Well, I got two brand new 8742 DVR's and I have to concur with other reports. The Navigator is MUCH faster. I now have no 3-5 second delays between some button presses. However, there is still noticeable "Guide Lag" where the info box can't keep up with the scrolling of the guide. It still takes a few seconds to catch up and display the proper channel and info. That said, the actual guide navigation (moving around the grid) is faster with no delay between button presses whereas before my 8642 would stack commands and then execute all at once.
The funny story is how I actually got one! I was out at a customers doing a home theater install and he went ahead to go pick up his DVR. I'm working installing wiring and such and he gives me the DVR to install. I look at it and go "NO WAY!" It's an 8742 and he asks if it's the wrong one ( I told him to try and get at least an 8640 prior because they were giving out 8300's last I checked). I then went on to explain the effort and channels I've gone through trying to get myself a set of them. He tells me his local office has stacks of them and they are new in the box. In fact, the local reps were screwing up and issuing them with standard power cables and not the AC/DC adapters. So, he then proceeds to ask me about moving to Digital Phone because it would save him money over his current phone bill. I explained the pros and cons of it and he decides to get it, so we both go down to the office and I get him set up with an install kit, port his number, etc and ask about getting some 8742's for myself. The CSR tells me I can't take them because I'm a whole home customer and it requires a truck roll. The only way to do it is to bring in my current ones and exchange them. I understand why they do this because the average person wouldn't be able to just add the to a line that they have a filter on, but I'm thinking they may be gone by the time I can do the turn around. She did me a solid and set them aside for me which allowed me to go back today and do the swap. The box itself is very compact compared to the 8642 and also much quieter. I'm not hearing the constant spin up/spin down of the hard drive.
I'll continue to report as it goes.
The funny story is how I actually got one! I was out at a customers doing a home theater install and he went ahead to go pick up his DVR. I'm working installing wiring and such and he gives me the DVR to install. I look at it and go "NO WAY!" It's an 8742 and he asks if it's the wrong one ( I told him to try and get at least an 8640 prior because they were giving out 8300's last I checked). I then went on to explain the effort and channels I've gone through trying to get myself a set of them. He tells me his local office has stacks of them and they are new in the box. In fact, the local reps were screwing up and issuing them with standard power cables and not the AC/DC adapters. So, he then proceeds to ask me about moving to Digital Phone because it would save him money over his current phone bill. I explained the pros and cons of it and he decides to get it, so we both go down to the office and I get him set up with an install kit, port his number, etc and ask about getting some 8742's for myself. The CSR tells me I can't take them because I'm a whole home customer and it requires a truck roll. The only way to do it is to bring in my current ones and exchange them. I understand why they do this because the average person wouldn't be able to just add the to a line that they have a filter on, but I'm thinking they may be gone by the time I can do the turn around. She did me a solid and set them aside for me which allowed me to go back today and do the swap. The box itself is very compact compared to the 8642 and also much quieter. I'm not hearing the constant spin up/spin down of the hard drive.
I'll continue to report as it goes.
I've had mine for 4 months,no problems of any kind!
