Official SA 8000HD DVR Users Thread

[Bigdog]

We have the 1 65" HDTV and then 3 other 27" non HDTVs around the house, so if there really is a disagreement we can watch in seperate rooms but usually we are down in the basement watching the big screen.

[gparris]

I have had problems with the crazy HD DVR box before, but now a little different one...when I watch and record HD shows, especially when I watch one HD channel and record another, the SD channels come in sidebars because the The HD DVR box forgets the settings.  

This has happened every time.!

Then I have to go to a channel that I DON'T want to watch, (like an analogue one)
 so I do the "try channel 10", the CSR at TWC said and "do the following":

1) Hit the "settings" button,
2)Then press the yellow "A" button for "more settings",
3)Then go to "aspect ratio 16:9",
4)Then highlight the "4:3 stretch"
5)Press the yellow "A" button to accept
6)Then hit the "exit" button...

If this doesn't work the first time....(she said)

Try another analogue channel....

Well, last night, channel 10 did not work so channel 1 did....!

Why such a mess with these boxes and screwy software (Pioneer)

It is like I should have kept my SD DVR box (with its S-Video connection) and just got this one for HD recording/watching-only!

If TWC ever gets different boxes and software, I want to know!:guns:

[MDR]

I've seen this problem with the sidebars coming up after watching recorded shows. I tried resetting it going thru the settings set=up but it wouldn't accept the change to stretch the display. I then powered down the 8000HD and then turned it back on and it would then accept resetting to stretch mode. (no reboot, just turn off and then back on)

The last time this happened I didn't even try redoing the setting. I just turned the 8000HD off and back on and the my display was back to normal(no sidebars).  Go figure, probably just one of the many quirks we'll encounter.:bang:

[The Law]

Will the VCR output send hd content out (albeit converted to sd).  If so, would it be 4:3 letterbox?

[oz]

Can someone please post the instructions for programming the SA 8000HD DVR remote control for TV and audio functions? The instructions TWC gave me were for a different remote.

Never mind - found it online - AT8400

Also, is there a way to browse through the channel listings (without using the guide) without changing the channel until you see something you want to change to? My dad's non-HD, non-DVR box can do that, but my new SA 8000HD doesn't seem to work the same way.

I guess I wasn't pressing the INFO button twice.

[The Law]

You can browse using PIP or you can use the info button and scroll through the "mini" guide accross the bottom of the screen.

[Bigdog]

I found an "interesting" problem with the box the other day. I was trying to record a comedy special off HBO On Demand and it wont let you, it says this channels is unrecordable.

[oz]

Some people had some questions earlier about picture formats, stretching, zooming, and the like. I found this on SA's website in their SA Explorer HDTV Setup Wizard document. I didn't get a chance to try it yet, but maybe it will help.
 
How Do I Change the Picture Size?

Press the # key on the remote control to toggle through the picture size options (Normal, Stretch, and Zoom) while in fixed mode, or press the # key to toggle through the picture format options (SD Normal and HD Zoom) while in pass-through mode. Notice as you toggle from one format to another that the scan rate (1080i, 480i, etc.) appears briefly in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Here's the entire PDF document for those interested:
http://www.scientificatlanta.com/explorerclub/getting_started/4003114B.pdf

[gb4fan92]

Originally posted by oz
Some people had some questions earlier about picture formats, stretching, zooming, and the like. I found this on SA's website in their SA Explorer HDTV Setup Wizard document. I didn't get a chance to try it yet, but maybe it will help.
 
 

This appears to be for the 3250HD box. I tried some of the setups and they don't work on the 8000HD.

[tbuiler]

Originally posted by gb4fan92
This appears to be for the 3250HD box. I tried some of the setups and they don't work on the 8000HD.

On my 8000HD (picked up yesterday), I found that the # key and the "Video Source" key on the remote will cycle through the Aspect Ratios.  However, I had to be on a HD channel.

I have a 4x3 set, and on a SD channel I cannot toggle the mode.  However on an HD channel I could cycle through Letterbox, Zoom, and Squeeze.

I couldn't change the TV type though.

[gb4fan92]

I have noticed that when I turn on my tv for the first time in the day that if it is on a HD channel that is not broadcasting HD the picture is stretched! However if I tune to another channel that is not broadcasting HD it is no longer stretched. If I turn back to the original channel it too is no longer stretched. Interesting.

[Bigdog]

I saw something like that too. I turned on 504 last night and it was not in HD when it should have. I changed the channels and came back and it snapped into HD... I think they still have a "few" bugs to work out with these boxes.... Actually even network performance said the samething about them

[oz]

The hard drive in my SA8000HD makes noise even when the unit is off. Is it doing some type of de-fragmentation or something?

When I first got it, I heard it occasionally, but now I hear it all the time. It just sounds like a hard drive reading/writing like it would in a computer

[mhz40]

No defrag, that's jus the way it works right now.  A patch is coming that would spin it down some preset time after the unit is powered off.  I don't expect that until they push out a patch for the intermittent video/audio glitch issue... maybe it will be all rolled up into one update.  We will have to wait & see.

[Bigdog]

Any idea when that might happen? Will that glitch fix "live" shows as well or just recorded ones?