Explorer 8300 HDC dvr question
EGK
picture settings options do. My HD tv supports up to 1080i. The DVR has
picture setting options for "pass through", "upconvert 1", "upconvert 2",
and "fixed".
I'd naturally like to get the best HD signal possible but have no idea what
these various settings are for.
Thanks
John McWilliams
Try them and see for yourself. Unless you also want to specify the tv in
hopes someone has the same combo and is willing to tell you.
--
john mcwilliams
Adam H. Kerman
>Can anyone tell me what the HD options are for this dvr? That is what the
>picture settings options do. My HD tv supports up to 1080i. The DVR has
>picture setting options for "pass through", "upconvert 1", "upconvert 2",
>and "fixed".
Without reading the instructions, it's hard to guess if the setting are for
what the device should output when connected to an HD television set or a
standard television set.
When connected to an HD set, I'll guess that you want to receive the HD
signal as is. The two upconvert choices may have to do with 720p>1080i
conversion, but my preference would be to receive a 720p signal without
conversion.
Another possibility is what is output when receiving a standard signal,
but as it has no way of knowing what the aspect ratio is, I'd leave it alone,
changing the setting only when viewing.
Crack out the instruction book!
EGK
wrote:
That was the problem. The DVR came from Time Warner with no instructions.
These options were in the advanced options you get from pressing the
Settings button twice on the remote.
I did find a brief "Help" page. Apparently the upconvert options do
upconvert the signal in different ways. I ended up choosing "fixed" which
leaves it at 1080i but allows me to change it from the simple settings
options. I was just curious what other people used and thought gave the
best results.
Adam H. Kerman
Here's an FAQ and answer from the Getting Started manual:
Why are all my programs displayed in 1080i format?
You may have selected the Easy Setup mode and the Widescreen
(16:9) TV setting in the HDTV Setup Wizard. Choosing these
two settings together limits your programming to 1080i format,
even on non-HD channels. To see your non-HD programs in 480i
on a widescreen (16:9) HDTV, use the Advanced Setup in the
HDTV Setup Wizard. Make sure that you select 480i as one of
your saved formats, and then select Pass-Through in General
Settings: Picture Format for your default picture format.
So it looks like if you don't choose to save standard definition programs
in 480i and select Pass-Through, then all SD will be upconverted to HD.
You don't want to consume that much disk space for SD shows.
I found the guides by inputing the model number into a Google search.
http://www.cisco.com/web/consumer/support/userguides2/4013171.pdf
http://www.cisco.com/web/consumer/support/userguides2/4004007.pdf
http://www.cisco.com/web/consumer/support/settop_8300hddvr.html
Anim8rFSK
EGK <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> On Sat, 26 Dec 2009 07:35:43 +0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman" <a...@chinet.com>
> wrote:
>
> >EGK <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> >
> >>Can anyone tell me what the HD options are for this dvr? That is what the
> >>picture settings options do. My HD tv supports up to 1080i. The DVR has
> >>picture setting options for "pass through", "upconvert 1", "upconvert 2",
> >>and "fixed".
> >
> >Without reading the instructions, it's hard to guess if the setting are for
> >what the device should output when connected to an HD television set or a
> >standard television set.
> >
> >When connected to an HD set, I'll guess that you want to receive the HD
> >signal as is. The two upconvert choices may have to do with 720p>1080i
> >conversion, but my preference would be to receive a 720p signal without
> >conversion.
> >
> >Another possibility is what is output when receiving a standard signal,
> >but as it has no way of knowing what the aspect ratio is, I'd leave it alone,
> >changing the setting only when viewing.
> >
> >Crack out the instruction book!
Hah, it is to laugh.
>
> That was the problem. The DVR came from Time Warner with no instructions.
> These options were in the advanced options you get from pressing the
> Settings button twice on the remote.
> I did find a brief "Help" page.
URL?
some pretty good info and more links to follow at
http://www.satelliteguys.us/cable-television-discussion-forums/30124-sa-e
xplorer-8300hd-tweaks-help.html
Apparently the upconvert options do
> upconvert the signal in different ways. I ended up choosing "fixed" which
> leaves it at 1080i but allows me to change it from the simple settings
> options. I was just curious what other people used and thought gave the
> best results.
You'll find your options change depending on how you're connected. I
don't have "pass through" I'm guessing you're using RBG cables? With
HDMI my choices are:
Upconvert-1
Upconvert-2
Auto DVD/HDMI
Fixed
I'm on Auto, and I can't change if from the simple menu.
--
Tiger Woods has just been named "Athlete of the Decade"
His chosen event? The Broad Jump.
EGK
wrote:
Thanks much. I'll bookmark those links.
EGK
>In article <p45cj5dhsn0vt5sgn...@4ax.com>,
> EGK <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
>> That was the problem. The DVR came from Time Warner with no instructions.
>> These options were in the advanced options you get from pressing the
>> Settings button twice on the remote.
>> I did find a brief "Help" page.
>
>URL?
No Url. You can get very brief info if you press the info button on the
remote when the option is highlighted. You have to press the settings
button twice to get in to the advanced settings and "Set: Picture format"
Mine was on audo also. I think that's the Pass through setting.
Anim8rFSK
EGK <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
LOL, cool, I had no idea it did that. It says 'pass through' and 'auto
DVI' do the same thing.
EGK
You had no idea? Too funny since I had you in mind as one of the resident
experts who might be able to tell me what the settings meant. lol
I got an HDMI cable and that's why I was messing with this stuff. I had
been using the component cables supplies by TW. It says "pass through"
when using component and that option apparently changes to "auto dvi/hdmi"
when using the hdmi cable.
Anim8rFSK
EGK <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> On Sat, 26 Dec 2009 21:38:55 -0700, Anim8rFSK <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
>
> >In article <pefcj5tonugbcotvi...@4ax.com>,
> > EGK <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> >
> >> On Sat, 26 Dec 2009 09:10:46 -0700, Anim8rFSK <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> >In article <p45cj5dhsn0vt5sgn...@4ax.com>,
> >> > EGK <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> >> That was the problem. The DVR came from Time Warner with no
> >> >> instructions.
> >> >> These options were in the advanced options you get from pressing the
> >> >> Settings button twice on the remote.
> >> >> I did find a brief "Help" page.
> >> >
> >> >URL?
> >>
> >> No Url. You can get very brief info if you press the info button on the
> >> remote when the option is highlighted. You have to press the settings
> >> button twice to get in to the advanced settings and "Set: Picture format"
> >> Mine was on audo also. I think that's the Pass through setting.
> >
> >LOL, cool, I had no idea it did that. It says 'pass through' and 'auto
> >DVI' do the same thing.
>
> You had no idea? Too funny since I had you in mind as one of the resident
> experts who might be able to tell me what the settings meant. lol
Heh. I went through them all last night. Was nice to confirm that
'narrow audio' is supposed to be better for dialog; trouble is the
overall volume gets pretty low. I'll have to try the 'turning the DVR
volume' up trick.
>
> I got an HDMI cable and that's why I was messing with this stuff. I had
> been using the component cables supplies by TW. It says "pass through"
> when using component and that option apparently changes to "auto dvi/hdmi"
> when using the hdmi cable.
Yep.
I tried all 4 settings and the 'zoom' button last night, and all 4 seem
to work the same and the display when you hit 'zoom' says '1080i' at
least with an HDMi cable.
Adam H. Kerman
>I tried all 4 settings and the 'zoom' button last night, and all 4 seem
>to work the same and the display when you hit 'zoom' says '1080i' at
>least with an HDMi cable.
Did you see my article?
Pass through tells it NOT to upconvert a standard definition signal. The
other options convert the SD signal. It shouldn't have any effect on an
HD signal.
Anim8rFSK
"Adam H. Kerman" <a...@chinet.com> wrote:
I don't have "pass through" 'cause I'm using an HDMi cable. The on
screen help says that what I'm using should work the same as pass
through, but the on screen info says that every permutation coming out
of the box is 1080i, and I tried it on both HD and SD channels, which I
forgot to mention. And if it's 1080i coming out, it must be converting
720 signals as well as SD. Of course, it's possible that the on screen
info lies and simply says everything is 1080i even if it's not.
EGK
This is something I just learned. It might help in your case.
Turn the DVR off. With it off, press and hold the "Guide" and "Info"
buttons at the same time on the front of the machine. This should bring up
the screen setup wizard. If you choose the basic A, after choosing the wide
screen monitor, I think it auto sets up as 1080i for everything. If you
choose the B, advanced option, you can set up every format your LCD supports
individually. You may not want them all available.
Adam H. Kerman
>"Adam H. Kerman" <a...@chinet.com> wrote:
>>Anim8rFSK <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
>>>I tried all 4 settings and the 'zoom' button last night, and all 4 seem
>>>to work the same and the display when you hit 'zoom' says '1080i' at
>>>least with an HDMi cable.
>>Did you see my article?
>>Pass through tells it NOT to upconvert a standard definition signal. The
>>other options convert the SD signal. It shouldn't have any effect on an
>>HD signal.
>I don't have "pass through" 'cause I'm using an HDMi cable. The on
>screen help says that what I'm using should work the same as pass
>through, but the on screen info says that every permutation coming out
>of the box is 1080i, and I tried it on both HD and SD channels, which I
>forgot to mention. And if it's 1080i coming out, it must be converting
>720 signals as well as SD. Of course, it's possible that the on screen
>info lies and simply says everything is 1080i even if it's not.
You can tell if SD is upconverted, because it gets slightly wider. Or
you can tell if recording SD takes up much more disk space than expected.
Lovely that your box doesn't give you the option that the FAQ answer I
found claims it does. Upconverting SD is pointless.
Anim8rFSK
"Adam H. Kerman" <a...@chinet.com> wrote:
> Anim8rFSK <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
> >"Adam H. Kerman" <a...@chinet.com> wrote:
> >>Anim8rFSK <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
>
> >>>I tried all 4 settings and the 'zoom' button last night, and all 4 seem
> >>>to work the same and the display when you hit 'zoom' says '1080i' at
> >>>least with an HDMi cable.
>
> >>Did you see my article?
>
> >>Pass through tells it NOT to upconvert a standard definition signal. The
> >>other options convert the SD signal. It shouldn't have any effect on an
> >>HD signal.
>
> >I don't have "pass through" 'cause I'm using an HDMi cable. The on
> >screen help says that what I'm using should work the same as pass
> >through, but the on screen info says that every permutation coming out
> >of the box is 1080i, and I tried it on both HD and SD channels, which I
> >forgot to mention. And if it's 1080i coming out, it must be converting
> >720 signals as well as SD. Of course, it's possible that the on screen
> >info lies and simply says everything is 1080i even if it's not.
>
> You can tell if SD is upconverted, because it gets slightly wider. Or
Compared to what? The DVR claims everything coming out of it is 1080i.
> you can tell if recording SD takes up much more disk space than expected.
Hmm. Interesting point.
My SD recordings take 1/4 the disk space my HD recordings do, so they
are SD on the disk. But that doesn't tell us at what point the 8240HDC*
is upconverting, if it is; it could be doing it at the output.
*I used to have the 8300HD; last time the replaced it they put in the
8240HDC which they claim is the NEWER model, despite it having a lower
model number.
>
> Lovely that your box doesn't give you the option that the FAQ answer I
> found claims it does. Upconverting SD is pointless.
I haven't gone into the set up commands yet, because I haven't gotten
past the 'change the DVR volume with the vol+ & vol- buttons on the box'
part yet. Pushing those buttons does nothing to the volume, although it
changes something on the display (looks like an icon for an incoming
message or something flashing). Anybody know how to make those work?
Anim8rFSK
DVR go blooey
I turned it on for Mom to watch Regis and Kelly Lee, and it's displaying
everything stretched. Kelly Lee looks like one of those hideous
deformed oval headed thalidomide Family Circus freak children.
and the HD Zoom button doesn't work, and the Picture Settings controls
don't do anything
I ran set-up wizard, easy settings, no change
I ran set up wizard, advance settings, and I managed to fix the SD
picture, but all the HD is still stretched
wtf there's a 'stretch HD' setting *at all* mystifies me
had to reboot
I think they sent a software upgrade that blooeyed me. My favorite
channels are all gone, and the background color controls aren't working
right
so... set up wizard is kinda freaky
advanced displays different formats and says 'can you see this and if so
do you want to keep it'
of course, if you can't see it, there's not much you can do
I disabled all the '480 stretch' modes
so before it was displaying everything as 1080i, period. Now it
displays the stuff as it comes in; 1080, 720, 480, whatever. But it
takes like 10 seconds to change a channel and stabilize each time
that's not very useful
though it's probably my tv not liking to change res like that
my tv does 480i fine but doesn't like 480p
I left on 1080i, 720p, and 480i
turns out the LCD hates flipping between p and i
but - 'fixed' locks down your DVR output to match whatever channel
you're on at the time
if you're on a 480i channel and choose 'fixed' it converts EVERYTHING to
480i, even your HD
so I switched to a 1080i channel, hit 'fixed' and now I get everything
in 1080i, correct aspect ratio, and the background colors are normal
again