Cable Box DVR with FTA?

[14karat]

I've acquired a secondhand HD cable box with DVR. It's a Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD. It has an internal 160GB IDE drive as well as USB & eSATA connections for an external drive.
From what I've read, these ports may or may not be enabled... for that matter the box may be junk as well...
If nothing else, I'm going to take out the internal HD and use it for something else...
Just curious if anyone has ever used something like this just for the DVR capabilities? It has one cable input and one set of component inputs.
Haven't attempted anything with it yet, just being curious...

 

[rv1pop]

I no nothing of these boxes, but I was told that setting the STB for channel 3 out and tuning the DVR box to channel 3 will allow recording of the material. I think I recall reading a question about needing a program guide to set up recording, but I KNOW nuttin'.

POP

 

[olliec420]

i had one, i will tell you that the Composite In on the front will not record.

 

[14karat]

If it can at least record CH3 then it may be of use.
I'll have a go at it over the Christmas holiday (off for 2 weeks !!)

 

[rv1pop]

i had one, i will tell you that the Composite In on the front will not record.

Joe had his hooked up with the cable into the ANT jack on his STB the Dish to the LNB jack, the STB 'TV' out to the cable box athe cable box out to the the TV, He said that was the only way he could get it all to work. When he got his cable PVR, he just replace the old cable box with the new.... He said it worked, but I have not seen it and he does not have a phone and his 2 meter rig is down now, so I can not call him.

 

[emuman100]

Personally, I'd remove the hard drive and throw the unit away. Motorola and Scientific Atlanta cable boxes have to be provisioned to be of any use. Remove the hard drive, put it in some NAS, and throw the box away.

 

[14karat]

Yup - that's the backup plan.
But I'm one of those types that if there's a way, I'll probably spend too much time and money finding it...
I see Magnavox HDD DVRs on sale at Wally World for about $180. Hmmm....