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4642HD STB Discussion

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95K views 121 replies 40 participants last post by  57 
#1 ·
Just got off the phone from Technical Support from Rogers. We were asking about what looked like a new HD STB box on Rogers website on the right under hardware http://www.rogers.com/web/Rogers.po...m_re=Consumer_PTV-_-Lower_Badge-_-PTV_Landing

They have no idea where that picture came from but that their new HD box is almost ready and should be released this fall.
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/video/ps8611/ps8612/ps8620/7016860.pdf

Looks to me very much like the 8642 PVR but without the hard drive.
Sorry if this has been already posted but I did do a search and had no hits.
My first question was did it grey out the unsubscribed channels and yes it does. No info on any new IPG. I do love the black colour.

Anyways that is what they told me. I guess time will tell.
 
#3 · (Edited)
The 8642 greys out, but there's also a lot that it doesn't do compared to the 8300. There's a comparison thread in the 8XXX forum. As mentioned above, this is a firmware function, not a STB function, so when firmware on the older STBs is updated, they could have the same functionality.

Edit, the 8300 now also greys out non-subscribed, and a lot of the other stuff that the 8642 did after a firmware update on the 8300
 
#4 ·
That mythical firmware upgrade. I've been with Rogers nearly 5 years, now, and I remember one. Well, one that counted. They may have churned another one out to give us "Quick" start and, perhaps, the Caller-ID, but as far as guide/pvr features, I've only seen one update.
 
#6 ·
This is because it doesn't seem to offer anything more than the previous 4250HD at this point.
Bring in the proper firmware so it can talk to other boxes in your home (so you can stream videos recorded on your PVR) or activate the option to hook up external HD, then it would be more popular..
 
#8 ·
I doubt many members really invest in HD boxes anymore. I think we've all pretty much moved onto PVRs.
 
#9 ·
That makes me in the minority then since I own seven HD boxes and only one is a PVR - although two of my boxes (SA3250HDs) are used as tuners for my centralized SageTV PVR/media server.

This really shows the power of a monopoly as these boxes have really poor functionality that has hardly been improved at all in the 6+ years since Rogers started carrying them. The SA8300HD was a very poor imitation of a TiVo when it was introduced in 2004 (except for the fact that it had HD cable tuning functionality) and other than a few bug fixes they have not gotten any better. Think of the cell phone that you were using in 2004 vs what you use today!
 
#10 ·
Problems connecting to 4642HD STB via HDMI

Hi, I have a question about this box but I wasn't sure if I should start a new thread about it. I recently bought a Sony LCD TV (KDL46EX500) and hooked it up to the 4642HD STB via a HDMI cable.

When I go to the TV's menu, it does not recognize the STB as a HDMI device. I was hoping to be able to turn the TV on/off simply by turning the STB on & off. The only option is to plug the power from the TV to the plug in the back of the STB, but I don't think that's a good idea and the TV would not have power when the STB is off.

Any suggestions why the TV won't recognize the STB as a valid HDMI device?
 
#11 ·
Would it have something to do with the price? The best price I have seen so far for the 8642HD 160GB was $339.00 last Xmas at PC Village. The best price so far for the 4242 was $319.00 at a Rogers sales event. Which would you feel is the better value? $20.00 is about the current value of the 160 GB WD HD but it is the fact that you can upgrade it to a 1 TB that would cinch it for me. I asked several Rogers people at the show and they said because it was new they so no reason to discount it more in relation to the 8642HD.
 
#12 ·
That makes me in the minority then since I own seven HD boxes and only one is a PVR - although two of my boxes (SA3250HDs) are used as tuners for my centralized SageTV PVR/media server.
Honestly, does that really surprise you?

How many folks do you know that have seven HD boxes and a centralized SageTV PVR/media server. I have never known anyone with seven HD boxes, heck among the people I know away from this forum, I doubt anyone has a centralized SageTV PVR/media server.
 
#13 ·
1. Yes, do not plug the TV into the back of the STB. That plug is designed for relatively low wattage and it's not recommended to plug in a large power draw like most TVs would be.

2. Just because the device is not recognized, it doesn't mean that the TV will not turn on and tune to the HDMI input, but it may not.

3. The remote for the STB is easy to programme (master power) to turn on/off both the TV and the STB at the same time (also most AVRs if you have one). Read the operating manual for the remote. It can also be set for "global volume lock" to control the volume of any device, like the TV or AVR.

4. When people have a STB instead of a PVR, I often recommend that you simply leave the STB on since it only draws one Watt less in standby. That way the various devices are less likely to get out of synch. You can programme the Rogers remote to only turn on the TV for example, leaving the STB alone.

There, that should be enough options for you.
 
#15 ·
I doubt many members really invest in HD boxes anymore. I think we've all pretty much moved onto PVRs.
I have one 8300 and two 4250s, which I bought after the 8300. The PVR is connected to my main TV in the living room, where I watch recorded shows. The 4250s are in my bedroom and office, where I only use them to watch something that's currently on (usually news). I have little interest in watching recorded shows in either of those two locations, so for them the 4250 is fine. What would be nice, would be a PVR that could share recordings over a computer network. This would make recorded shows available everywhere and also provide additional tuners & disk space for recording.
 
#16 ·
So you're saying that you believe your behaviour of buying HD boxes instead of PVRs is more consistent with our members and the general public?
 
#18 ·
So you're saying that you believe your behaviour of buying HD boxes instead of PVRs is more consistent with our members and the general public?
No, I was simply giving an example that people may have a use for both. I bought the PVR first, for my main TV, and then the 4250s for secondary sets.
 
#19 ·
How to create a PVR using an External HDD

Hey guys,

Brand new user and I was curious about adding an external hard drive that I have to use as a PVR. I currently have the new Cisco 4642HD STB and I was wondering if anyone had idea how to (or if it were possible) to use an external harddrive as a PVR storage device. Hope to get some answers.

Thanks,

Pat
 
#24 ·
#25 ·
do the usb and ethernet on this stb do anything that the usb and ethernet on my led tv don't do (other than hardware specific things like firmware flashing)? more specifically, what can the usb and ethernet be used for? just bought my first hdtv and i haven't owned an hd stb before. probably going to buy this one, or possibly the 8642 pvr. thanks.
 
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