Simple "hack" yields extra resolutions from Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR

by Darren Murph posted Dec 18th 2007 at 3:09PM

If you're relying on a Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR, and you're not totally against having a little behind-the-scenes fun, a few new resolutions are awaiting you. Apparently, users can access an advanced setup mode by simply holding down a couple buttons and navigating through a few simple menus, and once that ordeal is over, they can select from 480i standard / widescreen, 480p standard / widescreen, 720p and 1080i output formats. Quite frankly, this is one of the easiest "hacks" (we're being generous, we know) we've seen to date, so even if you're far from being a seasoned DIY veteran, we're confident you can handle six brutally easy steps. Check out the read link for the how-to, complete with photos and a reassuring voice to calm your nerves should you need it.

[Thanks, Om M.]

Filed under: DIY, DVRs, Cable

Tags: 8300HD, comcast, hack, mod, Scientific Atlanta, Scientific Atlanta 8300, ScientificAtlanta, ScientificAtlanta8300, time warner, time warner cable, TimeWarner, TimeWarnerCable, twc

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

jason @ Dec 18th 2007 3:21PM

I am not sure if it is different with Time Warner Cable but I have Bright House Networks for my cable and no hack is needed as it is in the normal settings menu. You just the click settings button on the remote and choose the "More Settings" option. Then you will be able to select the output format from the folloing choice: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i.

Neutral

Telk19 @ Dec 18th 2007 5:27PM

I have an 8300HD DVR with TWC - you can turn on/off the various resolutions you would like the box to output in in the normal "More Settings" menu for me too. Not all that exciting

Highly Ranked

jason @ Dec 18th 2007 3:22PM

...sorry, I meant to mention that yes I have the SA 8300HD DVR.

Highly Ranked

xnappo @ Dec 18th 2007 3:25PM

Hmmm, since when is RTFM:
http://www.scientificatlanta.com/products/consumers/userguidepdfs/4004007.pdf

(page 4)

considered hacking? Hacking sure has gotten easy.

xnappo

Neutral

Dave @ Dec 18th 2007 3:35PM

exactly... no offense, but this isn't a "hack" or "trick" or some hidden right-wing conspiracy by the Bush administration... it's a menu, that is available by default, on the 8300... has been since day one.

Highly Ranked

dman @ Dec 18th 2007 3:39PM

A hack? My cable co provided these same instructions on a print out that came with my cable box!

Highly Ranked

Thane @ Dec 18th 2007 3:55PM

I'm going to go home tonight and "hack" my television. It didn't come with an ON/OFF button, but I discovered that if you hold down this little red button on the channel changer device that says 'POWER' the TV will turn on.

Neutral

zargon @ Dec 18th 2007 3:58PM

This is no hack, this is just a setup functionality. The installer showed me and customer service has told me to use it before.

Now if this was about hooking the unit up to your PC to access the HD tuners to watch and record it, then you have something... which is already possible. Or better yet, the ability to access the hard drive in side to pull off shows to burn to DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-ray... which I don't know if it is possible.

Neutral

Dov @ Dec 18th 2007 4:04PM

Well, I don't have this box anymore (but I did before I got my TiVo Series3), but I ended up using component out instead of HDMI because it was the only way I could fix my output resolution at 720p (instead of it passing through the content's native resolution). With HDMI it wouldn't do any conversion.

Does this trick remedy that? That would have been very useful.

Neutral

Tbone4690 @ Dec 18th 2007 4:13PM

Yeah Comcast provides in their manual to do this. Not a hack in anyway. This is a feature in itself. Someone wanted a little news time I see.

Neutral

Mike Jenkins @ Dec 18th 2007 5:09PM

Must be a slow news day when they start reporting on "hacks" that are spelled out in the instruction manual.

Neutral

Maxx @ Dec 18th 2007 5:27PM

Now if someone could tell me how to make my Comcast DCT-3416I output native I would be happy.

I can get 480i native but 720P and 1080i must either come out as 720P or 1080i. I just leave it at 1080i but it would be nice if it would send the 720P stuff native instead of making it 1080i for output which my tv makes 1080P.

Neutral

Kain @ Dec 18th 2007 7:19PM

This Is Not A Hack They Thecnical Support Tells You To This And Most People With Hd Setups Have To Do This Ive Done It Several Times! This Should Be A Hint But Not A Hack

Neutral

Jason @ Dec 18th 2007 10:38PM

If you go into the setup when the box is on, there is an option for video format that says pass through...this will make the box keep the native format of the picture based on what video settings you have from the "hack"

Neutral

Craig Staunton @ Dec 19th 2007 12:57AM

Yeah, I did this last year. Old news.

Neutral

Dan @ Dec 19th 2007 2:18AM

This was no hack in my Optimum Online unit, they printed it in the instruction manual plain for anyone to see.

Neutral

Koolkid1935 @ Dec 19th 2007 1:03PM

How is this new? I have known about this, along with several other neat things to do with a SA8300HD for a long time from here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=471859

Highly Ranked

nick @ Dec 19th 2007 7:29PM

This is NOT a hack, as I read about this feature in the manual that came with my unit (and which is also available online in PDF format)

I'm sure most people overlook the feature, because it's not apparent how to get into the option, but it's a necessary setup if you have an HDTV to get the optimal resolution.

That's being said, this DVR continues to frustrate me. I've owned this model for a while now, and it has some pretty annoying problems that have never been fixed, even though I have received a firmware update. If you're in the middle of watching something that is recorded, and a new recording starts, it automatically goes to the new recording whether you're finished watching the recorded program or not. GRRR.

TIVO HD is far and away better. If I didn't have so many problems using CableCard, I probably would have dumped this Scientific Atlanta box a long time ago.

Neutral

Andrew @ Dec 22nd 2007 5:28AM

nick,

My 8300 used to do that skip thing, but it hasn't since a firmware update that happened quite a while ago (probably a year now). I would check with your cable co to make sure you have the latest and greatest firmware. FYI I'm in Austin, TX with TWC.

Overall I've been very happy with this box. I even added a SATA drive for more storage.

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