UPC Mediabox - Make/Model?

Lalaland · 12-08-2009 5:26pm #1

Hi I was wondering if anyone with the HD service and could they check the make/model of dvr UPC is providing these days? They've a history of using crappy Pace and Thomson models so I'm wondering whether to bother or just to rely on the web for my HD needs.

Mountjoy Mugger · 12-08-2009 6:12pm

Mine is a Cisco branded UPC 8485DVBMediabox HD-DVR

12-08-2009 6:19pm

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/video/ps8611/ps8612/ps8644/7015725.pdf

Lalaland · 12-08-2009 9:09pm

Thanks Mountjoy Mugger for checking that for me and thanks to cisk for the link to the specs. Specs seem OK, connectivity seems fine, how do the EPG and menus perform? Is it as prone to randomly pausing and pixelating as the Pace used to be? The merged thread seems to be mostly about service issues so my bad if this is a double post.

Mountjoy Mugger · 12-08-2009 9:23pm

A few seconds of pixelation at the start of the HD channel, no more than 5 or so. Fast menus, for the most part.

The only frustrating thing I've encountered so far is that the EPG on a specific channel is limited to now and next. You need to go to the main guide to get the full listings.

More later when I've played arouund with it, but I'm pretty happy so far.

Paulw · 12-08-2009 10:04pm

Are the back connectors the same as the diagram model?

Is there ethernet? Could be useful.

2 scart is a bit mad, since scart is old technology. I'd prefer component out.

1 HDMI is ok though.

Looking forward to getting mine more and more now.

DingDong · 12-08-2009 11:49pm

Paulw wrote: »

Are the back connectors the same as the diagram model?

Is there ethernet? Could be useful.

2 scart is a bit mad, since scart is old technology. I'd prefer component out.

1 HDMI is ok though.

Looking forward to getting mine more and more now.

The upc version has one scart and no RF out, with the smart card at the back rather than the front(Handy for people with kids) .

dancin · 13-08-2009 6:14am

Does the Scart act as a pass through? I.e. Could I hook my DVD player to the dvr scart, so that the DVD output is passed on by the dvr to the tv va the hdmi connection?

Paulw · 13-08-2009 7:04am

No RF out? Bloody hell. That's not nice.

They really do limit the connections. Not impressed now.

J_Dublin15 · 13-08-2009 9:14am

The new standard DVR doesn't have RF out either.

hightower1 · 13-08-2009 12:17pm

cisk wrote: »

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/video/ps8611/ps8612/ps8644/7015725.pdf

While that is similar to the model they have its not eactly it. There is no USB port on the front, round back there is only one scart, x2 ethernet, x1 usb, rf in, ac power, ac cut off switch, l and r audio. x1 hdmi.

The ethernet and usb ports are disabled. The scart will not serve as follow through as if you have hdmi connected it will shut off the scart feed. So its ether scart or hdmi one at a time.

Paulw · 13-08-2009 12:26pm

So, basically, you have one RF in, and either HDMI or scart out? One in, one out.

Wow, very very limiting indeed.

Lalaland · 13-08-2009 12:51pm

Bugger, so they've gone with the ghetto spec for this receiver? Is the optical spdif port still present on the UPC unit?

hightower1 · 13-08-2009 2:53pm

Yup thats still there alright.

Lalaland · 14-08-2009 3:27pm

Cheers Hightower for checking that

zx80 · 15-08-2009 9:33am

http://yfrog.com/0zupchdboxj

zx80 · 15-08-2009 9:45am

The box is slimmer and wider than UPCs digital + box, but fits in fine in any AV setup. Finding the EPG a bit sluggish but this never bothered me before. Most importantly the HD channels are stunning. Suprisingly I find most of the SD channels much sharper than with the Digital + box. I'm sure this isn't my imagination as I did find some edge artefacts and image shimmering previously with, say, the RTE News broadcasts. These are now as good as I could hope for a SD channel on a 40" Samsung.

bk · 15-08-2009 10:12am

zx80 wrote: »

The box is slimmer and wider than UPCs digital + box, but fits in fine in any AV setup. Finding the EPG a bit sluggish but this never bothered me before. Most importantly the HD channels are stunning. Suprisingly I find most of the SD channels much sharper than with the Digital + box. I'm sure this isn't my imagination as I did find some edge artecats and image shimmering previously with, say, the RTE News broadcasts. These are now as good as I could hope for a SD channel on a 40" Samsung.

Sounds like the UPC box has its own SD to HD upconverter, which maybe better then the one in your TV.

I wonder can this be disabled for people with their own superior upconverters?

The use of the HDMI cable would also help.

UPC Mediabox - Make/Model?

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