I am thinking of cancelling my TWC cable service and going with Dish network. If I do this, are they going to ask for the boxes back?

I don't mind giving them one box, but the other box contains a lot of programs I want to keep. So what happens if I give one box back but refuse to give them the other one? Are they going to charge me and if so, what will the cost be?

It's a Motorola DVR with a 60gig hard drive. I've had it for about 3 years or so, so it's quite an old model.

I am sure that they will want it back or they will charge you for it then brick it!! (this makes it useless).

You should think about copying the content to a recorder.

Time for a DVD recorder (or VCR) -

So what happens if I give one box back but refuse to give them the other one? Are they going to charge me and if so, what will the cost be?

Well, yeah, it's their box. You're just renting it. If you somehow "lost" it, they'd probably charge at least a couple hundred (if not several hundred) and then as posted before, make it useless to use (the box needs communication with the home office.)

Yeah, I'd get a DVD recorder or rig up some other recording apparatus if you want those shows.

TWC will charge you something like $350-450 for a STB if you don't return the box, so you have to figure out if those recorded shows are worth that much to you. DVRs might be in the $500 range, you need to check their fee list.

Yeah, I'd get a DVD recorder or rig up some other recording apparatus if you want those shows.This is probably the best one available: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Philips-Hard-Disk-DVD-Recorder-DVDR3575H/sem/rpsm/oid/186585/catOid/-12876/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do.

I am thinking of cancelling my TWC cable service and going with Dish network. If I do this, are they going to ask for the boxes back?

I don't mind giving them one box, but the other box contains a lot of programs I want to keep. So what happens if I give one box back but refuse to give them the other one? Are they going to charge me and if so, what will the cost be?

It's a Motorola DVR with a 60gig hard drive. I've had it for about 3 years or so, so it's quite an old model.

You better believe it that they ask you for box.

even if u kept box (dvr ?), after terminating service u might not be able to operate it. other than the basic front panel consumer user controls, the sa8000hd dvrs i use to have were remotely controlled by cable co from 165 miles away thru the cable itself. digital and all, u know.

best to get a dvd recorder and record the stuff u want before u terminate service.

Thanks for the replies gentlemen it's appreciated.

Now....you have recommended I get a DVD recorder to to archive my shows. I have no problem with this. *BUT*.... aren't the shows on my Motorola box encrypted, therefore preventing me from transferring them to the dvd recorder(or even a PC for that matter) via firewire or USB?

I would like nothing more than to be able to get rid of the box and archive the shows on my pc hard drive, but according to posters in another thread, the only way I can do this is in "real time" via S-video and a PC capture card. I don't want to go that route, because it would take ages to record 60gigs worth of programs in real time, plus the video quality would no doubt suffer.

So what do you suggest? Am I wrong in thinking the shows are encrypted and not able to be transferred via firewire?

I'm not sure if the shows are encrypted or not (it wouldn't surprise me if they were), but usually the USB ports and firewire ports are left inactive (future use) or for things like a keyboard function. I don't think most cable companies have them active to transfer data off of the hard drive or would be inclined to allow such a thing.

Direct transfer on S-video is probably your best bet, even if it'll take awhile.

I'm not sure if the shows are encrypted or not (it wouldn't surprise me if they were), but usually the USB ports and firewire ports are left inactive (future use) or for things like a keyboard function. I don't think most cable companies have them active to transfer data off of the hard drive or would be inclined to allow such a thing.

Direct transfer on S-video is probably your best bet, even if it'll take awhile.

if OP does use s vid and content is encrypted :confused:see firebird-systems.com for 'de-encryptors'.:cool:

Direct transfer on S-video is probably your best bet, even if it'll take awhile.


are there any pc tv tuners with DVI or HDMI connections?

I'm not sure if the shows are encrypted or not (it wouldn't surprise me if they were), but usually the USB ports and firewire ports are left inactive (future use) or for things like a keyboard function. I don't think most cable companies have them active to transfer data off of the hard drive or would be inclined to allow such a thing.

Direct transfer on S-video is probably your best bet, even if it'll take awhile.

I second to that, I don't believe you can find any DVR STB that you can download recorded material off from it to your PC or any other media.

I second to that, I don't believe you can find any DVR STB that you can download recorded material off from it to your PC or any other media.

Sure you can. The Motorola DVR platform still has working firewire ports that provide a way to dump HD content to D-VHS and, in the case of a handful of techno-geeks, a computer. Consult the Recorders Forum for more info. Be forewarned however, those guys are not very helpful over there if you're a newbie trying to figure out how to do it. I've tried. :rolleyes:

Sure you can. The Motorola DVR platform still has working firewire ports that provide a way to dump HD content to D-VHS and, in the case of a handful of techno-geeks, a computer. Consult the Recorders Forum for more info. Be forewarned however, those guys are not very helpful over there if you're a newbie trying to figure out how to do it. I've tried. :rolleyes:

Be practical we are talking about average DVR and average Joe not with help of Hitech companies and army of expert to get the data off the DVR .

Be practical we are talking about average DVR and average Joe not with help of Hitech companies and army of expert to get the data off the DVR .

I'm sorry, I thought I was. From what I understand, the firewire port on the Moto DVR's works just fine to dump HD content off to D-VHS (the only "approved" function and the "other media" to which you originally referred). One can then transfer it to computer via the D-VHS deck's firewire connection if the copy once flags have not been set. And you don't need an "army of experts" to do that. If I had a Moto DVR instead of an SA8300 and had that capability, you can bet I'd figure it out in a hurry.