Official AVS Motorola DCX series HD DVR Topic! - Page 103

There has not been any report of anyone here in the US whose Motorola DVR has a functioning exteranl HDD port.

Shaw Cable users in Canada DO have such functionality (even in the non-M original DCX3400 models). In fact, Shaw actually sells its own add-on external hard drive kit, so it's obviously always potentially been possible with the current DCX3400* family of products... if the cable system provider enabled it.

But unless someone else knows differently I do not believe any cable company in the US supports this (at least not yet, or at the moment).



If it was possible, you would use the eSATA port, to connect to an external SATA drive.

Word is that the new DCX35xx models (supposedly making their appearance sometime after 3rd quarter) will have the eSATA ports enabled.

But for now... no.

Correct. Theoretically.

However there is no TrueHD or lossless audio being provided by any channel that I know of, so I don't think this is really an issue. If there is any pay-per-view that provides super-HD audio, I suppose you'd not be able to benefit through an optical cable.

The DCX boxes are consumer-grade, and as such are mass-marketed to provide normal TV broadcaster and cable channel content. That means 720p/1080i video (no 1080p) and DD2.0 or DD5.1 audio.


But let's be realistic. There's no law that says you can't re-cable things temporarily if you want to, so that the HDMI connection goes from DVR to AVR for any given program.

The whole discussion is about the DVR losing "native", during power on/off sequences, caused by the presence of the AVR in the connection diagram if you don't re-cable every time you want to watch or listent to something special but instead try to survive by leaving the HDMI cable as-is.

But you can always just cable it the way you want (i.e HDMI through AVR), and then just push the FORMAT button to cycle through the various video resolutions to match the video resolution of the program you're now tuned to... if the current setup is not what you want.

Again, cable channels are not 1080p, and are not lossless audio. So none of these "downsides" is really that at all.

I don't know why anybody would "want" to upconvert 720p to 1080i. The source is 720p, not 1080i. The result is just "interpolation, not any true improved picture taking advantage of improved source information just because it's being sent at a "higher resolution".

Feeding "native" 720p to an HDTV passes on the function of "image optimization" to the display device itself. Anything that can be done to improve the appearance of a 720p source signal on your zillion dollar HDTV is no doubt much better done in that zillion dollar HDTV, rather than by the DCX3400.

That's the reason having "native" available as an option is an improvement over earlier Motorola boxes that only provided fixed resolutions (although you could manually change the output resolution yourself, at runtime, with the FORMAT button). With "native" the DCX decides what to put out... 720p or 1080i... based on the source program, and saves you the trouble of manually optimizing the output to match the source.

In other words, sending source content to the HDTV untouched by the DCX is "optimal", with the HDTV then doing its thing.



The question might better be "can you tell the difference, between 720p sent out as 720p, or 720p upconverted to 1080i by the DCX ? That's what this is all about.

Can YOU tell the difference, on the particular HDTV you have? If you can't, or you feel the difference is too miniscule to bother trying to workaround the DCX's HDMI problems with "native" going through an AVR, then just let it put out 1080i. Remember, you can always just push the FORMAT button to cycle to 720p if you're watching a 720p program, and then push the FORMAT button a few more times if you then go to a 1080i program... and accomplish the exact equivalent of "native" yourself.

We're only talking about trying to make "native" stick. I don't think there's really anybody arguing that "native" is not optimal... only that the DCX is broken when an AVR is involved with HDMI. And then how best to deal with that, or work around it, or overcome it, or live with it if you can't be bothered. But the manual FORMAT button technique is clearly yet another 100% successful "solution", if you don't mind pushing a button once or twice in order to get "optimal" picture.

Is 720p->1080i done by the DCX3400 "optimal"? I don't think so.

Can you tell the difference? Is it worth the effort fighting the DCX? Up to you to decide



No, "native" is an improvement that first made its appearance with the DCX family of products. It was not available with the earlier DCT or DCH families.

Yes, sorry: I don't think there is any 'lossless' hidef audio over cable. I was thinking of a BluRay source. I have HDMI from my Comcast DCX and from my Oppo BD player both into my AVR, doing 'pass through' of the video to a pj. Could I set it up so that the DCX source gets its audio from optical, and the BD gets is via HDMI? I haven't thought about this.

PS And Oh, I remember a reason I didn't like the 'Natural' resolution setting (which I tried using your 'Method 1' several months ago): when switching between HD channels that have different resolutions (i.e., 720p or 1080i), it is extra slow in 'Natural' than if one simply has it set at 1080i. So I finally decided that this feature was more annoying to me than not having 'Natural' resolution (and also seen I couldn't convince myself that I saw any PQ difference in the two choices).

I think you may have mis-typed what you wanted to say here. It's not the DCX or the BD that that "gets its audio" from anything. The DCX and BD are source devices... to either the HDTV and/or AVR.

The DCX provides both audio and video. These are provided either (a) both to an HDTV (via HDMI) which uses the HDTV speakers for sound, and/or (b) both to an AVR (via HDMI) which handles the audio through your sound system and then passes on the video through its own HDMI connection to your HDTV, or (c) separately audio-only to the AVR (via optical) and video-only directly to the HDTV (via HDMI).

Obviously the BD player is almost certainly connected to the AVR (via HDMI), for both audio and video. So to watch a BD you obviously need the second HDMI cable from AVR to HDTV. If you're using HDMI/AVR method (b) above then that one HDMI cable to the HDTV provides either DCX cable video output or BD video output to the HDTV with the AVR handling HDMI-provided audio for both sources.


I'm sure you mean "native".

But yes, this observation is true regarding an extra few moments likely accompanying the HDTV changing resolutions back and forth when you transition from 720p to 1080i and vice versa. This is certainly another valid "downside".

But others (myself included) don't mind this momentary stutter, when I'm about to be watching a program for the next hour or two at the optimal video resolution. I almost always use use the onscreen Guide for direct live TV selection (i.e. channel changing) or MyDVR recordings list to decide what next to watch. Adding an extra 1-second to this process if it happens to involve a video resolution change as well is not at all an issue to me.

Furthermore, if the next program I watch has the same video resolution then there's zero extra time. And that happens more often than not, since most HD channels are actually at 1080i and not 720p (which is really pretty much just the ABC and FOX family of channels with the rare oddball exception).

Thanks much, DS (and also for interpreting my 'Natural' correctly as 'Native''! 70th b-day is coming up next week, and it may be showing!)

Since I have a projector (JVC RS20), there is obviously no audio available from it; all audio comes from the AVR's output. At present I have 2 HDMI's into the AVR, one from the BD and one from the DCX, and 1 HDMI out of it to the pj; when changing from HDTV (from the DCX) to BD, I have to change the input designation in the AVR to the appropriate one. I suppose (but don't know) that I could tell the AVR to disregard the audio signal from the DCX's HDMI and to use audio from an optical cable connecting the DCX to AVR. I'll check the AVR manual to see how this can be done.

There is still the 'delay' issue that you correctly discussed above. When I tried this several months ago I found it very annoying, but may give it another try.

And thanks again for all your very helpful and detailed discussions and suggestions!

PS OK, I think I get it: I run one HDMI directly from the DCX to the projector (say its HDMI input 1), and an optical cable from DCX to AVR. Then I run another HDMI from the BD player to the AVR, and an HDMI out of the AVR to the pj (its HDMI input 2). Right?

You got it!!

On my Yamaha AVR there is a "manual setup" dialog. This flares into five sub-menus, one of which is called "INPUT/OUTPUT" which allows you to configure or re-configure ANY of the analog or digital inputs, mixing and matching to represent any source you care to feed it.

In particular, you describe whether video input for a given source is analog or digital and if so which one (as labeled on the back of the unit), and the same with audio (either coming in from HDMI or optical, or analog). You can also manually rename what they show up as on the front display panel of the AVR. when you push a given source selector button on the remote. Obviously the remote buttons are engraved with source device names most commonly used, but you can make each one display any way you want on the front panel.

This is pretty much standard capability for virtually all decent AVR's I would guess, regardless of manufacturer.

Guys, I've got the DCX-3400 and am having some lip sync problems is this a known issue? Any fixes or do I need to swap the box out?

Usually lip sync problem are not related to the STB but a program problem.

Simply ridiculous in this day and age that Comcasts boasts being a great HD provider, yet their onscreen guide is stuck in the dark ages. We were recently in San Diego, and my sister's AT&T guide is in HD, and is very impressive (information available for programs, images thereof, 1080 resolution).

It just annoys me to no end that my beautiful HDTV looks like crap every time I access the cable guide; so little info and so much scrolling and button-hitting.

Funny, but we were just in Florida where our son had AT&T Uverse and I had sort of the opposite conclusion about the guide. Only 6 lines, one of which repeats for page up or down, so really only five and, at least in Florida, very limited On Demand options. They have FIOS in Maryland which I though much more comparable (or better) than Comcast

Just noticed a few days ago that this problem is gone. No change in firmware. Not sure what happened but I'm not complaining.

How do i make the comcast dvr record only in hd when i select all channels in a series recording

I like pawn stars on the history channel

But they also play the show in the lifetime channel

The lifetime channel has an hd channel too

But it keeps recording the standard channels not HD in lifetime


I set the series recording from the history channel HD and i selected all channels

The shows record in hd in history channel but not in lifetime channel


Is there a workaround to this ?


I have the comcast black box 3400

Another question

How do i find out how much hardrive space my cable box has

I have a black motorola DCX3400 with comcast, the lady at the office told me this was the biggest box they had, i asked her how much GB it has, she didn't know

The remote is a dark silver, and whats good about it is i dont have to point the remote to the box for it to work, i have the cable box in a stand real low to the ground, below sitting level so this is good for me


The cable box is black & says DCX3400 in the front

I like that it says 1080i in the display next to the clock

Do you want to record airings on both channels? HD-only on both channels?

Set two separate series recordings, one for Lifetime HD and the second for History HD.

Do not set "all channels". Set "this channel only".

Solved.

Thanks i didn't think of that

That should work

Set up a search and record for the show and select HD only. Go to Search, then Search and Record, Search by Title, Put in the title, Select Auto-Record, Change the "Record In" setting to HDTV only. Note this will only work if the guide data for the program is flagged as HD.


You can only set up one series recording per series. You can not set up a series recording for two channels for the same program.

Press Cable then Power to turn off the cable box, immediately press the OK/Select button. Use the arrow keys to go down and select DVR/HD Status, from there there are a few pages of data you can cycle thru with the arrow keys. Look for Total Size and you will have your answer.

Turn the box over. There should be a white tag on it.

The hard drive size is usually a suffix on the model number shown on the tag.



Probably the IR flash from the remote is VERY "bright", and may be bouncing off of the walls in your room. The IR sensor on the front of the box is picking up the flash, no matter whether directly head-on from the remote or from reflections.

But the remote and DCX3400 are both IR-only. They are not working by RF. So it's definitely limited to an IR flash.

If you put the remote in your pocket so that zero light got out to bounce around the room and reflect into the IR sensor of the DCX panel, and pressed a button on on the remote, I'm sure the DCX would not respond.



This indicates the OUTPUT resolution of the box to the HDTV/AVR. It is not indicating the SOURCE resolution of the program you are watching.

If you push the FORMAT button on the front panel of the box (or program a button on the remote to be the FORMAT function, and then press that button on the remote) you will move to the next lower available output resolution. As you continue pressing FORMAT, you will cycle through all available outputs and return back to the 1080i value.

Your best image on the HDTV will occur if you "match" output resolution from the DCX to HDTV/AVR to be the same as the source resolution of the program you're tuned to. So your best video results are 1080i program -> 1080i output, and 720p program -> 720p output.

This matching of DCX output resolution to the source program resolution can be done automatically by the DCX box, through a hardware setup option called "native". The box default is NOT "native", but instead always puts out a fixed 1080i.

For 1080i source programs this amounts to the same thing as "native" would do. But 720p source programs will also be upconverted to the fixed 1080i output, and even 480i (non-HD) source programs will be upconverted to the fixed 1080i output. This is not "ideal" (in my opinion) for the 720p and 480i situations, but will still probably look very good or excellent to you anyway.

Note that you can still manually push the FORMAT button even if the box is set to fixed-1080i, and manually change the resolution to fixed-720p if you want. This 720p output resolution will remain in effect indefinitely (as long as the box is left powered on), unless you push the FORMAT button again, or unless you power the box off. If you power the box off an wait a minute or two, when you turn the box back on it will automatically be reset back to the default fixed 1080i.

When i select the native option the guide looks all stretch & big in the normal channel

And when i change channels between hd & standard i get a no signal"invalid format on my tv for a few seconds

I didnt see any of these things when i had the box set in 1080i + stretch in the menu

What kind of HDTV do you have?

Do you use HDMI cable?

Do you have HDMI cable going directly from DCX to HDTV, or do you have HDMI from DCX to AVR and then HDMI from AVR to HDTV?

If your HDTV cannot accept native 480i (standard definition non-HD channels) then on that initial hardware setup menu that you set "native" on you must also UN-CHECK the "480i is acceptable format" box.

In other words, the DCX will send out native source resolution when you indicate that your HDTV can accept this resolution. If your HDTV cannot accept a particular resolution over HDMI (such as 480i) then UNCHECK it as acceptable, and the DCX will automatically upconvert it to the next acceptable resolution (e.g. 720p).

In other words if you check only 720p and 1080i resolutions as acceptable, and uncheck the other resolutions (only 480i is really relevant for cable-provided TV channels) your "invalid format" problem should disappear. The 480i channel will be sent at 720p to the HDTV, which is acceptable for sure.

This will likely also solve your "stretched Guide" symptom. The Guide is not in HDTV form, and is not in 16x9 size. It is actually 4:3 and certainly shouldn't be stretched.

Choosing "native" forces "480i override OFF" which prevents the DCX from stretching anything. So actually I'm a little surprised you had any problem.

Anyway, uncheck 480i as acceptable, and report if that also fixes your stretched Guide.


NOTE: if you don't want to deal with any problems you didn't have before, and yet you also want to get "best possible video" when watching HDTV, you can always go back to "fixed 1080i" and then ALSO use the FORMAT button to manually change resolution when you watch a 720p program. The FORMAT button will temporarily override your 1080i fixed option, and change the DCX to 720p option... either until you again use the FORMAT button to go back to 1080i, or until you turn off the DCX for a few minutes.

I have a mitsubishi 60" dlp 1080p HDTV

I have cable box going straight to the tv via hdmi

One thing i notice the hdmi cable that comcast gave me is that any good?

I bought a amazonbasics high speed hdmi cable

The picture does look diff but maybe im just use to the hd cable that it looks normal i dont know

When i first got the new tv i used the comcast hdmi cable, the picture looked amazing

After a few weeks i got the amazon one, but it doesn't have that wow factor

Maybe its because im more use to HDTV now lol






Edit:


How do i get the format button?

I can use the HD Zoom button as format

I have found a resolution to my issue: The 8016 "Video ProbeLinc" from Smarthome. When plugged into the "Audio Out Variable L/R audio (SDTV)" jack (rear panel) the output of the 8016 provides a simple open or close in synch with the power state of the DCX3400. This is suitable as an input for any electronics that accept a binary (open or closed) input. In my case I am using the Smarthome I/O-Linc to send a signal (powerline/Insteon) to a separate ApplianceLinc controller to power up/down the rest of my A/V equipment.

The model??

Anyway, if it can't accept native 480i via HDMI then as I said, just un-check that value in the list of "acceptable formats" for you TV. Then the DCX will upconvert 480i to the next available output resolution, namely 720p... which should be fine.



You'll probably hear much discussion on this topic, but for me a digital HDMI cable is a digital HDMI cable. I'm not talking about the class of HDMI cable (e.g. newer HDMI cables are required for 3D content and newer lossless audio formats), but if you want to learn more about the different types of HDMI cable you might read this article.

I'm talking about the "ordinary" standard HDMI cable suitable and perfectly acceptable for almost all home A/V needs, and in particular connecting the DCX box to your HDTV. In this situation, I'm convinced that HDMI is HDMI, and anything costing more than $30 is a ripoff. Good acceptable HDMi cables can be had for $10-$20 from online retailers.

Digital is digital. The bits are there, or they're not. They don't get changed, modified, enhanced or inhibited, by the cable. The bits get delivered, 100% as-is... as long as the cable or a connector is not broken.

I'm sure the Comcast-provided HDMI cable was perfectly acceptable. Spending lots more money on a replacement "high-end HDMI cable" isn't really money well spent.

And for sure, it should make zero difference in the picture, which after all is represented by the bits being transmitted over the cable, and the bits are 100% unaffected by any digital HDMI cable that is not defective.



Assuming your remote is programmable, read this post to learn how to program all functions into it... including the FORMAT button.



Doesn't sound like you're talking about your Comcast remote. There's no zoom-related buttons for your TV on the DVR's remote.

Sounds like you are talking about your Mits HDTV's remote.

The programming of the FORMAT button is a function for the Comcast remote.

My cable box on the bottom says dcx4300
Then 000/320

Do i have the 320gb version ?

Yes.

Yes.

Anyone know (off the top of their head) whether the DCX3400's HDMI output is v1.3 or v1.4?

Oorah




I think is 1.3

But whats the diff

Read about the different types of HDMI cable in this article