Official SA 8300HD DVR Users Thread

[picopir8]

I just called and asked if there were any of these boxes in stock and guy told me they were only giving them out if you had a problem with your current DVR... what's that all about :confused:  Too much demand?

You must have called the normal customer service #.  Ill bet thats the common response b/c they dont want to send a driver out to deliver your box unless there is a problem.  If you go to the mayfair store, you can swap the box w/o any problems.  Last I checked, TWC does not make the mayfair stores number public so you just have to disconnect everything and take it there and hope they have an 8300 in stock.  They swapped my box w/o problems.  They asked why I was switching and I said the 8000 only put out component or svideo but not both, and I needed both for my home theater setup.

My only mistake was taking my remote.  They swapped it out too and gave me one thats pretty beat up.  I didnt care too much though since I was waiting for (and still am) the Harmony 880 to be released. I know, bestbuy has it, but online retailers have it for about 60% of the price, they just havent received it yet.

[Mark Strube]

Last I checked, TWC does not make the mayfair stores number public so you just have to disconnect everything and take it there and hope they have an 8300 in stock.

I think this is repeat #4 now...

Like I've said, call the Mayfair store (1-866-892-6007), ask if they have any available, if not, ask when they're getting a new shipment. I'd recommend calling right before you're planning on leaving to go to the store. They tend to disappear pretty quickly.

 :rolleyes:

[Paul S.]

Were you pausing while recording it (I wouldn't do that) or what?

If you record "24" (it seems as though you are "into" this show),
you should not have the need to ever "pause" it.
Just backup, as I do, to where you left off and let it keep recording.
I have never had a problem with the 8300HD doing that.  

If you aren't recording it, it DOES keep at least a half-hour or more in its "buffer" so pausing (again) is not necessary.

The alternative is to try going for the guide, make sure the program you are watching is highlighted and press the record button and it records what you currently have it the buffer and it does the trick...you just have to make it a habit to remember these things....hope this helps you.

I didnt have it set to record. I had to pause it to take care of some crap. Less than 15 min later, the box shut off and there was no way to 'rewind' it.

[kevbeck122]

I would guess that, customer service not withstanding, they are considering cost and having the old boxes in use is cheaper. However, you are having problems with your current box ( channel surfing is too slow, no HDMI support, slow searching by title, etc). I'm sure your current box isn't doing something that a newer box is!

Speaking of which, I've discovered that I'm getting the "your display does not support HDCP" when using HDMI. Power cycling (just off and on) doesn't help, and a reboot helped until I tuned to channel 550 (a digital pbs channel). I wonder if the channel makes a difference? (For trouble shooting purposes, I should naybe add that this box has not been updated sisnce I picked it up, meaning I don't get all of my HD channels that I pay for, but I do get all of the movie channels.)

I'd like the 8300 mainly because of the HDMI port and of course the DVR function.  Right now I'm using a DVI to HDMI cable on my 3510 and audio is shared with a component jack set on my TV... so I'm out one component set just because of that.  I haven't had any HDCP issues, but the box and TV have issues with each other so the box reboots almost everytime I turn it off.  

I had the same thing when I first got my box where I got all of the movie channels, but no iControl or HD package.  A day later my box was deactivated and I had to call in to get it back up... movie channels were gone

[Gregg Lengling]

I'd like the 8300 mainly because of the HDMI port and of course the DVR function.  Right now I'm using a DVI to HDMI cable on my 3510 and audio is shared with a component jack set on my TV... so I'm out one component set just because of that.  

Most sets that share an input with component and DVI have an activity sensor where the digital function takes over, but I realize that with DVI it's not the same as HDMI so you can't use the audio inputs for both.  But of course most of us hard-core people never use the internal audio system in a HD set, we all have dedicated surround systems and that's how I get around sharing input one with DVI and Component.

[Millmann]

Is anyone experiencing the top of the picture chopping off? It is happening to me about 50% of the time. Especially noticeable when watching the Brewers and the score line is off the top of the screen (can see the very bottom of it). Sometimes if I change channels and wait about 5 seconds and switch back, it corrects itself, but not always. Sometimes it's triggered by rewinding. Haven't noticed it on High-Def channels, but you may not notice unless there is a graphic on the top of the screen that disappears.

[Mark Strube]

Very strange... normally I'd say your screen just has a lot of overscan but that doesn't sound like the case if it's constantly changing. Have you tried setting the box for different outputs? For example does 720p cut off more than if you have it scaled to 1080i instead? Also, this could be your television not properly switching display modes. Not sure.

You are talking about an 8300HD correct? How is it connected to your tv?

[Mrtanner]

Is anyone experiencing the top of the picture chopping off? It is happening to me about 50% of the time. Especially noticeable when watching the Brewers and the score line is off the top of the screen (can see the very bottom of it). Sometimes if I change channels and wait about 5 seconds and switch back, it corrects itself, but not always. Sometimes it's triggered by rewinding. Haven't noticed it on High-Def channels, but you may not notice unless there is a graphic on the top of the screen that disappears.

It sounds like you might be "zooming" 4x3 content to fill the 16x9 screen.  Do you have the bars on the side of the picture when the scoreboard is cut from the top?

[Greg Oman]

Has anyone gotten a 8300 recently?  I just came back from the Loomis road facility and had the most unpleasant experience I've ever encountered as a human.  The woman (didn't get her name, I could describe her in a derragatory manner but that would reduce me to her level) happily agreed to take our nonHD SA-8000 and upgrade us to the HD-DVR, however when we asked if she had the 8300, she said no.  So I commented that we would try the Mayfair store.  She said nobody had them.  Nobody in this region.  When I seemed somewhat skeptical, she goes off on this rant and opens all of the storage cabinets she has.  I mentioned that it sure seemed like people in thius and other regions (via the avs forum comments) did have them recently.

If it wasn't my girlfriends service, and the issues with that, I'd have pitched the $135 a month we pay Time Warner on the spot.

Nobody deserves that kind of treatment. :guns:  Considering returning to satelite and dsl....

So-- post here.  When did you get your 8300.  Let's start with 5/20/2005 and later.   :bang:

Greg O.

[Mark Strube]

Well, I got mine from Mayfair on 02-27-2005. The woman doesn't know what she's talking about. I would've stayed and asked to speak to a manager or gotten her name and made sure someone in charge knows about her unacceptable behavior.

[Paul S.]

Well, I got mine from Mayfair on 02-27-2005. The woman doesn't know what she's talking about. I would've stayed and asked to speak to a manager or gotten her name and made sure someone in charge knows about her unacceptable behavior.

Got mine a couple weeks later.

[Snard]

http://www.surpluscomputers.com/store/main.aspx?p=ItemDetail&item=CBL10158

And free shipping even!

I assume this will do the trick for connecting the 8300 to most HD sets.

(Disclaimer: I haven't bought one of these yet; I just found out about the deal and wanted to pass it along before it expires.)

[kevbeck122]

I bought one for $8 on ebay and it works fine.

[Hophead]

This morning I saw that HBO HD is now 508, but did something else happen or is anyone else that is using an HDMI to HDMI cable having issues with Audio?  I no longer get audio when using that port.  I hooked up my component cables and everything works fine.

Just curious if it is my cable (which was working last night) or if it is an issue with the box or if anyone else that is using an HDMI cable is having the same problem?

Thanks

[Mark Strube]

Oh lord... now I need to change all my series recordings. :mad:

EDIT: Just read about it in the programming thread. Nevermind.