TW Cable Customers - want to upgrade your DVR?

[mach_u]

I've been researching this for quite some time. The most TW cable will record is like 80hrs of regular programming or only 20hrs of HD programming. I have a lot of shows, movies, etc. that I want to keep for some time and I was getting tired of clearing them out or having to mess with pushing them out to my DVD recorder. I got a hold of a cool level 3 tech at TWC that informed me he had tried to expand his using the eSATA port (http://files.discountechnology.com/products/CAS-KIT-SATA1-DVR-250GB-BN-OE/CAS-KIT-SATA1-DVR-250GB-BN-OE-image2.jpg) but had no success. I finally came across this (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=11700133&postcount=6875) really cool article that provided a work around. All I needed was one of these (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0240919) and a SATA hard drive like this (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0261555)(I only had a 200gig drive to work with though}. Simply assemble the external housing with hard drive, turn off the cable box, power on the external drive and then the cable box back on. Wait until the DVR is back in and you are watching TV again and turn the power off on the external hard drive. Follow the instructions (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=11700133&postcount=6875) and you'll be in good shape! The other thing I discovered in my searching is if you hold the info & exit buttons down until you here a ding on the tv, change the channel to 611 - you get all kinds of really cool diagnostic info on your cable connection/dvr box. This only works to my knowledge with the Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD (which I believe is one of the only DVR boxes TW offers). Try this at your own risk of course but I hope that helps somebody! :bigthumb
http://itreview.belproject.com/media/1/20050405-scientific-atlanta-explorer-8300.jpg
http://www.timewarnercable.com/MediaLibrary/4/49/Content%20Management/Customer%20Service/images/equipment_images/sa_8300HDDVR_2.gif

[mustang8998]

[QUOTE=mach_u;311018] The other thing I discovered in my searching is if you hold the info & exit buttons down until you here a ding on the tv, change the channel to 611 - you get all kinds of really cool diagnostic info on your cable connection/dvr box. This only works to my knowledge with the Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD (which I believe is one of the only DVR boxes TW offers). Try this at your own risk of course but I hope that helps somebody! :bigthumb

I tried that (I have the same box), and it did nothing.

[Mista Bone]

mach_u, are you able to choose to which drive the shows are saved, like saved on the ext. HDD to me moved to a PC?

or how about getting the shows off the TWC HDD to be uploaded, like the Pinks EP in Feb :)

Moms SA 8300HD box has two firewire ports on the back along with what could be a SATA port, but I'm not sure what one looks like to be sure.

Edit, Mom's box is a 8300HDC if it matters, holding the two buttons for 15 seconds does nothing.

[02mingryGT]

My only issue with the cable box is that you can only record two shows at a time and you have to be watching one of them as well. I don't have any issues with the storage space but thanks for the info. :cool1:

[mach_u]

mach_u, are you able to choose to which drive the shows are saved, like saved on the ext. HDD to me moved to a PC?

or how about getting the shows off the TWC HDD to be uploaded, like the Pinks EP in Feb :)

Moms SA 8300HD box has two firewire ports on the back along with what could be a SATA port, but I'm not sure what one looks like to be sure.

Edit, Mom's box is a 8300HDC if it matters, holding the two buttons for 15 seconds does nothing.
I don't believe you can choose the drive. Secondly there is no way to simply pull the shows off. I bought a $129 Toshiba DVD Recorder and burn them to disk. Works great. :bigthumb Also, the SATA port should say sata next to it

[mach_u]

I tried that (I have the same box), and it did nothing.
Jeff, some models require you hold down select until mail light flashes, then hit select. Then simply page up and page down through the information. See if that works for you. :bigthumb

[Mista Bone]

I don't believe you can choose the drive. Secondly there is no way to simply pull the shows off. I bought a $129 Toshiba DVD Recorder and burn them to disk. Works great. :bigthumb Also, the SATA port should say sata next to it

eSATA on the back.

[mach_u]

eSATA on the back.
Yup, that's it. :bigthumb

[mustang8998]

Jeff, some models require you hold down select until mail light flashes, then hit select. Then simply page up and page down through the information. See if that works for you. :bigthumb

Still nothing. It's no big deal, really, just wanted to see if there was anything useful in there, for me. I use the DVR alot, but watch and erase.