Moxi HD DVR - Page 21

I don't think the fall update has been released yet. It is supposed to enable live TV from the Mate which moxi.com lists as "coming soon". I am looking forward to seeing any other updates. I would really like to see built-in Netflix.

Ok, I see a few people here I know from other threads, so I hope you'll be kind with my novice questions. Until recently, I had never heard of Moxi as a retail alternative to the SA8300HD DVR. Since I'm tired of paying Cox, I'm looking for an alternative. I was looking at Tivo HD, but the Moxi 3-tuner with 2 Mates looks like it will be a better fit for me.

Currently I have only 1 DVR in the family room and the 2 bedroom TVs get cable using built-in QAM tuners. Obviously, I'd like some multi-room capability and Moxi seems to fit the bill, especially once the "live" feature is released for the Mates.

The Moxi would be located in the family room and be wired to my Linksys router. The Mates would be located in separate bedrooms and connected to the network using Netgear MoCA adapters. I was considering Linksys Powerline adapters, but heard that MoCA is faster/more reliable and doesn't need outlets to be on the same side of the power box, just need a cable. Am I correct so far?

I'm also in the market for a Blu-Ray player and I'd like Netflix access. I have pretty much settled on the LG BD370 which would also be wired to the router in the family room. I recently learned that in order to use Netflix with the Moxi/Mates, I need PlayOn for a one-time $40 fee and I need a PC for it to run on. Since I have 3 wireless notebooks on my network, would one of them suffice? Will Netflix functionality of the Moxi/Mates be limited/impaired by the notebooks, especially the wireless part? I assume the notebook would need to be left on in order to access Netflix from the Moxi/Mates. Does the fact that I will have the LG BR370 on the network impact Netflix access, that is, negate the need for PlayOn and the PC?

I read a couple of pages in the thread and am now wondering how tru2way is going to impact things if I go ahead with buying the Moxi/Mates. I think tru2way basically allows cable software to run on compatible devices. Therefore, it should really have no impact on the Moxi/Mates, right?

One last thing is the health of Moxi in general. Before I shelll out $1,200 or so for all this, can I reasonably expect Moxi to be around for the next 5 or more years it will take to recoup the cost? I know nothing is guaranteed, but is Moxi in any financial trouble that I should be concerned about?

Thanks in advance for any comments/advice.

TWC CCard and tuning adapter got fitted today. Just to confirm, if it's a SciAtl card and it needs a Cisco adapter you will lose that third tuner. The Moxi doesn't even acknowledge it exists and the box just becomes a regular two tuner deal.

It took about 45 minutes for the install. The hardware went in fine but SDV is fraught with problems in general so just getting the adpater to send the channels through required the tech guy to call various departments for repeated authorizations.

Apart from the ugly Cisco brick ruining the sleek look of the Moxi, channels switch and perform nicely. For now. I hope they add some kind of manual logo assignment at some point. Most of the channel guide is populated correctly but there are several local HD networks that don't receive a bug. Previously I was just mapping SD channel guide info to the HD feed, but with the CC you don't have that option.

Ah well, three tuners was good while it lasted.

A few people have commented that the picture quality of the Moxi is better than the SA 8300HD. I'm very disappointed in the picture quality of my 8300HD.

What hardware in the Moxi could improve picture quality over an SA 8300HD? A better MPEG decoder? I thought I read somewhere that the 8300HD is not capable of true 1920 x 1080i, but rather something lke 1440 x 1080i. Maybe that's the reason for the Moxi's improved picture quality?

PlayOn is free to Moxi users until the end of November under their latest promotion Dave. They'll send you a one time licence when you activate the service.

I use it for Hulu playback, I've never used it for Netflix. I would use the LG for that since it will be hardware optimized for Netflix HD and faster than the PlayOn/Moxi communication.

I wouldn't say it's a significant jump but I do think the Moxi has a slightly sharper image. Remember the 8300 is 4 or 5 years old so the hardware and video processing is going to lag behind the Moxi.

Visually of course the GUI is light years ahead of 8300 series, but that's a hardware and software lmitation.

Moxi is currently at a crossroads regarding that. Arris is not in any financial trouble but if Moxi becomes an albatross they can't get to fly there's no guarantee they will stick with it.

Arris released a road map that includes the Moxi at the center of their proposed home content integration plan which is a good sign. They also dropped the price and gained some new users which was also a good move.

Plus of course they still have some existing boxes in cableco land running Moxi guide software which they would need to support.

But it's still a gamble. If they bump up the marketing budget and start selling it as an alternative to Tivo then they could get some traction.

Yes, although you can save money on the MoCA with an Actiontec/Westell router (from ebay) and a few Actiontec MoCA adapters.


Yes.


Yes. The LG 370 has a superior Netflix implementation that supports HD, so you should just use that.

The LG 370 is a good Blu-ray player so long as your TV accepts 1080p24 input and you don't expect stellar DVD output quality. It's middle-of-the-pack when it comes to DVD playback.


That's correct. True2way allows third-party boxes to run the cable company software. The Samsung STB/DVRs used by Brighthouse and TWC are tru2way boxes.

It is also possible for a third-party DVR to provide their own software/EPG and guide data, and run the tru2way SDV helper application in the background. This would eliminate the need for a separate SDV adapter, and avoid the two-tuner limitation of the current Cisco SDV adapter. The current Moxi and TiVo hardware aren't capable of that, but TiVo has said they are looking into that for a future box.


Arris (Moxi's new owner) is in good financial shape, but it does cost them around $1.50-$2.00/mo to license and deliver the guide data to every box. Moxi includes the subscription as part of the purchase price, so there's no source of revenue besides the sale of new units. If at some point they stop selling Moxi DVRs to consumers, then there may not be much incentive for them to continue paying for the guide data.

I don't think there is any risk of that happening in the next year or two, but there is some uncertainty long-term.

That's what others were told to expect in this thread, but it's good to have confirmation.

I wouldn't blame Moxi, though. SDV adapters are designed to take over all channel mapping duties when installed, so if the Cisco TA can only map two channels at once, then Moxi (and any other DVR using the Cisco TA) is limited by that. I do agree that Moxi should better address that issue on their site; not every prospective owner follows this forum.

Cisco could offer a new adapter in the future without that limitation, but I wouldn't count on them doing it just for Moxi. If the Ceton quad-tuner CableCard tuner beats the odds and becomes popular despite its $400-$600 price, and/or TiVo releases a new >2 tuner HD DVR without tru2way support, then there could be sufficient demand to justify a new TA.

Whew! I just read through all 21 pages of this thread from when Moxi HD was originally offered for sale. Quite a bit of changes and exciting new features since it was introduced

Based on all the experts here, I purchased a $999 3 room Moxi HD setup. It will be delivered Monday. This will replace my current setup of a Tivo HD and ReplayTV 5504. My experience with DVRs included a couple of Tivo Series 1, Tivo Series 2, Tivo HD, ReplayTV and Comcast DVR. I look forward to all the new features Moxi HD will provide. I have the same feeling as when I first bought my first Tivo. Like buying the lifetime for TIVO, I had some concern about the financial viability of the MOXI HD. However, like buying the new Tivo, this is all new exciting and fun stuff.

To those who are comtemplating a MOXI HD, please read through this thread and please do read the MOXI HD user guide. It's use of cards is very different from TIVO and will require some unlearning and relearning of tricks. This is something I expect with any new type of technology. The thing that assured my regarding my purchase of MOXI HD is their excellent track record of customer service. There were plenty of examples of that highlighted here. I spoke to customer service twice and they were very knowledgeable and allay my concerns.

Thanks to all the experts on this page who took the time to answer all my and others' questions about the MOXI HD.

These experts include

teeitup,bfdtv,itgeek,fallingwater

I saw those on Amazon too, but didn't know if they we okay or not. I guess you're saying they are. But are you also saying I can't use them with my Linksys router? I though all I needed to do was place an adapter between the wall and my modem and then the wall and the Mate to get everything to access the network. No?


I don't think I asked this right. The real question is will I still be able to access Netflix with the Mate through the network if I just used the LG 370 and not the PlayOn/notebook? I have a feeling I'd only get Netflix on the TV the LG 370 is connected to.


Better suggestion? I have no attachment to LG, so I'm open to anything. Samsung 3600? Something else.


Cox here doesn't SDV any channels I care about, but I'd sure hate to lose the 3rd tuner at some point.


Sure does seem uncertain. Seems like a pretty big leap of faith to spend that kind of money. I guess if push came to shove they'd start charging a fee. I'd hate that, but if it was just what it cost them I could probably live with it.

But surely there is a quasi-finite end at some point. Of course, the same would be true for Tivo if everyone bought lifetime subscriptions to their guide service. I guess they could just separate the service and grandfather current owners in. Nothing lasts a lifetime, so that term is really a misnomer.

Thanks, but I don't think I'll be ready to purchase by then. It's only $40, so it's the not knowing if accessing PlayOn/Netflix via my wireless notebooks will work reliably. I should mention I don't use Netflix or any of those services now, so there is no hurry. Of course, the sooner I buy, the sooner I begin recouping the cost. I don't know if a Cox DVR will ever interface with Netflix and I can almost guarantee 3-room service will cost at least the current $47/mo (23 for DVR and 12 each for 2 HD receivers). I know the software they are going to release will add most features of Tivo/Moxi, but it's just not worth almost $50/mo forever.

I am considering either a Moxi or another S3-both look very good asthetically.
Q1. Can a user upgrade the internal HDD to 1.5 or 2 TB? (I understand warranty implications)
Q2. Can you extract content (w/appropriate CCI flags) like firewire method or tivo desktop method.
Q3. Can you stream HD m2ts/ts/mkv from network storage? (Mpeg2/VC1/AVC)

Thank You

Q1. Can a user upgrade the internal HDD to 1.5 or 2 TB? (I understand warranty implications)
A1. I think this has not been done by anyone who owns a MOXI HD. Primarily for two reasons. 1. There current not enough of a MOXI HD user base. 2. Warranty reasons. However, I think it can be done with a ghosting or drive imaging program.
Q2. Can you extract content (w/appropriate CCI flags) like firewire method or tivo desktop method.
A2. No. I think it is not possible. They do not offer any software and the shows on the program are encrypted.
Q3. Can you stream HD m2ts/ts/mkv from network storage? (Mpeg2/VC1/AVC
A3. I think as long as it is DLNA compliant it should be fine.

If all you are looking at is Netflix then a Blu-ray with NF capability is the way to go. I used to use it all the time on the Samsung 2550 and it works very well, with little to no delay. The latest LG range is better overall than the latest Samsung for playback (Samsung dropped their HQV processing) so I would stick with the LG.

S&V have a head-to-head with current LG and Samsung models.
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/blu...560-page2.html

The LG would only work on the TV it's connected to but it would give you a feel for how useful it is and how frequently you would use it.

Alternatively you could always go for a Roku. You'll get most of the features of the PlayOn software without the need for a constantly running laptop. Admittedly at a twice the price and with another box and wires to handle.

When Moxi give the Mate the ability to live stream then it might be more enticing. Hopefully they'll also throw in some dedicated NF/Hulu/Amazon support into the Moxi hardware itself at some point and not having to use PlayOn will make it easier to set up.

Well if I get a year out of the Moxi I'll be happy. I hate TWC's IPG so much, a year off will feel like a lifetime.

Hopefully by the time the Moxi turns into a doorstop, TWC might have hired some competent programmers to bring their software up to 2008, so going back might be more palatable.

You can certainly use your Linksys router. But an Actiontec MoCA router can take the place of a MoCA adapter, and they cost closer to $20-$30 than $70-$80.

I have a Westell 9100EM MoCA router connected directly to my D-Link router -- I got it for $20 on ebay. I have a Motorola NIM-100 or Actiontec MoCA adapter in each room with a PC, server, or CE device. You can connect a network switch to the ethernet port on a MoCA adapter to give you more ports.


That's correct. The LG does not provide your Moxi access to Netflix. You need the PlayOn software for that.


The Blu-ray players with the best DVD playback don't seem to support Netflix, unfortunately.

If I were buying a new Blu-ray player today for my Kuro (which supports 24p), and I wanted Netflix support, I would get the LG 370 or LG 390.


I wouldn't buy a S3 at this point. I would either get Moxi or wait until January to see what TiVo offers with their DVR refresh for Best Buy.


No. The Moxi does not have Firewire, and they do not provide any form of transfer/offload functionality.


The Moxi can decode MPEG-2 and MPEG-4, but I'm not sure how the PlayOn software handles the streaming of the M2TS/TS/MKV formats. Perhaps VisionOn or another member can test that.

If you're looking for dedicated media player to play all videos natively, without software transcoding, then Moxi may not be what you want. AFAIK, Broadcom's current DVR CPUs can't handle the high bitrates used on BD disks and full-size BD rips, nor can they handle DTS or Dolby Digital @ > 448Kbps.

Don't get me wrong, the plan is to get the 370 now and the Moxi early next year. I'm not overly concerned about Netflix anywhere except in the family room where the main TV and AVR are located. The questions were just for info to understand the capabilities. Netflix, etc., would still be nice in the bedrooms and leaving a notebook on for PlayOn would be no problem. In fact, it wouldn't be all that hard to add a wire for the notebook that would be used the most when our daughter is in her bedroom. Truth be told, I already have the cables to wire all 3 notebooks.

I read those reviews and they seemed to favor the 390, so I think the 370 is still a good choice. The main TV is an older CRT-base Hitachi 65" with Component and DVI, so I don't know that I'd notice any difference in playback quality between models until this TV needs to be replaced.

We watch almost everything recorded, so "live" on the Mate is not an issue. If need be, we can always split the cable and also feed the QAM tuner. I assume "live" on the Mate is going to limit how many programs can be recorded at one time. If all 3 TVs are watching "live", I assume nothing can be recorded until a tuner is freed up.

I've heard Tivo will have a new Tivo HD available next year and cableco's, at least Cox, may start releasing newer Cisco DVRs to go along with their new IPG software. Normally, I'd be looking forward to the changes, but the continuing monthly cost is really bothering me these days.

I will have to check into all this. I'm all for cheaper as long as it works. Thanks.


That is good to know. My bedroom TVs support 1080p (I assume 24fps), but my Hitachi CRT-based 65" doesn't. Am I wasting money on the 370 because of this? Or even wasting time with Blu-Ray altogether?


I wasn't planning on it, I was being sarcastic. I already have a Wii that doesn't get used, so I really don't need another game machine even if it does Blu-Ray.

I don't think so. Go for it.

Amazon.com had the LG 370 for $129 before they sold out earlier today.

Gosh, I checked early too. It's back up to $147 and 1-2 month shipping estimate. For that price I would have ordered it. Adorama through Amazon has it for $145 with free shipping and no tax. It's $149.99 plus tax at Best Buy (about $16 more) and $30 for 4-year warranty, but I think it might be worth it in case I get a dud.

Ok, a few more things before I turn my attention to White Collar:

FWIW, someone in our Phoenix thread just said the "live" update for the Mate is supposed to be released on Jan 18. He has a Moxi 3-tuner and 1 Mate.

He also said all I need the computer for was to download the PlayOn software, install it and activate it. After that, the computer doesn't need to be on because the PlayOn application is installed on the Moxi. Is this true?

If I get all this, how am I going to find time to watch all that will be available to me?

The computer has to be on and PlayOn has to be running in the background. PO is basically streaming the content direct to the box. Nothing sits on the box apart from the Moxi OS which has PO compatibility.

More details are in the manual. (Page 131)
https://moxi.com/us/support/MC4R/mox...sers_guide.pdf

I never have time to watch everything. That's why I needed the bigger hard drive in the Moxi. At least then the recordings have enough room to sit there until next Summer.

I thought that sounded funny and maybe I just misunderstood what he was saying. Maybe I don't need to be concerned, I'm running 10-12mbps on SpeedTest.net these days with the mid-level internet package from Cox. I downloaded the manual and will go through it tomorrow.

I just got off of the phone with Verizon. They are sending a tech out on Wednesday to install my MCable Card to the tune of $80! You know it is bad when the rep wonders why he can't just ship the card out to me. He even asked if there was anything special about the card, I told him no. Regardless, I want the card, I have to pay to have them deliver and install, plus they can take their crap box with them.

I can't wait to get the card, QAM has next to no channels to really play around with. This time of year there is not to much to record on broadcast stations due to the holidays. So most of our recordings at this time are on either premiums or cable channels.

Can't wait until Wednesday, especially since I am off from work for a 6 days after that! I will give my Moxi a workout.

And I thought the $20 I got charged for a mandatory TWC install was bad.

Having said that, I don't think I would have liked to have done it myself. The combination of tuning adapter and card just makes for a long chain of tech activation calls on TWC.

FWIW, a close pal with a really good visual sense and I both thought we got a little extra pop in PQ on 8300HDs just from the software change from Passport to MDN.

Do NOT forget that some simple changes in processing can change the appearance... and that in general, more contrast can make for as PQ many call better... but in fact, added contrast CAN mean more blocked up shadows.

Pretty much matches my opinions... not to mention that TiVo isn't exactly in the best of shape... there sub numbers are going down, read they are now at the 2004 level.

I think they very much NOW have a good story to sell... notice how TiVo immediately dropped prices a LOT as soon as the new Moxi pricing was announced.

There's one issue I see w/Lifetime... it's tied to the specific box. Should that box fail after 3 years, it will cost 350 bucks to be back in business. It would be 150 for the new box AND a 200 fee to "transfer" the lifetime to the new box.