I just recently got a 8000HD . And though I expected some heat venting,
I find that, to me anyway, it is excessively warm around the bottom vents. It is the "hottest" piece of home electronics I've experienced, including a busy laptop. Is this normal for the unit?

thanks for any info

k

Mine is very warm, particularly at the bottom but never frighteningly warm and mine has been working well for months.

I make S'Mores with mine :D

Most STBs give off a lot of heat. I find the SA8000HD to be a bit cooler than my SA3250HD though, probably because it's also quite a bit larger.

You should always leave lots of room for ventillation and never put anything on top of them to block the air flow. Heat often causes them to "act up".