So MacTVJunkie - if I may ask how do you have access to this info and firmware? what do you do?

So MacTVJunkie - if I may ask how do you have access to this info and firmware? what do you do?

At the risk of sounding standoffish, all I'm comfortable saying at this point is that I work with both SA and Motorola headend equipment and set-top boxes on a daily basis. Moreso Motorola in my case but I have enough exposure to SA to be dangerous. :cool:

I can't tell you anything directly about how MSOs do things or what their near and long term plans are but I can comment on how the headends/set-tops in general are supposed to work, now and in the future.

That's about the best I can do without violating various NDAs. Sorry.

Having said all of that, we're starting to drift from the original multi-room thread topic so we might want to take any firmware discussions to a new thread.

I am getting fed up of waiting for the MR PVR to arrive. I want to buy an HD PVR to replace the one I rent, but I don’t want to commit to the non-MR version.

My guess is that they will release the MR version 3 days after I buy a second PVR to keep the kids happy :-(

Any news about the Multi Room features?

Any news about the Multi Room features?
The MR features are in the firmware but unless you have the SA8300HDM -- which Rogers doesn't currently deploy -- you won't be able to see/use them.

Is there any reason why Rogers wouldn't deploy these on their network? Why not offer more functionality than the competition and charge a premium for it? Or could they be worried about support issues?

How would Rogers determine what is one customer that could share content? Would the boxes know that they all belong to one customer? I ask since I have two cable drops from the street to my house - one to either end of the house and each drop has 4 outlets? Could I have problems with MRV as it may think that each drop is a different customer?

As soon as the HD multi-room ships on the Rogers network, we will order it. If you can believe this, my WIFE asked the other day if there was something we could buy so she could watch PVRed shows in our bedroom....

Now... when she is coming to me asking for a new gadget.... you KNOW we need it!

As soon as the HD multi-room ships on the Rogers network, we will order it. If you can believe this, my WIFE asked the other day if there was something we could buy so she could watch PVRed shows in our bedroom....

Now... when she is coming to me asking for a new gadget.... you KNOW we need it!
We would get one, too. But be sure to tell Rogers that. If they don't see a demand for it, they'll never supply it.

(What's worse is the fact that I've got a bunch of 8300HDMs sitting on a shelf at work doing nothing... (sigh))

MacTVJunkie,
On SA's site, the last time I checked, the MR did not stream HD content to other boxes (HD or otherwise) is that still in effect? (I'm far too lazy to go to the page and quote their FAQ, but I can if someone wants). That was one of the major drawbacks for me...as much as I'd love an MR, I've got my old 34" HDTV sitting in my bedroom (the wife just LOVES that BTW), and I'd hate to only be able to send it SD.

On SA's site, the last time I checked, the MR did not stream HD content to other boxes (HD or otherwise) is that still in effect?

Unfortunately, that is still the case. You can record and watch HD content on the 8300HDM but you can only stream SD content to the client boxes. Not only that but you can only use SD boxes as clients for the MR server. And you can't use another PVR as a client either.

MacTVJunkie - when you say it can only stream SD content, do you mean the content must have been recorded as SD in the first place, or can it take HD content and downconvert it to SD and stream it?

The bad news:
According to the latest version of the SA DVR User's Guide (released Oct '06), only shows that are recorded in SD can be viewed on client set-tops.

The (semi-) good news:
The documentation states, "As a future enhancement, the Explorer 3250HD client set-top will be able to playback HD recordings"

So perhaps by the time Rogers decides to support the 8300HDM SA will have released the SARA version that supports HD playback.

Weird restriction since the SA HD STBs (3250HD, 8300HD) already support SD (S-video, composite video, RF-coax) output of HD channels.

Yeah, that restriction really limits the usefulness of the multiroom feature. If it could at least downconvert HD then I might have considered it for use for a bedroom or kitchen TV. However, if you have to maintain separate SD and HD recordings of shows you want to watch on both then that pretty much defeats the whole purpose of the feature - its main appeal (to me) was not having to maintain multiple recordings but it seems that's not possible. In that case you might as well just get another PVR for the other set.

Oh well, this whole discussion is moot anyway since we have no idea if/when Rogers will ever offer this. At least now I know I'm not missing much. ;)

Yeah, that restriction really limits the usefulness of the multiroom feature. If it could at least downconvert HD then I might have considered it for use for a bedroom or kitchen TV.

A more cost-effective alternative that some users on here have done (and is available NOW) is to use the Copy to VCR/output2 to physically connect to a second TV to simulate the Multi-Room feature.

You can use your current PVR, it WILL downconvert HD (letterboxed) and output to any TV. You only sacrifice the PVR features (Pause,FF,RW, etc...), but you can "broadcast" your show whenever you want.;)

Perhaps a wireless video transmitter (http://www.nextag.com/Rf-Systems-RF-Link-61843245/prices-html) would make the whole setup more appealing, though I have never used one. Can anyone recommend a good one?

I'm actually running an HDMI cable from my 8300HD in the basement up to the plasma TV in the family room so I've got a working solution now. The copy to VCR method is interesting but not being able to fast forward through commercials would drive me insane. No thanks. :)

As for wireless video transmitters, I tried one once a few years ago and it was crap. I got it from Radio Shack (I think the brand was Jensen or something like that). It wasn't exactly cheap either - it was on sale for $100, regular price $200. It used 2.4 GHz transmission so it sounded promising but the image had a fair amount of static and the audio had a really annoying humming in the background. At first I thought I may be trying to push the thing too far but then I tried setting it up with the transmitter and receiver a couple of feet from eachother and it was still the same. That's when I took it back to the store. Other brands or newer models may be better but I'm skeptical.

I work for Rogers as a sales rep (please don't spam me with Rogers related questions/hatemail) ;) At a recent sales conference they announced that Rogers will not be launching the Multi-Room PVR this year, maybe never due to major problems with the equipment during testing. They said Time Warner in the states tried to launch it and failed terribly, apparantly there are issues with the distance between the units with the existing cabling in the house. I was very dissapointed by this as I currently have 4 PVRs.

I'm not too disapointed as the MR does not have the ability to playback HD on other client PVRs

May be SA will come up with a better product when they see the market response and develop one that can record and playback HD from any terminal in the house which I think is what everyone is looking for

Hey all... as this is the "official thread" for MRDVR and there's been no recent updates, is it safe to assume Rogers MRDVR is still not enabled?

I don't think the channel is even listed in the IPG anymore...

I remember someone saying that it was causing too many problems and SA would concentrate on a different type of inter-home networking (which I sawdemonstrated at the CES and looked cool). Looks like it's all vapourware now. Too bad because I can't stand having a PVR in the bedroom due to the overnight guide refresh which makes the HD spin around 3am... It would be great to see shows I tape on my PVR in the livingroom on the STB in the bedroom.