Houston, TX - Comcast / DBS - Page 33

What is the current SARA version? Have they release any new firmwares lately? I would like the bookmark feature, and also fix for watching "kick out" of live recording show..

thanks!

Are any of the PPV's in HD and DD 5.1?

I may be wrong, but on some of the other threads it is 1.87.

I've got version 1.87.4.a4 but I know some Houston TWC DVRs have been upgraded with a 1.88.?? version that has some extra's like 4x FF and I believe Bookmarking.

The're an HD PPV channel (Channel 300.) Plus iControl (Video on Demand service) has some HD Specific programs.

TWC uses more iControl for the PPV stuff. The HD PPV channel was recently added, usually only sporting events are shown on PPV specific channels and most movies are watched via iControl. I don't tend to use iControl myself.

-CCourtney

OK - I have my service set up. What model remote comes with the SA8300 DVR? I would like to print up the instruction sheets on it before I move. Will not have internet service for a few days and need to print this early.

Atlas DVR/PVR 5 remote.
TWC has a PDF of it here http://www.timewarnercable.com/Media...er%20Guide.pdf

It's a JP1 capable remote if you're familiar with them.

Whew - that is 36 pages long. Will I get a manual with the remote along with a manual for the 8300?

I think I did but I don't really recall. Most of it is fairly common sense. Just print the page on how to program it for different devices and write down the device codes you need and you should be good to go with one page.

Probably be best to save a copy of the PDF on your PC that way you can bring it up. Worse comes to worse, you've got to use your other remotes along with this one for a few days.

-CCourtney

What cables comes with the SA8300? Right now I am using DVD>DVI from my Directv receiver to my HDTV and VGA>component from my HTPC to my HDTV. My HDTV does not have HDMI and only has one component.

Would it be better to go ahead and buy a DVI>HDMI cable because I heard the adaptors are hard to get working. Also are these cables set up to go either direction?

TWC Gives you a set of Component Video Cables. I've tried both component and HDMI and cannot tell a difference on my HDTV when at viewing distance (can barely tell a difference at 2ft away from the screen on Discovery HD, HDNet, and InHD channels which have the best HD video streams.)

It makes life a lot easier on my wife to have everything feed in with Component cables so she can use the Receiver to switch to different components (has component video switch built in.) The exception is my HTPC which I feed the TV with DVI.

That being said, I'd look to see if your audio receiver has a component video switch and check the quality of it. If it passes your quality factor, I'd go with Component video cables and use your receiver as a switch (also makes an excellent excuse to upgrade a receiver .)

I've never used a HDMI->DVI adaptor cable so I can't give you a feel for if there's difficulties involved with getting them to work properly. I will say that one downside of going with HDMI on the SA8300 is that all other video feeds from the TV (Component, S-video) are dead the instant you plug the HDMI cable into the back of the SA8300. If you're TV is like mine, it only supports the PIP subwindow via SD video feeds. Not a big issue for non-HTPC users with the SA8300HD because it will do PIP for you, but I like to view a PIP of TV while working on my HTPC. I feed the S-video signal from my DVR to the TV for this purpose (you could feed cable to the TV and get 2-99 but you don't get the Digital Cable channels.)

I hope this helps with your decission instead of confusing things further.

BTW, the annual Crawfish Festival in Spring isn't that good, it's better to stay home and have a boil in your back yard when it comes.

When is the Crawfish Festival in Spring? I am allergic to them, but my wife loves them. I just drink mine and her beers while she eats the mudbugs.

Are you saying I could hook up my HTPC component cables to the SA8300 or an A/V receiver and use it as a switch? My A/V receiver does not have a component switch.

http://www.texascrawfishfestival.com/ I'm not sure of the exact dates for next year but it's usually around the end of April.

I suppose if you're HTPC was capable it could be used as a switch, but that's not what I was saying, I'd not want to do it that way.

To be honest, it sounds like you have one of two realistic choices.
1.) Talk your wife into letting you buy a new receiver w/ a component video switch and use it for your switching.
2.) Try going with the HDMI->DVI cable adaptor and buying the cables (which aren't cheap unless you buy them on e-bay but you won't be able to return those.)

I'm using a Denon AVR-3300 that I bought 6yrs ago (Mid-Upper End $1000 receiver at that time.) Now, you can get component video switching capabilities in $200 receivers. I'll probably wait until HDMI becomes a mainstream switching option on receivers before I upgrade, but I'll probably still go with another Mid-Upper End receiver.

-CCourtney

What I may do is this. Use component cables from the SA8300 to my TV and buy the new MyHD (130) with the DVI card for the HTPC connection. I have been wanting the new version anyway. I am using my current MyHD (120) now for my DVD playing as well as recording from the OTA HD with my CM 4228.

If I could get the DVI connection working on my current card I would have no problem.

I wonder if we can call customer support to get the new version, 1.88? I can't stand the kick out of live recording problem..

You could always try, but I doubt if you'd have much success.

Most people in customer support wouldn't know what you're even talking about, and most of the tech support wouldn't be able to help you out.

They would need to have the new SARA software on the headend, and have it setup to identify you based on your MAC address when the Cable Modem requests the latest software during the DVR rebooting process. With that they could give you the latest software seperately, but they tend to only do this with specific beta testers.

You could request to become a beta tester for the newest software on the DVRs, and you might be able to get put on the list, this is probably your best bet.

I believe TerryB was one of the DVR beta testers and he might have some more insight into this.

-CCourtney

What do we have to do to influence Time Warner Houston to add The WB in high definition to it's line-up?

Frankly, I'm tired of downloading 'fresh' episodes of Smallville off eMule. While not techically HD, 624 x 352 resolution playing from my HTPC on my wide-screen TV looks so much better than analog cable in letterbox.

Time Warner has spoiled me, they're simulcasting all the other major networks, except WB, and UPN.

I'll ask my contact to see if any progress has been made. Frankly, they feel that WB and UPN have so little HD that it's not worth their time to dedicate the hardware and another channel at this time. BUT...I'll check it out. "Stay tuned"

Captain Video: No news regarding adding 20 and 39. The deal might have to be made at TWC corporate...for all UPN and WB stations. If you have an integrated tuner, and live in the metro area, an indoor antenna (TERK from CC) will work.

I got interested during the great Sunday night blackout, and found that I could actually get many of them with an $8 pair of rabbit ears from Radio Shack. With the "TERK"...I can get all but 1 station in one position and with a slight move...get 13. While this is still my "backup"...I know it works. I admit, that on clear days, I can walk out to the curb, turn S-SW and see the antenna farm...so my results should be pretty good. However, within the area between the loop and the beltway...especially on the west, sw, and south...the results should be similar, unless you have a huge water tower or building near you.

Well, I went for the cheap option when I bought my HD set. At the time the integrated tuner and the non-version display where a $500 difference. Also, the ATSC standards were relatively new and I didn't know if they were going to become obsolete making an HDTV w/ tuner same.

So, I have been thinking, just thinking about a HDTV Tuner purchase. I've only really looked on Best Buy & Circuit City's website's though. I can say that I don't know if $250 or so is worth it just so I can watch Smallville in HD the rest of season five?

Still not happy with my SA8300HD performance. I mean I work hard all day and want to come home and watch Lost in it's entirety. Seems to me like it's playback issue. Because live HD TV or SD looks great 99 % of the time. The problems I'm describing I would call digital artifacts; digital tiling; etc. Sometimes I will rewind or instant replay and the program will play without error. So this tells me that the issue is not always with the recording but sometimes with playback.

Thanks guys for your thoughts.

Captain Video: I understand your frustration and delemma. I've still got the basic SA-3250HD box, and have been thinking about getting an 8300HD; however, with all the issues I'm reading about...I've been holding off.

My original HDTV did not have an intergrated tuner...for the specific reasons you mentioned; however, I recently ran into an incredible deal on a DLP with an integrated tuner...and when TWC dropped dead a couple of Sundays ago, I actually managed to program the tuner, find a set of old rabbit ears...and had it up and running in time for my wife to watch Des Housewives. It works....but TWC is more convenient...and (of course) has more channels than OTA. I'm with you...I wouldn't make that investment just for 20 and 39.

Now...I'm waiting until most of you agree that the 8300's work...then I'll probably take the plunge.

Captn' it sounds like you got a bad SA8300HD box. I never experience artifacts on mine unless it was the video quality when broadcast, which is extremely rare for me. Examples are local channels and you can usually tell because they switch to SD feed for a time until they fix the HD feed and then POP the give you back the HD feed, or when somebody forgetsto do something with 5.1 feed so the audio doesn't have a center channel and your can't understand what the heck they're saying because the side channels only has very low levels of characters voices (which is normally on the center channel who's feed isn't comming through.)

There are some minor complaints about the SA8300HD but by far the positives outweigh the negatives. I just wish they'd upgrade us to the 1.88 version of SARA, or better yet switch us all over to Passport

C1 and others interested: At least one of the local stations is investigating with their corporate partners the purchase of an updated audio processor box that will produce very acceptable pseudo-5.1 for programs in stereo/Prologic, and automatically pass through true 5.1. It's already being used at one of their stations and the decision to buy for all is upcoming.

TNT and HDNet already use similar audio processing.

This will eliminate the problem of their having to manually switch back and forth

c1courtney,
If I remember correctly, the Passport firmware has to do with the Pioneer headend equipment or lineup guide and won't work with whichever of those is installed in Houston at this time. I wouldn't hold my breath for Passport then. I'm happy with 1.88 beta myself, but I am told that there are many issues including repeatable audio drops on recordings, 'stuttering' after a fast forward and some that have not been described to me which are preventing them from releasing 1.88.

I just sent in a box with four recordings with drops on them to be looked at. Then I got one which refused to load .88. so I had to swap again.

TerryB

Not holding my breath for Passport, it was meant as more of a jab then a request.

Lineup guide service would make more sense to me then headend equipement. The units work with DOCSIS based equipement period, everything else is firmware on top and I'd doubt if Pioneer tied it's firmware to only work with pioneer based HW, that's one way to make big companies unhappy. I don't see the big challenge in doing it from a technical standpoint, but a cost standpoint is something else all together.

We're in the minority of the TWC users who do a bit of research and wants our service providers to give us the latest in greatest. We probably don't count much towards their bottom line, and if they can make the majority of their customers happy with a less expensive solution there's no need to spend the extra money to go with the better solution. That's not to say they won't try to improve the system they have in place.

C1 & Hdguru:

Thanks for your comments, suggestions, & encouragment. Technology, does it really improve life more than complicate?

I suppose I shall try once more and swap out my STB. I swapped my original 8000HD with an 8300 because of the audio dropout issue, which I believe was corrected with a firmware update anyway.

Maybe if I have a new DVR I get blessed it might work perfectly? Anyone know a priest? j/k

HDGuru:

What are the major networks using to process 2-channel audio programs into 5.1? Are the doing this in post-production do you think, or is this happening during broadcast? NBC and CBS both are transmitting what sound like 2-channel audio programs morphed into 5.1 on a regular basis. ABC and FOX seem to air most all HD programs native in 5.1 audio.

Captain Video: You need some of those new sleeping pills!

To my knowledge, none of the older programming is having the audio remixed on the master HD tape. That said, I'm sure that some of the major movies and musical concerts, where the original multi-track audio is available can and have been remixed into 5.1. You'll see this on some of the DVD's that are available in 5.1....such as Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady, etc.

ABC airs most HD in 5.1; however, those programs are produced in 5.1. For instance, when they aired 2 NFL games on MNF several weeks ago, the game that was really an ESPN game was in ProLogic and the "real" ABC game...the Dallas game...was in 5.1. ABC and CBS turn on the 5.1...and the commercial spots and promos simply sound lousy. (When Desperate Housewives came on Sunday, there was no voice track because KTRK had not switched (manually) from stereo to 5.1. One phone call got that solved in less than :30.

Fox appears to be using a processor as I discussed in the earlier post as even their commercial spots on the HD channel "seem" to be in 5.1. NBC's audio is encoded within the digital signal so that it triggers the local affiliates' network spec'd processor to switch back and forth during the programming. I can watch my receiver's display as they go from programming to spots and promos...and then back to programming. This makes all the audio sound correct on our end.

HD-Net and TNT have audio processors on line that reprocess the stereo into pseudo-5.1, and they work reasonably well. This is what one of the station here is investigating. There are several brands...and they simply detect and "pass" true 5.1.

We are finally moved in the Spring area. We arrived early Friday (1:00AM) and our belongings was to be here later on that day. We finally received our stuff last night around midnight. This was the move from HELL and a lot of our furniture was damaged.

I have had my TWC setup for Friday and it was turned on, but we had no TV. So we seen a good deal on a Sony 55" LCD so we bought another TV (I also have a Sony 60" LCD). Most of TWC stations are very good, but some of the analog stations suck. A few of these are USA, FX and SciFi.

Is there anything that could be done with these stations?

Also I cannot get SBC DSL, so have ordered TWC Road Runner to be installed.

How do you check for the latest version of software for the SA 8300 DVR? I would search, but my faster internet speed now is 26.4.

You'll get the latest version of the software released for Houston. There is some testing going on of another update, but it has issues too.

TerryB

I'm having an odd problem that just started. I was successfully using passthrough to view all of the programs for the first week i had the 8300 and then 2 days ago...I suddenly got no picture. I was messing around with the remote and noticed if I hit the zoom button the picture came up. It works in anything but "normal". I switched back to "fixed" and could see everything just fine at any zoom level....however, while HD programs display perfectly, any non HD (digital and analog) recordings are offset on the screen. The border on the left side is now about 1/3 the size of the one on the right. The picture looks fine, just not centered. As I said until 2 weeks ago everything worked just fine. I've tried unplugging the unit to reboot it but still have the same issue. Has anyone else seen this?

Thanks.