Scientific Atlanta Explorer 4250HD

[mouettus]

Anyone has this unit also? Am I picky or it is very slow? I mean, when I press the "guide" button, menu appears piece by piece as if there was a big slowdown somewhere. And then, try getting up or down a couple channels. Its so choppy and laggy that it makes browsing very frustrating.

Onto the favorites now. What's the use of that favorite list if the only option you have is the FAV button which cycles all of them in a numerical way? There should be a list appearing so I can choose from.

Oh and yes, finally. They gave me a big user's manual. Half of that explains what 1080i is and 15 pages on how to plug your cable box on your tv. No explanations what so ever on the options menu, which I don't really understand half of them!

I own two of those and one SD by the way. They are all that slow. Again, am I too picky? I previously owned 3 expressVu (Dish Network) boxes. It was not that bad. Wish we could use our own cable box and not the one that your cable network provides you. How old is this box (model) anyway? Maybe the CPU is not powerful enough.

 

[Nomo]

Did you try rebooting it?
Unplug it and let it restart?

 

[MDS]

I have the 3100HD and it is very fast for bringing up the menu or guide and also scrolling through the guide. If you press and hold the up/down cursor it will scroll even faster. There is no appreciable time lag when changing channels either - about 1 second which I would think is the best you can do.

Favorites is a useless feature IMO. It is also useless on a remote control like the MX-350. Most of the time I bring up the guide because I actually want to see what is on some of my 'favorite' channels before I tune to it. I'm not about to just change channels until I see something I might want to watch.

 

[mouettus]

I started to read about those SA boxes on the internet. Concencius seems to be that their products are pretty crappy. They've been using the same STBs for over 10 years now. Their technology is becoming obsolete.

BTW, did one of you succed in programming your receiver on the STB remote? Or making the Yamaha remote control the STB? I've tried a couple of codes they give but none of them works.

In the "resolution setup wizard", what resolutions should I select? cuz I'm seeing codes at the top of the screen. You know those black and white lines from upconversion? My RX-V1800 does the same thing when it upconverts.

 

[Nomo]

I had no problem getting the yamaha remote or the Harmony 550 to work for the box.
But I have the 8300HD DVR. I've had no issue with DVR but went thru 3 or 4 regular boxes before that. (can't recall the models)

 

[mouettus]

I had no problem getting the yamaha remote or the Harmony 550 to work for the box.
But I have the 8300HD DVR. I've had no issue with DVR but went thru 3 or 4 regular boxes before that. (can't recall the models)

which code did you use for the hamaha remote? The problem is that DTV input on my yamaha remote is configured for the tv so when I press TV power, the tv goes off. I would want my remote to control my STB as well as turning my tv off with the DTV input button.

 

[Nomo]

which code did you use for the hamaha remote? The problem is that DTV input on my yamaha remote is configured for the tv so when I press TV power, the tv goes off. I would want my remote to control my STB as well as turning my tv off with the DTV input button.

Oh. That. Mine does that. the trick is to move the macro switch to off before doing that. I don't recall what code i used, but it was one listed in the yamaha list.

 

[mouettus]

Oh. That. Mine does that. the trick is to move the macro switch to off before doing that. I don't recall what code i used, but it was one listed in the yamaha list.

sorry for the "noobness", but I'd like to have a step by step guide for this. the manual didn't provide me good luck in understanding. I have good knowledge of home audio and technology but I can't seem to understand those damn remotes. I'm stuck with 3 remotes and a PS3 sixaxis controller on my desk. bummer.

BTW, how do you like the harmony 550? I think the other models are too expensive for doing the same thing. It only misses the dock station for charging.

 

[Nomo]

What info are you looking specifically on the Yamaha remote. I can't say I've mastered everything on mine.

The 550 is OK. After 2 months I'm still tweaking it.
The main advantage in the higher end models, at least from what I'm seeing, is more commands and devices on the main screen without scrolling to the next screen. Sounds trivial but I can see it being an advantage.

How's the 1800? Just ordered one to replace my 1500.

 

[mouettus]

What info are you looking specifically on the Yamaha remote. I can't say I've mastered everything on mine.

The 550 is OK. After 2 months I'm still tweaking it.
The main advantage in the higher end models, at least from what I'm seeing, is more commands and devices on the main screen without scrolling to the next screen. Sounds trivial but I can see it being an advantage.

How's the 1800? Just ordered one to replace my 1500.

I'd like to control my SA STB with the Yamaha remote. How is it anyway? Should I just control my receiver with the STB remote instead? Then changing the receiver's input would be a pain in the ***. I do that 3-4 times a day switching between ps3 and TV a lot. (I control everything with my receiver).

How long do your 550 batteries last? I thought of that product but then if the batteries don't last very long I can really live with 3 remotes.

The 1800 is fantastic as I upgraded from a 5740. Lotsa more power (handles my Energy RC-series (with the big RC-70's) very well) and HDMI capability. You won't see any power difference but this unit has a lot of options. BTW, use the pass-through for HDMI video; scaler sucks.

To return to the Scientific Atlanta, I just think that their products suck. Old, slow and not too user friendly. Lacking features big time. Lots of problems. I loved Bell/Dish network and their STBs but it was too $$$$. I guess I'll have to live with that crap.

 

[Nomo]

It would be best to use the Yamaha remote.
I was never able to completely rid myself of either yamaha or cable remotes.
I'm still not completely there with the Harmony.

I'm still on my 1st set of batteries.

That's disappointing about the scaler, but I guess it's not the real reason I bought it anyway.

Like I said, I had lots of problems with previous SA boxes, but the 8300HD seems pretty solid.

 

[patnshan]

I have the unit you speak of in my bedroom and an 8300HD in my HT. The bedroom unit was really slow in the beginning. I thought it was HDMI, so I changed to component. It seems to have sped things up. The HD channels also would go black with a "please standby" note or something like that.
For some reason, it seems to have gotten better. Maybe they upgraded the firmware??? Now it seems to work just as well as my 8300HD except for the lack of DVR.
Good luck,
Pat

 

[MDS]

It would be best to use the Yamaha remote.
I was never able to completely rid myself of either yamaha or cable remotes.
I'm still not completely there with the Harmony.

If you have all the original remotes the best option is to learn every command from them rather than relying on pre-programmed setup codes. Regardless of whether the setup codes are in memory on the remote or they come from the database on the Harmony site it is still the same principle.

My MX-350 controls every single function of every single device I own - including my dimmable floodlight over the fireplace. Batteries last for months and it's easy to tell when they are starting to run down because the backlight gets dimmer.

 

[mouettus]

If you have all the original remotes the best option is to learn every command from them rather than relying on pre-programmed setup codes. Regardless of whether the setup codes are in memory on the remote or they come from the database on the Harmony site it is still the same principle.

My MX-350 controls every single function of every single device I own - including my dimmable floodlight over the fireplace. Batteries last for months and it's easy to tell when they are starting to run down because the backlight gets dimmer.

well that's the problem. I know jack schnitz about remotes!
What is learning functions? How does it work? How do you learn a function?

Like I previously stated, I'm stucked at where I would like to program my yamaha remote to control my STB, my tv and obviously my receiver. But I don't know how to do it. I need some step by step instructions. I got my TV code to the DTV input so I can open/close my tv with "tv power" button but if I enter the Scientific Atlanta code to control my STB when its in the DTV mode then I'm afraid it's going to overwrite my TV code and I won't be able to use the power button anymore. See I'm all confused and the manual didn't help me very mucho.

 

[MDS]

Learning remotes can learn codes from other remotes by placing the two head to head. When you place the universal remote in learning mode and then press the button on the remote you want to learn from the learning remote will save the information it received. From then on pressing that button on the universal will send the exact same command that the original remote would send.

'Setup codes' on a remote just tell the remote to use a certain set of commands it already has stored in memory. They may or may not work all of the functions of the original remote. If you look in the manual of say your receiver for remote setup codes there may be a half dozen different setup codes for one brand of dvd player, TV, or what have you. One setup code may work 1/2 of the functions of the original remote and another setup code may have the commands for the other 1/2 but not the first. So you keep trying and hope you can find a setup code that mostly works.

...OR you can use a learning remote and learn every command from the original. On a remote like the MX-350 that I use you then have the flexibility to learn the commands to any button that you want and you can mix and match commands from different devices in the same mode.

 

[aleith]

Better guide program

Hi,

I'm not sure if anyone still looks here, but is it possible to get better/updated guide software? Possibly something that doesn't look like it was created in the 1980s?

Honestly, for the price of this piece of junk it could at least have a decent guide. Any ideas? Hacks? Firmware upgrades?

Thanks,

Andrew