Scientific Atlantic 8300 HD box

I just purchased an RCA/Thomson/DISH Network HD40-310 Theaterwide 40' projection monitor and I upgraded to my time warner cable providers Scientific Atlantic 8300 HD box last night.

I have my tv hooked up over the component inputs, but what is steaming me more than anything is having to use the cable box aspect ratios. It completely renders my TVs ratios useless. I can't even get to them when the cable box is plugged into the TV. So I set my aspect ratios on the cable box to behave properly for 16:9 aspect, but from channel to channel the aspect changes!! It won't stay put for the ratio I set it to use. What would cause this? Is there any way to use my TVs aspect ratios and override the cable box options at all? Please help.
Thanks,
Devan

What type of channel (SD or HD) is affected?

Your box should allow you to do 2 things:

1. Adjust resolution / format output (480, 720, 1080) to any format acceptable to your monitor. You can select non-HD format for SD channels so that the box will output a 4:3 SD image to the monitor and the monitor's aspect settings can properly stretch / justify aspect. (Versus outputting the SD channel at upconverted 720/1080 which causes the box to add bars to the 4:3 image to produce a 16:9 image that generally can't be changed by your monitor).

May need to re-setup your box to allow for this. Download user guide and setup wizard from SA's website.

2. Adjust aspect settings from normal, stretched or zoom. Last resort method to:
a. Removing bars from an HD channel broadcast of a 4:3 SD show in which the network / affiliate added the bars when broadcasting the upconverted signal as 16:9.
b. Removing bars from an SD channel output by the box in HD (rather than adjusting the output in #1 above).

I find that my monitor stretches / justifies better than box thus I use #2 rarely.

I think just my HD channels are affected. Mainly when I goto ESPNHD it puts the side bars on (which have an ESPN logo in the sidebars) and doesn't obey what I have selected or 16:9 which is 'stretched.'

When I goto to regular SD channels the sidebars flash on either side of the picture when I scroll thru the channels and then the picture snaps to the fullscreen format....very annoying. I have the formats of 1080i and 480p selected on the SA box options...this is what timewarner told me to have selected, but I am constantly having to change the options on channels as I go to them to have them display correctly.

The ESPN bars can only be removed by stretching out the image with the STB aspect setting. Changing the output won't affect it. Personnally I just watch it with the bars but I don't watch alot of non-HD programming.

Regarding output, is your box set with one of the "upconvert" options in which 480i is upconverted to 480p and 720 is upconverted to 1080? If so, that explains the delay and odd motion as you change channels. Same deal if you use the "native" or "pass thru" setting.

Instead, you may want to use the "fixed" setting which will maintain the same output (that you'll select) for all channels regardless of native format. Avoids the delay and motion as you surf. Then, if you decide to watch a given show for awhile, you can manually adjust output to equal the native format for that channel (720 for ESPN game, 1080 for HBO movie, 480i for SD channels to allow your monitor to use its better aspect settings, etc.).

Also, the SA boxes allow for a 480i, 480i wide, 480p and 480p wide as format settings. I've only used 480i. Wide doesn't work well with 4:3 SD channels and no need to use less than 720 for HD channels.

I have mine set to 1080i and use pass thru. I don't see the flashing when changing channels. I do have bars on the hd channels if they are broadcasting a show that is not hd. I don't think you can do anything about it if that is the case.

A few weeks ago I got the HD 8300 DVR. There are two set ups on the unit. The simple one A. sets all stations to 1080i, while the second allows you to select resolutions, etc.

I remember setting the box to using B...and the unit responded by changing from 480p, 480i, 720p, 1080i. This seemed fine, although there was a lag in changing channels.

Last week the box seemed to be acting up. When I would select a HD channel 700s; it sometimes found the correct 1080i or 720p and the picture was fine. However, most of the time it would find 480p and so the picture appeared on my Samsung HD as 4:3 with the "letterboxed" 16:9 inside the center box. If I was able to get back to a HD signal that read 1080i, I could normally go back to the station I wanted to watch and then the box would read correctly.
The picture was HD format, full width.

Now I have a new box and it has been set to the simple "A" setting, meaning all stations are at 1080i, no matter weather they are HD or not. However the HDTV light does show on most of the HD channels.

Before, the TV got "confussed" when I would change stations too fast and it had to change the resolution causing the set to shut down.
Now with the fixed setting, there is no lag time while changing stations.

My question is: How is this setting affecting the picture quality on my TV? (I mean showing a 480p and 720p as 1080i.)

This setting also disables my zoom mode on my TV, all though I can use the zoom mode on the box. I use this only for letterboxed programs that are not HD. This fills out the full width of the screen, keeping the letterbox aspect ratio.

Should I go back and reset this box so that it changes resolution or should I just leave it at 1080i??

Thanks for any suggestions.

Seth Lubin :)

It is now evening and so my room is at the correct light level to see the best possible picture on my HDTV.
I wrote before that the 8300 HD was not recognizing the HD signal and it was coming in at 480p.
I also wrote that the replacement box was set to be at 1080i all the time.
I have now discovered that the new box also is not always recognizing the 1080i signal. Now that the box is set so all stations are playing 1080i; the aspect ratio stays correct depending on the signal. However if the HDTV light indicator is not on I am still getting a 480i signal on the HD channels.

Now, as I just wrote the HD signal is not being recognized and it is being broadcast at 480p. However, just like the first box, if I can get back to an HDTV signal and go to the channel I was watching, it seems to now recognize the true 1080i signal.
Now that the room is darkened I can see the big difference from 480p to 1080i true HD. There is a lot more detail on the same station.
I don't think Cablevision knows what's wrong with this. I don't know how many of these boxes they have given out. They are very new here in NJ.
If there is nothing wrong with the box, then purhaps the signal is not strong enough to trigger the HD 1080i signal in the box.
Anyone have any ideas? Cablevision says they will send it up to the engineering department and check the signal, etc. However, this is very frustrating to have to monkey around just to get in the HD channels on this box.
Seth Lubin

boatbuilder? - you work out how to fix this - looks like I have exactly the same problem... SD channels are stretching to fit 16:9 fine, no problem.... but, HD channels some (ie 'real HD programs') show 16:9 - others only 4:3... & even if you go to settings / aspect ratio & tell it to stretch it only seems to change it for the channel you are on...

I'm a newbie... so helpfully some kind soul, will take pity & tell me how to resolve...

PS. apologies for starting a new thread... I did try searching first, obviously didn't use the right keywords.. oops..

Cablevision now tells me they are aware of a problem in the SA 8300 HD.
They are working on it and hope to fix the problem soon...LOL.

They now tell me the only way to get the HD signal recognized is to switch to another HDTV station that is correct and punch in the number I want to watch. Hopefully it will go into HDTV mode.

Of course, this is exactly what I told them I had to do, when I reported the problem.

"Other than that Mrs. Lincoln; how was the play?"

Maybe some of you guys can help me out concerning the SA 8300 HD box which I'm contemplating. I have Cablevision service in NYC.

1- I am now using the SA 4200HD box which feeds my HDTV set thru component cables, and using the 'cable out' to feed a signal to two other TV sets, simultaneously. Is it possible to do this with the SA 8300HD box also? I was told by somebody that this type of connection on the SA 8300 HD will only activate either 'component' connections or 'cable out' connections, but not simultaneously. If this is true, that would mean that I couldn't use this type of signal feed to all the sets together. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

P. S. How do you guys/gals, like the operation of this new box?

Alan

Hello Alan: I don't know about your connection problems, perhaps one of the other members can answer that for you, but I went from the SA8000 to the SA8300 DVR, and the picture changed dramatically for the better on Digital(the High Def signal on the SA8000 was always good).....and here in Central Florida, you can now record High Def programs for playback at a later time.....So far I have recorded one show from Discovery High Def Theater & Jason & the Argonauts from TNT-HD---AWESOME in both picture & Sound delivery, through my Yamaha receiver and onto my Mitsubishi WS65815 HDTV......It's worth every penny of the extra $9.95 per month that I am paying for the SA8300-HD-DVR.......sasheegm....Joe From Florida

Hi Joe-
Thanks for your answer, but I still have to find out whether this DVR will allow me to use the two inputs together as per my first post. This is very important to me. I'm glad to hear that this SA-8300HD works well. Thank you.

Alan

Your welcome Alan.....I wish I knew more about the conection issue; but perhaps you might try asking one of the Moderators.....I have had on the board talks with them & also Private Messages......Scientific Atlanta has a website, but for any questions regarding their receivers, they advise the online visitor to contact their Cable Provider......See which Moderators are online, and send one of them your question....I'm sure one will respond........With all of the posts that are made hourly here, it is impossible for them to see every post....Good Luck...sasheegm...Joe From Florida

I called Cablevision today and found out that the SA 8300HD Will work the way I want it to work. If not they'll take the box back and I won't be charged for a service call. They're scheduled to come to my house Tuesday, and I'll let you know if the installation is successful. ;)

Thanks, Alan

That could be good information for all of us at the Forum.........Renting a DVR, rather then buying one, has its advantages.......Should anything go wrong, you have the Cable Co. backing the unit, unless your an electronics expert like my Son-In-Law who put my system together, except for the SA8300 which the Cable Company installed; but he still has it hooked up to the Receiver, which is connected to all of the extras( DVD-Player, VCR, DVD-Recorder, Monster, and the HDTV).........My Son-In-Law also used Monster Cables for all key connections, which cost me a small fortune, but the end result is magnificent reception in both PQ & Sound........I look foward to reading your report on the connections.........Sasheegm---Joe From Florida

Maybe some of you guys can help me out concerning the SA 8300 HD box which I'm contemplating. I have Cablevision service in NYC.

1- I am now using the SA 4200HD box which feeds my HDTV set thru component cables, and using the 'cable out' to feed a signal to two other TV sets, simultaneously. Is it possible to do this with the SA 8300HD box also? I was told by somebody that this type of connection on the SA 8300 HD will only activate either 'component' connections or 'cable out' connections, but not simultaneously. If this is true, that would mean that I couldn't use this type of signal feed to all the sets together. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

P. S. How do you guys/gals, like the operation of this new box?

Alan

I am satisfied with the record and playback quality of the SA8300HD (Cablevision North Jersey). I know this has been allready covered but if hooking up to the cable out would disable the component out ( which I doubt it would) you could just split the cable before the SA 8300. Having one feed for the 8300 and the other feed to the other sets.

FYI: I do know on the SA4200 that hooking up the component cables turned of the DVI output. I have not tested this on the SA8300. Just connected to HDMI and all is well. Maybe somebody can confirm if both component and HDMI work with both being used.

you could just split the cable before the SA 8300. Having one feed for the 8300 and the other feed to the other sets.
I can't do that with my cable system(Cablevision-NYC), since all signals are scrambled until they go thru the converter box. :(

Alan

Maybe somebody else can confirm. I would think at worst using the cable out may disable the HDMI output. I am utilizing the HDMI and s-video outputs together with no problems. I have not checked if the component connections are active.

Well, Cablevision sent over a technician this morning to exchange my SA4200HD cable box for the SA 8300HD DVR cable box. Everything is working fantastically, and so far I'm 100% pleased. It seems a lot of cable companies send out contractors to install these boxes and the majority don't have any experience with the proper hookups and operation of DVR boxes, especially if you are working thru a home theatre audio system. In fact the guy who came had absolutely zero experience with this box! He ended up saying that I should hook it up myself, because I knew more then him, which is what I did. I immediately called up Cablevision to complain, and told them that I originally requested an experienced engineer to do this. They told me that they'll credit me with the service call charge($34.95) on my next bill. Remember the old adage: The Squeeky Wheel Gets the Grease.
The only difference that is slightly annoying with digital cable boxes is the fact that you can only get a mono audio signal with the "cable out" connection, as opposed to a former analog box that would give me stereo reception. :mad:
Once again, I'm very happy with the flexibility and PQ that I now have whether its HD or SD. :)

Alan

Glad your happy with it Alan........It tweeked my reception up dramatically in all 3 formats....SD, HD & Digital, on my Mits WS65815........I had called the VP of Customer Service & Public Relations of Bright House Networks( Time Warner with a different Name) who I knew from 2001, when I bought my 1st HDTV, the Zenith IQB64W, whch was destroyed by the Hurricanes we had in Central Florida in Sept) anyway, I was the first Cable Customer in this area to buy a big screen HD TV, and Time Warner had just up-graded all their lines throughout Central Florida, but had no HD set in their Shop!.......So my Zenith was used to calibrate their system & to track down a problem they had in transmission from their Sanford terminal near Orlando to all of Central Florida( The Techs were in and out of my home for over week)-------Fast Foward to today.....after the Mits WS65815 is hooked up to the SA3500, I believe, the picture was terribe on SD & Digital.....Only HD was good to watch........The Mitubishi tech came out and said its in the Channels trnsmission & I have to live with it......Time Warner guy said the same thing!.......Well, after spending close to $9000 for my new Home Ent system, I could not believe that the transmission of signals had gone down that bad in the 5 months that my home was being re-built....So I called the VP in Orlando, and he told me he would take care of the problem.......Following day a grubby looking Sub-Contractor pulls up in his F150,,,,Hooks up the SA8300.....Digital looks like Digital now, but the SD was still bad......He goes outside and climbs the pole and does something up there-----then he fiddles around with the box outside....as I am watching an SD station, the picture is sharpening up like adjusting a Camera lens( he said he brought it up 7 to 10, whatever that means).....and for the last two weeks, it has been perfect.......So apparently down here in East Central Florida, this Sub-contractor knew more then the guys wearing the uniform......This sub also said that the best boxes are the 8000 & 8300......I cannot say what he said about the other SA models on the forum.....anyway I'm glad you are as happy with your SA 8300 as I am with mine.....sasheegm...joe from florida

Now that I'm getting used to my SA 8300 HD DVR, I have to say the remote is really bad. I like to sit in my TV room with limited amounts of light, as if in a movie theater.

In this light set up, while watching a recorded program through the DVR it is almost impossible to find the buttons for play, fast forward, etc. There are so many buttons, so close together and none of them are back lit.

The remote control suppled with my older SD SA cable box was ok, because it was only used to change channels on the screen. However, with all the added features of the 8300, this really stinks.

Any comments. Any suggestions for a learning remote that would do the same thing and have back lighting.

Seth Lubin

I think the remote that I received from Cablevision in the NY area is as good as any other remote that I use. True, there are more buttons on a DVR remote, but they have to put them somewhere, and I feel that the more accustomed I become with this layout, the more comfortable I feel. Yes, it would be nice if this remote had backlit buttons though. My expensive Sony ES remote for my receiver doesn't have this feature either, so I learned to live with it. You could buy a universal learning remote that has the backlit features and teach it to do all the functions that you desire.
Aside from this, I'm enjoying this SA8300HD tremendously, so far.

Alan

Any of Harmony's remotes will do the trick for you - they are all back-lit and work well with the 8300HD.

I have the 659 model.