Austin, TX - HDTV - Page 11

Just activated mine with no problems... might want to call back. Did you happen to try turning it on before you activated it? Couldn't hurt to unplug the box for a minute or so, then plug it back in, and call back to activate when you get the 4 dashes on the display. Make sure you don't try to power the box on until after it's activated, once it is the time will show on the display and the box will power itself on...

Peter had mentioned that the S-video wouldn't be working until a firmware upgrade that I think might be a week or two out... but composite video should be functional, from looking at the manual it seems to be confusingly labled "cable out"...

There is also a VCR out correct? Is that working? That is what I use to connect to my SD set and I use component for my HD projector.

-S

I'm one of those strange people with 4 X 3 HDTV's. If you hold down the INFO and GUIDE buttons on the front of the 8000HD, you can set your screen type and the preferred resolutions (1080i, 720p). One annoying thing is that S-video only works if you're not using your component connection. Also, the letterboxing that the 8000HD is grey, not black, and therefore very obvious to the eye and almost distracting when watching 16X9 programming. This was not an issue in the past with the 3100HD.

you can change the color of the bars in the settings menu... gray is much better for your tv as it prevents screen burn-in...

Burn in depends on the type of display you have. If you have CRT or Plasma then burn in is a problem. If you have DLP or LCD then burn in is not a problem.

-S

Me too...but I'm having trouble figuring out how to set this. How do I get it so that the HD channels (HBO + 1501 and up) display in 1080i and the SD channels to display in full screen?

As it is now if I have the SD channels in full screen, the HD channels are only in 480p.

If I have the HD channels in 1080i, the SD channels are in a 4:3 picture that only takes up about 75% of my screen.

oops, never mind--I looked at the online guide from SciAtl's page and figured out what I was doing wrong.

For those who haven't looked at it, check out the user's manual from sciatl's website---it's much larger and more comprehensive than the ones we got from TW.

Wow..I cant believe the HDPVR is out already! Could one of u lucky explorer 8000HD users post the model number, or does anyone know the size of the hard disk drive in the models we get?

The sciatlanta specs:
Part # - HDD
4004564 / 749970 - 160GB
4005536 / 4005534 - 80GB

Thanks! BTW..my PACE box likes to wig out on me weekly Now I Can get another box w/ Optical Audio out..nice!

they have around 1000 total of the 160, the rest are smaller

Hmmm, there seems to be a problem with the new HD PVR boxes, when I went to TW today to drop off my old HD box, there was a line of about 20 people, all with the new boxes. They were unable to get connectivity. The lady said that they expect more to come back, and are not issuing them out right now.

They just happily handed me another one, no mention of problems....

I guess I'll just cross my fingers.

They just gave me one as well at about 3:30p.m. The lady even said that DVI was enabled. I'll let you know what happens when I try to connect a little later.

Picked mine on Monday afternoon. DVI not enabled yet. Firewire not enabled yet. Maybe couple of weeks.

The DVI is not enabled. Sorry if I got anyones hopes up. Does the PAce box have pass thru? How do I access it?

The unit I picked up Thursday afternoon is working fine for me. It's the 160 GB version. My only complaint is the interface and features of the DVR still aren't even a fraction of what my Tivo does. Still waiting on an affordable HD Tivo.

Don't have a DVI connection on my TV, so I can't comment on that part.

Yep, it's working great for me. The user interface is horrible compared to my ReplayTV (seriously, how hard would it be to hire a competant UI designer and grpahic artist).

When I was testing it last night only one HD program was actually on (something about Paris on DiscoveryHD), and it looked very soft for HD. Which is kind of concerning, since others have mentioned that the 8000HD has comparatively poor video quality. Anyone else noticed this? I'll be looking at more DiscoveryHD programming tonight.

But wow, it's pretty nice to be able to timeshift HD programming, that's for sure!

Nothing looked wrong with my picture. I get many more HD channels then you (HDNet, HDNet Movies, InHD1, InHD2, Discovery, the locals, and HBO and SHO), so I had plenty of HD last night to check this with...

SA 8000HD quit working today less than 24 hours old. Keep your current HD box while you experiment (or they experiment) with the 8000. OTA HD signal was better.

I picked up a 8000HD yesterday. I was told that the DVI port was activated by the lady, not true. The 8000HD works fine for SD, my HDTV should be here Friday. The HD channels actually look much better than SD over S-Video to my SDTV. It will be annoying to not have active composite and S-Video connections while using the component. Hopefully the new firmware will be released soon and allow composite, S-Vid, Component, and DVI to output simultaneously.

Yes, will give them till the end of the "free" month to get that working. If not working by then I will cancel cable completely including RR. Bought 10ft DVI and S cables for nothing!

If anyone needs a dvi cable, belkin has theirs half price.

Are there any cable boxes that aren't buggy as hell when they are first released? It appears SciAtl needs to hire a new QA team along with those new UI designers...

Any DirecTV customers here that had to apply for a waiver for the CBS HD feed? If so were you denied? I live in S. Austin and KENS in SanAntonio denied me - the *******s!

OMG tell me about it, if I have to unplug my dvi cable from my 3250 one more time I am going to puke. It keeps saying my tv is not hdcp compliant

So use the component video connections instead!!! Or do you just like pain?
Barry

On the 3250HD, if you were using DVI the component output was disabled. I'd expect the same thing on the 8000HD eventually.

Barry

Options. Imagine only one choice for programming or buying a new car only to find the AC and cigar lighter non functional! My display has only 2 component inputs + DVI. Fortunately they all work. OTA tuner, DVD, and SA8000HD ooops.

My 8000 is powering itself off all the time. I made the mistake of taking back both my SD DVR and 3250, so I'm pretty much screwed. Hope they get this fixed ASAP.

mine just locked up and rebooted for the first time too