User’s Guide for the Digital Video Recorder with Picture-in-Picture Control Explorer 8000 Digital Video Recorder and Explorer 8000HD High-Definition Digital Video Recorder ® ™ ™ • Record your favorite programs when you’re away • Record one program and watch another • Watch two programs at the same time with the Picture-in-Picture feature on any TV you have • Record two live programs while watching a third program you recorded earlier • Use instant replay anytime you want • Pause live TV for up to 1 ho
Contents Contents Explore Your Entertainment Options Get More Out of Your TV 1 Take Control of Live Programs Get Started 1 2 3 Prepare the Remote Control to Work With Your TV and Explorer DVR What’s Next? 3 3 How Programs Are Formatted 4 How HDTVs Display Picture Formats 5 Prepare the Explorer 8000HD DVR To Work With Your High-Definition TV Make the Most of Your Entertainment Options Find Out When Your Favorite Programs Are On Display the Program Guide 11 Search for a Program by Channel, T
Contents Manage Programs and Recordings Block Programs With Parental Control Block Recordings With Parental Control Maximize Your Storage Space 33 33 36 38 Copy Recordings to a VCR Tape 38 Change the Default Save Time Setting for Future Recordings Change the Save Time of a Recording You Have Saved Erase a Recording 39 40 40 Adjust the Picture Display for HDTVs Adjust Pictures on a Wide-Screen HDTV Change the Picture Format 41 42 43 Change the Darkness of Bars Used in Picture Displays 44 Fin
Explore Your Entertainment Options Explore Your Entertainment Options This guide describes how to use the following Explorer® Digital Video Recorders: • Explorer® 8000™ Digital Video Recorder (DVR), for use with standard TVs • Explorer® 8000HD™ High-Definition Digital Video Recorder (HD DVR), for use with high-definition TVs (HDTVs) Get More Out of Your TV The 8000 DVR or 8000HD DVR changes how you watch TV: • Control live programs just like they are recordings.
Explore Your Entertainment Options Take Control of Live Programs Anytime you tune to a live program, the Explorer DVR begins buffering the program — that is, making a temporary recording of it — so that you can . . .
Get Started Get Started Getting started is easy. After you’ve connected the Explorer DVR to your TV, VCR, or other audio-video equipment, you only need to prepare the remote control as described here. If you have an HDTV and are not using a DVI connection, you also need to set up the 8000HD to work with your HDTV. Note: Your cable service provider may have already installed and connected the Explorer DVR for you.
Get Started How Programs Are Formatted Programs are broadcast in various picture formats. The picture format is one factor that determines how your television displays a program. A picture format is made up of the picture’s aspect ratio and screen resolution. 4 Aspect Ratios The aspect ratio of a picture is the ratio of its width to its height. A standard picture format is 4 units wide for every 3 units tall, so its aspect ratio is 4 x 3, or 4:3.
Get Started How HDTVs Display Picture Formats The type of screen your HDTV uses (wide-screen or standard-screen) also determines how your HDTV displays the various picture formats that are broadcast today. Note: For your HDTV to display some picture formats, the 8000HD must be set up to output these formats to your HTDV. See the next page for details.
Get Started Prepare the Explorer 8000HD DVR to Work With Your High-Definition TV If you have an HDTV and are not using a DVI connection, you may need to set up the 8000HD so that it provides video to your HDTV in picture formats that your HDTV supports. Otherwise, your picture quality may be less than optimal. During installation, your cable service provider may have already selected an appropriate picture format for you, or the factory setting of the 8000HD may be compatible with your HDTV.
Get Started Selecting Compatible Picture Formats If your HDTV displays a black screen when you turn it on, the 8000HD may not be sending your HDTV a picture format that the HDTV supports. Follow these steps to select picture format settings that your HDTV supports. Note: Rather than selecting a single picture format setting, you may want to select all settings that your HDTV supports.
Get Started Selecting Picture Formats With the Setup Wizard Setting up the 8000HD to support a variety of picture formats allows you to toggle among the settings you have chosen while watching TV and select the setting that provides the best picture quality for the format currently being broadcast. There are three ways you can select picture formats for your HDTV.
Get Started 6. Use one of the following methods to select a picture format setting: • To use a setting of 480i for a standard-screen HDTV and a setting of 1080i for a wide-screen HDTV, use the Quick Setup method. For assistance selecting one of these settings, follow the on-screen instructions. • To be able to toggle between the settings 1080i and 480i while watching TV, use the Standard Setup method. For assistance selecting, these settings, follow the on-screen instructions.
Get Started Make the Most of Your Entertainment Options After you set up the remote control and the 8000HD, you are ready to . . .
Find Out When Your Favorite Programs Are On Find Out When Your Favorite Programs Are On From the Program Guide, you can search for programs by channel number, program title, theme, or broadcast date. After you find a program, you can tune to it directly from the guide. This section provides instructions to . . .
Find Out When Your Favorite Programs Are On Search for a Program by Channel, Title, or Theme The Explorer DVR automatically lists programs by channel number, but you can change this and list programs by title or theme. 1. Press Guide programs. 2. Press Browse By A . The Browse By area of the Program Guide displays the options Title, Channel, and Theme. 3. Press Move Up options: .
Find Out When Your Favorite Programs Are On Search for a Program by Date 1. Press Guide of programs. . The Program Guide appears and lists the next 7 days 2. Press Date B . The Browse By area of the Program Guide displays the next 7 dates. 3. Press Move Up 4. Press Select . The Program Guide displays the programs that will be broadcast on that date. or Move Down to highlight a date.
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Control Live TV and Recordings Control Live TV and Recordings With the Explorer DVR, you control how you watch a program because, in many ways, you can treat live programs like they are recordings.
Control Live TV and Recordings Use Instant Replay Press Instant Replay recording again. to watch the last 8 seconds of a live program or a Note: The first time you press Instant Replay , the Explorer DVR replays the last 8 seconds of a live program or a recording. Every additional press jumps back 8 more seconds. Rewind or Fast-Forward a Live Program or Recording Rewind a live program or a recording to watch a portion of it again, or fast-forward through portions you don’t want to watch.
Control Live TV and Recordings To Press Result Fast-forward Action speeds up and the Status Bar appears in the Fast-forward position at the bottom of the screen. The pointer on the Status Bar moves to the right as you fast-forward the program. Speed up: Press Fast-forward one or two more times to incrementally increase the speed. Press it again and the program resumes playing at normal speed.
Control Live TV and Recordings Use Slow Motion 1. While watching live TV or while playing a recording at normal speed, press Play once. The action slows. 2. To resume play in normal speed, press Play again. Watch Action Frame by Frame Analyze sports events and other programs by watching the action frame by frame. When you watch frame by frame, you fast-forward or reverse the action one second at a time. 1. Press Pause 2. Fast-forward or reverse action one frame at a time by following these steps.
Watch Two Programs At Once Watch Two Programs At Once Watch a soccer game and a basketball game at the same time by using the PIP feature. The Explorer DVR gives you the ability to use PIP even if your TV doesn’t have PIP. This section provides instructions to . . .
Watch Two Programs At Once Change the Channel of the PIP Screen 1. If the PIP feature is not on, turn it on. (See the previous page, “Turn PIP On and Off,” for details.) 2. Press PIP Channel Up channel. or PIP Channel Down to change the PIP Note: You must press the PIP channel keys to change the channel of the PIP screen. Pressing the main Channel Up or Channel Down key changes the channel of the program that is shown in the main TV screen.
Watch Two Programs At Once Swap the Main Screen and the PIP Screen To move the full-screen program shown in the main TV screen to the PIP screen, press Swap . Full-screen program in main TV screen PIP screen Recordings and the PIP Screen If you are . . . And you . . . Recording the program in the PIP screen Turn off the PIP feature, the program continues to be recorded.
Watch Two Programs At Once The PIP Screen and the Quarter Screen The PIP screen and the Quarter screen look alike, but they are different. The Quarter screen is actually the main TV screen, but it has been reduced, as shown here, to fit within Explorer screens such as the Recorded Program Options screen. To control the program in the Quarter screen, use the main keys on the remote control. To control the program in the PIP screen, use the PIP keys.
Record and Play Back Programs Record and Play Back Programs Record programs and watch them whenever you want by referring to the topics in this section: • Record a program that you are watching live • Record a single program or all episodes of a future program • Record two programs at once • Record a pay-per-view event • Display a list of your recorded programs • Play back a recording • Display a list of programs that you have scheduled to be recorded in the future • Cancel a scheduled recording • Cancel a
Record and Play Back Programs Record a Program That You Are Watching Live To record a program that you are watching live, make sure that you tune to the channel when the program begins. This ensures that you record the entire program from its beginning. Otherwise, you’ll record only part of the program. Before recording the program, decide how long you want to save it, and then follow these steps.
Record and Play Back Programs Recording Without the Default Save Time Setting If you want to record a program that you are watching and save it for a length of time other than your default Save Time setting, follow these steps. 1. Press Record . The Confirm Recording screen appears. A 2. Press Options 3. Press Move Left 4. Press Move Up or Move Down you want to save the recording. 5. Press Accept Recording A . The Explorer DVR records the program using the Save Time option that you selected. .
Record and Play Back Programs Record a Single Program or All Episodes of a Future Program To record programs when you are away or to schedule future recordings, start the recording from the Program Guide. 1. If the Program Guide is not shown, press Guide with the program you are tuned to highlighted. 2. Press the directional keys ( ) to move through the listings in the guide and highlight the program you want to record. Or, press Browse By A and look for a program by title, channel, or theme. 3.
Record and Play Back Programs Important: Whenever you set up the Explorer DVR to record all episodes of a program, it records indefinitely until you cancel the recordings or run out of storage space. For details on making the most of your storage space, see “Maximize Your Storage Space” on page 38. To Record All episodes Press A Twice or Result The Edit Recording screen appears. The “Record” options are highlighted. Each option is highlighted as you move up or down the list.
Record and Play Back Programs Record Two Programs at Once The Explorer DVR gives you different ways to record two programs at once: • Schedule two programs to record at the same time by following either of the procedures in “Record a Single Program or All Episodes of a Future Program” on page 26. • Record two programs live at the save time by recording one program and then tuning to another channel and recording a second program.
Record and Play Back Programs Display a List of Your Recorded Programs To display a list of your recorded programs, press List . To exit from the Recorded List screen and display full-screen TV, press List again or press Exit . Recorded List Screen Recorded List "The Jungle Book" USA (Ch 67) Record: 1 Episode Save: 1 Day Recorded Programs Programs that have been recorded, as well as those that are currently being recorded, appear in this list. PGA Golf Press The Jungleor Book press Dr.
Record and Play Back Programs Display a List of Programs You Have Scheduled To Be Recorded in the Future 1. If the Recorded List screen is not displayed, press List The Recorded List screen appears. . 2. Press Scheduled Recordings A . The Scheduled Recordings screen appears with a list of all the programs you have scheduled to record. Scheduled Recordings Screen Scheduled Recordings If a program is currently being recorded, the Recording Now symbol appears in the Information area of the screen.
Record and Play Back Programs Cancel a Recording That Is in Progress You can stop a recording in progress at any time. When you stop a recording, you can save what has been recorded or erase the entire recording. 1. If you are not watching the recording, tune to the channel that is being recorded. 2. Press Stop 3. Press Move Up or Move Down to highlight either the option “stop and save” or the option “ stop and erase.” 4. Press Select DVR turns off. . The Stop Recording screen appears. .
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Manage Programs and Recordings Manage Programs and Recordings You can manage programs and recordings in the following ways: • Keep others from watching a program or recording by using the Parental Control and Block features • Maximize your storage space • Copy recordings to a VCR tape • Change the default Save Time for future recordings • Change the Save Time of a recording that you have saved • Erase a recording Can’t find a key on the remote? Open the foldout on the back cover of this guide to display th
Manage Programs and Recordings . A PIN Entry screen appears. 3. Press Select 4. Press the number keys to enter your 4-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN). A menu for the option you selected in step 2 appears. 5. Press Move Up or Move Down to highlight the channel, rating, or date you want to block. Or, if your cable service provider allows, you may select a channel by pressing the numeric keys on your remote control. 6. Press Select .
Manage Programs and Recordings Removing Blocking From Programs To remove blocking from programming, follow the same steps in the previous procedure, “Selecting Programs To Be Blocked.” The process you follow to remove blocking is essentially the same as the process for selecting programs to be blocked. When you remove blocking from programs, the Closed Lock symbol is removed to indicate that the programming is no longer selected for blocking.
Manage Programs and Recordings Block Recordings With Parental Control You can keep others from watching a recording by using the Block feature. When using this feature, keep in mind that you can block only recordings that you are not watching. This feature is useful if children also use the Explorer 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 from the General Settings menu.
Manage Programs and Recordings Playing Back Blocked Recordings You can watch a blocked program using either of the two methods described here. (For details on how to use the Parental Control feature to block programs and recordings, see “Turning Parental Control On and Off” on page 35.) PIN Entry Enter your PIN to turn OFF Parental Control and ALLOW viewing of All programs. Clear PIN Entry When you select “Play [title of program],” the Parental Control PIN Entry screen appears.
Manage Programs and Recordings Maximize Your Storage Space The Explorer DVR can save from 30 to 50 hours of recordings, depending on the programming source; it is not intended as a long-term storage device. To make the most efficient use of your storage space, follow these guidelines: • Set your default Save Time setting to 14 days or less. Setting it to “until erased” causes the storage space to fill up more quickly.
Manage Programs and Recordings Change the Default Save Time Setting for Future Recordings When the Explorer DVR leaves the factory, its default Save Time setting is set at 14 days. Using this setting, the Explorer DVR automatically saves each recording for 14 days. At the end of 14 days, the Explorer DVR erases the recording to make space for other programs you want to record. You can change this setting from 14 days to 1, 2, or 7 days, or to “until erased.
Manage Programs and Recordings Change the Save Time of a Recording You Have Saved After recording a program, you can change how long the Explorer DVR will save the recording. 1. If the Recorded List screen is not displayed, press List . The Recorded List screen appears. 2. Press Move Up or Move Down to highlight the recording whose Save Time you want to change. 3. Press Select . The Recorded Program Options screen appears. 4. Press Move Up is highlighted. 5. Press Select 6. Press Move Up 7.
Adjust the Picture Display for HDTVs Adjust the Picture Display for HDTVs You can watch high-definition (HD) programs if you have an HDTV that is connected to the 8000HD. When watching programs on an HDTV, keep in mind that currently, broadcasters are offering HD programs from only their parent station, such as CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, WB, UPN, or PBS.
Adjust the Picture Display for HDTVs Adjust Pictures on a Wide-Screen HDTV HD-formatted programs have a wide format, similar to the format used in movies. If your HDTV has a wide screen, it’s perfectly suited to show HD programs. However, non-HD programs do not use a wide format and are unable to fill the wide screen. For this reason, the 8000HD automatically adds bars to the sides of non-HD programs. This display setting is called Normal or “Pillarbox.
Adjust the Picture Display for HDTVs Change the Picture Format Because the picture quality of a program is affected by many factors, such as how the program was originally recorded and the method used to broadcast the program, you may find that displaying certain programs in a specific picture format provides the picture quality you prefer. Note: For details on setting your 8000HD to use more than one picture format setting, see “Selecting Picture Formats With the Setup Wizard” on page 8.
Adjust the Picture Display for HDTVs Change the Darkness of Bars Used in Picture Displays As illustrated on page 5, the 8000HD automatically adds bars to certain types of program formats to improve the picture’s display. If you decide to use these automatic settings to watch programs, you can change the darkness of the bars from Light (the default setting) to Medium or Dark. To change the darkness of the bars that the 8000HD uses, follow these steps: 1. Press Settings twice.
Find Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Find Answers to Frequently Asked Questions If you have questions or encounter difficulties controlling live TV, recording programs, playing recordings, or displaying the PIP screen, this section may provide the information you need. If not, see page 51, “Get More Information or Assistance.
Find Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Can I pause, rewind, or fast-forward a program shown in the upper right corner of Explorer screens? Yes. The small screen shown in the upper right corner of Explorer screens (the Quarter screen) is actually the main TV screen. It is reduced to fit within Explorer screens. Keys such as pause, play, rewind, and fast-forward control the main TV screen, whether the screen fills the monitor of your TV or whether it is reduced to fit in an Explorer screen.
Find Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Can I record two programs at the same time and watch a live program on another channel? No. If you are recording two programs and try tuning to another channel, the Explorer DVR displays the message shown here. But you can watch either of the two channels you are recording or you can play back a recording and watch it.
Find Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Can I record video-on-demand (VOD) programs? No. Why did the Explorer DVR record only part of a program? If the beginning of the program is missing, you may have started recording the program after it began. For an explanation of how the Explorer DVR records live TV, see page 2.
Find Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Questions About Watching, Recording, and Playing Back HD Programs Are local TV stations broadcasting in HDTV? Many local TV stations 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.
Find Answers to Frequently Asked Questions I have a wide-screen HDTV and am tuned to a channel that is listed as an HD channel, but the picture is not displayed in a wide-screen format. What’s wrong? The program may not be an HD program. Not all stations broadcast HD programs. Because non-HD programs do not use a wide format, the picture does not fill the width of the screen. To fill the space, the Explorer DVR automatically places bars on the sides of non-HD programs.
Get More Information or Assistance 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 Explorer DVR. For example, you won’t find instructions on how to install the Explorer DVR in this guide.
Get More Information or Assistance To Join the Explorer eClub To join the Explorer eClub, you need the serial number of your Explorer DVR and your email address. To find the serial number, look on the back of the Explorer DVR for a label that is similar to the following example. The serial number begins with SA and is located in the lower left corner of the bar code. Access the Explorer eClub on the Internet at the Web address: www.scientificatlanta.com/explorerclub.
Index Index B D Blocking programs, methods of, 33 Date, search programs, 13 Blocking recordings, 36 Default Save Time setting explanation of, 24 Browse By feature, 12 recording with, 24 Buffer, explanation of, 2 Buttons.
Index H P HDTV display, 42 Parental Control feature blocking recordings, 36 storage, 26 how to use, 35 format, 6, 7 playing blocked recordings, 37 High-definition programs. See HDTV turning on and off, 35 watching blocked recordings, 37 I Information area on Explorer screens, inside of back cover Installation, instructions for, 45 Instant replay, 16 Pausing live programs, 15 PIP screen, 45 Quarter screen, 22, 45 recordings, 15 Pay-per-view events, recording, 28 K Keys.
Index Playing and recording simultaneously, 47 blocked recordings, 37 recordings, 29 Power indicator, 10 loss, 45 Program Guide Browse By feature, 12 displaying, 11 searching for programs, 12, 13 selecting a program, 11 Programs blocking with Parental Control, 33 R Recorded List screen, displaying, 29 Recording all episodes of a program, 26 blocked programs or channels, 45 changing channels, 25 fast-forwarding, 25 from the PIP screen, 46 high-definition programs (HDTV), 26 impact on storage space, 26, 38
Index Recordings copying to VCR tape, 38 Remote control keys All keys, inside of foldout displaying list of, 29 Cable, 3 erasing, 40, 49 Channel Down, 20 in progress, canceling, 31 Channel Up, 20 pausing, 15 Exit, inside of back cover playing, 29 Fast-forward, 17 playing when blocked, 37 Guide, 11-13 recovering erased, 46 Info, 19 rewinding, 16 Instant Replay, 16 saving, 24 Last, 17 scheduled, 26 List, 29, 30 watching, 29 Live, 18 Record light, 25 non-responsive keys, 45 Recoverin
Index S Save Latest options, 27 Save Time setting, changing, 39 Saving recordings, 10 storage space, 23 methods of, 23 permanently.
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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.
See all of your favorite programs When you’re watching a favorite program and the phone rings, the Explorer DVR lets you pause the program and rewind it to play the part you missed. You can also fastforward through portions you don’t want to watch. Pause Soul Food 8:00 – 9:00pm Never miss your favorite programs Record and save your favorite TV programs to watch later. Record a single episode or all episodes of your favorite programs.
® AllTouch AT8400 Remote Control Use the main keys to control the program shown in the main TV screen or quarter screen and to make selections in Explorer screens like the Program Guide and the Recorded List screen. Use the dedicated Picture-in-Picture keys (shown in blue) to control the Picture-inPicture feature. Important: To use the features provided by the digital video recorder and Picture-inPicture, the remote control must be in the Cable mode.
With the Explorer 8000 DVR or 8000HD 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. © 2003 by Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. All rights reserved. AllTouch, Explorer, Scientific-Atlanta and the Scientific-Atlanta logo are registered trademarks of Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.