Explorer Digital Video Recorder ® User’s Guide Get More Out of Your TV… Watch • Your favorite shows anytime you want...
ALLTOUCH REMOTE CONTROL The AllTouch® Remote Control includes specific keys that enable you to control your Explorer® Digital Video Recorder (DVR). IMPORTANT! You must place the remote control in cable mode (press the DVR features. ) to access For descriptions of other remote control key functions, refer to the user’s guide for your remote control model. The following illustration shows the AT8550™ All Touch Remote Control. Your remote control model may vary.
NOTICE FOR CATV INSTALLERS The servicing instructions in this notice are for use by qualified service personnel only. To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not perform any servicing other than that contained in the operating instructions, unless you are qualified to do so. Note to System Installer (U.S.A.
CONTENTS AllTouch Remote Control ............................................................... inside of front cover Notice for CATV Installers .......................................................................... iii Safety First ................................................................................................ iii U.S. Patents List ....................................................................................... iii GET STARTED NEED TO INSTALL YOUR DVR? Get Started ............
WELCOME! CONTENTS, CONTINUED USING THE PIP FEATURE Use Picture-In-Picture ................................................................................ 15 Turn PIP On and Off .......................................................................................... 15 Change the Channel of the PIP Screen ........................................................... 15 Move the Location of the PIP Screen ................................................................
CONTENTS, CONTINUED FINISHED WITH A RECORDING? ERASE IT Erase Recordings ....................................................................................... 22 Automatically Erase Oldest Recordings .......................................................... 22 Erase a Single Recording ................................................................................ 22 Copy Recordings from Your DVR to a VCR Tape ........................................
GET STARTED 1 Determine TV Connections. Determine the types of connections you need to make, based on your TV type (highdefinition [HDTV] or standard-definition [SDTV] TV) and home theater connection requirements. Refer to the manual that came with your TV for more information. 2 Connect the DVR.
CONNECT THE EXPLORER DVR TO YOUR TV, CONTINUED IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING THE HDMI INTERFACE ON THE 8300HD/8300HDC The HDMI interface automatically configures the audio output for a format supported by the TV attached to the DVR through the HDMI connection. This automatic configuration is only performed the first time the DVR is connected through the HDMI interface to a compatible TV. When the automated process is finished, the DVR sets the audio output format to either Dolby® Digital or Other (Linear PCM).
PREPARE THE EXPLORER HD DVR TO WORK WITH YOUR TV The Setup Wizard is a program that helps you set up your DVR to provide the best picture quality that your TV supports. Based on the type of TV you have, the Wizard allows you to select all picture formats supported by your SDTV or HDTV. Note: If you are connecting an SD DVR to an SDTV, no setup is required. Skip this section and go to “Set Parental Control” on page 7.
PREPARE THE EXPLORER HD DVR TO WORK WITH YOUR TV, CONTINUED EASY SETUP INSTRUCTIONS 1. 2. Standard or Widescreen Press if your TV has a standard screen (4:3) Press if your TV has a widescreen (16:9) Restart setup Press A or B to select the type of TV screen you have. The setup is complete. to begin watching TV. Press Notes: • If you pressed A for the standard screen (4:3) TV setting, the TV is set to receive programming in 480i format on non-HD channels and 1080i format on HD channels.
ADJUST YOUR HDTV PICTURE PICTURE FORMATS AND YOUR HDTV DISPLAY The following table shows the relationship between the picture format method, the signal the DVR receives, and the format of the picture that displays on your TV screen.
ADJUST YOUR HDTV PICTURE, CONTINUED After using the Setup Wizard, if you want to change your picture preferences, you can adjust the HDTV picture display using options within the Quick Settings and General Settings menus. If you do not need to change your picture quality, skip this section and go to “Set Parental Control” on page 7. Note: The picture format is tied to the content provider’s format and the picture formats supported by your TV.
SET PARENTAL CONTROL Notes: • This section covers the basics for setting up parental control and blocking programs. You can also use parental controls to block recordings on your DVR. For more information, see Block Recordings With Parental Control on page 9. • If you do not want to configure parental control and blocking, skip this section and go to Search for Programs Using the Program Guide on page 10. CREATING OR CHANGING A PIN 1. Using the remote, press twice to access General Settings. 2. 3.
SET PARENTAL CONTROL, CONTINUED TURNING ON AND OFF PARENTAL CONTROL 1. Using the remote, press to access Quick Settings. 2. or to select Turn ON Parental Control or Turn OFF Parental Press Control, respectively. 3. 4. Press to change the Parental Control setting. When prompted, enter your 4-digit PIN.
BLOCK RECORDINGS WITH PARENTAL CONTROL You can keep others from watching a recording by using the Block feature. This feature is useful if children also use the DVR and you do not want them to watch certain recordings. Note: To block a program that is scheduled to be recorded, block the program rating from the General Settings menu. (For details, see “Blocking Channels, Ratings, and Program Times” on page 7.
SEARCH FOR PROGRAMS USING THE PROGRAM GUIDE DISPLAY THE PROGRAM GUIDE 1. Press 2. To close the guide, press or . The Program Guide closes and displays the program that was playing in the Quarter screen. to access the Program Guide. PROGRAM GUIDE The Information area displays information about the program selected in the Program Guide. The Browse By area automatically lists programs by channel number, but you can also choose to list programs by title, theme, or date.
SEARCH FOR PROGRAMS USING THE PROGRAM GUIDE, CONTINUED BROWSE BY OPTIONS HDLN BROWSE BY CHANNEL 36 Headline News 4:00-5:00pm Up-to-the-minute coverage of events. 36 CHANNEL 4:00pm 4:30pm DSC 34 Great Chefs Great Chefs CNN 35 Inside Politics Early Prime HDLN 36 ' Headline News ESPN 37 Bikes, Blades & Boards TOON 38 Yu-Gi-Oh! Yu-Gi-Oh! Browse By Date WED 6/18 Wed 6/18 4:02pm 5:00pm 5:3 Channel lists programs numerically by channel number.
SELECT A PROGRAM FROM THE 1. Press 2. Press to move through the program listings to select the program you want to watch. 3. Press . • If the program is currently on, the Program Guide closes and the program you selected appears in full-screen TV. • If the program is scheduled for a future time, the Future Program Options screen appears.
CONTROL LIVE TV AND RECORDINGS When you tune to a live program, the DVR begins buffering the program — that is, making a temporary recording of it — so that you can: • • • • • Pause the live program for up to one hour Rewind the program up to the point when you tuned to the channel Fast-forward through the portion you have rewound Instantly replay the last eight seconds of TV anytime you want Save the buffered program to the DVR by recording it STATUS BAR The Status Bar appears when you pause, rewind,
CONTROL LIVE TV AND RECORDINGS, CONTINUED USE INSTANT REPLAY Press to watch the last 8 seconds of a live or recorded program again. Every additional press jumps back 8 more seconds. USE SLOW MOTION 1. 2. While watching live TV or while playing a recording at normal speed, press once. The action slows. again. To resume play in normal speed, press WATCH ACTION FRAME BY FRAME Analyze sports events and other programs by watching the action frame by frame.
USE PICTURE-IN-PICTURE TURN PIP ON AND OFF The PIP feature can only be activated while you are watching TV in full screen mode. You must remove any on-screen menus and exit the program guide to turn the PIP feature on. 25 When you turn on the PIP feature, you can watch two channels at once. One channel appears as a full-screen image; the other channel appears as a small image within the full-screen image.
RECORD PROGRAMS Feel free to do the following without affecting the DVR recording: • • • • • • • Continue to watch the channel while the recording is being made. Pause, fast-forward, or rewind the program. Change channels (only if you are recording one program). Turn off the TV. Turn on the PIP feature. Display the Recorded List screen or the Program Guide. Playback a recording.
RECORD PROGRAMS, CONTINUED RECORD TWO LIVE PROGRAMS Channel Change Notice You are now recording "The Jungle Book" Press to change to the other recording Stop Recording Cancel If, while recording two programs, you try to tune to another channel, the DVR displays a Channel Change Notice to let you know that you must stop a recording to change channels. For details, see “Cancel a Recording That Is In Progress” on page 19. AT ONCE 1. Press to record the show that you are watching, and then press 2.
WATCH RECORDINGS Note: If you see Blocked Title instead of the title of a program, you are hiding the display of blocked program titles (a parental control function). See “Hiding or Viewing Blocked Program Titles” on page 7 for more information. DISPLAY A LIST OF YOUR RECORDED PROGRAMS Recorded List "The Jungle Book" 1. USA (Ch 67) Record: 1 Episode Save: 1 Day Recorded Programs PGA Golf Press Date The Jungleor Book press Length 1hr 30min Wed 7:00pm for more6/18 recording options. 2hr 0min Dr.
CANCEL RECORDINGS CANCEL A SCHEDULED RECORDING You can cancel a scheduled recording at any time. Confirm Cancel "Design On A Dime" HGTV (Ch 238) Mon: 11/15 8:00-8:30pm Record: All episodes, first run Save: All episodes Are you sure you want to cancel recording all episodes of this program? Yes, cancel 1. Press 2. 3. Press Press . 4. Press 5. Press B . The Confirm Cancel screen appears and displays the question “Are you sure you want to cancel recording this program?” 6.
CHECK RECORDING SPACE The Recording Space Used feature shows both the percentage of space currently used and lists the number of recordings stored. Preferences Recording Space Used: 6% You currently have 2 recordings. Options 1. Press 2. Press B to display the Preferences screen. The Information area displays the Storage bar, which shows the percentage of recording space currently used.
SAVE RECORDINGS Whether you record a program you are watching live or schedule a program to be recorded in the future, you have three ways that you can select how long to save the recording: • Use the default Save Time setting. Using the default Save Time setting is the quickest way to save recordings because you don’t need to select the save time each time you record a program. For details, see the “Change the Default Save Time Setting for All Future Recordings,” next in this guide.
ERASE RECORDINGS AUTOMATICALLY ERASE OLDEST RECORDINGS To ensure that there is enough storage space for new recordings, turn on the Auto Erase feature. When Auto Erase is on, oldest recordings are automatically erased one by one until there is enough space to record your new programs. Note: Recordings with save times of “Until I Erase” are not automatically erased.
COPY RECORDINGS YOUR DVR FROM TO A VCR TAPE The Copy to VCR feature lets you copy recordings from your DVR to a VCR tape. WARNING: Avoid electric shock. Unplug all electronic devices before connecting or disconnecting any device cables to the DVR. CABLE OUT OUT 1 OUT 2 Pr L Pb R Notes: A U D I O OPTICAL Y/V DIGITAL AUDIO OUT VIDEO AUDIO OUT S - VIDEO OUT RF IN L VIDEO IN R AUDIO IN L VIDEO OUT R RF OUT AUDIO OUT VCR T11304 COPY 1. Recorded Program Options 2. 3. 4.
ADD STORAGE WITH A SATA HARD DISK DRIVE (OPTIONAL) On the 8300-series DVRs, you can use a Serial ATA (SATA) hard disk drive for increased recording capability. Contact your service provider for a list of approved hard drive models that you can use with the 8300s. IMPORTANT! You cannot choose between recording to the internal DVR hard drive or recording to the SATA drive. If a SATA drive is connected to the DVR, a program is automatically recorded to the hard drive with the most available space.
ADD STORAGE WITH A SATA HARD DISK DRIVE (OPTIONAL), CONTINUED TROUBLESHOOTING THE SATA DRIVE If you encounter problems when connecting or disconnecting your SATA hard disk drive, use the following warning banners to troubleshoot any drive issues. WARNING: Avoid electric shock. Unplug all electronic devices before connecting or disconnecting any device cables to the DVR. If the SATA drive is improperly disconnected, one of the following warning banners appears.
MAXIMIZE THE LIFE OF YOUR DVR TURN OFF YOUR DVR WHEN NOT IN USE To maximize the life of your DVR, you should turn Off the DVR when it is not in use. When the DVR is powered Off (and plugged into an active outlet), all scheduled recordings are performed automatically – and your recordings are protected. and then on your remote, or press To turn off your DVR, simply press Power on the front panel of the DVR.
THE DVR AND YOUR MULTI-ROOM DVR SYSTEM With the Multi-Room DVR system, you can record your favorite programs on the 8300 DVR server, and then use your other non-DVR Scientific Atlanta digital set-tops (client set-tops) to play back and control recordings stored on the Multi-Room DVR server. Notes: • • • Multi-Room DVR service is subject to availability in your area. For more information, contact your service provider. The Multi-Room DVR feature is only available on the 8300 MultiRoom DVR models.
THE DVR AND YOUR MULTI-ROOM DVR SYSTEM, CONTINUED SET UP PARENTAL CONTROL ON MULTI-ROOM DVR CLIENT SET-TOPS After you have decided how to restrict viewing for the set-tops in your home, set up a Parental Control PIN for each client set-top. All of the set-tops in your system need a Parental Control PIN to view blocked programs. If you do not plan to block programming or recordings, you do not need to set up a Parental Control PIN.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DVR Q. What happens if the DVR temporarily loses power? A. The recordings that were saved before the power loss are preserved. Future recording schedules are also preserved. You miss only the recordings that were scheduled to be made or the portion of the program that aired while the power was out. Q. Where can I find details on installing the DVR? A. Access Scientific Atlanta’s Explorer eClub Web site at www.scientificatlanta.com/explorerclub.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, CONTINUED QUESTIONS ABOUT PIP Q. A. If a program is being recorded in the PIP screen and I turn off the PIP feature, will this stop the recording? No. The DVR continues to record the program even if you turn off the PIP feature. Q. What if my TV doesn’t have the PIP feature? A. That’s no problem. You can still use the PIP feature because the DVR provides the PIP feature, not your TV. QUESTIONS ABOUT RECORDING AND PLAYING BACK PROGRAMS Q.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, CONTINUED Q. Can I erase part of a recording? A. No. The DVR erases the entire recording. Q. What happens if a sports event that I scheduled to record goes into overtime? A. The DVR cannot determine whether a live program will end at its scheduled time. If there is a chance that the event you are recording may continue past its scheduled time, you can allow for this uncertainty by extending the stop time on the Confirm Recording screen. Q.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, CONTINUED Q. Why did the DVR record only part of a program? A. If the beginning of the program is missing, you may have tuned to the program and pressed after it began. If the end of the program is missing, the DVR may have reached its storage capacity, the program may have continued past its scheduled time, or you may have manually stopped the recording.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, CONTINUED QUESTIONS ABOUT HDTV PROGRAMS Q. Are local TV stations broadcasting in HDTV? A. Many local TV stations and other programmers are transmitting digital signals. However, transmitting a digital signal does not mean transmitting an HDTV signal. Most stations, however, once they begin broadcasting in digital are offering HD programs from their parent station, such as CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, WB, UPN, or PBS. Q. How can I find out which programs are broadcast in HD? A.
GET MORE INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE This guide is designed to help you become familiar with the tasks you use most often when controlling live programs or recordings, recording programs, playing recordings, and displaying the PIP. It does not provide comprehensive information about the DVR. For example, you won’t find instructions on how to install the DVR in this guide. If you haven’t found the answer to a question you have, you can make use of the following resources.
NOTES 35
INDEX B Displaying, continued Blocked program titles Recorded List screen 7 Blocking programs, methods of Blocking recordings Scheduled Recordings screen 7, 27 10, 11 Buffer, explanation of E 13 Erasing Buttons.
INDEX I Parental Control feature, continued Information area on Explorer screens, inside of back cover Installation, instructions for Instant replay 29 turning on and off watching blocked recordings 9 Pausing 14 live programs K Keys, nonresponsive 8 29 13 PIP screen 29 recordings 13 Pay-per-view events, recording See also individual key names; 17, 30 Picture-in-Picture feature.
INDEX Programs Recording, continued blocking with Parental Control fast-forwarding finding scheduled 7 stopped 10-11 live control pausing ratings 16-17, 19 video-on-demand 7 watching Q 30 9, 18 watching TV 17 while watching 10 16, 17, 30 with the default Save Time setting Quick Settings adjusting picture format 6 Recovering erased recording 7-8, 27 diagram 30 inside of front cover placing in cable mode R 3 preparing to use with TV and DVR 8 18 # key Recording A all episodes
INDEX Remote control keys, continued Pause 13 PIP keys Play Troubleshooting.
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QUICK TIPS Press to display the last channel you were last watching. While in normal Play mode, press once while watching live TV or a recording to see the program in slow motion. Press a second time to resume normal play. Press to remove any Explorer screens or banners and display full-screen TV. Press to display the Information banner. This banner provides information about the channel you are watching. It can also help you confirm that you are recording a particular channel.
With the Explorer DVR you can record your favorite programs and then play back your recordings whenever you want. The built-in digital video recorder and Picture-in-Picture feature give you complete control, convenience, and choice when watching TV.
