

RandyWalters

09-29-05, 08:25 PM

michaeltscott

09-29-05, 08:49 PM

Randy --

#3--fagittabotit: cable companies are about you watching cable television. You want a device that lets you watch cable and OTA, buy one.

#4--analog wouldn't be a guestimate as it gets digitized at a constant bitrate, 5.5 Mbps in my measurements. HD and SD digital would be pure guestimate because the birates are all over the place. The best they could do would be to give you the number of hours at the rate that they use for that "20 hour" capacity (which isn't what it used to be, since they reduced the free space by 11.4 GB to implement 1 hour trick-play buffers at 20 Mbps). Call it 18.some Mbps. At least you'll know that you have at least that much left.

The thing about it is "that much left" until when? With scheduled and series recordings, the amount left is going to change, automatically, every day. You look and you say, "Oh, I got 5 hours left--let go ahead and record this." Well, that 5 hours is spoken for tonight. I don't know. Lot's of people think that it'd be worth knowing. For me, it's jusrt noise. It already gives me fair warning when the stuff on the drive is getting near the point where it's going to have to delete it (obviously, it makes some sort of guestimate of how much space upcoming recordings are going to take already). That's pretty much what I need to know. Of course, if you make all of your recordings "by hand", I can see where this would help.

holl_ands

09-29-05, 08:51 PM

holl_ands --

The OFF button's not a power-down button. That's true for very few devices, most of them battery powered and most of them only when they're running on batteries. (Your cellphone, for instance, probably doesn't power down when you turn it off it's connected to external power even after it finishes recharging. It'll be running an idle maintenance loop and probaby keeping tracking of towers).

How would remote controls turn things on if they were powered down?

The same way millions of VCR's work.
The same way a PC can wake up to do a scheduled task and then shut down again.
Some can even wake up from Hibernation upon receiving a command via Ethernet.

An HD-DVR doesn't need power to the high power signal processing circuitry when it isn't actively recording a program.
Once set up to record, it doesn't really have to communicate via FDC/RDC channels either,
but perhaps a small portion of the circuit board would remain active....in power conservation mode.

Bare bones, it only needs a very low power clock and an event controller.
I have one on my wrist right now. Battery lasts about 5 years.

What ever happened to the EnergyStar program????

================================================
One more gripe:

My Hitachi Plasma's Port 1 is "shared" between DVI and Component Video.
If DVI is active, then DVI is selected.
If DVI is not active, then CV is selected.

Unfortunately, because the SA8300HD is never truly OFF, the Hitachi always thinks that it is active.
That means I have to physically pull out the HDMI cable to use the CV port.
This was never a problem with the PACE DC-550P.

pepar

09-29-05, 09:43 PM

The same way millions of VCR's work.
The same way a PC can wake up to do a scheduled task and then shut down again.
Some can even wake up from Hibernation upon receiving a command via Ethernet.

An HD-DVR doesn't need power to the high power signal processing circuitry when it isn't actively recording a program.
Once set up to record, it doesn't really have to communicate via FDC/RDC channels either,
but perhaps a small portion of the circuit board would remain active....in power conservation mode.

Bare bones, it only needs a very low power clock and an event controller.
I have one on my wrist right now. Battery lasts about 5 years.

What ever happened to the EnergyStar program????

================================================
One more gripe:

My Hitachi Plasma's Port 1 is "shared" between DVI and Component Video.
If DVI is active, then DVI is selected.
If DVI is not active, then CV is selected.

Unfortunately, because the SA8300HD is never truly OFF, the Hitachi always thinks that it is active.
That means I have to physically pull out the HDMI cable to use the CV port.
This was never a problem with the PACE DC-550P.

I like your writing style; haiku, isn't it? Couplets?

michaeltscott

09-29-05, 10:38 PM

holl_ands --

Okay--I understand the level to which you want it to power down, which is reasonable, and I agree that this thing is burning way more power than it needs to. It certainly doesn't need to be tunning the tuners, spinning the drives and maintaining the trick-play buffers the way it does. I'm not sure exactly what the POWER button does--apparently just turn off the LEDs and the video and audio outs.

michaeltscott

09-29-05, 10:52 PM

#4--...HD and SD digital would be pure guestimate because the birates are all over the place. The best they could do would be to give you the number of hours at the rate that they use for that "20 hour" capacity (which isn't what it used to be, since they reduced the free space by 11.4 GB to implement 1 hour trick-play buffers at 20 Mbps). Call it 18.some Mbps.I just did the math--150.6GB total - 16.8GB (what it reserves for both trick-play buffers) = 134.2GB / 20 hours = 6.69GB / 3600 seconds-per-hour * 8590 Mbps-per-GB = 15.96 Mbps. So, with the new 8.4GB trick-play buffers, the thing is only good for 20 hours or more if the bitrate is 16 Mbps or less. (With the old 2.7GB trick-play buffers, it was only good for 20 hours of 17.3 Mbps content). At 18 Mbps, it's full in 17 hours, 47 minutes.

Carnivore

09-29-05, 11:43 PM

Can somebody explain to me how to enable the composite output? My main TV is connected to the component video outputs, and I have connected the composite video output to a UHF frequency-agile modulator hoping to send the signal to additional TV sets in other rooms. I would like to be able to walk into the kitchen and see whatever is playing on the 8300HD in the living room at the same time. I was under the impression that this box was capable of outputting a signal through both the component and composite outputs simultaneously but that doesn't seem to be happening for me. What am I missing? I'm on TWCNYC.Do you have 480i enabled in the Output Formats menu? If not, try enable it.

Yes...480i is enabled along with 1080i...no luck...

dt_dc

09-30-05, 03:47 PM

Ran accross this ... thought it might be of interest to Passport users.

Pioneer spun out the group that made Passport to form "Aptiv Digital Inc." which will be responsible for future Passport Echo software:
http://www.cedmagazine.com/ced/2005/1005/10f.htm

On the product front, Aptiv, like its predecessor, continues to make (and improve upon) a range of IPG products and interactive applications.

But it is also working on several new projects, including Passport Echo version 2.7, which will support 16 or more “mosaic” video thumbnails that can be categorized, and a suite of “PassTime” games. It will also include an “iSubscribe” element for impulse subscriptions to premium networks and other cable services, including high-speed data. A forthcoming DVR feature will allow users to save shows in a folder format. Selecting “Play All” in a “Friends” folder, for example, will automatically play consecutive saved episodes, starting with the first one that was recorded. The 2.7 version should be released by November 2005, according to Dan Ward, Aptiv’s vice president of sales and marketing. He adds that Aptiv will also play a key role in developing apps for the OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP), a middleware platform for interactive set-tops and digital televisions specified by CableLabs.

pepar

09-30-05, 04:16 PM

h00ligan

10-03-05, 10:01 PM

EricScott

10-03-05, 11:11 PM

guys - has anyone figured out how to make the grey brs black or enable passthrough with thepassport software. The picture looks ok but the grey bars ar a massive buzz kill. I would also like to see if my tv does the stretch better - particularly as it has the smart stretch feature.

No way to make the gray bars black from the box itself but what you can do is set the 8300 to stretch 4:3 material (no gray bars obviously) and then have your display shrink it back down to 4:3. Assuming your TV inserts black bars this will fix your problem. The only annoyance is that hte menus and IPG look a bit squished but there is not PQ degredation.

pepar

10-04-05, 11:03 AM

dslate69

10-04-05, 11:08 AM

"
APTIVE DIGITAL PIONEERS VIDEO MOSAIC AND iSUBSCIBE™ FOR THE CABLE INDUSTRY
Exciting New Features in Passport Echo™ and Passport DCT™ Give Cable Operators the Long Awaited Capability of Interactive Mosaic Video and Impulse Subscription, in Addition to a Variety of Other Integrated Applications and Enhancements

Burbank, California, October 3, 2005- Aptiv Digital, Inc. (formerly Pioneer Digital Technologies Inc.) today announced new and more powerful versions of Passport Echo™ and Passport DCT™, the cable industry proven suites of interactive navigation software enjoyed by digital cable TV customers throughout North America, the Caribbean and Latin America. The company today unveiled a series of new features and applications representing significant product improvements and exciting user-friendly features.
The new Passport Echo DVR IPG version 2.7, and the new Passport DCT IPG version 2.7 boast two new primary applications: Interactive Video Mosaic and iSubscribe™.
The Interactive Video Mosaic enables the cable operator to launch custom video venues that present multiple thumbnail video insets on one screen. Viewers will hear the audio for a channel simply by highlighting a video inset with their remote. They can also get more information about the channel and program, or in the case of Passport Echo, record the highlighted show.
iSubscribe is a very powerful new impulse subscription application enabling the cable operator to create a library of service offers such as VOD or premium channel packages. Customers will be able to use their remotes to view the subscription services, descriptions and pricing, and then purchase them with just a few button presses on the remote control.

In addition to Interactive Video Mosaic and iSubscribe, Passport Echo's enhancements continue with a variety of new integrated applications: Remote Wizard provides a unique step-by-step interactive tool enabling customers to program remote controls for multiple devices all by themselves, Passport Weather offers local and multi-city weather with on-going 5-day forecasts from Accuweather™, PassTime™ Games includes a package of three solitaire style card games in high resolution including traditional Klondike Solitaire, Twenty One or Bust, and 5 Card Stud Poker.
Passport Echo also provides customers with powerful new enhancements such as, sorting features in the IPG and improved management of saved programs on the DVR. For example, with Passport Echo, customers can watch all of the recorded episodes of a series in one sitting by grouping a show's episodes together in one folder and then selecting the new Auto Play feature. All of the episodes will then be played back-to-back.

"Aptiv Digital is committed to giving cable operators the competitive advantage over alternative video service providers," remarked Neil Jones, President and COO of Aptiv Digital. "With over 10 years of experience in the cable video market, our clients have come to expect timely innovations and outstanding customer support. At the end of the day, our clients will provide their video customers with a richer television viewing experience, allowing them to quickly and easily navigate their digital offerings to get the most value out of their television experience."

Upgrades to the Passport Echo IPG include a redesigned settings menu now with high-resolution graphics, settings organized in expandable folders for improved navigation and a ¼ screen video inset displaying the current channel. New sorting and filtering options along with a variety of new features ensures a more engaging TV experience.

Passport Echo 2.7 includes:

DVR Saved Shows List has expanded informational and usability features. One new option, "View Disk Info," displays a summary of DVR disk space usage (like a gas gauge) including the amount of hours of "Estimated Free Space", "Saved Until Manually Erased", "Automatically Erased as Needed" content. Sorting and grouping options have also been added. The Saved Shows List allows viewers to arrange the DVR recorded programs alphabetically or by erasure date. Unseen shows are displayed with bolded titles while viewed shows are in standard font. Episodes of a series can be grouped into expandable and collapsible folders. When a grouped folder is selected, pressing the info button will display summary information such as the number of new recordings and play and erase options for episodes in the group, including: "Play All", "Play All New", "Erase All", and "Erase All Viewed"
Upcoming episodes List option is a new option when selecting a future program in the IPG. Currently when selecting a future title in the Guide, users have the options of recording the show, setting up a series recording, tuning to that channel, or setting up a reminder timer. This new option, when selected, will open up the Title/Keyword search page automatically displaying all the episode titles of the selected program for the week
New sorts and filter options in the Time View of the guide simplifies the user experience allowing the viewer to browse a more targeted set of listings. Passport Echo's IPG has been enhanced to include advanced sorting and filtering functions allowing the viewer to sort by channel number (standard view) or call letters. The Time View can also be filtered to display or hide any combination of Favorite Channels, Music Channels, On Demand Channels, PPV Channels, or HDTV Channels
Parental Control lock by Content Advisory is the latest addition for discerning parents. Locking by the new Content Advisory system has been added to the ability to lock by rating, channel, time and title. Content advisories are broken down into categories and then more specific warnings within those categories. For example, parents can choose the 'Violence' category and then block by 'Intense Violence'. Additionally, from the MSO's headend, certain channels can be automatically parental control locked as a default configuration on all set-tops. Users will have the ability to change these settings with a PIN
Automatic Favorites will set a channel as a favorite based on how often a channel is viewed. The viewer can easily turn off this feature from the settings menu
QuickTips interface is automatically displayed to provide the viewer with information about, and instructions on the use of new features. QuickTips can also be accessed directly in the Guide or DVR list, and can be turned off by the viewer from the settings menu
DAC Messaging support, a feature present in Passport DCT since version 2.5, has been added to Passport Echo in this latest version to support messaging from the headend to all set-tops in the field
"

... now when do we get it?

Sorry for the whole post but I was restricted from posting the link.

pepar

10-04-05, 02:28 PM

"

... now when do we get it?

Sorry for the whole post but I was restricted from posting the link.

The link is here. (http://www.pioneerdigital.com/presscenter/pressreleasesdetail.asp?ID=5)

When it's available and when y'all will get it are two completely different things. It should be released by Nov 2005.

EricScott

10-04-05, 02:32 PM

Wow - sounds like some major improvements! The ability to show only favorites in the IPG is huge. And the grouped folder (a la Tivo) are a nice touch.

I'm guessing TWC NYC will roll this out around Q1'06 :)

pepar

10-04-05, 04:02 PM

More so than an integrated division, a spin-off will innovate like crazy to establish itself. We're much more likely to get advancements and features faster. Hoooo-RAYYY!

joepic

10-04-05, 04:46 PM

Did I miss it or is there no mention about eSATA in the Passport 2.7 release?

If no eSATA then 2.7 is just fluff :rolleyes:

pepar

10-04-05, 05:00 PM

Did I miss it or is there no mention about eSATA in the Passport 2.7 release?

If no eSATA then 2.7 is just fluff :rolleyes:

I saw nothing about activating eSATA either, but the technical director of my provider told me it would be activated "12/15 - 12/31." When I asked him if it was related to the v2.7 release, he said yes. YMMV.

GoSpurs99

10-04-05, 07:37 PM

Man, what a huge thread.

Would someone give me a quick answer for my busy butt?

I have a Samsung HL-P5674W and a SA-8300HD STB.

I am currently running the STB to output 720P.

I think that I should be outputting some other setting.

Ideas.

Thanks from a busy soldier in COLD northern NY!!!!!

scsiraid

10-04-05, 07:41 PM

GoSpurs99

10-04-05, 07:45 PM

Thanks for the super quick reply!!!!!

Any other ideas are welcome!

rbienstock

10-04-05, 11:40 PM

I've noticed two bugs with my TWCNYC 8300HD, and I wonder if anyone here is experiencing the same things.

1. Pick a show that never has repeats (I used ABC World News Tonight) and make a series recording but select it to record first-run episodes only. The series recording will get set (in other words, if you bring up the list and press "C", it will show up in the list of series recordings), but no recordings ever show up on the upcoming "B" list, they never get marked in red in the channel guide, and, of course, they never actually record. If you change the properties to record "first run and repeats," then the show records properly. The only thing that could explain this is that there must be some sort of "first-run" flag that the system is looking for and since shows that never repeat don't have it, the system never records them. This is a stupid way of doing things. If you select "first-run only" the unit should record all episodes except those specifically marked as repeats.

2. Record a show that is at least 90 minutes long or longer (I use the Today Show). After the show has been in progress for more than an hour, hit stop. You'll get a dialog where choice "C" is "Play from beginning." Hit "C" and the unit will NOT start playing from the beginning, but will instead start playing from the start of the buffer. Alternatively, while the recording is in progress for more than an hour, go to the list, select the show and hit "Play." The same thing happens -- playback starts at the start of the live TV buffer, not at the start of the program. In fact, I have not been able to find any way to get the show to play from the true beginning while it is recording without stoping the recording in the middle and then picking if from the list of recorded shows.

Can anyone reproduce these bugs and does anyone have any workarounds that I haven't reported?

hall

10-05-05, 07:34 AM

1) I think I would blame the broadcaster for not flagging their show properly. I wonder if shows like the 6pm news actually have NO flag.

2) This was quite common -- a known bug, in fact -- on older versions of Echo. I've personally never ran into it with my 8300HD though. I've definitely seen it in the past though. What it might be is that you've ran past the box's "buffer" and it's not handling starting from the beginning well. Try and do what you've run into with a half-hour show. Start the recording and then 15 minutes in try and watch it, specifically from the beginning. It should work. It DOES work for me.

davedke

10-05-05, 07:53 AM

GoSpurs99

10-05-05, 08:24 AM

davedke,

Did you try the different audio outputs, such as Digital, HDMI, etc?

rbienstock

10-05-05, 08:49 AM

1) I think I would blame the broadcaster for not flagging their show properly. I wonder if shows like the 6pm news actually have NO flag.

I don't think that it is the problem with the broadcaster, because it happens on too many shows on two many channels. It happens with every network news show, most PBS series and every series on HBO and SHO. I don't know whether these shows have NO flag, but there is obviously something that allows the system to distinguish between the first-run episode of a network series and a repeating show that doesn't have official "repeats". The only reason that would be the case would be if it were looking for something other than the "repeat" flag. That's the programming flaw: the logic for the "first-run only" choice should be "record every episode that is not specifically marked as a repeat."

2) This was quite common -- a known bug, in fact -- on older versions of Echo. I've personally never ran into it with my 8300HD though. I've definitely seen it in the past though. What it might be is that you've ran past the box's "buffer" and it's not handling starting from the beginning well. Try and do what you've run into with a half-hour show. Start the recording and then 15 minutes in try and watch it, specifically from the beginning. It should work. It DOES work for me.

That's precisely the point: this bug only occurs when you run beyond the buffer. Because the buffer is flushed at the start of a recording, if the entire recording is contained within the buffer, then playing the show from the beginning and playing the current recording from the beginning of the buffer will produce the same result. The real question is how the system is programmed. It appears that the logic for "play from beginning" is really "play from the start of the buffer." Obviously that won't work for any show that is longer than the buffer.

HD Hockey Guy

10-05-05, 09:03 AM

Had the 8300HD going through HDMI for a few months and now that renovations are over I'm trying to set up a home theater system. I tried to have the 8300 output sound through optical cable but had no luck. Anyone have any ideas? Should I somehow turnoff the audio feed to HDMI so it just goes through the optical. Is that even possible? Thx.

I just got my 8300HD box after buying a Samsung 56" DLP and running the audio into my new Onkyo 7.1 theater system, only to discover the beautiful world of 'leading audio' which makes watching cable and dvd like a badly dubbed martial arts movie.

I had the 8000HD box, and bought the Felston digital delay component to solve the problems, which it did fine on the DVD output, but the cable box kept making annoying 'pop' noises and dropping the audio every few seconds. I thought it was a bad box, so I swapped out for another, and the same thing happened. I then upgraded to the 8300HD box hoping this would resolve it and it does. The Felston delay works flawlessly to sync the audio to the video now - and I am outputting the video via HDMI to the Samsung, and using the optical out to route the audio to my Felston delay and on to the Onkyo reciever.

So my long answer is YES you can use the optical out while using the HDMI, and if your optical out is not active, I am not sure where in the settings you could activate it - mine was fresh from the box and active.

Another note about HDMI audio - my Samsung HD850 DVD player has HDMI output as well, but the default setting for the HDMI connection was PCM audio, not Bitstream - so I wasn't getting the Dolby Digital 5.1/DTS processing through my reciever. I had to go into the settings and switch the HDMI audio output to Bitstream to get the "GOOD SOUND". The 8300HD box seems to output both depending on the channel and the feed, so I think it is automatically detecting the source and passing it through ok - no changes needed.

As for the Felston Digital Delay - I highly HIGHLY recommend it to anyone that is noticing severe audio lip-sync issues with their DLP/LCD/Plasma display - the circuitry that processes the video signal causes on average around a 100ms delay from the audio (usually optical or digital coax output) to your surround sound reciever. It costs around $200 and is available in the US even though you see most ads for the UK.

Can't wait to see NHL in HD tonight for opening of the season. OLN-HD is being carried on INHD on TW as well as HDNET is showing games too.

davedke

10-05-05, 09:29 AM

davedke,

Did you try the different audio outputs, such as Digital, HDMI, etc?

I tried going into the settings menu but when i get to audio, I don't see anything where you can even change the output. Anyone been able to find it?

pepar

10-05-05, 09:58 AM

I don't think that it is the problem with the broadcaster, because it happens on too many shows on two many channels. It happens with every network news show, most PBS series and every series on HBO and SHO. I don't know whether these shows have NO flag, but there is obviously something that allows the system to distinguish between the first-run episode of a network series and a repeating show that doesn't have official "repeats". The only reason that would be the case would be if it were looking for something other than the "repeat" flag. That's the programming flaw: the logic for the "first-run only" choice should be "record every episode that is not specifically marked as a repeat."

Since news shows are always live, they never repeat. And they are never really "first run" either; I don't think they fall into either category and are probably not listed as "first run" or "repeat" in the guide. The DVR is looking for either tag and finds none. Try recording all. That almost HAS to work. FWIW, my 8300HD records series from HBO and Showtime just fine selected as "first run only."

archiguy

10-05-05, 10:06 AM

I've noticed two bugs with my TWCNYC 8300HD, and I wonder if anyone here is experiencing the same things.

1. Pick a show that never has repeats (I used ABC World News Tonight) and make a series recording but select it to record first-run episodes only. The series recording will get set (in other words, if you bring up the list and press "C", it will show up in the list of series recordings), but no recordings ever show up on the upcoming "B" list, they never get marked in red in the channel guide, and, of course, they never actually record. If you change the properties to record "first run and repeats," then the show records properly. The only thing that could explain this is that there must be some sort of "first-run" flag that the system is looking for and since shows that never repeat don't have it, the system never records them. This is a stupid way of doing things. If you select "first-run only" the unit should record all episodes except those specifically marked as repeats.

Yes, I've seen this and it's a PIA. I find I have to go in and make a "manual" recording every week of HBO shows, for example. If I forget, then I'll miss that episode. And I've never tried the method you mention, i.e. setting the properties to "first run and repeats". I'm afraid I'll end up with several, if not all, of the many repeat showings that occur during that week on the premium channels.

LL3HD

10-05-05, 03:03 PM

I've noticed two bugs with my TWCNYC 8300HD, and I wonder if anyone here is experiencing the same things.

2. Record a show that is at least 90 minutes long or longer (I use the Today Show). After the show has been in progress for more than an hour, hit stop. You'll get a dialog where choice "C" is "Play from beginning." Hit "C" and the unit will NOT start playing from the beginning, but will instead start playing from the start of the buffer. Alternatively, while the recording is in progress for more than an hour, go to the list, select the show and hit "Play." The same thing happens -- playback starts at the start of the live TV buffer, not at the start of the program. In fact, I have not been able to find any way to get the show to play from the true beginning while it is recording without stoping the recording in the middle and then picking if from the list of recorded shows.

Can anyone reproduce these bugs and does anyone have any workarounds that I haven't reported?

Yes, this is a regular annoyance with my box, also with TWNY.

Whenever I’m recording something and I want to watch it after it already started it is always a big mystery as to where the “show” will begin. Usually it involves sporting events which kills the suspense of the game.

What I do, as ridiculous as this sounds, is mute the audio (to aid in not hearing the game), then I put my hand over my face obscuring my view and focus down to the buffer bar to see where the actual playing time is at. If it is up to the moment, very bad thing, I then hit rewind and then use the 15 minute back rewind thing to really get me back a ways. Sometimes it is frozen and I can’t even rewind, or, I have to try to rewind several times before it kicks in.
Now I can de-mute put my glasses back on, (the blurred vision also helps not to ruin the suspense if the hand block doesn’t succeed), and then I forward to where I want it to start.

The only other option that I know of that works perfectly is to stop the recording, lose the buffer by changing the channels, on both tuners, just in case, and then start recording again. Now you have the show in two recordings. You can watch from the beginning without any hassles. Obviously the only drawback is that you might lose about a minute or two in the process.

hall

10-05-05, 03:26 PM

What I do, as ridiculous as this sounds, is mute the audio (to aid in not hearing the game), then I put my hand over my face obscuring my view... I have to admit, I'm laughing (to myself) imagining you doing this. :)
The only other option that I know of that works perfectly is to stop the recording... Obviously the only drawback is that you might lose about a minute or two in the process. Stop it during a commercial. ;)

LL3HD

10-05-05, 03:36 PM

I have to admit, I'm laughing (to myself) imagining you doing this. :)
Stop it during a commercial. ;)

:D I have to laugh too or else I’d take an axe to the box, :eek: but that would only make matters worse.

Regarding waiting for a commercial, the whole point is-- not wanting to see or know anything about the show that is being recorded, to watch later. That is why I have to do the whole Travolta / Uma dance thing. :cool:
Sometimes I’m lucky and get it in a commercial.

pepar

10-05-05, 04:10 PM

I have to admit, I'm laughing (to myself) imagining you doing this. :)
Stop it during a commercial. ;)
Ummm, yeah, my visual is of the three monkeys in a row . . . :D

rbienstock

10-05-05, 04:19 PM

Did I miss it or is there no mention about eSATA in the Passport 2.7 release?

If no eSATA then 2.7 is just fluff :rolleyes:

Right. In fact I was concerned enough about that question that I e-mailed Dan Ward (the marketing VP at Pioneer Digital) about whether 2.7 would have eSATA, and I got this discouraging reply: Thank you for your email. The press release you read is for Passport Echo on Motorola set-tops. SATA support is on the roadmap for Passport Echo on the SA set-tops, but I can’t give you a release date for that.

Please stay tuned to the web site for upcoming releases.

Best regards,

Dan Ward
Not what we wanted to hear. :(

pepar

10-05-05, 04:34 PM

Not what we wanted to hear. :(
A marketing boffin will only flog what he's got to flog on that particular day. These folks should be avoided like the plague.

margoba

10-05-05, 04:59 PM

Whoa! Seems to me that the marketing guy gave an honest answer (there's a pleasant surprise), and because you don't like the facts, you're making fun of him.

-barry

pepar

10-05-05, 07:58 PM

Whoa! Seems to me that the marketing guy gave an honest answer (there's a pleasant surprise), and because you don't like the facts, you're making fun of him.

-barry
And it seems to me that he revealed few, if any, facts about the subject of the question submitted to him.

andy9

10-06-05, 01:19 AM

What I do, as ridiculous as this sounds, is mute the audio (to aid in not hearing the game), then I put my hand over my face obscuring my view and focus down to the buffer bar to see where the actual playing time is at. If it is up to the moment, very bad thing, I then hit rewind and then use the 15 minute back rewind thing to really get me back a ways. Sometimes it is frozen and I can’t even rewind, or, I have to try to rewind several times before it kicks in.
Now I can de-mute put my glasses back on, (the blurred vision also helps not to ruin the suspense if the hand block doesn’t succeed), and then I forward to where I want it to start.

rofl - I do exactly the same thing....it is really the only way to safely get to the start of the recording (or as close to the start as the box will let you).

NCCharlie

10-06-05, 10:27 AM

My 8300 hard drive has failed after only 9 months so I've got to pick up a new one. Since I'm walking into a TW Charlotte office and probably won't get a 'new' one- is there anything I should check for from a hardware version perspective? I assume the software automatically updates so this shouldn't be an issue.

Also, only one of my HD channels (TW Carolina CBS 225) has become horrible. A friend down the street with an HD non-DVR box wasn't having issues at the same time mine was garbage. What is the best way to troubleshoot one bad HD channel? My in ground cable is only several months old (subcontractor cut my old one when installing one for a neighbor).

Thanks,
Charlie

pepar

10-06-05, 10:41 AM

hall

10-06-05, 11:29 AM

My 8300 hard drive has failed after only 9 months so I've got to pick up a new one. Since I'm walking into a TW Charlotte office and probably won't get a 'new' one... Ask very politely if you can get a *new* one. Sure, they may have 8300HDs stacked in a cabinet, with old and new ones mixed together but explain the trouble you've had and you'd really, really prefer a brand new one.

NCCharlie

10-06-05, 02:15 PM

Hopefully it's a new one, it still has the plastic film on the front and looks good. What a pain to set it back up again (custom settings, programs, etc.). I had to find component cables to even get a picture- HDMI wouldn't work until display outputs were set up.

Maybe by some weird quirk my bad CBS HD channel will clear up. The channel wasn't bad last spring so it might actually correlate with the new cable in my yard (loose connections possibly). I'll check it out once our rain stops and hope for the best- watching football & other HD shows in SD when you are used to HD stinks!

Charlie
Ask very politely if you can get a *new* one. Sure, they may have 8300HDs stacked in a cabinet, with old and new ones mixed together but explain the trouble you've had and you'd really, really prefer a brand new one.

rbienstock

10-06-05, 06:30 PM

Lately, one of my two 8300 HDs has been acting strangely. Here's an example: last Tuesday night, the recording of Commander In Chief stopped 36 minutes into the show. There was a listing in the recorded shows guide for Boston Legal that came immediately afterwards, but it was really a zero length recording, and showed only a blank grey screen when you tried to play it. Then the recording of Letterman later that night only started about 50 minutes into the show (even though the guide showed a truncated recording that started at the beginning and lasted 15 minutes). I can't understand why these recordings failed. There were a bunch of recorded shows on the machine but there was more than sufficient space if the shows that were flagged as "delete if space needed" were erased. Has anyone else encountered something like this? Does anyone have any idea what is going wrong?

Barr12

10-06-05, 09:25 PM

CynKennard

10-06-05, 11:36 PM

rbienstock,

The problem wasn't your 8300. The three major networks were dead on cable that evening. I also lost several recordings. The NYCTWC thread, I believe, had several posts on this problem.

Cynthia

lyyehsd

10-07-05, 01:28 PM

I have my sa8300 from cox in san diego hooked up to jvc rx-d401s and am getting the non-compliant hdcp error as well. I think its the box though, was a used box and the component output is all red. Going to call cox to get them to replace my box.

hall

10-07-05, 02:51 PM

lyyehsd: Turn the 8300HD *off*, but leave the TV *on*. Wait a few seconds. Now turn the 8300HD back on.

If you're getting odd colors with the components, make sure they're connected properly and securely. Maybe try a different set of cables too.

rgathright

10-08-05, 10:50 AM

I now have Directv and will be changing to TWC when we move to Spring, Texas.

Exactly what is the purpose of the Passport Software part of the SA8300DVR?

stoli412

10-08-05, 10:59 AM

Exactly what is the purpose of the Passport Software part of the SA8300DVR?Passport is the software that runs on the box. It's the program guide, the DVR functions, etc.

hall

10-08-05, 11:45 AM

Exactly what is the purpose of the Passport Software part of the SA8300DVR? Think of a PC with no operating system, just the firmware or BIOS. Without Passport or SARA software, that's effectively all you've got. Passport or SARA is the operating system. It's what talks to the hardware, to the head-end at the cableco, it's the user-interface you see and use.

NaSnake

10-08-05, 12:09 PM

RandyWalters

10-08-05, 12:34 PM

I now have Directv and will be changing to TWC when we move to Spring, Texas.

Exactly what is the purpose of the Passport Software part of the SA8300DVR?Do you know if TWC in Spring, Texas uses the Pioneer Passport software? It's also possible that they're using SARA instead (TWC uses one or the other depending on the area) so you might want to call them and verify which one they use. It's also possible that they're using the Motorola 6412 DVR and not the SA8300HD (like they do in the next county over from me).

If it is Passport, here's a link showing what it's about:

http://www.pioneerbroadband.com/passportecho/passportecho.asp

davehancock

10-08-05, 01:07 PM

I now have Directv and will be changing to TWC when we move to Spring, Texas.

Exactly what is the purpose of the Passport Software part of the SA8300DVR?

Passport is the operating system software that some cable systems use in the 8300 and other STBs (Set Top Boxes). As this software interfaces the STB to the cable system it needs to be compatable with that system. There are two software systems used by the 8300: SARA software, which was developed by Scientific Atlanta; and Passport which had been developed by Pioneer.

I don't know which system is used by the cable system in Spring.

hall

10-08-05, 01:25 PM

...so you might want to call them and verify which one they use. Good luck with that ! :)

According to this thread, http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=383882, TWC Houston uses SA 8x00 boxes. I see some mention of TW Houston using SARA. I would hope they don't have both, though I can see that happening in some cases.

EricScott

10-08-05, 01:46 PM

looks like the new firmware is starting to roll out for the 8300's at least.. I now get audio thru HDMI to my 52hmx94...btw I'm on twcnyc

p.s. I should mention that I've bitched long enough for them to get me the new firmware

So are you saying you recently received a software update in NYC? Do you have the HDMI audio option in the settings menus?

hall

10-08-05, 05:34 PM

I noticed the amount of memory my 8300HD listed when I first got it and it struck me as odd so today I was looking again and noticed these numbers on the Memory "page" in the 'diag' menu:

54.x Total System RAM

I thought the 8300HDs were supposed to have something like 96 MB of RAM ?? Checking SA's page right now..... Okay, I read part of it wrong on SA's page. First, it's 112mb total and as I look at the diag page again, they seperate system RAM from video RAM. I have 59 for system and 32 for video. SA lists another 16mb for MPEG encoding and apparently that's not listed on Passport's menus.

Another one that I think is new, or I've never paid enough attention to is on the AVFS menu:

TSB-0: 60min, 20mbps, 8.4GB Rec
TSB-1: 60min, 20mbps, 8.4GB Rec

Is this what someone's mentioned in the past week or so as a change ?? They also were updated to v2.x.x of Passport though. Or, has this listing always been there in 1.8.103 ??

Bookworm

10-08-05, 06:03 PM

Those are the buffers for the two tuners. I'm guessing TSB=Time Shift Buffer but I could be wrong. I often am. ;)

michaeltscott

10-09-05, 11:46 AM

hall, that information has always been in the Passport Echo version that came out with the SA8300HD. A recent, bug-ridden upgrade to 2.5.022 in my area has implemented it on my 8000HD as well. It's not something that I want, since it permanently allocates another 11.4GB to the trick-play buffers, robbing me of 2 hours of recording space (at my local CBS HD's 13 Mbps average--it'd be 90 minutes at 18 Mbps). I don't really feel the need for 1 hours worth of trick-play buffering, especially at the expense of so much recording capacity.

tamanaco

10-09-05, 02:15 PM

looks like the new firmware is starting to roll out for the 8300's at least.. I now get audio thru HDMI to my 52hmx94...btw I'm on twcnyc

p.s. I should mention that I've bitched long enough for them to get me the new firmware

Can you look in the Diags menu and tell us what version of Echo is installed in your 8300? Can you also tell us in which NYC borough you're located?

Thanks

chewitt

10-09-05, 04:57 PM

Do all TWCNYC SA8300 users get the software automatically through the cable or must it be downloaded separately? Did they activate the SATA port or firewire connection?

hall

10-09-05, 08:12 PM

Your cable provider downloads/installs the software to their boxes when they are ready. Short of unplugging it from the wall (cable or electric outlet), there's nothing you can do to stop it. All boxes will be running the same, current software too.

SATA does NOT work and don't expect it to for quite some time (6 months min, I'll bet). Firewire is a sticky issue. They are required by the FCC to have the ports but apparently they don't have to work... :( Or does anyone have working firewire on TW systems ?? If so, what software version is running ??

scott_bernstein

10-10-05, 11:20 AM

looks like the new firmware is starting to roll out for the 8300's at least.. I now get audio thru HDMI to my 52hmx94...btw I'm on twcnyc

p.s. I should mention that I've bitched long enough for them to get me the new firmware

I can only hope it's going to make it around to the 8000s on TWCNYC. (Yes I know I /should/ be upgrading to the 8300, but I've got a bunch of content on my 8000, *and* it has been working relatively flawlessly, so I figure I'll ride it out until it dies on me... ;-) )

It'd be nice if they tried to push the upgrade through before the Daylight Savings Time change in a few weeks -- the last few times we lost or gained an hour on the clock, us 8000 users have had to reprogram all of our series recordings that are based upon recording a show at a specific time [there's a bug in the Passport version that we have that causes the series recordings not to respect the time changes....]

Scott

EricScott

10-10-05, 12:02 PM

Not sure it is entirely clear that TWCNYC has received an upgrade. Still waiting on NaSnake's response. What I can tell you is that whenever I use the PIP on my 8300 now it crashes the box - has been happening for the past 2 weeks or so and never happened before.

PaulInParkSlope

10-10-05, 03:18 PM

What I can tell you is that whenever I use the PIP on my 8300 now it crashes the box - has been happening for the past 2 weeks or so and never happened before.

Me too. I'm crossing my fingers that the next time this happens it won't be the end of the box itself (and everything recorded on it). Have you called the helpful CSR center about it? Are they aware?

EricScott

10-10-05, 05:19 PM

Me too. I'm crossing my fingers that the next time this happens it won't be the end of the box itself (and everything recorded on it). Have you called the helpful CSR center about it? Are they aware?

Haven't had a chance. I know people have complained about the same problem for a while and I never had any issues. Guess I was just lucky.

LL3HD

10-11-05, 10:55 AM

...whenever I use the PIP on my 8300 now it crashes the box - has been happening for the past 2 weeks or so and never happened before.

I’ve had this problem for several months now. It comes and goes like an annoying nasal drip. The box will not crash if I follow these simple steps, principally, it comes down to PATIENCE. Wait for things to happen before you click the remote again

Another tip: when using the PIP feature, make sure there is an image in the PIP box before you press any other buttons on the remote. Don’t use the swap button without first establishing an image in the PIP box.

The bottom line is, don’t overload the box with clicking remote commands. Sometimes I hit the button repeatedly thinking that the remote signal didn’t hook up with the STB but it did and then it crashes.

cdub998

10-11-05, 11:15 AM

EricScott

10-11-05, 11:35 AM

I’ve had this problem for several months now. It comes and goes like an annoying nasal drip. The box will not crash if I follow these simple steps, principally, it comes down to PATIENCE. Wait for things to happen before you click the remote again

Another tip: when using the PIP feature, make sure there is an image in the PIP box before you press any other buttons on the remote. Don’t use the swap button without first establishing an image in the PIP box.

The bottom line is, don’t overload the box with clicking remote commands. Sometimes I hit the button repeatedly thinking that the remote signal didn’t hook up with the STB but it did and then it crashes.

That's helpful. Thanks.

I rarely use PIP b/c it has always been slow to respond to commands (channel changes for example) and b/c the 4:3 box bothers me. Plus the placement of the box is way too far into the center of the screen (I'm sure it's designed for 4:3 displays). The box should be smart enough to know that if you select 16:9 as your TV type in the settings menus that it should show a 16:9 pip box and put it around the edges of a 16:9 screen.

humdinger70

10-11-05, 12:16 PM

Has anyone here who received the 2.5.022 firmware upgrade had any decent success with it? There are lots of reports on my local San Diego TWC forum board at http://hdtv.forsandiego.com of all sorts of issues. :mad:

It also looks like TWC corporate has acknowledged there are severe problems with that upgrade and have ordered that fixes for it be a MAJOR priority.

What's the latest release in the 1.8.xxx series?

hall

10-11-05, 01:28 PM

What's the latest release in the 1.8.xxx series? I believe the majority of us are running 1.8.103.

humdinger70

10-11-05, 04:29 PM

I believe the majority of us are running 1.8.103.

1.8.103 was what I had prior to this last upgrade.

There was talk/rumor about a 1.8.11x version. I'm starting to think that's the way TWC San Diego should have gone...a small incremental release, then 2.5.xxx when it was fully debugged! :eek:

hall

10-11-05, 05:37 PM

My local TWC is planning to roll out 1.8.112, which I believe Barry928, from Brighthouse in Florida was beta-testing. As I recall, the minor revs before it had issues but don't recall if he's reported anything bad with .112.

My contact at my local TWC stated this a couple of weeks ago:

We'll upgrade to Echo 1.8.112 later this month or early next, we still doing some local testing. If someone is using Echo 2.5.022 then I would expect their either a beta site for this code or it's another MSO. 112 just received approval from our corporate labs.

I asked him about the next s/w release as well as the guys in SD and LA running 2.x.x versions of Passport Echo.

IamtheWolf

10-11-05, 07:39 PM

I believe the majority of us are running 1.8.103.

1.8.111 here in Raleighwood

Barry928

10-11-05, 10:13 PM

IamtheWolf

10-12-05, 07:14 PM

We are nearing the release of echo 1.8.112 in Central Florida. I only found minor flaws like the black outline of the guide menu was left on the screen at initial power up, but it would go away if you changed the channel or called up a menu screen. This release seems very stable.

I have the "black outline" problem with 1.8.111, too. It wasn't always that way, but just appeared. I haven't bothered to cold boot the box or anything. As you suggest, I just change the channel and it goes away.

Darksaber

10-12-05, 08:16 PM

NC Charlie

I too am in Charlotte, and I also have trouble with 225. A lot of pixelation and drop outs. most annoying

SCriss

10-13-05, 10:35 AM

I am wondering if anyone here has an opinion on the best way to get the best quality SD picture from the 8300HD STB.

I've read some opinions that say that the problem is that SD doesn't play nice with component cables, and that is the reason for poor SD PQ. I've seen in other threads that people think the box itself is a major problem, and they bypass it altogether with a splitter, and run a separate coax directly into their television for watching SD broadcast, and the picture is much better.

I've also seen people suggest using an s-video connection from the STB rather than using the component and that that greatly improves the SD picture. (This obviously this requires the other STB outputs to work while also using the component for HD, otherwise the tradeoff in HD quality wouldn't be worth it.)

Any opinions here?

pepar

10-13-05, 10:56 AM

davehancock

10-13-05, 11:08 AM

That's a point of discussion here with no clear cut answer.
I'll sure second that! One additional issue is the 8300HD setting regarding "pass-thru". In many cases (some would say most) the set will do a better job of upconverting SD than the 8300. You need to try the various set-ups and find which works best in YOUR situation. :)

mikeford

10-14-05, 03:32 AM

My 8300HD won't talk to my poor old SDTV, its seems stuck in 1080i (1080i is on in the display). I can change channels, and see that "something" is going on, but display on tv is scrambled, with about 30 horizontal lines wiggling, or a grid of dots if I turn off the cable box.

I have booted a few times various ways, and removed some cables, no change. All I ever see that looks normal is a second or two during boot where it says PowerTV.

Hookup is Video/R/L to Reciever, same on output 2 to VCR, tried Svideo to reciever and VCR, tried optical digital audio cable to receiver, coax to VCR.

Sorry if answer is buried in 68 page thread, but I found nothing.

Lacking anythng better box is going back to TW in the morning.

mikeford

10-14-05, 05:53 AM

I was able to access the setup screens (Quick Setup) by using the signal from my VCR hooked up to the 8300HD output2, and in the advanced section I set allowed TV to 480i, and now the normal video output is something I can view on my TV.

But, its not color, just B&W. I swapped connections to the Reciever (VCR and Cable box), and confirmed the main output on the 8300HD is funky, and rest of chain is OK. Giving up for tonight, disconnecting the normal video output from the reciever seems to have turned off the output2 that was going to my VCR, plus a garden spider ran under my pondering recliner greatly reducing the amount of pondering I am willing to do in it.

PQ what I have seen of it was great, maybe even some answers here by the time I am doing stuff on it tomorrow.

mikeford

10-14-05, 05:58 AM

OH, no clue if its related, but I get no PIP from the 8300HD. Clicking the ON/OFF button on the remote does nothing I can detect. Pressing swap moved between a program I was recording and different channel I had picked, but no PIP.

pepar

10-14-05, 09:20 AM

My 8300HD won't talk to my poor old SDTV, its seems stuck in 1080i (1080i is on in the display). I can change channels, and see that "something" is going on, but display on tv is scrambled, with about 30 horizontal lines wiggling, or a grid of dots if I turn off the cable box.

I have booted a few times various ways, and removed some cables, no change. All I ever see that looks normal is a second or two during boot where it says PowerTV.

Hookup is Video/R/L to Reciever,
What is the "Video" connection? Composite, s-video, component?

And the follow-up question would be why do you have a hi-def box hooked to a standard definition display?

hall

10-14-05, 09:23 AM

Hookup is Video/R/L to Reciever Are you going from the 8300 to your stereo receiver then to your TV ?? If so, eliminate the receiver -- go direct from the 8300 to the TV -- as a potential problem.

Goatweed

10-14-05, 11:42 AM

I have a Sony XBR400 which is an SD/HD set and I have the 8300HD connected via component for HD and S-vid for SD. Most of the SD channels look pretty good, there are a few that look grainy but overall it's much improved over the SA 3250 I had prior to this STB. I run the audio from the STB to the TV via the red/white RCA jacks for normal viewing, and I have the optical audio connected to my home theater for "movie nights". Aside from having loads of cabling, everything seems to work fine.

dmcdayton

10-14-05, 12:28 PM

The conversation has come around to a favorite topic of mine; I've watched a lot of SDTV on my Infocus 4805 with the SA3250 & SA8300 over both Component and DVI.

-With digital cable on a high quality, digital channel (HBO), the picture looks as good (or even a little better) over DVI than a Standard 4:3 aspect ratio DVD over component

-Even though I have digital cable, not all channels are yet broadcast digitally (anything under 150 for me I think is the rule). I still watch The Daily Show with John Stewart even though it looks like crap blown up to 92"

-Most sporting events broadcast in SDTV don't look that good, especially long camera shots of the crowd...tends to look very mosquitoey..but again, like Daily Show, doesn't take away from the reason you watch.

-DVI(HDMI) is pristine with HBO(SDTV) channels on SA3250 and I have every reason to think the SA8300 will be too when TWC gets my freakin' HDCP issue resolved.

-Component is slight notch down though I am only one who notices it, a little more video noise, not quite as sharp.

-I didn't like SDTV over Svideo or composite, these really take a hit.

-The size of your display is everything. My 27" Samsung looks great with that same analog Daily Show signal....but with a 92" screen in my HT, its hard to go backwards.

-From talking to the cable company about this several times, there is also varying broadcast quality from the channels themselves, some just aren't as good because they haven't invested in better equipment.

-All this said, HDTV is stunning on my 4805 at 92"....with a few exceptions, I hunt for and record HDTV content exclusively...its that much better in color and contrast.

Hope this is useful to someone considering the 8300. I really like the menu speed on this new box and hope they get all these software glitches worked out soon.

John Mason

10-14-05, 02:07 PM

Quite a few posts suggest 8300HD the YPrPb output of 8300HDs are limited to <1300 lines maximum horizontal resolvable detail; (still 1920X1080i, of course). I measure 1290 lines (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=5175424#post5175424). Elsewhere, vegggas suggested this is because the firmware for the video-out chip is generic. Since one TWC cable subscriber got 1600 lines (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=5911408&&#post5911408) using a CableCard, indicating this resolvable detail from HDNet's test pattern was present, wonder if cable systems could tweak their firmware for improved-resolution output? (Other CableCard users just claim images are improved.) Perhaps someone has worked closely with a head-end tech or others involved with 8300HD firmware updates and could inquire. -- John

mikeford

10-14-05, 04:08 PM

What is the "Video" connection? Composite, s-video, component?

And the follow-up question would be why do you have a hi-def box hooked to a standard definition display?

Time Warner, at least here in SoCal, says they only give out HD boxes now. Mine has a build date of Sept/05 or something like that. Unfortunately mine did not include a new HDTV.

"Video out" on the 8300HD is a dual use plug, "yellow" composite AND one of the 3 component outputs. My hookup is straight out of the 8300HD guide, paper doesn't show the same back as I have, but .pdf is pretty close.

************************* more detail than anybody wants follows;

Outputs are in a 3x3 grid, if numbered like like a PC keypad; 7 4 1 is component, with 1 the composite, 8 5 is analog audio, 2 coax digital, 9 6 3 output 2 with 9 6 analog audio, and 3 composite. Just to the right is S-video and optical digital.

My TV is a ancient Hitachi 31KX1B, that weighs 230 lbs and hasn't been moved an inch since the day it was delivered. Works fine, not the HD front projector I want to have, but its whats there, and PQ is decent. It has ONE fussy detail, plugging in a S-video cable defeats the composite, even if the S-Video isn't connected on the other end, and I still have a few hundred Laserdiscs, and a pre S-video player. I do have a handfull of S to Comp adapter things from Dayton, so time to try them I guess.

Pretty clearly Scientific Atlanta assumed these boxes would only go to HD users, and Time Warner made the choice to hand them out to everybody. One of the CSR I talked to at TW said the boxes are supposed to make switching to HD easy enough not to require a service call.

mikeford

10-14-05, 07:56 PM

Are you going from the 8300 to your stereo receiver then to your TV ?? If so, eliminate the receiver -- go direct from the 8300 to the TV -- as a potential problem.

I tried bypassing, and its the 8300HD making the B&W on that output.

******************************************** Current Status.

PIP does nothing, no clue on why not from TW CSR.

Video out from 8300HD "Video" is still B&W, but I am making do with S-Video and a Dayton converter going into my Receiver. PQ overal is fine, bit of fuzzy on info screens in top left corner.

******************************************** DIAG screen is channel 199.

CANNON-FODDER

10-14-05, 11:23 PM

RandyWalters

10-15-05, 12:28 AM

"Video out" on the 8300HD is a dual use plug, "yellow" composite AND one of the 3 component outputs. My hookup is straight out of the 8300HD guide, paper doesn't show the same back as I have, but .pdf is pretty close.

Pretty clearly Scientific Atlanta assumed these boxes would only go to HD users, and Time Warner made the choice to hand them out to everybody. One of the CSR I talked to at TW said the boxes are supposed to make switching to HD easy enough not to require a service call.If you're looking at a PDF file that shows a different setup then you have then that paper is probably a diagram of the older 8000HD, not the 8300HD that you have. On the 8000HD one of the Component outputs (the green one?) is dual-use as an SD output when the DVR is manually switched to SD mode.

I think early 8300HDs also used the 8000HD's shared-Component method but the ones i see now have a separate yellow Video Out jack and an S-Video jack which are active and you're supposed to connect one of these to your non-HD set instead. This is how i connected my neighbor's 8300HD to his old non-HD tube TV. This may explain why you're getting a BW picture through the one Component jack. The cable company knew he had a non-HD set but gave him the 8300HD and told him to just use it in SD mode, and that he'd have over twice the HD capacity as a regular non-HD DVR. Both the 8000HD and 8300HD are designed to be used on a regular non-HD set but you have to connect them correctly. You should also be able to get a 480i signal from your RF output if you want to send a 480i signal to another TV or monitor. This was not possible on the 8000HD.

Try connecting the yellow Video Out jack to your TV, or the S-Video. That should work.

mikeford

10-15-05, 06:56 AM

I am using the setup guide for the 8300HD, a .pdf file and the diagram matches exactly the back of my set.
http://www.scientificatlanta.com/ExplorerClubGuides/getting_started/4003986.pdf and it is laid out exactly as I stated in my earlier post.

"PrPbY/V Connect the 8300HD (when in HD mode) to the component video input (YPrPb) on the HDTV. When the 8300HD is configured for SD mode, the Y/V portion of the component video output connects to the composite video input of an HDTV or SDTV."

The guide shows a setup mode to initiate before power on that wasn't in the other docs I have read, so I will try that, but it "looks" a whole like like the normal settings display. Press INFO and GUIDE on the 8300HD front panel at the same time to start it.

****************************************** More after I get some sleep, but I just wanted to post that I am not a total boob, I found the guide for my box, and followed the instructions in the materials TW gave me. The hatch just blew, really.

hall

10-15-05, 08:44 AM

Outputs are in a 3x3 grid, if numbered like like a PC keypad; 7 4 1 is component, with 1 the composite You're wrong there. Look at the manual's picture again. Using your numpad reference, "3" is composite video. You need to connect to 9+6+3 *only*.
The guide shows a setup mode to initiate before power on that wasn't in the other docs I have read, so I will try that, but it "looks" a whole like like the normal settings display. Press INFO and GUIDE on the 8300HD front panel at the same time to start it. That information is only applicable on SARA software versioned boxes. Those boxes do have a "setup wizard" that runs the 1st time the box is powered on (or you can initiate it with they key-combination you mention). If you're in this thread, you should have Passport Echo.

tommy122

10-15-05, 10:27 AM

I have a strange problem with my 8300. I have the digital audio hooked up to my 5.1 via coaxial. When I am watching something in 5.1 and something else is about to record it asks me to confirm. when I confirm the recording the 5.1 shuts down and goes back to pro logic II. I have to go back into the 8300 settings and hit accept on dolby digital to go back to 5.1. anyone have this problem?

The exact same thing happens to me and I'm using an optical audio cable. Must be some anomaly with the 8300 box. It was especially annoying at first because I was rebooting each time. I finally figured out I could "fix" it by re-accepting Dolby Digital.

tommy122

10-15-05, 10:56 AM

CANNON-FODDER

10-15-05, 11:05 AM

Settings.
-- More Settings (A).
---- Aspect Ratio
---- Output Format
---- Audio Digital Out

I do not have HDMI or the newer software versions with the fix for 5.1/HDMI, so that may alter or add to these.
v/r,
C-F

RandyWalters

10-15-05, 11:11 AM

My "Setting" button only toggles from off to on. I have to press the settings button and then select "More Settings" which takes me to General Settings. I have no selection for "picture size", "picture format" or "audio range" on either menu. This disagrees with what I see in the pdf User Manual. Are these setting not offered with Passport vs. SARA?You didn't put the "HD" part after your 8300 subject line so do you have the Standard Def version (8300) and not the HD version (8300HD)? In the More Settings level you should have the settings called Aspect Ratio and Output Formats right below it. If you don't have these then your DVR is not an HD model, or somehow the thing is in some sort of "SD Mode" like they use on the earlier 8000HD (which hides the HD-related menus from view).

tommy122

10-15-05, 11:38 AM

You didn't put the "HD" part after your 8300 subject line so do you have the Standard Def version (8300) and not the HD version (8300HD)? In the More Settings level you should have the settings called Aspect Ratio and Output Formats right below it. If you don't have these then your DVR is not an HD model, or somehow the thing is in some sort of "SD Mode" like they use on the earlier 8000HD (which hides the HD-related menus from view).

I have a SA 8300HD DVR. Actually I have an excellent HD picture and pretty good SD Digital and analog pictures. I force 720P from the box which I have read is the best overall resolution for a plasma tv. HD broadcast appear as normal 16:9 and I zoom 4:3 to fit the screen. The zoom does not give great PQ but I'm a little concerned with "burn in" so I live with it. I have read other posts where people referred to "Audio Range" which gives a choice between narrow, wide, etc. Audio Range is not offered in my settings and that's the setting I was most interested in. (I am using component video and optical audio.)

mikeford

10-15-05, 05:34 PM

I love this box, but the software must have been designed by apes (chimps maybe for the better parts).

"3" is the same in all the guides and the back of my set, OUTPUT 2, for the VCR connection. Not a big deal, I am using the S-Video now, the Dayton adapter may have issues, I am not really sure whats fuzzy, my tv in the corner or what, but its not a deal killer.

PIP not working really has me puzzled. Its a simple and 100% internal function of the 8300HD, one step away from not getting channel 7 or something basic, and illogical.

If I don't sort stuff out in a few more days I guess I really may end up with a tech coming out to push buttons for me. TW CSR certainly has no clue.

tommy122

10-16-05, 08:00 AM

pepar

10-16-05, 10:23 AM

Is the cable out connection on the back of the 8300HD DVR a "direct passthru"? In other words, if I connect the cable out on the 8300 to the cable in on my VCR, will I be able to change channels on the VCR or will it always be on the same channel as the 8300?
I think the "cable out" connection is to feed the cable box output - the channel selected - via RF to a display for those displays - very old ones - that have NO other input. To get the cable channels to a VCR, you need a splitter before the box.

davehancock

10-16-05, 12:26 PM

I think the "cable out" connection is to feed the cable box output - the channel selected - via RF to a display for those displays - very old ones - that have NO other input. To get the cable channels to a VCR, you need a splitter before the box.

That's right. Actually, I have found this function handy - I've used it as (sort of) a Multi-Room function (I have more than one RF coax running to some rooms in my house). :cool:

pepar

10-16-05, 01:24 PM

That's right. Actually, I have found this function handy - I've used it as (sort of) a Multi-Room function (I have more than one RF coax running to some rooms in my house). :cool:
The only possibly negative point that folks need to be aware of is that the "cable out" signal is 480i and 4:3.

tommy122

10-16-05, 06:46 PM

To get the cable channels to a VCR, you need a splitter before the box.

Thanks. That's the way I currently have the VCR connected. I was hoping that if the cable out was a "passthru", I could eliminate a splitter.....guess not...

pepar

10-16-05, 06:50 PM

Thanks. That's the way I currently have the VCR connected. I was hoping that if the cable out was a "passthru", I could eliminate a splitter.....guess not...
You could try it as it's been a l o n g time since I've used it. The manual should say exactly what it does . . .

garyft

10-17-05, 02:53 PM

michaeltscott

10-17-05, 03:01 PM

I'm new to this forum and I have a couple of questions I'm hoping someone here can help me with:

1. I have a SA 8300HD. How do I determine what software version is on it?If nothing else, you can go to the multi-page diagnostics and find the information there (on my system, there is a brief system status display on channel 998 with the information, but that's going to be very system specific). See how to get to the multi-page diags at the end of the Passport Tips and Tricks (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=4547722&&#post4547722) post. (Should you need to find that post again, there's a pointer to it in the first post of this thread).

fcsmith

10-17-05, 03:32 PM

I have TWC in the Kansas City area, and now have an 8300HD (running Passport) with an active firewire port. Unfortunately, it doesn't work correctly. The picture displays for a short time, then freezes. I have it hooked up to a JVC HM-DH5U VCR. I have no troubles with a 3250HD hooked up to the same JVC via firewire. If anyone has an 8300HD running Passport with a (correctly) working firewire connection, please report.

tbuck410

10-17-05, 04:35 PM

2. My HDTV has a 4x3 screen. According to the guides for the 8300HD, if I set the box for a 4:3 screen, it should automatically letterbox the picture for the HD channels, but it doesn't. Is there a setting somewhere that I'm missing?

I have the same problem. If I set the 8300 to letterbox HD, it fills the screen and is distorted. I am using component cables from 8300 to 4:3 HDTV. SD looks good - no surprise.

hall

10-17-05, 05:14 PM

For you guys with 4:3 HD sets, might you need to use the "normal" setting, i.e. not stretch and not zoom ?? Or, do you need to go "Settings", then "A" for 'More settings' and play with the aspect ratio settings there ??

The 8300HD doesn't know that your TV is 4:3 vs 16:9 (or does it assume they're 16:9 ??). Maybe it's a combination between the set-top and the TV's settings....

mikeford

10-17-05, 05:24 PM

I'm new to this forum and I have a couple of questions I'm hoping someone here can help me with:

1. I have a SA 8300HD. How do I determine what software version is on it?

2. My HDTV has a 4x3 screen. According to the guides for the 8300HD, if I set the box for a 4:3 screen, it should automatically letterbox the picture for the HD channels, but it doesn't. Is there a setting somewhere that I'm missing?

Channel 199 is diagnostic info on my 8300HD from Time Warner. I had to punch 199 in too, ch+ etc. doesn't see 199.

Be specific, what brand/model TV hooked up to which ins and outs, and what service are you using (this thread is just about systems using Pioneer software, which is all Time Warner I think). Are you sure you are tuned to a HD channel?

CABLE OUT is not a passthru, its the old ch 3 style of output of whatever the cable box is tuned to. I use an 8 way splitter on my cable, otherwise the VCR can't tune to a time setting channel automatically.

CANNON-FODDER

10-17-05, 07:30 PM

tbuck410 & garyft,
I have issues with the aspect ratio controls here in KC using a 4x3 TV. I have listed the bugs and what I ended up using earlier in the thread at: #1693 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6136966&&#post6136966) #936 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=5317000&&#post5317000) #737 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=5207591&&#post5207591)

v/r,
C-F

mikeford

10-17-05, 07:36 PM

mikeford,
I think you are using the G/Y RCA port as marked on the unit and you are getting a black and white picture on your standard definition TV. If the 8300HD is sending Y/Pb/Pr that is what I believe to happen, seems to be right but not what you want. Have you disabled all of then 480p/720p/1080i resolutions in the settings to see if that converts the component out into a composite?
If you have, you might want to try to see if you can get to an SD mode like the 8000HD had. I have not attempted this, and some report that it does not work the same on the 8300HD. POST (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6150596&&#post6150596) It may or may not work, but it probably won't hurt to try either.

A couple of posts later, I believe CARNIVORE and tekdredger were having trouble with newer units and A/V receivers. I do not remember a posted solution to that problem, YMMV. POST (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6165290&&#post6165290)

v/r,
C-F

The group of ports is marked Out 1, and the specific socket is marked with a hash of lines in the box and V/Y, composite and Y component use.

All output modes disabled except for 480i (disable all of them and it poofs back to 1080i)

Nothing happens with any of the STB button combinations, except the channel changes.

I plugged the V cable directly (using a cable coupler) to the TV, same B&W.

******************************************* Current status.

Software Version is Passport Echo 1.8.103 which seems OLD compared to most. This is from Time Warner of Orange, Calif.

PIP does nothing, no window or anything else ever appears.

V/Y output appears stuck on Y, with no composite yet.

S-video seems fine, but I have to use a Dayton adapter and plug it into composite input on my receiver due to it being a royal PITA to reach back of TV right now and plug in a S-video cable.

Minor sound issues, channel to channel level changes, and poor/funky sound on some channels. 8300HD connects to both Optical and analog inputs on my Kenwood VR410 receiver, but optical I think is only selected. The level changes have made for some late night drama when channel surfing. Just as pesky is the junk sneaking into surround channels from time to time.

Thanks to all for help so far.

RandyWalters

10-18-05, 12:23 AM

I'm new to this forum and I have a couple of questions I'm hoping someone here can help me with:

1. I have a SA 8300HD. How do I determine what software version is on it?

2. My HDTV has a 4x3 screen. According to the guides for the 8300HD, if I set the box for a 4:3 screen, it should automatically letterbox the picture for the HD channels, but it doesn't. Is there a setting somewhere that I'm missing?The easiest way to see which software you have is to go into the Output Formats menu and see if the four formats are listed (480p, 480i, 720p, 1080i) that you dot or un-dot to select which means you have Passport and this is the thread for you.

But if it says sumthin like Upconvert 1, Upconvert 2, 480i Passthrough etc then you have SARA and you'll have to go to one of the SARA threads.

HD on your 4:3 TV should indeed be letterboxed automatically, as long as your TV supports it (whatever it is).

1. What brand & model TV do you have?

2. Exactly how is the 8300HD connected to your TV?

3. In your Output Format menu, which resolutions do you have selected?

garyft

10-18-05, 06:36 PM

RandyWalters,

After some investigation, it appears that my box is running SARA. TWC in Austin, TX is apparently using SARA, at least on my box.

My TV is a Toshiba 43H72. I have the 8300HD connected using the component output as that is the only connection I have on my TV. I have all resolutions selected for output except 720p since my TV doesn't support it.

humdinger70

10-18-05, 10:44 PM

For anyone with the 2.5.022 Passport Echo....

Time-Warner San Diego is pushing out a fix tonight. This is not a rumor, TWC-SD sent out a message via telephone that the update is occurring so it's an official fix.

It should be up by early Wednesday. We'll let you know if it works.

hall

10-19-05, 10:14 AM

A member over at DSL Reports says he can't record the same show, on at the same time, on both the non-HD channel and the HD channel at the same time. For example, on my local CBS, at 10pm tonight, is showing CSI:NY. You can watch it in either standard-def or high-def, depending which channel you choose. He says if he schedules both to record, it will only record the SD channel (never the HD).

Anyone seen this ?? Any ideas why it doesn't record both ?? I speculated that it sees "CSI:NY" at 10pm but ignores that it's on different channels and presumes it to be a duplicate. Then again, it will record duplicates anyway.

tommy122

10-19-05, 10:33 AM

For anyone with the 2.5.022 Passport Echo....
I just checked my version of Passport Echo and it is 1.8.111. Is Raleigh, NC TWC that far behind in software updates or is it just a regional thing?

hall

10-19-05, 10:49 AM

1.8.111 is only one minor release behind TW's corporate approved release (1.8.112). The systems running 2.5.022 are NOT the normal circumstances. Did you read the reports from those guys with that newer version ?? I'm betting many wish they didn't have it.... They're having lots of trouble with it.

pepar

10-19-05, 12:21 PM

hall

10-19-05, 12:38 PM

Heh, I often try and explain to people why software, for example, works the way it does and tell them that software usually doesn't make any assumptions. It's either "yes" or "no", no "maybe".

holl_ands

10-19-05, 01:19 PM

TWC San Diego provided updated SA8300HD firmware this morning:

SA8300HD HD-PVR new version uploaded this morning:
PASSPORT Echo 2.5.027, dtg Oct 13 2005
PowerTV 6.14.66.1sp, dtg Sep 8 2005
PowerKey PKEY_3.8.4.2-p +dvrs3, dtg Sep 9 2005

Note ALL THREE VERSIONS were updated, so fixes were needed all around,
and 3 times as many things to go wrxonggggxg....
Obviously they should debug and test the software BEFORE they release it next time!!!!!

The earlier (27Sep05) PASSPORT Echo 2.5.022 (dtg Sep 9 2005) was locking up and/or
spontaneously resetting DD5.1 to Stereo about every other day in my experience.
Hopefully this new release will fix these problems without causing too many more....

=========================================================
Yesterday, TWC-SD actually apologized for their 27Sep05 firmware release:

"Recently, we did a software upgrade that may have caused some problems with your DVR.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and want to let you know that
we will do an upgrade this Wednesday, October 19, that should correct these problems."

WOW!!!! TWC actually communicating useful information to their customers!!!!
All I've ever seen in the past are flyers trying to sell me more stuff I don't need.....

But, TWC-SD website STILL doesn't say whether they "support" the federally mandated DVI/HDMI
and IEEE-1394 FIREWIRE capabilities....
And STILL doesn't have ANY manuals posted for ANY of their DVR's....

mikeford

10-19-05, 04:07 PM

I just checked my version of Passport Echo and it is 1.8.111. Is Raleigh, NC TWC that far behind in software updates or is it just a regional thing?

TW in Orange Cal and mine has passport echo 1.8.103

humdinger70

10-19-05, 04:09 PM

I think that San Diego has been designated some sort of "beta" market test area for future upgrades. Probably in preparation for Pioneer's new 2.7 software they've been touting.

What other areas have the 2.5.xxx Passport Echo version?

michaeltscott

10-19-05, 04:45 PM

Beta-testing firmware on non-volunteers is a way to lose masses of customers. .022 was buggy in the extreme, particularly on the 8300HD (which I fortunately never switched to :D)). I timed the cancel upcoming recording operation at 45 seconds--very annoying. It's back to 2 seconds. The stuttering problem is still there, though it can be remedied by rewinding a bit. I don't expect all non-techies to figure that out by experimentation though.

Another change I notice is that the Passport Echo bootstrap spash screen has a pastel "Activ" logo at the bottom. When you go to www.pioneerbroadband.com now, the logo on the page is Aptiv Digital--apparently the division has been renamed. It's worth perusing the site--there are some interesting new features coming up in 2.7: "Interactive Video Mosaic", "Isubscribe" and "Quick Menu".

archiguy

10-20-05, 09:58 AM

It's worth perusing the site--there are some interesting new features coming up in 2.7: "Interactive Video Mosaic", "Isubscribe" and "Quick Menu".

Meh. I don't think anyone is clamoring for those features. Probably the feature customers want most is support for SATA expansion drives; at least in my house. ;) Next would be firewire support. And there's no mention of when, if ever, we'll finally get those...

BoilermakEric

10-20-05, 10:09 AM

Trying to resolve an issue that I haven't seen posted in this exact form yet... I currently have 480i and 1080i selected for output over HDMI to my display for watching SD/HD content respectively. In reality, only 480i input gets passed on as 480i and everything else as 1080i, such as some 480p SD content.

I prefer to keep 480i selected as my display's DRC circuitry tends to improve the image quite significantly. All works great when watching live TV, but...

Whenever trying to use the 8300HD's DVR functionality with 480i content, the box refuses to pass it on. Whether watching a fully recorded show or something in the buffer (even just pushing pause), the box flips over to 1080i.

With some simple experiments, I've seen that if 480p/720p are added to my output list, the same problem happens, but it jumps from 480i output to 480p. All of this is pretty annoying considering:

1) The switch to a new resolutation takes my display ~2 seconds to adjust and in a rewind operation, many times miss what I'm rewinding through.
2) 480i output just plain looks better since the display can play with the DRC
3) Once it's switched to the new resolution, it won't switch back until I change channels, even if I jump forward to live TV.

The only solution I've found thus far is to force ONLY 480i out of the box when playing back 480i content. I'm just hoping there's something better out there.

Any ideas? Thanks!

jmp_nyc

10-20-05, 11:13 AM

With the reshuffling of some of the network schedules this year, I miss one of the features from my Tivo and want to figure out how to get it working on my 8300HD. (When I first got an HD-DVR from TWC, they promised it was "just like Tivo." They have yet to deliver on that promise, and this is one of the big issues.)

On a Tivo, if you have multiple season passes for shows with overlapping timeslots, the Tivo will record the lower-priority shows later in the week if they are rerun. This is particularly useful on Sunday nights with Law & Order: Criminal Intent and the various HBO shows. The Tivo will record L&O, but will then automatically catch the HBO show at one of the times it's rerun during the rest of the week.

For some reason, the Passport software doesn't seem to want to do this. If I want to record L&O:CI and Rome, yet still watch Sunday Night Football in HD, I have to remember to manually tell the DVR to record Rome on Tuesday. There is an option in the settings for recording an entire series to specify a timeslot, but it only offers 9pm, it doesn't allow me to say that it should be recorded at 9pm Tuesday instead of Sunday.

In theory, this should be a pretty simple thing for the programmers to work out. Of course, the code on the 8300 is so buggy to begin with that I'm sure there isn't an efficient way to add this functionality. Does anyone have any suggestions?
-JMP