Just recently got a Scientific Atlanta Explorer 3250HD. Apparently time warner turns off the DVI-D port that is on the box. However, when you plug it in via DVI a picture shows up for a few seconds so that leads me to believe that it can be activated somehow. Anyone know how to do this?

2/6/2007 10:47:49 AM

i was just about to make this thread

2/6/2007 11:01:25 AM

I've heard that you can call up your cable company and get all the various ports activated. However, I don't have any first hand experience with that. YMMV

[Edited on February 6, 2007 at 11:32 AM. Reason : spelling]

2/6/2007 11:32:23 AM

bump for OmarBadu

5/7/2007 11:08:45 PM

if you get the HDdvr box is there still a standard coaxial out for a non-hdtv or not - if you have a standard tv is the HD box completely useless?

and does anyone have firsthand experience with ^^

5/7/2007 11:11:25 PM

My friend's 3250 has always had the DVI activated. He's using a DVD-HDMI adapter too.

5/7/2007 11:13:22 PM

^^ they won't give you an HD DVR unless you have an HDTV.. but you can use any HD box (dvr or not) on a non-hdtv using RF or component.. the hd sources over RF will down-convert to 480i and will have grey letterboxing. My tv has component in but isn't HD so we have our HD tuner set to 480i only so it outputs a stretched 480i down-converted HD signal to my tv where I have the tube set to 16:9.. not quite HD but it looks better than the SD channel

[Edited on May 8, 2007 at 12:12 AM. Reason : ]

5/8/2007 12:11:39 AM

they will give you an hd box w/o an hd tv as long as you get the basic hd package.
the only benefit to it is that the box has a bigger hd in it and can record crap-tons of sd.
i know because i got hd before xmas knowing they were going to have a hard time keeping up w/ them after xmas.

5/8/2007 7:27:07 AM

^^So are you watching stretched or is this TV forcing it back to the proper aspect ratio? Just curious.

I still have the SA8000HD (either they are out of them or I have stuff Im not ready to lsoe, so Ive yet to upgrade to the 8300), but this is probably applicable to the 8300 as well. It only outputs on component...however, there is a way to force the box to SD mode which will make the box output on svideo and rf connections. You press and hold the channel up and volume down buttons on the box. It will shift to SD and probably try to shift back to HD...it will take you a few times to get it. Also I cant remember if its channel up/volume down or channel up/volume up...one of the two.

A question of my own: is there a way to output 16:9 channels squeezed rather than letterboxed on a svideo connection? I had the Pace non-DVR a long time back, and it would do this...squeeze the picture to 4:3 which you could stretch back out to 16:9....useful for recording encrypted HD channels. But it appears the SA boxes all force the gray letterbox bars, which offers even less resolution.

5/8/2007 8:33:47 AM

The DVI port requires the connected TV to be HDCP compliant. I have an HDTV with a DVI port that is not HDCP compliant and this is exactly what happens to me, except I managed to catch a brief flash of white text that said "this device is not HDCP compatible."

5/8/2007 10:58:58 AM

i think mine will squeeze like you speak.

5/8/2007 11:17:46 AM

^^^ my tv has v-compression so i set the tv to 16:9 and can watch HD channels with the output squeezed and down-converted to 480i

and no there is no way to do squeezed 16:9 over svideo.. only component/dvi/hdmi.. i tried that once with a 3250HD hooked up to my tivo over svideo and always had to record HD letterboxed..

sumfoo1.. they will give you hd boxes without an hdtv.. just not HD DVR's.. thats the reason they require a technician to install them for you so they can check to see if you have an HDTV or hd dvrs would be out of stock constantly as owners with normal tv's would get the hd box just to be able to store a lot more SD programming.

5/8/2007 6:38:11 PM

dude.... stop.... i got an HD DVR in DECEMBER.... and had it on a normal tv till February.

i now have a 500gig e-sata drive hooked up to it too.

5/8/2007 6:48:35 PM

Quote :

"thats the reason they require a technician to install them for you"

What? I've never had a technician come install anything for me and I have had 3 different boxes over the last 5 years or so at different locations... 2 HD 1 non... ???

5/9/2007 8:43:46 AM

^did you get a normal HD or HD DVR? When I got my TV I called up TWC to change my plan and ask for an HD-DVR box. They told me they had to schedule a time for it to be deliverd. When the nearest date they could do this was almost a week away I asked if I could just pick one up and they said they couldn't because they don't keep them at their storage facility or something like that. So I made an apointment and a technitian came out and "delivered" mine. Took like 5 minutes to hook up, with me doing most of the work, and about 45 minutes for him to call it in. The next month I had an installation fee on my bill which I called and bitched about. Got it taken off, but they will try to screw you over if they can.

^^ how hard is it to hook up the eSATA? Is the port already activated or did you have to call up TWC and get it activated? I'd like to do the same, but haven't seen anyone else say that they've done it with TWC's box. Also, I'm guessing that you still can't transfer the files to your computer even if its on the external drive.

[Edited on May 9, 2007 at 9:58 AM. Reason : .]

5/9/2007 9:54:21 AM

no it formats the drive into something that cannot be recognized on a windows or linux pc (dunno about mac) Mine e- sata port was also already activated.

You can go into a service screen and it will tell you if its turned on
i think you hold in exit and select for a while then hit some other button to make it go
its buried somewhere near my posts in http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=516559
but i don't feel like looking.


this is the write-up i followed and it worked fine
http://www.peparsplace.com/html/21.html

5/9/2007 11:35:16 AM