SA 8300 HDC anyone?

[jlegge]

Anyone else have any experience with these?

They've gone away from the Aptiv software and are using the Mystiq clunk....

Lots of glitches (maybe features?) and in general a step backwards as far as interface and capabilities. Things like no progress bar in FF or Rewind mode or any kind of feedback on FF or Rewind rate. I'm sure the list is a lot longer but I have had limited time to putz with it.

Also, anyone have any clues why would they put a cable card slot on a cable box?

[kevbeck122]

Yeah one of my friends just got an 8300HDC and it's quite slow compared to the Pioneer/Aptiv software that's still running on my 8300HD.  I had the newer software on the Pace HD box that I had before and had to reboot the box constantly because the software is so bad.

I believe it's a requirement now to have cablecard slots on boxes so that consumers can buy their own box rather than renting from the cable company.

[gparris]

Yeah one of my friends just got an 8300HDC and it's quite slow compared to the Pioneer/Aptiv software that's still running on my 8300HD.  I had the newer software on the Pace HD box that I had before and had to reboot the box constantly because the software is so bad.

I believe it's a requirement now to have cablecard slots on boxes so that consumers can buy their own box rather than renting from the cable company.

Yes, even though it is TWC renting you the darn box you have to get that card in it and that makes it now part of the NAVIGATOR software system that so very many TWC HD subs hate - read avsforums...remember TWC Nebraska?

This is TWC's way of sneaking in that bad software to its DVRs, something that wasn't available before - only the non-DVR STBs in Milwaukeeland previously had it.

I hope my 8300HD does not break down anytime soon.

[flash]

Does anyone know what could be the reason for the software update?
If it is so horrible, why would they continue to use a rev that has know problems?

Money?

[kevbeck122]

My assumption (could be wrong) is that they needed something compatible with cablecard 2.0 devices and this is it.  It doesn't seem very compatible with our boxes so I don't see why they keep using it.  I thought during the forced "beta" test they were testing to see if we liked it.  I'm assuming not many did, so I'm thinking they didn't listen to us.

[flash]

.  I thought during the forced "beta" test they were testing to see if we liked it.  I'm assuming not many did, so I'm thinking they didn't listen to us.

You mean that TWC doesn't listen to what it's customers want? :OnAir: :huh?:

:eek: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :eek:

[gparris]

You mean that TWC doesn't listen to what it's customers want? :OnAir: :huh?:

:eek: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :eek:

No, TWC does what it always does:
What it wants to do.
-Then you have to decide if you still have to "have" TWC for your provider.

Here is an avs link to show that the NYC TWC subs are "having fun" with Navigator and new upcoming TWC HD channels being discussed, too:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=11226976#post11226976
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=297592&page=394&pp=30

You will remember the "good old days" of Passport very soon and pray for mercy at the hands of TWC-Milwaukee, once everyone is on with this Navigator system.

Nice to be their "guinea pigs" and paying for the "privilage":mad:

[Zoolander]

I picked up an SA 8300 HDC running OCAP Mystro (aka Navigator) last Monday from Mayfair to replace my old SA 8000 HD.  By the end of the week I had ordered DirecTV.

This new OS is horrible.  Several scheduled recordings were skipped by the DVR.  The event log said there was "no signal" but when I turned to the channel 5 minutes into the show the HD picture looked just fine to me.

The Mystro is drastically slower than Passport, there's no way to set series recording priority permanently, no 15 minute FF or Rew, no way to record just a specific time slot (for example, you can't record just 1 Law and Order rerun at 11pm a day.  Its all or none.), and the DVR doesn't correctly pick out new or rerun shows (it missed new episodes of shows on Hist and BBC Amer that the SA 8000 HD did find).  Also, when you watch a recorded show, it no longer records (buffers) the channel you were watching (like Passport did).

In general, I hate it, my wife hates it, we're getting rid of it.  We did like the SA 8000 HD running Passport that we had the last 3 or 4 years.

[klwillis45]

Wow. These posts are making me really, really glad I picked up a 2nd 8300HD before the fall season.

[gparris]

I picked up an SA 8300 HDC running OCAP Mystro (aka Navigator) last Monday from Mayfair to replace my old SA 8000 HD.  By the end of the week I had ordered DirecTV.

This new OS is horrible.  Several scheduled recordings were skipped by the DVR.  The event log said there was "no signal" but when I turned to the channel 5 minutes into the show the HD picture looked just fine to me.

The Mystro is drastically slower than Passport, there's no way to set series recording priority permanently, no 15 minute FF or Rew, no way to record just a specific time slot (for example, you can't record just 1 Law and Order rerun at 11pm a day.  Its all or none.), and the DVR doesn't correctly pick out new or rerun shows (it missed new episodes of shows on Hist and BBC Amer that the SA 8000 HD did find).  Also, when you watch a recorded show, it no longer records (buffers) the channel you were watching (like Passport did).

In general, I hate it, my wife hates it, we're getting rid of it.  We did like the SA 8000 HD running Passport that we had the last 3 or 4 years.

Zoolander, I think another class-action lawsuit will finally reach Wisconsin (whatever became of Nebraska-TWC with this god-awful Navigator on the DVRs).
It will just take time and lost HD customers that TWC WANTS to lose (and of course, not care about -"business as usual" for TWC.)

Either that, or TWC HD subscribers that like to record their HD will soon all become Directv HD subscribers with HR20s, an OTA setup (for CBS58HD and anything else D* doesn't offer) and be done with it, once and for all.

This literally will be the "last straw" with TWC-Milwaukee, IMHO.:mad:

[LoadStar]

Just to clarify terminology: based on a quick Google search, there are two OS's that TWC will be using going forward: OCAP Digital Navigator (ODN) and Mystro Digital Navigator (MDN). MDN is supposedly the legacy version of Navigator, while ODN is for OCAP equipment only.

There's no difference between the two, apparently, other than the underlying hardware and anything required to get Digital Navigator running on the particular equipment.

[Zoolander]

Here's some specific unit info from the SA 8300 HDC that I received from TWC on 7/30.  The unit was manufactured 6/30/07.  On boot the LED on the front of the unit front displays OCAP.  The boot screen displays OCAP Home Terminal, Axiom OCAP Middleware.  The initializing screen then displays "Mystro."  There are no version numbers displayed.

On AVS Formum I had read that TWC was dropping the Mystro name in favor of Navigator (just a name change).  ODN Navigator for newer OCAP boxes and MDN Navigator for older boxes.  I've definitely got an OCAP box.

Two more quirks to report.  The program guide has two looks.  When you bring up the guide while viewing an HD channel on a 16:9 TV the guide is 4:3 boxed with side bars.  When you bring up the guide while viewing an SD channel its stretched wide screen (no side bars).  This may have something to do with me using an HDMI connection and box not performing any sizing on HDMI signals, but its annoying.  I'd like the same guide every time.

Second, my wife claims that if you're watching a TV show and the DVR needs the tuner to record something it just switches channels without warning.  Passport would give you a 60 second warning with a cancel recording option.

DirectTv arrives Saturday.  Saturday afternoon this box goes back to TWC.

[VoidXero]

http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/forums/showpost.php?p=40259&postcount=4