I think I already know the answer to this ...but I'll ask anyway.

I have a distance ed class and would like to take my lectures with me. I have a Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300.

Any way to get the video or even just the audio off of the box?

1/31/2007 6:15:19 PM

The official answer is no, but.........

Hookup the RCA outputs on the box to a VCR. Start the program you want to record, push record on your VCR.

Or, hook up RCA or COAX output on the box to a TV tunercard on your pc and do the same.

2/4/2007 10:35:06 AM

yeah i have an archos av340 that will rip to 480p that i use.

2/4/2007 10:50:38 AM

They just passed some law requiring all DVR boxes to have a firewire port on teh back. My DVR-HD box has two firewire and one USB but none of them are "active."

I think if you call up the cable company they have to activate those ports for you. Then, there is supposed to be a way that you can connect it to your computer, install some TV tuner drivers, and then you should be able to transfer the files.

Try this (after calling TWC to get your ports activated):

http://hdjunkie.com/tutorials.html

Then, you can try this to convert the .ps files to .divx, .mpeg, .avi, etc.

http://www.effectmatrix.com/total-video-converter/

2/4/2007 11:00:14 AM

What about satellite DVRs?

2/4/2007 11:26:07 AM

Hmm, I thought the FCC mandated that all digital cable boxes had to have firewire outputs out of the back. There was a recent article about how you can use any mac with firewire, and the firewire SDK provided by Apple to easily record content from a digital cable box. I believe it was also discovered you could use Imovie to do this also.

2/4/2007 2:40:14 PM

mandatory firewire seems weird...

is it for copyright infringement or something

2/4/2007 2:42:12 PM

I think it's more of a fair use thing.

2/5/2007 2:32:08 PM

I tried doing this with the firewire ports on my non-dvr hd box and i didn't have much luck. Windows would detect the box and install the drivers, but all i could do is change the channel.

I suppose I could call TW and see if they'd unlock it, but meh.

2/5/2007 3:09:18 PM

doesn't appear to work with vista :|

2/15/2007 7:35:38 PM

wtf did you want to do shaggy ?
there is no data to save on it.

does anyone know how to change the side bar color on a scientific atlanta 8300hd?
the light grey is pissing me off

2/15/2007 11:41:48 PM

i think its so it doesn't burn in the LCD

but i just stretch the pic

2/16/2007 9:23:56 PM