Official SA 8000HD DVR Users Thread

[RS922]

Not any way at this time.  I would like to see the vendor add an option in settings to make it black or gray.  Time will tell if this happens.

[cglaser]

I too, am experiencing very annoyng sound stutters and freezes.  I would say, on average I get 5 - 10 audio stutters/freezes per minute...each lasting about one half second.  If I watch my audio receiver I see it switch from digital to analog during each of these freezes/stutters...it was so bad during the packer game I just forced my receiver to use analog only, and the problem became less severe, but I was still getting audio dropouts

Any idea what may be causing thix?  This never occured with the old TWC box.  I'd hate to have to use analog-onlysound with this thing.  It is not acceptable as is with digital audio.

My receiver is somewhat old, a Yamaha HTR-5250 (built in DTS/5.1/Dolby decoding).

[borghe]

if dropouts are happening on analog only then it is definitely a problem with the box, "possibly" compounded with compatibility issues with your receiver over a digital line.

I don't know if the TWC box records both buffers at the same time.. if it does, try to set the other buffer to an SD digital show, or better yet a digital music choice channel. I know my HD Tivo is strained when recording two streams at once.

Not a perfect solution if it works, but you can at least try, provided you can directly control what is on both buffers. the first step is to try to get the dropouts to go away on analog, then work on getting them gone on digital.

[cglaser]

It's happening on both...analog and digital audio.  However, it only seems to occur when I'm tuned to a HD channel.  It seems to be less severe on the analog though.  The picture will usually stutter and/or pixilate during these drops outs as well.  I'm going to get some new cables later this week too, as my current ones are a bit old and one is very very long (about 25') so I wonder too if it may be a signal issue.

[Paul S.]

TWC called me last night to come get mine. I'm gonna leave it until they activate the DVI, unless anyone can tell me if someone makes a componant to DVI cable.

[Mike Sura]

ATI makes an adapter. Never used one. $30

http://buy.ati.com/shopati/product.asp?category=AA&part%5Fno=HDTV+DVI%2DI+US&find%5Fcategory=AA&find%5Fdescription=Accessories&find%5Fpart%5Fdesc=&country=USA

[Snard]

Originally posted by Mike Sura
ATI makes an adapter. Never used one. $30

http://buy.ati.com/shopati/product.asp?category=AA&part%5Fno=HDTV+DVI%2DI+US&find%5Fcategory=AA&find%5Fdescription=Accessories&find%5Fpart%5Fdesc=&country=USA

That is actually a DVI to component out adaptor, and from what I have heard, it only works with certain ATI video cards.

[borghe]

ATI's adapter will not work. First, it is DVI-D to component, not DVI-I which the TWC (and all CE ports) are. Second, it is not a generic connector. It works with drivers installed on the computer to massage the signal for output over the component lines (ie 1080i, 720p, 540p, 480p, different frequencies, etc).

Anyway, that adapter WILL NOT work with anything other than ATI cards (and there is even more than one adapter depending on which Radeon you have).

ATI geek for 4 years now.

[Paul S.]

Originally posted by borghe
ATI's adapter will not work. First, it is DVI-D to component, not DVI-I which the TWC (and all CE ports) are. Second, it is not a generic connector. It works with drivers installed on the computer to massage the signal for output over the component lines (ie 1080i, 720p, 540p, 480p, different frequencies, etc).

Anyway, that adapter WILL NOT work with anything other than ATI cards (and there is even more than one adapter depending on which Radeon you have).

ATI geek for 4 years now.

Son of a! I just can't win. :bang:

[borghe]

I actually know how you DVI guys feel.. I was going to let my buddy use my HDMI-DVI convertor only to now find out that his DVI port isn't activated (he has HDMI on his TV)....

I can understand not including firewire, but to only have component active on these boxes???

hmm....

[mhz40]

Originally posted by borghe
I actually know how you DVI guys feel.. I was going to let my buddy use my HDMI-DVI convertor only to now find out that his DVI port isn't activated (he has HDMI on his TV)....

I can understand not including firewire, but to only have component active on these boxes???

hmm....

It shouldn't be a huge surprise...I brought this up on my inital post on the DVR back on March 30th.
I can see if someone calibrated their set to the port, but in general I believe it is a very small price to pay for the DVR functionality.  
IMO, DVI is overrated, especially in it's current state on the Pioneer platform... too many format shifts during IPG browsing etc...
Picture quality wise, I see no difference on my Sammy.

[borghe]

admittedly I have followed very little on the SA DVR.. for obvious reasons.

as for the samll price to pay, hmm.. I suppose, unless you consider the Tivo has it activated from the get go. and what about s-video and composite video being disabled..

not meaning to sound like a jerk, it just seems like pretty basic stuff that is disabled, and without any seemingly good reason.

[Paul S.]

Originally posted by borghe

not meaning to sound like a jerk, it just seems like pretty basic stuff that is disabled, and without any seemingly good reason.

To me, it's like buying an '04 Cobra with a 4 banger in it.

[Mrtanner]

Originally posted by borghe
...and what about s-video and composite video being disabled..

not meaning to sound like a jerk, it just seems like pretty basic stuff that is disabled, and without any seemingly good reason.

What is the size of the hard drive in the SD DVR?  If it is smaller than the the 160GB in the HD, TWC may have disabled the standard video outputs to prevent everyone who has an SD set with a DVR from requesting the more expensive HD DVR that costs TWC more money, but not the customer.  

Just a thought.

[Snard]

Originally posted by Mrtanner
What is the size of the hard drive in the SD DVR?  If it is smaller than the the 160GB in the HD, TWC may have disabled the standard video outputs to prevent everyone who has an SD set with a DVR from requesting the more expensive HD DVR that costs TWC more money, but not the customer.  

Just a thought.

That's a mostly valid point - except that some of us already experienced the "can't get out of SD mode" problem... so an enterprising SD owner who wants the extra recording capacity could certainly do this.

Also, there is a couple $ per month difference, as I recall (unless that's just a special going on right now - the SD DVR is $5/mo extra, while the HD is $6.95/mo)

But honestly ... I can't see the big deal with needing composite or S-video out on this box. I traded in my old converter for a HD DVR because I want the better recording & viewing quality. Are people really going to use one of these to drive a low-res device?