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Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD

The Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD is a high-definition personal video recorder (HD PVR) available with many cable subscriptions across North America. It features a 160 GB hard drive capable of recording 90 hours of SD or 20 hours of HD content. The 8300HD has a dual digital tuner that is capable of watching and/or recording two programs at once with only one cable hookup. The dual tuner also allows for picture-in-picture (PIP) functionality. It comes loaded with an interactive program guide (IPG) to navigate channels and initiate recordings. It features a 1/4 display of the current program while in the guide. The 8300HD has many of the same features as the popular TiVo HD including "season pass", pausing, rewinding, fast-forwarding, etc. It is often referred to as the SA 8300HD.

Where to Buy

Scientific Atlanta 8300HD front
MSRP $600.00
Release date January, 2001
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Pros & Cons20
Reviews13
Details
Buy It
Competitors2
Comments10
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Pros & Cons

ProSCORE
13 reviews
37
negative
mixed
positive
5 positive
0 mixed
8 negative

[i] How is the ProSCORE calculated?

show me!

Pros:
Do you agree?
•
Dual tuners can record two shows at once
+4agreedisagree

•
Can record both HD and SD content
+3agreedisagree

•
Can get it for free with your cable subscription
+2agreedisagree

•
Straight-forward operation
+2agreedisagree

•
Powers down the hard drive when not being used.
+2agreedisagree

•
You can throw in a new internal Western Digital Caviar Blue (WD5000AAKB) 500GB ATA-100 drive to up it from 160 gig to 500 gig for under $100
+1agreedisagree

Cons:
Do you agree?
•
Annoying UI nuisances like search by title
+3agreedisagree

•
No 30 second skip feature
+3agreedisagree

•
have been through 3 boxes
+2agreedisagree

•
A B C buttons to handle responses instead of using the directional pad and center select.
+2agreedisagree

•
Can not list future upcoming times for a show or a record series option.
+2agreedisagree

•
Search alphabetically only allows first character and is only for current day. Try seaching for something like Chuck and having to go through 150 entries to get to it. How about allowing more than first character and show upcoming times after selection.
+2agreedisagree

•
Recorded listing does not show original channel as well as show info without having to press info enter/info exit (A) for each recorded item
+2agreedisagree

•
Doesn't remember the position you stopped playback on your recorded episodes. It will only remember the the last show you watched.
+2agreedisagree

•
No IR extender so you can close entertainment center door and connect 10 ft range extender to control box.
+2agreedisagree

•
Jumps to "live" viewing when watching and recording a program and the program ends
+1agreedisagree

•
If recording two shows at once, you can only watch those channels
+1agreedisagree

•
not compatible with Samsung tvs. who's boycotting who?
+1agreedisagree

•
No categorized search like Movies, Sports, etc.
+1agreedisagree

•
Have to keep resetting the unit just to keep it working "Normally"
+1agreedisagree


13 people added to this review by submitting or voting on pros and cons. Add your say!
See individual votes »

Details

Features

  • dual-tuner high-definition personal video recorder
  • capacity: 160 GB - 90 hrs SD / 20 hrs HD
  • includes interactive program guide with 1/4 screen program preview
  • picture-in-picture (PIP)
  • upgradeable storage with eSATA port
  • video outputs: 1 x HDMI, 1 x component, 1 x RCA, 1 x S-Video
  • audio outputs: 1 x digital coaxial, 1 x S/PDIF, 2 x RCA stereo
  • connectivity: USB, Firewire, SATA
  • includes remote
  • output recorded programs to VCR using S-Video

Interactive Program Guide

There are two different interactive program guides that come bundled with the 8300HD:

Figure 1: "SARA" interactive program guide Figure 2: "Passport" interactive program guide

Availability and Pricing

Typically, the 8300HD can be rented from your digital cable provider for a fee, or can be purchased separately for around $399. The box has to be activated by your cable provider before it can be used.

Submit a link

This report was started November 7, 2006 at 1:14 am by krynsky
with the last edit occurring October 23, 2009 at 11:00 pm by Bob Rowen
This page has been viewed 22632 times, with 87 edits by 17 contributors.
See the full report history »

Buy It

Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD

• Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD High Definition DVR Digital Video Recorder with HDMI and 160GB Hard Drive

UPC: 025274013624

EAN: 0025274013624

MPN: 8300HD

Competitors

Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD is ranked 2nd among it's competitors.  See the top picks in Digital Video Recorders »
MythTV

MythTV

MSRP  $0.00    Released  --
Pros
  • Free, open-source alternative to TiVO
  • Support for multiple simultaneous TV tuners
  • Live TV functionality. pause/rewind/fast forward live TV
Cons
  • Complicated setup geared towards more techie people
  • Difficult working with digital broadcasts and HDTV
  • Doesn't interact with digital cable/satellite directly but instead requires an IR blaster
ProSCORE
7 reviews
85
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD 0% vs. vote MythTV 100%
TiVo HD

TiVo HD

MSRP  $299.00    Released  August, 2007
Pros
  • TiVo interface and menu is one of the best in the biz
  • Affordable HD TiVo
  • First cablecard device to market w/ multistream capabilities.
Cons
  • Requires extra subscription fee
  • Menus can be sluggish
  • Software for external storage not yet enabled.
ProSCORE
8 reviews
74
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD 50% vs. vote TiVo HD 50%

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Comments

8 taps
1.  avatar Erik said:

I have the SA Explorer 3250HD and have had thoughts of trying to get it to record HD via the firewire port, but alas, the firmware doesn't enable firewire. This looks pretty sweet. Recording 2 shows while watching a third seems pretty intense, but I'm sure it has it's uses.
Nov 07, 2006 3:29pm
2.  avatar desjardinsy001 said:

The Videotron (Quebec, Canada) version enables the eSata interface which lets you add an external hard-drive. You can buy drives from the cable provider, but you can easily make your own by buying an eSata enclosure and a Sata drive from a store like TigerDirect.com.
Dec 07, 2007 12:43am
3.  avatar desjardinsy001 said:

Erik, you mentionned Sara and Passport tv guide, I have only seen Sara version, can I get the Passport or is this depending on the cable provider?
Dec 07, 2007 12:46am
4.  avatar Erik said:

It's all done by your cable provider. :( The AVS Forum is a fantastic resource for information about the SA 8300HD.

Oh, how I wish they opened up the digital cable box world like what Google is doing with Android. I want to develop my own PVR interface, or better yet get some open-source development action going. Compare the clunky interface on the 8300HD to XBMC and you'll know what I mean.

(I still love this thing, though..don't tell Roger's)

Dec 07, 2007 9:56am
5.  avatar desjardinsy001 said:

Until we have cable cards here in canada we won't be able to do a real PVR, we can only do Tivo Like PVR with IR Blasters, which kinda suck.
Dec 13, 2007 2:47pm
6.  avatar Omar said:

@desjardins: What's the difference between "real" PVR and TiVO PVR? After having this box for the past few days I really can't see it getting much better. I mean, you can record 2 programs while watching a 3rd, at the same time! Plus the OnDemand service interface is 100x faster than the standard cable box, which makes it go from supremely annoying to actually usable.

Last night I finally set up the universal remote that ships with the box (from Rogers). It now controls the TV, and the receiver and does a decent job of it. Going from 3-remotes to 1 is a million times better, and I can control each device to a pretty good degree, changing input sources, menu options, etc.
Dec 18, 2007 3:07pm
7.  avatar Erik said:

Just a minor correction to Omar's point. There are only 2 tuners, so you can't record 2 and watch a 3rd. At any time, you can only be watching, recording (or PIPing) up to a max of 2 shows at once. A little message popups up to warn you if you try and make it 3.
Dec 18, 2007 3:21pm
8.  avatar desjardinsy001 said:

I meant the 8300HD is a real PVR because it is all in one, as for Tivo it requires IR Blaster to control an external source, and building one yourself would be the same way today (unless you don't want digital content and use only basic cable)
Dec 22, 2007 4:13pm
9.  avatar tiguy10 said:

I need help.

I have the 8300hd and tried to connect external drive to it.

When I started the 8300hs it ask to format it, I accepted.

But, I do not know why, it does not work???

I have a Vantec NexStar 3 Hard Drive Enclosure - eSATA, USB 2.0, Aluminum and an SEAGATE hard drive.

Thanks
Sep 29, 2008 10:15pm
10.  avatar redturbo917 said:

Hi Tiguy,

We have the same 8300hd from Charter Cable.

It makes sense that the box would want to format the drive. I am also assuming you connected the external drive from the rear connection. Having said this, how did it not work? Was the 9300hd funcional, as if the external drive was not there?

I am also wondering about the USB slot in the front. I am with you, we should not have to work so hard to use such a product.

Mike
Dec 31, 2008 12:14am
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Reviews

Sort by: Most helpful  •  Newest  •  Most positive

mettlexiao

avatar
December 24, 2007
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
0
negative
mixed
positive
0 pros
1 con

Pros

Did not agree with any pros

Cons

  • Annoying UI nuisances like search by title

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

productscout

avatar
December 23, 2007
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
0
negative
mixed
positive
0 pros
1 con

Pros

Did not agree with any pros

Cons

  • If recording two shows at once, you can only watch those channels

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

desjardinsy001

avatar
December 7, 2007
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
1 pro
0 cons
have ithave it
love itlove it

Pros

  • Dual tuners can record two shows at once

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Comments

"The Videotron (Quebec, Canada) version enables the eSata interface which lets you add an external hard-drive. You can buy drives from the cable provider, but you can easily make your own by buying an eSata enclosure and a Sata drive from a store like TigerDirect.com."
"Erik, you mentionned Sara and Passport tv guide, I have only seen Sara version, can I get the Passport or is this depending on the cable provider?"
"Until we have cable cards here in canada we won't be able to do a real PVR, we can only do Tivo Like PVR with IR Blasters, which kinda suck."
"I meant the 8300HD is a real PVR because it is all in one, as for Tivo it requires IR Blaster to control an external source, and building one yourself would be the same way today (unless you don't want digital content and use only basic cable)"

Competitors

desjardinsy001 prefers Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD over TiVo HD
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No
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This product is also known as:

8300, HD, 8300HD