MLapointe

My cable company Time Warner will be offering the Explorer 8000 boxes next year to me and I needed to find out some information if anyone uses these boxes now or if you know more information than the average consumer.

http://www.sciatl.com/customers/prod_sub_PVR_FAQs.htm

At this link above it says that the first version of the Explorer 8000 box doesn't support HDTV. On the Explorer eClub website they now have up under manuals the Explorer 8000 user guide and it doesn't have Component Video Inputs but it does have Firewire or IEEE 1394 connections. But this manual could be the manual for the first version that does not support HDTV. I've called Time Warner as well as Scientific Atlanta to find out it that user guide was the first version of the Explorer 8000 and if it is how will you be able to connect the Explorer 8000 box with HDTV support. I've read about Component Video has no copy protection whereas DVI and IEEE 1394 support copy protection. The Explorer 8000 boxes as a built in harddrive that acts as a personal video recorder like a Tivo box. Do you think they would use only Firewire or IEEE 1394 connections because it has a PVR or would they allow me to use Component Video connections. Currently my HDTV set only has Component Video for HDTV viewing and if these boxes only use Firewire would I have to go out and buy a new HDTV set to use this box or would there be some way to connect this box to my TV using Component or am I sh*t out of luck on this. Is there any way to add Firewire support to my HDTV set either internally or via an extra box or switcher.

Sorry for being so long but this information to be answered would be of great help.