Official SA 8300HD DVR Users Thread

[Mark Strube]

That's ridiculous, it sounds like there's a problem with your box. It has full capability to switch between HD and SD, and upconverts all video to whatever signal you choose (480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i) and all thru the HDMI. I'd go for a new box.

[Paul S.]

Either that or its your set!

[Hophead]

FiberOptic,
Try setting the box to only output the native resolution of your TV.  For example I have a Samsung HLP5063W and it's native resolution is 720p, if my 8300 were set to output 480p, 720p, and 1080i my tv I believe would not know what to do with the 480p signal so I would not get a picture on the channels you listed.  If I set the 8300 to output only 720p (which I have) I get reception on all stations, if I set the output to 1080i my TV would know to downconvert that signal to 720p.

Hope this helps...

[FiberOptic]

Hophead, it worked. I get all the channels now after I switched to 720.  You the man

[Hophead]

Excellent...glad to be of service.  I bet switching channels is a lot faster now as well.

[FiberOptic]

You have no idea, it is like night and day

[oz]

I traded in my 8000 for the 8300 on Sunday. I have to comment on the new TWC store at Mayfair. The customer service there is great. When I think about that crappy store further down the road with a security guard standing in the doorway – this place is leaps and bounds in the right direction. There was no wait, no questions asked – they gave me the new hardware, and I am very happy with it. Picture quality looks the same or slightly better and the channels change faster. The search-by-name function is cool too.

The best part for me - this box is MUCH quieter than the 8000 was. No more constant hard drive chatter.

[Tom Snyder]

It is a well designed and great looking new facility. Now the only thing in the place that doesn't scream "quality" is ... their PRODUCT!

It amazes me that all around the store, they have dozens of plasma TV's showing just how crappy all their analog channels look on expensive TV's.  
 
That's good, how? :confused:

[gparris]

I understand your logic and if this was a different TWC location like some of them around the country, where  the analogue channels are copied into the digital channels it could be different...here in Milwaukeeland, with the exception of channels, 4, 6 and 58, which are digital SD with a convertor box, this is all we have.
Curious, why wouldn't the plasmas all have at least Discovery HD Theatre playing to show off the quality of good HD cable with what few HD channels they have since it has been a very long time since TWC added them (couldn't resist).
Sort of mimics what you get in some big-box stores when they attempt to sell HDTVs with some freaky analogue station or play DVDs in a interlaced setup.

Maybe the Mayfair place is run by idiots who don't care what is on or how it is displayed...too bad

[Mark Strube]

I remember awhile ago American was showing off their best TV's playing VH1 Classic. Low bitrate digital AND old old low quality video. Genius.  :rofl:

I think the new TWC store is cool, and the fact that they've decided to approach it with a store atmosphere is a great idea... but I hate the location. Parking at the mall always sucks and now the lines are much worse.  :rolleyes:

[Andrew Grall]

I remember awhile ago American was showing off their best TV's playing VH1 Classic. Low bitrate digital AND old old low quality video. Genius.  :rofl:

I think the new TWC store is cool, and the fact that they've decided to approach it with a store atmosphere is a great idea... but I hate the location. Parking at the mall always sucks and now the lines are much worse.  :rolleyes:

Parking at the mall... no kidding!?!

Honestly, I'm not sure I can think of a major mall with a worse parking situation than Mayfair.  It's bad anytime, let alone anywhere near Christmas.  And then they go and use up a bunch of the parking lot with the new Crate & Barrel!

[Marc G]

Sort of mimics what you get in some big-box stores when they attempt to sell HDTVs with some freaky analogue station or play DVDs in a interlaced setup.

... and with the wrong aspect ratios!

[gparris]

Wrong aspect ratios? I am not surprised...well, yes I am since they invested so much is flat panels and the whole store...ugh!!! :mad:

Who runs that store...maybe we should write them directly?

How can you show the merits for good cable and HDTV without the proper setups?

Maybe when get over there from where I live-maybe to shop at Mayfair, parking space found, I will turn them around or get the manager replaced.

[Mark Strube]

Many stores use the same video feed for their HD and non-HD setups. That simplifies things and also, depending on what kind of feed they're using, will cause things to look squeezed on their standard televisions, or things to look stretched on their widescreen televisions.

[gparris]

I understand what you said..Mark...but no...TWC IS the source and they can run anything they want as they want because no one is charging them...not like a regular "store"...no excuses...just a bad manager or management at Mayfair. :mad: