Vendors Prep HDTV Recorders

[Sean Mota]

Found this article to be interested

Entire Article Here

I was most excited, however, about the 8300 version. This set-top box acts as an HDTV DVR but doubles as a mini cable head-end and video server. It can serve up to four video streams simultaneously – one to a locally connected HDTV and three to additional client boxes connected via coax anywhere in the home. This lets a single unit serve video to four different TVs. This is a godsend for homes with multiple PVRs, because it always seems like the show you want to watch is stored on the "other" unit. It's also cost-effective, since those client units (I was sharply rebuked when I called them "satellite" units, for obvious reasons) are actually older Scientific Atlanta 3100 cable set-top boxes that many cable operators have in excess.

The unit will encrypt video as it travels from the 8300 to the 3100, which should mollify content providers. And with two tuners, the 8300 has some brawny specs – it will record two programs and play back four streams at a time. Although the hard drive is not field-upgradeable by consumers, Scientific Atlanta plans on adding external Serial ATA capability just as soon as the SATA 2 specifications are ready to go.

 

[Stargazer]

Sounds like something Dish Network has talked about doing a while back but never got done. The closest thing to this that dish Network has is the 522 that has only two outputs instead of four and it does not even do HD. The 921 has the two tuners but only one tv output. Isn't DirecTv coming out with an HD recorder that will have multiple tuners?

 

[Sean Mota]

HDTIVO will have 4 tuners (2 Satellite & 2 OTA) but only one output from what I read. Could this be a product shown at CES by VOOM (Speculation)?

Scientific Atlanta had the most intriguing demo, showing off the HD version of its Explorer 8000 DVR. The 8000HD will come in 80GB or 160GB versions, which can hold 9 and 20 hours of HD content respectively. Those units are in trials right now and should be offered by cable operators by the end of December.

They can achieve 20 Hours of HD with only 160GB Hard Disk. The 921 needed a 250GB Hard Disk to get 20 Hours and Tivo has stated, in a press release, that its HDTivo can achieve 30 hours on a 250GB Hard Disk.

 

[Sean Mota]

Here's more information for thought. See this link:Here Comes the HDTV Recorders

Scientific Atlanta 8100HD
A PVR with two HDTV tuners, this box will store either 9 or 20 hours of HDTV content.

Multi-Room DVR 8300

Motorola's Moxi Box with Remote

Another View of the Moxi Box

The Moxi Remote

The Moxi Interface

Motorola HDTV DVR Motorola's own two-tuner HDTV DVR will be available early next year.

 

[rudolpht]

Interesting to see Moxi survived it's many year ago first unveiling. I doubt the SciAtlanta box will be in Voom fare (unless it is relabeled Moto).

Is the last picture the 580?

Will check out at CES.

Tim

 

[Sean Mota]

Is the last picture the 580?
Tim

I do not know if it is but it only has an 80GB Hard Disk which it is not enough hours of HD recording. We need more than 80GB.

 

[dlsnyder]

What is all the excitement about? So far these two products are only compatible with cable TV. Is Motorola actually working on bringing out a VOOM Moxi box?

 

[Sean Mota]

What is all the excitement about? So far these two products are only compatible with cable TV. Is Motorola actually working on bringing out a VOOM Moxi box?

Not the we know (officially). But as you know, there is a DVR in the work with 2 sat tuners and 2 ota tuners (like Tivo specs). Rumor has it that it may be shown at CES or it could be released in the 1st Quarter of 2004.

The above are just boxes that yes are made for cable but could easily be made for Satellite as well. Echostar has talked about the multi-room box in the past but has not come close to release one like that. Maybe VOOM could be interested in something like that. It is all speculation as we know very little of what's happening with DVR's in the VOOM world. Isn't it fun?

 

[Dan Berndt]

The last picture is either the DCT6208 OR DCT5100. Remember the article the talked about the VOOM DVR upgrade said that the new VOOM unit would be a 500 family unit or DSR580. All the 500 family units I've seen (that being our DSR550 and the Star Choice DSR500) all look the same. From the research that has been done by VOOM box owners that have pulled their boxes apart it's is apparent that the 500 family is designed to hold a future DVR although you will most likely have to send your box in for a replacement rather than do the upgrade yourself.

When are they going to start to sell these receivers in parts like they do computers? They getting almost that complicated. It would be nice to do just the upgrades yourself.

 

[Dan Berndt]

Here is the real competition, the Hughes HD-DVR250 to be available the first quarter of next year;

http://216.120.249.94/voom/dvr/mainphoto2787.jpg

 

[dlsnyder]

This brings up another question - is VOOM going to stick with Motorola as the sole hardware vendor or will they open it up to others as D* did?

 

[Sean Mota]

This brings up another question - is VOOM going to stick with Motorola as the sole hardware vendor or will they open it up to others as D* did?

It is a possible but right now it does not look like it will happen anytime soon with the upgrade to mpeg-4 happening soon and the dvr model in the horizon...

The more the better...