57U

We currently have a number of threads on the SA8000HD. I thought it was time to start an "official" thread on this unit, since many of us now use it. Please post below with any issues, etc.

This first post has also attempted to summarize "issues" with the STB, although with different firmware and different service providers, the issues do tend to vary.

Some of the issues may be specific to TW, Rogers, Videotron, etc, but we'll try to sort those out as they come up.


The following items are specific to Rogers Toronto, therefore, may or may not apply to your STB.

Some people have Passport firmware and some have SARA. The "issues" mentioned later in this post apply to SARA, as Passport is slightly "ahead" on some of these "issues"


The SA8000HD is available from Rogers as of June 1.

A summary so far:

Cost - $799, with perhaps programming credits ($100), depending if they're useful in your particular situation. (FS may have it for $699?)

Rental Cost - $25/mo. plus $1.99 PVR fee.

"HD Upgrade Cost" - $10/mo more than the SA3100HD or SA3250HD, plus the $1.99.

"SD Upgrade Cost" - $15/mo more than SD STB/Bundle, plus the $1.99.

If you have a grandfathered bundle (for example 10 digital stations instead of 5), you may have to give it up and subscribe to a new bundle. It may be appropriate to simply keep the old box and use it on another TV because the increased cost of getting your "grandfathered" stations is just a bit less than the STB rental fee. Some people have managed to keep their bundles by contacting the "right" CSR

I would suggest that anyone rent, rather than purchase the SA8000HD. The technologies are still changing very rapidly.

They are available at most Rogers stores.

Ports:

- two firewire ports. Still need to confirm if they're active.
- Both Optical and coaxial digital audio ports available and "working".
- Documentation says to only use one or the other digital audio out.

Other information:

FF speeds are 4X, 10X, 30X, not 2, 4, 8 as indicated in the documentation.

My current SARA is 1.82.12.1

Connecting a VCR - The operating manual states that this is a future service, however, there is a "workaround". The workaround to record from the HDD is to run the setup wizard and enable only 480i. You can then do your recording. You then need to re-run the wizard to watch HD again.

Some STBs with later firmware, or Passport firmware, may not have these issues.

HDD Space Available Page 18 of the diagnostics shows some information on the HDD - There is a listing near the bottom that looks like this:

AVFS
315976300
67229
4700
XXXXX

XXXX divided by 67229 times 100 appears to be the percentage of the HDD remaining. One hour of HD recording utilizes about 3500 "units" (about 7-9 GB), SD analogue uses about 1000 "units" of the 67,000 "units" available. (Therefore we should get ~20 hours of HD, or ~80 hours of SD depending on the amount of analogue, or some combination...) (SD digital requires roughly 1/2 the HDD space as SD analogue).

Passthrough is not yet operational - need to use "Settings (one press of the button) - scroll to "picture format" and select output mode (480i/p, 1080i, etc)


Other issues that may be addressed in future firmware:

- A "HDD Fuel Guage" (Time used/available)
- Passthrough, Upconvert1/2
- Record to VCR functionality.
- DVI & Firewire functionality
- Option to add "a minute or two" to the start/end of programmes, without needing to edit the programme.

Minor Gripes:

- If you edit an "all recording" the edit usually only "takes" for the first recording, subsequent recordings get their info from the IPG...

- "Live" button too close to FF button. I hit it by mistake several times while "watching live/paused TV". Had to rewind to where I was.

- Occasional issues with setting up manual recordings - do not always "take" properly - sometimes you get two recordings or even "weird" additional recordings, but it usually corrects itself after it does the first recording twice.

- If you use the "all episodes" recording option, it'll record every episode of that programme, even if it's a repeat. They should have an option for "every new episode", comparing existing recordings to "new" IPG information (may come with new firmware).

- Although you can stop watching a recording and go back to the same position later to "resume from current location". You cannot do this if you go to a "different" recording in the meantime. You can only "resume" the last programme. Now that I know this, I'll try to remember to go back to the same recording so I don't need to use the FF or REW to get to where I was. (On a VCR, I would have simply reinserted the tape and it would resume where I left off - I can't see why it can't include a "tag" on each recording?)

A show that is currently being recorded can not (easily) be viewed from the beginning. You need to rewind, but that shouldn't take long at 30X speed.

A "stuttering" or "jittering" when watching programmes with panning from side to side or up/down - sports like basketball, hockey, auto racing.

Some people mentioned audio dropouts and no reacquisition of audio. I have not encountered this issue myself. The people who reported the problem rebooted their STB and the problem went away.

Sometimes the unit doesn't respond to the remote. A simple reboot usually resolves the issue - no need to unplug the unit - reboot instructions in the FAQ on SA STBs. There are other helpful hints in that FAQ.

People have noted that you get "kicked out" of a "live" recording when the live recording ends. Simple workaround - when you press the "record" button, you'll be taken to a "confirmation" screen. Edit the programme so that it will end several hours later, then you won't get "kicked out" because you'll be finished by the time it ends...

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57U - Toronto, Rogers Cable, SA8300HD, 500GB HDD & Hitachi 61UWX10B HDTV, Yamaha RX-V1 A/V Receiver, Martin Logan Speakers. Photos --> 57U's HT

SA8300HD, 250GB HDD & KDL40W3000 (Upstairs)

Please don't PM me with questions that can (and should) be asked in the forum, thanks. Personal Question? Fire away.

mfabien

Have one since over a month. Will be happy to assist when I can.

57U, can you explain what the "Passthrough" is and if your unit has it? If so, do you find it in General Settings? Also, there was talk of a "Yellow Box" to determine the resolution transmitted to the TV (480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i). I don't believe I have that...do you have it on your new SA8000HD? And let us know if your DVI / HDCP is activated.

57U

Getting my STB tomorrow. Will supply feedback as it becomes available. "passthrough" means that the STB will pass through all formats (480P, 720P, 1080i) I understand the the Videotron STB only has "fixed" as a picture format, sending only 1080i for example. (press settings twice - go to picture formats?)

It would be interesting to hear from others, outside Canada with this STB if "passthrough" and "upconvert1" are available...

__________________
57U - Toronto, Rogers Cable, SA8300HD, 500GB HDD & Hitachi 61UWX10B HDTV, Yamaha RX-V1 A/V Receiver, Martin Logan Speakers. Photos --> 57U's HT

SA8300HD, 250GB HDD & KDL40W3000 (Upstairs)

Please don't PM me with questions that can (and should) be asked in the forum, thanks. Personal Question? Fire away.

mfabien

No not in General settings in my machine.

But you may configure the settings you want via the advance the "Advanced setup instructions" using the STB's buttons and not the remote. So you can setup 720p and 1080i. The thing is that the last one programmed, for instance 1080i, will be the one by default for HD. You can toggle between HD and SD (480i or 480p) but you can't toggle between 720p and 1080i. If you enter 1080i before 720p, it would then convert 1080i to 720p and transmit that signal to your TV for HD.

mfabien

57U,

C******* "Quick Settings" (pressing the Settings button once) you will scroll down to Picture Format. My setting was 1080i and I changed it to 720p. No change in PQ. I then went back to Picture Format and saw that the setting was back to 1080i because 720p is not supported by my TV.

I also found in the User Guide that you can make the Advanced Setup Instructions with the remote using the A and B buttons.

mfabien

Do you like the HD resordings on your SA8000HD?

57U

I watched one from PBS-HD last night - it was indistinguishable from the "original".

I watched a bit of the HD basketball (using "pause live TV", while also recording another SD programme at the same time) and I thought I saw occasional "stuttering" of the image. I'll have to watch for that in the future.

I'm very pleased with the unit so far.

Only issue I've encountered is that when trying to set one manual recording, two recordings show up. Tried several times, deleting one (which deleted both) and then retrying only to have the same problem. Oh well...

__________________
57U - Toronto, Rogers Cable, SA8300HD, 500GB HDD & Hitachi 61UWX10B HDTV, Yamaha RX-V1 A/V Receiver, Martin Logan Speakers. Photos --> 57U's HT

SA8300HD, 250GB HDD & KDL40W3000 (Upstairs)

Please don't PM me with questions that can (and should) be asked in the forum, thanks. Personal Question? Fire away.

mfabien

Did not encounter that on the rare occasions I programmed manual recording. I much prefer recording from the programming menu (and you have a choice of today and selections for 2 days forward). You then select recording "Once only" or "All Episodes"

mfabien

Is your DVI output active on your new SA8000HD?

57U

I was trying to record Jay Leno, every Monday (and only on Monday - I like the "headlines" segment). The programming menu only allows "record once" or "record every episode", it doesn't allow "record this day every week". It does allow this with the "manual recording"...

Rogers IPG goes 7 days forward, very convenient.

I don't have DVI on my 3 year old TV, but many other people have indicated it is not yet active from Rogers.

__________________
57U - Toronto, Rogers Cable, SA8300HD, 500GB HDD & Hitachi 61UWX10B HDTV, Yamaha RX-V1 A/V Receiver, Martin Logan Speakers. Photos --> 57U's HT

SA8300HD, 250GB HDD & KDL40W3000 (Upstairs)

Please don't PM me with questions that can (and should) be asked in the forum, thanks. Personal Question? Fire away.

Coasterdon

I picked up an SA8000HD from Rogers yesterday. I had lot's of trouble with the picture going black but I think it's my cable wire. I switched to a different one and it works except I get no sound on all the digital channels. I did have sound with the other cable so I'm sure it's my cables. I'm going to pick up a new cable today. I haven't bought new cable in a while. Other than that it's fine. I was a little confused about the screen size to use. My TV control will not stretch the SD image to fit the screen but the box control will. It get's a little confusing as to which settings to use, TV wide and Box Stretch seems to be the one for stretching SD properly (I know some people don't like stretching SD but some people in my house do). I'm sure it will be fun to play with for a while.

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max

I also received my 8000HD from Rogers yesterday, works like a charm so far....

MAX,

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mfabien

Possibilities:

1. While in Component you get 1080i (if your TV set defaults to 1080i for the HD component TV Input). You can then click "Settings" button once and scroll down to get Picture Format and select 480p, click the "Select" button and after a black screen you get the Video. The PQ is improved over 1080i and picture size is different.

2. You can connect a S-Video cable from the SA8000HD to Video1 TV Input. To view SD channels, select such a channel, then click the "On" button on the PIP line then the SWAP button to put the SD channel in the smaller picture in picture then with the TV remote, select Video1.

In my case, solution 2 is best quality, at least to my taste, because S-Video appears to be better for SD. The resolution remains 480p at all times for Video1 because under Advanced setup instructions, I had selected 480p after 480i.

Once my STB gets updated for DVI output, later this month, I will pay attention to what happens also with SD. It is said that DVI handles both 480 and 1080 resolutions (wonder if that requires a settings change as is the case with component).

kelo

I got the sa 8000hd from charter cable on 6/1 and have had no problems with the unit. I did notice the PQ was better than the sa 3100 both HD & SD channels, but my s vhs cable would not show a picture. Read the set up and if component cables are hooked up when the box is 1st turned on your set up stays component. So I will try mfabien's #2 method for SD. I was glad to see the PQ in recorded HD was excellent, I read in earlier posts the PQ was bad. I guess the newer updates took care of that. I do wish there was more control over the rec/pause/STOP features like a VCR has, trying to rec music videos is a lil tricky. Can't have everything.

Sony kp51ws510/ Sherwood 5.1 dts/PS2/Sony Pro Scan DVD

TheDreamer

Isn't there in the options after you set it to record every episode to restrict it to only record every episode on certain days, on certain channels, and/or at certain times.

Or is that the other software.....Passport versus Sara?

I wonder if they fixed the bug where it won't let you select "record every epsiode" if the show type isn't a 'series'. Or the DST bug.

I'm waiting to find out if I really can get it or not. I got an Email last night say that it is available...but when I called to order, they said it wasn't available yet. And, when I mentioned the email...they said they would check with a supervisor...except there wasn't one available...so now I'm waiting for them to send me another message saying that it is available (again)....

The Dreamer

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mfabien

Yes, for every episode you can select at the same hour.

Blizaine

Does the SA8000HD have a firewire port? I thought I saw in the manual (on the SA website) that it was an "option". Does anyone's 8000HD have it?

If so, can it be used to hook up an external drive?

mfabien

It has 2 Firewire outputs. And yes you can connect a D-VHS deck and archive HD movies or programs as allowed by the DTCP protocol associated with IEEE 1394 Firewire.

goodduffer

Good morning - new to the forum, but have been an audio/video phile longer than I care tot remember. I was successful in picking up an Explorer 8000HD on June 2/04, during the rush to Rogers stores after the release announcement.

So far the unit is performing pretty well, good quality HD recording and navigation around the menus not too bad.

However, the supplied manual is rather limited. For instance no info on recording on two different channels - that I could find. Also, my attemps to use a VCR for "archiving" as it is referred to in the setup instructions so have been unsuccessful. Not only can I not record on tape, but can't even get the cable signal from the 8000HD to the VCR.

Any comments/ suggestions welcomed.