Cisco Explorer 8300DVR Multi-Room

Does my new 8300 Multi-Room (MR) DVR have all the same DVR features that my Explorer 8000 had?
Yes, it has all the same DVR features, including recording 2 live shows while playing back a pre-recorded program. In fact, it does a lot more. Now any standard definition program you recorded can be played back any time on your other set-tops.

How do I connect the 8300 to my HDTV or my SDTV? What if my HDTV is wide-screen?
If your cable installer did not show you, or if you chose to do a self-install, refer to the "8300 Getting Started" user's guide or the "DVR User's Guide". These documents will walk you through how to use the Set Up Wizard for connecting to an HDTV or an SDTV. To start the Set Up Wizard, power-off the 8300 by pressing the front panel power button or by pressing POWER on the remote. Then, on the 8300 front panel press the INFO & GUIDE buttons at the same time. You should see the Set Up Wizard screens on your TV. Just follow the on-screen instructions.

How do I access my recordings on the Multi-Room client set-tops in other rooms in my house?
Just press the LIST button on the remote. After you begin playing back the recording on the MR client, all the DVR remote keys work the same way as they do when playing back a recording on the 8300 settop. You can pause, rewind/ffwd in 3 speeds, do Instant Replay, Frame Advance/Rewind, Slow Motion, and jump-back to Live. In addition, you can still use the non-DVR remotes (remotes without the LIST button) to access the recordings on the MR clients by selecting the MR-DVR channel in the IPG.

Can I store recordings directly on the client set-tops in other rooms?
No. The Multi-Room client set-tops do not have their own storage, but they don't need it. All the recordings they playback are stored on the 8300 internal hard drive.

Do I have to wait for the recording to finish completely before I can play it back on the client set-top in another room?
No, as soon as you press RECORD on the 8300MR, that program is available for viewing on any MR client settop. While the program is still recording on the 8300, you can do all the trick modes (pause, rewind, ffwd) on that same program while viewing on the client. Every settop has its own control of that same recording.

Can I pause Live TV on the MR clients?
No, but immediately after you start recording a program on the 8300MR server, you can access the currently recording program on the client, and you can pause, rewind, and ffwd back to Live as it continues recording on the 8300MR settop.

What do I do if I see the message "Playback service unavailable." on one of the MR clients?
If you have more than 3 MR clients in your home, and they are all playing back a recording at the same time, you cannot start playing a recording until one of the 3 stops. If that is not the case, check to make sure all your cable connections are OK.

Can I watch VOD in one bedroom while the other MR clients are playing back a recording?
Yes. Each MR client operates the way it used to before getting the MR-DVR service. They operate independently of each other. Each MR client has it's own 2-way connection to the headend so they are fully functional even if the 8300 is not powered on.

If I have an Explorer 8000 in my house already, can I connect it to the MR-DVR network?
No, that is not currently supported. The Explorer 8000 can record and playback anything you schedule on it, but it cannot share it's recordings with the other settops.

Why are there an "MR-DVR" channel and a "DVR" channel on both my 8300 and MR client IPG?
To active the DVR and MR-DVR features on your settops, both channels need to be created and authorized for service. Also, in case you don't have a DVR remote (a remote without the LIST button), you can still access your recordings on the 8300 by selecting the DVR channel in the IPG, and by selecting the MR-DVR channel on the MR client IPG.

Can I erase a recording on the 8300 if someone is currently watching it on one of the MR clients?
Yes, but a warning / confirmation message will be displayed stating that some one is watching the recording. The message will ask" -- are you sure you want to erase it?" Press A to confirm.