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Present - The Weather Channel 2000 => TWC and your Cable Company => Topic started by: Mike M on April 26, 2010, 11:02:19 PM

Title: Cable Boxes
Post by: Mike M on April 26, 2010, 11:02:19 PM
Since set top boxes seem to vary by cable company and headend, I figured I'd post a thread where you can post what kind you guys use. I have a Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000 that's about ten years old that came from a contractor. While it is slow, it still serves me well.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: curtjr4 on April 26, 2010, 11:24:16 PM
Motorola Digital recievers (No cable company logo... they all look the same. Non-HD), 2 Motorola-Comcast DTAs. I want a Scientific Atlanta Explorer. I like them much better :biggrin:
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: TWCToday on April 26, 2010, 11:35:46 PM
Ive got 2 x Motorola DVR 3412
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: Tyler on April 26, 2010, 11:56:52 PM
1 FiOS HD Motorola QIP7100
1 FiOS SD Motorola QIP2500
2 FiOS SD Motorola DCT700
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: TWCToday on April 27, 2010, 01:29:41 AM
1 FiOS HD Motorola QIP7100
1 FiOS SD Motorola QIP2500
2 FiOS SD Motorola DCT700
/me drools
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: tpirfan28 on April 27, 2010, 07:31:13 AM
(1) DCX3200 Motorola HD Box (no DVR)
(1) Comcast Motorola DTA thingy
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: jtmal0723 on April 27, 2010, 09:17:28 AM
Since set top boxes seem to vary by cable company and headend, I figured I'd post a thread where you can post what kind you guys use. I have a Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000 that's about ten years old that came from a contractor. While it is slow, it still serves me well.
Comcast of Garden State is still in the process of phasing out the Scientific Atlanta receivers with new smaller Cisco devices. Still the same company, but none the less, they haven't even provided the 2000 in a few years now.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: gt1racerlHDl on April 27, 2010, 11:03:29 AM
Comcast Motorola DCH-3416 HD Dual Tuner DVR
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: beanboy89 on April 27, 2010, 02:26:12 PM
Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2xxx. I forget the exact model number, it's something like 2200 or 2400.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: TWCDude on April 27, 2010, 05:10:58 PM
I have a Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000 that's about ten years old that came from a contractor.
I had the same STB from Adelphia/Comcast before the switch to FiOS. Now the STB I use is a Motorola QIP2500. It has a better GUI compared to the Explorer 2000. :yes: But now, I miss that old STB. :(
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: Zach on April 27, 2010, 05:24:37 PM
My DirecTV receiver is the H23-600. Got it 3 months after DirecTV released it.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: kswx29 on June 02, 2010, 03:26:54 PM
I have a plain jane Motorola DCH-100.  I used to have a big black box with orange numbers on the front...but that thing was so old.  It would get hot a lot, the colors would change to black and white occasionally and it was so slow so Cox let me trade it in for a new box  :dance:.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: WeatherStarXL on July 24, 2010, 02:18:53 PM
We have 2 Motorola DCT 2500
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: willh699 on July 24, 2010, 08:53:37 PM
since i have Dish Network, i only need two boxes to control for TVs since they have the duo-tuner technology, so basically, i have one box hook up to two TVs and another to another two TVs.

they are:
Dish Duo DVR 625
Dish Duo receiver 322. 

that's all.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: kpetree10 on August 24, 2010, 10:40:58 AM
Well this is an old thread but I thought I'd bring it back. We have 5 boxes in our house....

Motorola DCT6412III - In my 'office'. It's old but I like it the best.
Pace TDC787X HD DVR
Pace DC757X HD
Motorola DCT2500 SD
Motorola DCT2000 SD - I actually own this box

For some reason our cable co switched from Motorola to Pace boxes and I don't know why. Although some people I know are still getting Motorola boxes.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: Kevin K on August 26, 2010, 12:17:29 PM
I have a Scientific Atlanta 4250 HD box from Cablevision. It sucks. It is very slow and you have to be careful not to change the channel or enter the channel numbers too quickly because the box will freeze up.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: Mike M on August 27, 2010, 12:26:05 AM
I have a Scientific Atlanta 4250 HD box from Cablevision. It sucks. It is very slow and you have to be careful not to change the channel or enter the channel numbers too quickly because the box will freeze up.
I had that same problem with my old SA 2000 box from Comcast which I mentioned was 10 years old. We got it in 2005 from a contractor when we moved and it was already starting to show its age within a year after that. But I finally got a replacement Cisco box last month which is MUCH faster.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: beanboy89 on August 27, 2010, 12:30:27 AM
Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2xxx. I forget the exact model number, it's something like 2200 or 2400.

Finally got around to looking at the box, and it's a 2200 series. I don't use it much, but it has some problems; it seems pretty sluggish.

Here's the boot screen, which I caught by accident. I was recording Weatherscan, and I bumped the power cord on the box, and it did a hard reboot. It was stuck on the blue bootscreen for about 5 minutes.

(http://a.imagehost.org/0738/snapshot20100821100500.jpg)
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: Nick on August 27, 2010, 12:13:53 PM
My provider is Cincinnati Bell Fioptics. Boxes are the Cisco (formerly Scientific Atlanta) 8540 HDC and 8640 HDC. Those are both fairly recent, but the software looks like it was made in the 1980s.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: curtjr4 on August 27, 2010, 08:26:45 PM
Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2xxx. I forget the exact model number, it's something like 2200 or 2400.

Finally got around to looking at the box, and it's a 2200 series. I don't use it much, but it has some problems; it seems pretty sluggish.

Here's the boot screen, which I caught by accident. I was recording Weatherscan, and I bumped the power cord on the box, and it did a hard reboot. It was stuck on the blue bootscreen for about 5 minutes.

([url]http://a.imagehost.org/0738/snapshot20100821100500.jpg[/url])

Yeah, the software on it is generally slow... I consider it to be bloatware, but the UI is nicer then iGuide.
My provider is Cincinnati Bell Fioptics. Boxes are the Cisco (formerly Scientific Atlanta) 8540 HDC and 8640 HDC. Those are both fairly recent, but the software looks like it was made in the 1980s.

Could you take a snapshot of the box it's self and a picture of the software? I've never seen a new Cisco box, nor it's software.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: Jonathon on August 27, 2010, 10:43:23 PM
Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2xxx. I forget the exact model number, it's something like 2200 or 2400.

Finally got around to looking at the box, and it's a 2200 series. I don't use it much, but it has some problems; it seems pretty sluggish.

Here's the boot screen, which I caught by accident. I was recording Weatherscan, and I bumped the power cord on the box, and it did a hard reboot. It was stuck on the blue bootscreen for about 5 minutes.

([url]http://a.imagehost.org/0738/snapshot20100821100500.jpg[/url])

I have an Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HDC, and I get that screen as well. It does it for 5 minutes, just like yours. :yes:
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: Nick on August 28, 2010, 03:36:39 PM
Here's a picture of the 8540 and some of the screens. I get the same blue Atlanta Scientific boot screen in the above posts.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_Settings.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=Settings.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_ProgramGuide.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=ProgramGuide.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_DVRList.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=DVRList.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_Cisco8540HDC.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=Cisco8540HDC.jpg)
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: Kevin K on August 28, 2010, 08:39:23 PM
Here's a picture of the 8540 and some of the screens. I get the same blue Atlanta Scientific boot screen in the above posts.

([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_Settings.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=Settings.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_ProgramGuide.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=ProgramGuide.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_DVRList.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=DVRList.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_Cisco8540HDC.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=Cisco8540HDC.jpg[/url])


This is exactly the same screens I have on my box. I agree it looks like something out of the 80s, not 2010.

Also, my box takes just as long as billy's to boot up. I dont understand why motorla's boxes can boot up in about 30 seconds but these take so long.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: curtjr4 on August 28, 2010, 10:48:50 PM
Here's a picture of the 8540 and some of the screens. I get the same blue Atlanta Scientific boot screen in the above posts.

([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_Settings.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=Settings.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_ProgramGuide.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=ProgramGuide.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_DVRList.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=DVRList.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_Cisco8540HDC.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=Cisco8540HDC.jpg[/url])


This is exactly the same screens I have on my box. I agree it looks like something out of the 80s, not 2010.

Also, my box takes just as long as billy's to boot up. I dont understand why motorla's boxes can boot up in about 30 seconds but these take so long.

I'd imagine that those boxes download their programming guides and what not when you plug it in. If you just use the front panel's power button, it wont display that screen when it is turned back on... only when you plug it in.

The Motorola boxes are different since it multitasks, which I don't think that those other ones can do. It will download the firmware every time it boots up (depends on the model. Some Motorola boxes burn the software onto PROMs or something, while others put it on RAM.) Once the firmware is on, you can use your box with one problem... On Demand will not work, along with the on-screen television guide. It takes my box about 5 minutes to download the guide listings and activate On Demand and the other menus.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: kswx29 on September 11, 2010, 01:10:15 AM
We recently switched to AT&T U-Verse and they use (in my area atleast) Cisco IPN330HDs. 
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: TWCDude on February 20, 2011, 04:51:07 PM
Here's a picture of the 8540 and some of the screens. I get the same blue Atlanta Scientific boot screen in the above posts.

([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_Settings.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=Settings.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_ProgramGuide.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=ProgramGuide.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_DVRList.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=DVRList.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/th_Cisco8540HDC.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v118/hookecho80/?action=view&current=Cisco8540HDC.jpg[/url])

(Sorry for bumping an old topic. :( ) I guess not much have changed in terms of the UI on Scientific Atlanta/Cisco Explorer STBs. I remember using an Adelphia/Comcast Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2100 and it had the same UI.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: brbjambajuice on February 22, 2011, 06:49:50 PM
I just have a Motorola DCT6412 III provided by Suddenlink. It works nice, just wish that the resolution it broadcasts was 720p rather than 1080i. That would be nice.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: Austin M. on March 15, 2011, 09:02:10 PM
Here is a video of my Cable Advertising System and decommissioned Motorola cable box.
Cable Advertising System (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vlheTBnmBI#ws)
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: TWCDude on May 27, 2011, 01:55:25 PM
Here is a video of my Cable Advertising System and decommissioned Motorola cable box.
That's a Motorola QIP2500-3, if I'm not mistaken. Verizon FiOS provides that same STB for those with SD displays.
Title: Re: Cable Boxes
Post by: XL FANIC on June 11, 2011, 10:36:13 AM
My cable box is a Motorola DCX3400 from Comcast (AKA Xfinity) It is the latest model from Comcast.