It would be nice if these boxes had a serial input so that if you had a HTPC, TiVo or some external device that needed to change changes that you could use that to change channels rather than using an IR blaster.
It could be like the SA boxes where you can change channels via the USB ports. Of course, one would need a driver for that sort of thing...I can't imagine it would be very hard...if I knew a thing or two about writing a driver. :)

The SA boxes can have their channels changed via firewire, so I'd imagine these can too...but again, you'd need a driver for some such nonsense.

Anyway enough ranting! Here is my first imrpession of the box:

- PQ is much better, especially at 480p. I always had my 3250HD box on 1080i for all channels, even SD, because the 480p quality was so crappy. Also on those SA boxes, when you flipped from an SD channel to an HD channel the screen would turn black for quite a few seconds. It made it very annoying to flip back and forth... But I am told that the Pace boxes are known for their good progressive output, so enabling 480p and 1080i looks great on this unit.

[skipped]

Hope this helps, ask me any questions you like! I may just be the first member of the public to have one of these units up and running.

Have you tried HDMI by any chance? I'm curious how good the PQ is over pure digital STB-HDTV link (thinking about possibly swapping my SD3250HD for Pace551 box)...

It could be like the SA boxes where you can change channels via the USB ports. Of course, one would need a driver for that sort of thing...I can't imagine it would be very hard...if I knew a thing or two about writing a driver. :)
You would need more than just a driver to be able to change channels on an SA box via a PC. USB uses a "master/slave" protocol. The STB is a master and talks to a keyboard, which is a slave. A PC is also a USB master. Two masters cannot be connected togeather and talk to each other. You would need some kind of intelligent hardware, that looked like two slaves, connected between the PC and STB to allow them to communicate. (You would probably also need a driver written for the PC.)

USB uses a "master/slave" protocol.
Indeed, however, the master/slave can be defined by hardware, software, or firmware. There's no really good reason you couldn't have a driver on the PC tell the SA box that it was a slave/keyboard.

However, I would suspect windows drivers would be limited in this aspect, since how often would you need to do such a thing. That, and probably most PC's hardcode this in the BIOS.

That being said, I bet it would be possible, at least on a non-windows OS. However, with the limited amount of people needing to do this, I can't see anyone taking the time to figure it out.

Anyone have success in asking rogers to swap the 3250 for the new dc551? I don't think rogers does exchange cause it newer :)..

Tell them the shape of the power button on the old receiver causes you headaches and they'll exchange it! They really don't care, except in the very rare case that head office has said otherwise (which I believe happened once)

Tell them the shape of the power button on the old receiver causes you headaches and they'll exchange it! They really don't care, except in the very rare case that head office has said otherwise (which I believe happened once)

well.. i do notice that on my HD channels, audio is still getting cut off.. i was watching LOST tonight and audio was cutting off at least 10+ times.. Not sure if it was the show or it was the Box.

Hi There J-Wo,

Thanks for the run down.

As to:


- No idea whether firewire is enabled or not, as I have no idea how to use this. I just got a DV Camcorder tho, does that have anything to do with it? :confused:


This is used by folks that have either a DVHS deck (HD vcr basically) or a PC/Mac with virtual DVHS software & a firewire port. If the port on the STB is active you can actually record shows directly through firewire. Thus getting a really nice picture etc.

This is used by folks that have either a DVHS deck (HD vcr basically) or a PC/Mac with virtual DVHS software & a firewire port. If the port on the STB is active you can actually record shows directly through firewire. Thus getting a really nice picture etc.And the ability to archive to DVD-ROM or, in the future, HD-DVD/BluRay or whatever the new standard is.

Is there any indication the Pace are coming out with a HDPVR model too? I'd really like to give that a test drive :D

EDIT: Just did a quick search myself and found the TDC775 (http://www.pacemicro.com/Corporate/products/prodinfo.asp?PID=TDC775) option for the HDPVR.

EDIT: Just did a quick search myself and found the TDC775 (http://www.pacemicro.com/Corporate/products/prodinfo.asp?PID=TDC775) option for the HDPVR.
Looks like a really nice box. Appears to have the passthrough option the other Pace box has.

*AND* I bet it doesn't kick you out of a recording too. Because quite frankly, only SA could let something like that slide for 1.5 years. :)

Well, I picked one up yesterday and here's my experience.

-remote usage is eratic, sometimes it doesn't pick up keystrokes at all, very annoying
-pressing settings sometimes brings up guide. try it again, settings come up.
-some channels come up blank, no video, no sound, flip channel away and back again and it works
-flipping between HD and SD doesn't give you the real mode, just normal and zoom, unlike 3250HD, so you don't know if you're in 480p or 480i.

Maybe a new BIOS will help alot. So far, I'm disappointed since the crappy SD picture doesn't look better, either. Might swap back to the old 3250HD.

Passthrough for DVD player is nice, but overall, not worth it so far at all.

Also, on boot up the blue screen still says Scientific Atlanta! WTF?

EDIT: Got a 2nd Pace box, doing the exact same thing. Given that other people are having the same problem, it looks like lack of proper testing by Rogers(big surprise), faulty equipment/software is the problem. Looks like I'm going back to the 3250.

I also concur with hutz's observation that some channels turn up blank with no picture no sound. Usally switching channels back and forth will solve it. On one occasion I have all my channels 2-40+ not working but 800's working. It worked fine after unplugging the power cord and reboot.

Ben

Also, on boot up the blue screen still says Scientific Atlanta! WTF?
It would be running SA software.

J-Wo, do you have the phone # of Rogers Retail Business dept? I am struggling with a similar issue with Rogers- I just rec'd an HD box yesterday, but they sent me the 3250. My retailer (where I bought my new plasma T.V) sold me an HDMI cable saying this is the next best thing and that only the Pace 551 box uses HDMI. After many phone calls to various depts. and retail Rogers stores (I have called 4 of them so far in Toronto), it is apparent nobody knows yet about the Pace 551. I am confused because it seems some people are getting their hand on them, yet Rogers seems to have no knowledge (no information OR product has been officially launched). I don't want to start using the 3250 because the longer I wait, the less likely they will let me exchange it.

oh, by the way, I hear HDMI does not carry audio yet on Rogers and requires separate cables for it, is this true?

1. The SA8300HD (DVR) also has HDMI connection.

2. The SA3250HD has DVI, but there are DVI/HDMI cables and adaptors available - see the Digital Home FAQ "DVI/HDMI Information". Hope you didn't pay too much for that HDMI cable.

3. There has certainly been an issue with audio when using HDMI but I believe you can get DD2.0, just not DD5.1. Others with more experience will be able to advise further, or you could search using keywords like HDMI + audio...

Have you tried HDMI by any chance? I'm curious how good the PQ is over pure digital STB-HDTV link (thinking about possibly swapping my SD3250HD for Pace551 box)...

just set plugged in my hdmi -> dvi-d cable from my new pace box to my viewsonic LCD.. works perfectly, HDCP and whatnot.. i guess i'm not enough of a videophile to notice much difference from component.

i can only confirm that it works. i'm also only doing audio out via RCA and that works fine..

Gee I thought this was a Rogers thread? what's that picture of a box from Nathan's awesome cable company doing here? (see post #13 on page 1) ;)

I don't want to start using the 3250 because the longer I wait, the less likely they will let me exchange it.
If it's a rental unit, you can exchange it anytime you want.

1. The SA8300HD (DVR) also has HDMI connection.
3. There has certainly been an issue with audio when using HDMI but I believe you can get DD2.0, just not DD5.1. Others with more experience will be able to advise further, or you could search using keywords like HDMI + audio...
You can get DD2.0 on a normal basis when using the HDMI cable. When you change the Audio Out to Dolby Digital on your STB, you then get DD5.1 through your stereo, as long as you have hooked up either an optical or coax digital cable from the STB to your stereo.