Official AVS Motorola DCX series HD DVR Topic! - Page 93

Unless you DCH3416 is quite defective regarding this curious tuner symptom you describe, I didn't think that's how the two tuners worked.

I thought both tuners were theoretically equal in purpose and function, although I believe that the built-in internal splitter directing the single connected coax to the two internal tuners is slightly stronger on one tuner side than the other.

This can be demonstrated by going into the hardware diagnostics menus (from power-ON state, press power-OFF and then OK), navigating to d04 (inband status) to reveal the two tuners and their state. The difference in SNR between the two can be 1-2db or so, with tuner 1 getting "more signal strength" from the splitter, hence having a generally better SNR.

But aside from that, I believe both tuners are functionally identical in terms of recording, either automatically or manually set, either one-off or series shows. No conceptual difference.

I also believe that it is always the "background tuner" (i.e. the other one, that is not being used "in the foreground" to actually deliver content to the video outputs for you to watch) which is always considered "available" and is first selected for use when starting a timer-recording. The idea is to leave the "foreground tuner" untouched if possible for the current viewer to watch live TV.

Only if two programs are scheduled for recording at the same time do both tuners come into play. And if you're currently watching on that "foreground tuner" (i.e. if the DVR is powered on, the assumption is that the "foreground tuner" is being watched) when that second simultaneous program needs the second "foreground tuner" and if the channel to be recorded is other than what is currently selected (and that you're presumably currently watching) is a message flashed asking if you want to allow the DVR to change channels to start recording, or to keep the DVR on the current channel for you to continue watching using the "foreground tuner" and to flush the scheduled recording.

Once the "foreground tuner" starts recording, you see "REC" on the front display panel. Otherwise, it will show the time-of-day or current channel, indicating that it is NOT in use recording. The "background tuner" has the red recording light indicator turned on when it is in use.

Incidentally, with an early generation DVR (progably DCT6412) I used to have a signal strength problem (remember the small difference between the SNR on the two tuners, because of the internal splitter) where one of my channels (turned out to be KCBS-DT here in LA) was "right on the margins". When assigned to the "stronger" tuner, KCBS-DT would record fine. When assigned to the "weaker" tuner, KCBS-DT would record with many digital artifacts. Oddly, this did not seem to affect watching KCBS-DT live, only on recordings. I know, this lacks the ring of truth... but I never observed the artifacts when watching the very same show live (e.g. "CSI: Original") which would record almost unwatchable.

The solution I came up with (which worked!) was to SWAP the tuners, so that tuner #2 (the weaker tuner) was in the foreground and tuner #1 (the stronger tuner) was in the background. Then, when KCBS-DT recordings were going to be recorded, and the "background tuner" got preference, my "CSI: Original" recordings would be fine.


Ok. Now, I do also recall that some time back I had some issue involving availability of the two tuners for recording (or rather, unavailability of both tuners for recording). Seemed that only one tuner was being used, and it was always the "foreground tuner", never the "background tuner".

I knew this was happening because while I was watching live I would always get the popup message about channel-change when any recording would come due for activation. And if I let it change channels and start recording, the REC would appear on the display panel indicating that the "foreground tuner" was now being used for recording.

This was clearly wrong, as nothing was using the "background tuner" and it should have been selected first. And yet, that wasn't happening.

Well, I must have had an absolutely brand new tuner that had NEVER been used before (i.e. I was its very first user). And it turns out what I needed to do was push the SWAP button on the remote, to reverse background and foreground tuners. Apparently, the initially "background tuner" had never been "activated", if you can call it that! It simply wasn't available for use as the second tuner!

But once I flipped them with the SWAP button, now BOTH tuners were truly "activated" and available for normal use. And now timer recording behavior was as I described above, namely "normal"... with the first timer recording always selecting the "background tuner" (with the red recording light going on). The "foreground tuner" was always avoided unless two simultaneous recordings are set, in which case the REC lights up immediately (if the DVR is currently OFF, i.e. "sleeping", or if the DVR is currently ON that you are already tuned to the same channel of the second scheduled recording) or the "channel change" popup message appears if needed.

So, if the above dual-tuner behavior is not what happens with your DCH3416 (which is being swapped for a new DCX3400), have you at least tried using the SWAP button on the remote? I know, it sounds like you're already using both tuners to do recordings (although with limitations)... but have you actually just done a SWAP, to reverse tuners #1 and #2 from background to foreground and vice versa?



The method described in the reply just above this one seems to describe what you're looking for.

But you can also return individual keys, one at a time, to their original default.

Restore a Remapped Key:

The following technique can be used to restore the original function to a key that has been remapped. You are essentially mapping the key onto itself.

1. Press the device key ("Cable", "TV", or "AUX") for the device you want.

2. Press and hold the "Setup" key until the selected device button blinks twice.

3. Type in the code 994. The selected device key will blink twice.

4. Press the key you are restoring twice. The device key will blink twice if successful.

DS, I believe what you say is accurate, but I would add that there seems to be a 'primary' tuner. When there is a power failure, or an emergency alert, if you weren't already viewing the 'primary' tuner, and the STB returns to normal function, the tuners will have swapped, so that the 'non-primary' tuner you were watching, is no longer displayed, but the other one is. I have found this to be true for years, on my DCT 6412P3, and both my current DCX3400s.

Another thing is that when a timer recording is imminent, one or two minutes away, depending, I think, on firmware, the background tuner goes to standby. If you swap tuners during this standby, the timer recording will start on the tuner that was in the background, but is now in the foreground.

DSperber, thanks for your information. I went to the Diagnostics pages for the tuners and all the values for tuner #2 were at zero and on another page showed N/A, where for tuner #1, values were listed. It's as though tuner #2 didn't exist or is not connected or is non-workable. I was able to trick the DVR into doing a timed recording by first selecting a program from the guide I didn't want and then a second one I wanted, for the same time slot. It recorded the second program, so tuner #2 must be the one that does the first timed program selected. When I'm watching a program on tuner #1, I can manually start a recording of it, so it must use the same tuner that is showing the live program. If it selected the other tuner, then I wouldn't get a recording. The DCH-3416 has failed to retain some programs I've recorded manually and has saved others. I'm hoping that Comcast will provide me with a DCX-3400.

Thanks also to CaptMorn. The procedure you both posted worked and now I can turn in a clean remote when I swap my DVR. This remote has a fault of registering No. 1 on the DVR, when No. 7 is pushed on the keypad. I don't know if this was caused by my fooling with the button codes or not, but this persists even after I've re-set them all to their default functions. I have another older Comcast remote and when I push No. 7 on its keypad, the right number shows on the DVR.

Added note: I used the default restore procedure on keypad button for No. 7 and it is now sending the right number.

Ok. Defective DVR. Don't waste any more time trying to "trick" it into proper operation. It's obviously broken and not usable.

Just get a new one from Comcast. You can just bring it into the nearest store yourself and ask for a swap. Insist on a DCX3400 and you'll get it. No need to wait for them in a truck.

Don't worry about turning in a "clean" like-new remote. They just throw them and returned power cords into a box, and somebody re-initializes them before re-purposing them out to another subscriber.

My guess is that the 3 minute skip is/was nothing more then a macro pressing the 30sec skip button 6 times for you. This would be easy enough to redo. But as the others have said the skip times are coded into the DVR unit themselves & you can see what they are in one of the diagnostic screens under skip #1 & skip #2.

Jon, that's exactly how the 3-min. skip worked. You could see it making six separate jumps forward. The 3-min. time is closer to the typical commercial break in length, than 5 min. However, over five years, I've found I had to more often add one or two 30-sec. skips to it, as the commercials have increased.

No luck yesterday swapping the DCH3416, as all they had at a small shopping mall store was an older DCT3416 with a 120 GB HDD. I was told they had some DCX3400 and DCX3400M models at the main local store and I'll try to get one there this afternoon.

I did pick up a small DTA box for my garage TV and was disappointed to find that it has only an RF output. No stereo and lower resolution than an A/V output would provide. My OTA D/A converter box with composite A/V outputs gives stereo and much sharper resolution, so I'll use it with my outside antenna for local broadcast channels on that TV.

On the Diagnostics Menu on my soon-to-be-returned DCH3416, it shows that both Firewire and USB are enabled. If this is true and functional, I wonder if a USB-connected ext. HDD could be used? I have an ext. HDD with both Firewire and USB, so If I can get a DCX3400 from Comcast, will it have both these ports enabled and functional for this purpose or is the SATA connection the only way an ext. HDD could be used?

OK then, not sure if you know how to set up macros but if not check out this link. You'll need one button set as your 30sec skip & another button as your 3min skip that you'll assign the macro to.

My local Comcast office put my name on a list, to be called when they got in some DCX3400s. It took 2-3 weeks to get the call. So, you're not doing too badly.

Today, a helpful Comcast store employee went back to their warehouse and searched for a DCX3400. She found just one left, which I got. It seems to work well and both tuners are functioning. It's surprising the difference in frequency used by the two tuners: 123 MHz for tuner #1 and 637 MHz for tuner #2. Both have a S/N ratio of about 35.5.

The HDD has 320 GB, with 300 GB usable for recording. Apparently, not all DCX3400 units are given the same HDD.

The Firewire and USB are both listed as enabled, but the Ethernet is not.
So far, I haven't been able to get the 30-sec. skip or mute functions to work after programming them into unused buttons, following the same procedure that was successful for the DCH3416 DVR. Do the DCX models require different codes or procedures?

Thanks, Jon. I'll give the Macro a try. However, I don't seem to be able to get the DCX3400 to respond to keys that were altered with 30-sec. skip and mute codes, that worked with the DCH3416 model. Are different codes or procedures needed for the DCX3400 to respond? The remote for the DCX3400 is a different model, light grey in color rather than silver.

You're lucky to get the 320GB, I got the 250GB.

I have the "silver peanut" remote, the same one I used on my 6412. It still has the codes programmed, and it still works on my 3400s. IIRC, there is a newer remote, gray, perhaps charcoal, that comes with the DCXs. It actually uses a different code set, and won't operate a 6412, even though the old remote for the 6412 will operate the 3400s. Don't ask me to explain that... But, anyway, IIRC that newer remote won't take the same programming that the silver peanut will. A work-around was figured out, I believe in this thread, but I don't recall what it was. So, if you have the newer remote, that could be your problem.

I believe the frequencies shown for each tuner in the diagnostics menu reflect the cable channel currently tuned to by that tuner.

So if you go back to the normal state of the DVR, and tune one or both tuners to different channels, and then power off -> OK to get back into the diagnostics menu, I think you'll discover that the frequencies shown are now different.


Just out of curiosity, what is the software version (A28, 78.54...) and what is the firmware version on your DCX unit? These items are shown down a few levels in the Setup menu as they were for the DCH.


I don't think USB is enabled means anything, in terms of attempting to use an external USB drive. Forget it.

Also, the firewire interface on the DCX box does NOT work yet... at least with all firmware versions up through 22.92. New firmware 24.07 has been "spotted in the wild" (in TWC/Dallas) but no reports yet from any DVHS users in Dallas as to whether the 24.07 firmware (which reportedly DOES support external eSATA hard drives for expansion!) has finally fixed the firewire interface problem that has plagued the DCX3400 (and FIOS version of the same box) for more than a year now, ever since it was first released to customers around the country by all cable companies.


NOTE: if there are any TWC/Dallas users of firmware 24.07 DCX3400 boxes reading this post who have (a) tried DVHS firewire recording, and/or (b) tried to attach an eSATA external drive for expansion, can you please report as to success or failure from this newest firmware release? Thanks.


Did they give you a new remote? Or are you still using the original remote?

I went to the Comcast depot in Chicago a few weeks ago to trade an old DCT6412 that my sister had for a new DCX3400 (500GB model) and they issued me a new "platinum" (actually kind of dark silver) remote to replace the old "silver" remote I turned in. Looked the same, but it was a different finish, and obviously slightly different internally.

The Wiki documentation for working with Motorola DVR's describes the special programming needed for the 30-second skip in this remote. I, too, was unable to get the 30-second skip installed using the old standard method, but this new technique (described as particularly required for the new "platinum" remote, but it may be your answer too) may work for you. It certainly worked for me, and I was able to get the 30-second skip successfully installed into the new "platinum" remote for my sister.

=================================

If you have the New Platinum Remote .... Use this procedure instead !!!!! ************

You must temporarily reprogram Aux to Cable, set 30 sec skip, then change Aux to your auxiliary device.

1. Press the "Aux" button at the top of the remote to put it into Cable Box control mode.

2. Press and hold the "Setup" button until the "Aux" button blinks twice.

3. Type in the code 01376. The "Aux" button will blink twice.

4. Press the "Aux" button at the top of the remote again

5. Press and hold the "Setup" button until the "Aux" button blinks twice.

6. Type in the code 994. The "Aux" button will blink twice.

7. Press (do not hold) the "Setup" button.

8. Type in the code 00173.

9. Press (do not hold) the "Cable" button.

10. Press whatever button you want to map the 30-second skip command to (ex: A / Lock). The "Cable" button will blink twice if successful.

=================================

Note that this approach involves the AUX device button, at least temporarily. So if you use the AUX button for another device, apparently you'll have to re-program it back to be for that other device when you're done getting the 30-second skip programmed successfully for the CABLE device button.

Just wanted to say that I took my DCH6416 in to try and get a box with a larger hard drive. I expected the people at the local office to have no idea about which boxes had which hard drives, but when I asked for a DCX box with a 500GB drive he knew exactly what I was talking about. He said all the new ones they hand out now are 500GB. He brought it up to the counter and sure enough it was a DCX3400-M. I assumed they were holding those back for just the Anyroom DVR installations, but he didn't hesitate in swapping it out for me. Going from 160GB to 500GB is really nice and the box seems to move through the menus faster. All in all a good experience.

Correct



I don't understand how the above method got so popular. Why not just unlock the Cable button & program it with the other code instead of reprogramming other device buttons? The 01376 code does everything the 01982 code (the one preprogrammed in the platinum remote) does, it's just as easy to do & doesn't mess with the Aux button.

The Cable device code may be locked on some remotes. To unlock:

1. press the CABLE button.
2. press and hold the SETUP button until the CABLE button blinks twice.
3. Enter 9 - 8 - 2. The CABLE key will blink four times.
4. press the CABLE button again.
5. press and hold the SETUP button until the CABLE button blinks twice.
6. press 0-1-3-7-6

Then for the skip button:
7. Press the "Cable" button again
8. Press and hold the "Setup" button until the "Cable" button blinks twice.
9. Type in the code 994. The "Cable" button will blink twice.
10. Press (do not hold) the "Setup" button.
11. Type in the code 00173.
12. Press (do not hold) the "Cable" button.
13. Press whatever button you want to map the 30-second skip command to (ex: A/Lock, LIVE, etc). The "Cable" button will blink twice if successful.

No reason to reprogram the Aux button in case you want to use it for something else & no need to "Lock" the Cable button when you're done.

This is not an issue limited to D-VHS "taping" -- DAT recordings can sometimes only play on the recorder that made them, cassette recordings (remember them?) usually sounded better on the recorder that made them than others (even of the same brand), etc.

Anyway, as no one in my personal circles has any clue what a D-VHS is, let alone owns one, when I want to share my archive with friends, they have to come to visit me, and then the tapes are played on the deck that made the recordings. They then usually are amazed to find HD recordings of TV shows. You are fortunate you have friends with D-VHS VCRs with whom you can actually swap tapes to discover they don't work as well on machines that didn't make the recordings.


Because of the difficulties in recording from D-VHS to computer, and the lack of any 5-C compliant blu-ray recorders (other than prohibitively priced Japanese models?), I still use D-VHS. My recordings have the odd glitch sometimes, but it's the price of this tricky format. I applaud you for going the extra step and burning blu-rays, though I'm still unaware of how this could be done to material marked as copy once, unless there's a recent hacking solution.

FWIW, I have kept my DCH 3416 rather than switching to the DCX because this thread clued me months ago to the firewire problem. the A28 software has caused some problems with the DVR box shutting itself off, either when putting in new tapes to the D-VHS or when ffwing/rwing the source program on the DVR. my workarounds have been to power-off the box when putting in new tapes and the power it back on after the tape is in and has been recognized, and to use various skips (5 minute, 30 second, 15 second) forward and back to find the position on the program on the DVR from which I want to record. The recordings themselves are the same quality on A28 as before.

Thanks again, Jon. The procedure you described worked for my new remote with the DCX3400. I was able to program the 30-sec. skip into the "+" button in the PIP section and the mute function into the on/off PIP button. My remote is a slightly silverish grey color. I wonder if a different procedure is also needed to return these buttons to their default function?

Also, regarding your reference to the Macro function to get a button programmed for doing a 3-min. skip, by having it repeat the 30-sec. skip 6 times, how do you instruct the button to do it a certain number of times? Due to the increase in commercial-break times these days, a 7X or even 8X macro might be needed.

For those who asked, the Firmware of my DCX3400 is 22.65 and the Software is 78.53 A28.

I got rid of the annoying bright blue light on the front panel, by putting a small square of black tape over it. The light shows through, but only dimly.

When I first turned on the DVR after activation, a setting menu appeared, that allowed me to change the sharpness from the middle position of 3, in a 1 to 5 scale, to position 4. Now, I can't find any way to access this setting page again. Does anyone know how?

I'm guessing that larger 1 TB (1000GB) boxes are coming soon to a Comcast center near you.

-Glad that worked for you.

-The mute button probably wasn't really needed but no harm in having it on there. Years ago when these DVRs first came out they were muted if it started recording when the box was off & the only way to unmute it was with that button. After one of the firmware upgrades a few years ago this changed & by just pressing any button on the remote it unmutes it for you.

-Not sure exactly what you're talking about with returning them to default. If you're worried about changing it back before returning it to Comcast, don't. As someone else said on here a couple days ago that's not something they check & generally would just reprogram the whole thing before re-issuing it (if they don't just throw it away).



For the macro you can just keep the PIP+ button as your 30sec skip button, then you'll assign a different button the 3 or 4 minute skip (such as LIVE). So if you were to use the LIVE button it would go something like:
1. Press the "Cable" button at the top of the remote to put it into Cable Box control mode.
2. Press and hold the "Setup" button until the "Cable" button blinks twice.
3. Type in the code 995. The "Cable" button will blink twice.
4. Press the LIVE button (or whatever one you want to map the macro to).
5. Press the sequence of buttons you want executed by the macro, PIP+, PIP+, PIP+, PIP+, PIP+, PIP+, PIP+, PIP+ (would press the 30sec skip button 8 times for you giving you a 4 minute skip). If by some chance you wanted to get fancy & do a 3min & 45sec skip you would just do the above procedure & then at the end press the 15sec backwards arrow once, making it go 4min forward & 15sec back.
6. Press and hold the "Setup" button. The "Cable" button will blink twice if successful.

Note: the reason I suggest the LIVE button for the macro is that it's in a convenient location & the "Down Arrow" does the same function as long as you're just watching TV & not navigating any guides or menus. No use having 2 buttons do the same thing for you. Actually the "Down Arrow" does at least 3 different things; arrows down in menus/guides, goes to Live TV & is the stop button if you're watching a show.

FYI, you may want to check out the Wiki page for these things, especially the remote page. Wiki Moto remote page.

Does anybody on here who has a Universal Remote Control (model UR4U-MDVR-CHD2)? A while back I emailed URC about changing the Page Up and Page Down buttons to 30 seconds and the Replay button to 15 seconds. About a day or two later I got a reply back saying the buttons can't be changed. I'd like to reprogram the buttons I mentioned to 30 and 15 seconds. I can't find any info on how to reprogram a UR4U-MDVR-CHD2 remote. I have included an image of the remote I have

Just a heads up... with firmware 22.92 they've added a hardware setup option to dim the display of the DCX3400. So you won't need your tape when Comcast gives you 22.92 or higher.

EDIT: (I originally had 24.92, which is obviously wrong. That should have been 22.92)



It's in what I call the "hardware setup menu":

From power on state, press power OFF and then MENU. This produces the "hardware setup menu" with the basic options, including that sharpness item you're looking for.

NOTE: the "sharpness" item applies ONLY TO 480i SD CHANNELS. It has zero effect on 720p/1080i HD channels.


Also, if you are running HDMI directly from the DCX3400 to your HDTV my recommendation is to set the "NATIVE" value in that hardware setup menu. This will produce optimal picture on your HDTV no matter what the resolution of the channel you're watching, although changing channels between 720p and 1080i will probably cause your HDTV to go dark for 1-2 seconds as it changes resolution to conform to the "native" resolution source signal being delivered from the DVR.

I would recommend AGAINST setting 1080i or 720p, as it's almost guaranteed that your HDTV will do a better job of handling "native" source signals at either 720p or 1080i than the DCX3400 will do up-converting 720p to 1080i or down-converting 1080i to 720p.

Note that when you specify "native" the "480i override" sub-option is forced to "OFF" and is grayed-out so that you cannot change it. Again, this is "optimal" and will present 480i 4:3 SD channels in 4:3 OAR, with black bars on left and right. No stretch-o-vision. To match this, your HDTV should have its "zoom mode" for 4:3 480i set to "normal", to also prevent the HDTV from stretching horizontally when 480i "native" SD channels are sent to it from the DVR.


Finally, as has been mentioned numerous times in this thread, if you use "native" and run your HDMI cable directly from DVR to the HDTV, you'll have no problem at all with the DCX3400 retaining the "native" setting no matter what the power on/off sequence is of DVR or HDTV. Doesn't matter which box is turned on/off first or last... "native" will be retained 100% guaranteed.

However if you use an AVR, and have an "HDMI relay" from DVR to AVR and then AVR to HDTV, you will almost certainly have a problem with the DCX3400 losing "native" depending on the power on/off sequence of the three boxes involved. The recommended solution which mostly works (depending on AVR brand) is to turn the AVR on-last and off-first. This certainly works for Yamaha AVR's.

Unfortunately, this AVR on-last and off-first technique does not work for every brand of AVR (e.g. Denon AVR's are in this group). A common workaround is to use HDMI direct from DVR to HDTV and optical (for audio) from DVR to AVR. Yes, this does require that you select your HDMI input on your HDTV when changing from DVR to BluRay (for example), rather than just having one HDMI input from AVR to HDTV and leaving it there... but at least you will retain "native" on the DCX3400, which is in my opinion the goal.


Again, for optimal picture on your HDTV, I do not recommend going with fixed resolution of 1080i, just to avoid dealing with the "native" issue if you have a problematic AVR for which the on-last and off-first technique doesn't work. But if you decide that's what you want to do, you can still change the output resolution of the DCX3400 manually, using the FORMAT button on the front panel of the DVR itself. Pressing this button will cycle through all of your checked "HDTV-acceptable resolutions" in that hardware setup menu. So I also recommend that you un-check the 480p item, just to avoid cycling through that resolution unnecessarily if you do use the FORMAT button.

Note that the FORMAT function can also be programmed into an unused button on your remote, using EFC code 00109 (and the well-known procedure for assigning functions to buttons on the remote).

FWIW, I have an ongoing experiment running using both HDMI and Component feeding directly from my DCX3400-M to the same HDTV with the DVR set to Native ...... I find that there is a much shorter "go-dark" period when changing channels between 720p and 1080i and 480i stations with Component (like only a fraction of a second or less). Plus no difference in PQ between HDMI and Component. Also, less audio/video glitches with Component.

My cable provider is Eastlink in Nova Scotia, Canada and we have firmware version 24.09 and S/W Version 78.54 - A28p4.1005.r-6 on our DCX-3400-M boxes.

Just an FYI for all wondering what AVRs would work in this setup. I have an Onkyo AVR and have never had an issue with the native setting.

I've been experimenting with RGB vs. yCbCr for my cable viewing. Does anybody know why my DCX3400 (Comcast) doesn't save the settings when I go into the menu and change from the default yCbCr to RGB? It makes the change initially, but then seems to go back to yCbCr after I exit the menu and turn the box back on.

It's very frustrating because all the calibrated settings I've seen on AVS and elsewhere for my Samsung pn58c8000 plasma always say to put Black Level to "Low", but the TV menu won't allow me to do that when passing a yCbCr signal. In other words, the only way to switch it to Low is to set the cable box to RGB, which I can't seem to do (see above).

I trust the expertise on AVS so PLEASE break it down for me. Thanks guys!

Excellent summary, and thanks again for all your diligence in these matters.

I did set things up to use 'Native' ('first on' approach I learned from you), running HDMI to an Onk 1007 with 'pass through' on to a RS20 pj. It worked, but I found the drawbacks you described above to be too distracting to stay with this. Also, I could tell essentially no difference between 'Native' and setting the 3400 to output 1080i; this of course is probably very dependent on one's particular equipment (and eyes!). Just my experience.

Thank you.

Just for the record, I had a typo in my above quoted on that firmware version. Obviously it's not firmware version 24.92, but rather 22.92, where Motorola first introduced the "LED dimming" setting.

The newest 24.07, and now apparently 24.09 as reported up in Canada, is a different breed... supporting the multi-room functionality as well as external eSATA drives (although while reported working for some time in Canada, has yet to be confirmed by TWC/Dallas I do believe).

Also, I'm still hoping somebody with a DVHS VCR in the TWC/Dallas area with 24.07+ firmware will report in as to whether or not the firewire interface feature is now, finally, working properly again on the DCX3400 or whether it is STILL broken.



Don't you mean "first OFF, last ON", referring to the AVR? That's the simple trick which works with many AVR brands.



I understand. On my Sony 34XBR960 I do not find the short delay to be excessive (though it's certainly very obvious that the TV is re-configuring itself, as the screen kind of "explodes" and then settles down) or distracting. I personally would rather let this wonderful CRT do what it was designed to do, which is present an amazing image from 480i, 720p and 1080i source. But then that's just me, on this XBR960.

And besides, I NEVER "browse through channels". When I want to change channels I either look through the Favorites list Guide and then go directly to a channel I want to watch, or I pick a recording from my list. So it's just not a back-and-forth HDTV constantly changing resolutions as I "surf", since I never "surf sequentially". The added 1-2 seconds for the XBR960 to "settle down" with the newly directly-selected channel or recording is essentially invisible to me and is just all part of the process.



I understand. And true.

And of course, even if a special situation arose and you wanted to go to 720p (say, if you were going to watch a football game for hours on ABC/ESPN* or a FOX* network and wanted to be sure you were not producing any motion-artifacts that shouldn't be there, you could always use the FORMAT function to manually cycle the resolution from a fixed 1080i to a fixed 720 (and then back through 480i to 1080i again when done).

Personally, I don't like introducing electronically-created interlaced output to the TV (where it may then up-convert back to a native 1080p progressive for display, if that's how the HDTV works) where 720p progressive original content was the actual underlying situation.

Yes, it's probably relatively minor or invisible for some content and depending on the HDTV, but for high-quality best-possible situations (e.g. ABC's Oscars) I would always feed true 720p "native" to my HDTV's, and keep the DVR out of the up-conversion business. But that's just me.

FYI 22.65 was the begining of Multiroom support and unofficial MPEG4 support.