Activation of Explorer 8000HD DVI Announced!

[Audioholics]

For those of you who subscribe to Time Warner Cable's High Definition DVR service, they just announced today that Scientific Atlanta will make the DVI active on those boxes in the first quarter of 2005. This will occur via an automated firmware update. Whether this means early January or late March is anyone's guess, however this is big news for HD-DVR subscribers. While component video output of HD signals is certainly presentable on these boxes, it will be nice to eliminate the digital to analogue conversion and send the signal directly to a digital display.

 

[stiletto pat]

Cable Box DVI Activation

Hawke,

Does this also include boxes made by other companies that are supplied by Bright House (Time Warner) and supplying HDTV signal? In my case, my Bright House (Bradenton-Palmetto, FL) is supplying my HD signal via a box made by "Pace". Will this one also be upgraded to allow DVI output?

Pat

 

[Audioholics]

No. This is just for SA boxes.

 

[ned]

For those of you who subscribe to Time Warner Cable's High Definition DVR service, they just announced today that Scientific Atlanta will make the DVI active on those boxes in the first quarter of 2005. This will occur via an automated firmware update. Whether this means early January or late March is anyone's guess, however this is big news for HD-DVR subscribers. While component video output of HD signals is certainly presentable on these boxes, it will be nice to eliminate the digital to analogue conversion and send the signal directly to a digital display.

I though 8000 is being replaced by 8300hd because it is so buggy.

 

[ned]

Hawke,

Does this also include boxes made by other companies that are supplied by Bright House (Time Warner) and supplying HDTV signal? In my case, my Bright House (Bradenton-Palmetto, FL) is supplying my HD signal via a box made by "Pace". Will this one also be upgraded to allow DVI output?

Pat

Your DVI is already active.

 

[muglich]

Cable Box DVI Activation

I was told my 8000HD would be DVI compatible but discovered the port hadn't been activated yet once I got it. My cable company is Adelphia. Any clue as to when DVI might be activated on my receiver? Thanks.

 

[tic-tac]

For those of you who subscribe to Time Warner Cable's High Definition DVR service, they just announced today that Scientific Atlanta will make the DVI active on those boxes in the first quarter of 2005. This will occur via an automated firmware update. Whether this means early January or late March is anyone's guess, however this is big news for HD-DVR subscribers. While component video output of HD signals is certainly presentable on these boxes, it will be nice to eliminate the digital to analogue conversion and send the signal directly to a digital display.

That is *AWESOME*. I was just wondering why my 8000HD would not work with my new Panasonic plasma via DVI and suspected something like this. How sweet that this thread was the first search result that came up when I Googled...

Thanks! Mark

 

[Paultir]

They seem to be saying later now

Just got the 8000HD in NYC and asked Time Warner Cable when they were going to activate the DVI port and they said after July 1, 2005 it will be active. Same for the Firewire port.

 

[mfabien]

If you visit SA's Explorer Club at:

http://www.scientificatlanta.com/explorerclub/default.asp

Then click FAQ's, you will find the following Q&A:

Q: When will the DVI port on my Explorer 8000HD be activated?

A: The software which will activate the DVI port with HDCP is currently being tested. It will be made available to cable operators upon completion of the testing. This software will be automatically downloaded to your set-top by your Cable Operator. Expected availability is early 2005.

 

[darthkringle]

This is odd, I got this box in October of 2004, and it has an HDMI output, which has been active from day 1........ I'm in Austin, Tx w/Time Warner.

 

[Steve91]

I hope they get this running soon. I called Time Warner tonight and they did not have an exact date but said it would be "a while" here in Los Angeles.

 

[Craig W]

8000hd?

#1. Anybody know if Sci-Atlanta has activated the DVI outputs yet on the 8000HD boxes? and....

#2. Does the DVI carry the lower rez (channels 1-80) to an HDTV? and if so does it improve the signal quality? The lower channels here in Houston are pretty rough on my LCD HDTV.
Thanks, Craig

 

[mfabien]

In Montreal, the DVI for a SA8000HD to be activated on or about April 15th.

The DVI on SA8000HD's has been active in Texas and Northern NY State since early this year. Others are waiting... but it's just around the corner.

 

[snakeyes]

What box do you have and is it the dvr version?

 

[mfabien]

This thread , I believe, concerns the SA8000HD.

You can learn about it at:
http://www.scientificatlanta.com/Demo/dvrHD/dvr.html

 

[retroman]

Ieee 1394

Does anyone know what these are for on the 8000HD and if they are active. I have a Sony kdp57xbr2 and unfortunately, the geniuses at sony decided to put an i.Link connection and not a dvi connection on it.

I want to connect digital soooo bad.

retroman

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

#1. Anybody know if Sci-Atlanta has activated the DVI outputs yet on the 8000HD boxes? and....

#2. Does the DVI carry the lower rez (channels 1-80) to an HDTV? and if so does it improve the signal quality? The lower channels here in Houston are pretty rough on my LCD HDTV.
Thanks, Craig

My 8000 here in Ohio has the same issue: 1-80 are crap and those above are an improved signal. I also just found out the 8000 model has been replaced with newer models. I am awaiting a 8300 model to swap my 8000 with. The 8000 has been around for 3+ years. It's too much to pay a month for old technology IMO. Check it out...

www.scientificatlanta.com/consumers_new/CableBoxes/8300hd.htm

 

[mfabien]

SA states that DVI on the SA8000HD will be activated by your cable company latest this summer. In my case, it is scheduled for June.

Other than that, I am completely satisfied with my SA8000HD which I purchased 12 months ago.

As for basic cable reception, one solution to try is to split the cable before the DVR, and get one cable to the TV cable input and the other to the DVR. In my case, the basic cable feeds a LCD Sharp Aquos EDTV and we get an extraordinary picture in 480p.

 

[Audioholics]

I just had my Explorer 8000HD swapped out by TWC for a new 8300HD which has HDMI w/HDCP. To me, this makes the 8000HD a moot point...

This is my fourth unit - thank goodness I didn't have to buy these things! I keep them well-ventilated but the hard drives just get too much use apparently. This last swap seemed like a different problem and was intermittent, but I wasn't about to deal with it any longer. Getting the 8300HD was a pleasant surprise.

I like how the unit has a "garbage in, garbage out" mode whereby it will pass 1080i, 720p, 480p, etc instead of upconverting all of it to the selected format. This means that the scaler in my display (much beter than the one the SA unit uses) handles it from there.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Clint,

Don't know if you have any young ones yet, but the new Explorer 8300HD Multi-Room looks like a win-win in my household. Ever since TW dropped off the 8000 (in the family room), all I get is from my 2 and 5 yr old is "Daddy, why don't the 100+ channels work upstairs. They have the better cartoon channels." I opened up a can of worms.

www.scientificatlanta.com/consumers_new/CableBoxes/8300HDMR.htm