Cisco Explorer 8000 User manual

1
Getting Started with the Explorer
8000 and 8000HD DVR
User Guide

2
Welcome!
With the Explorer® 8000™
Digital Video Recorder (DVR),
you can easily record your
favorite programs and then
play them back anytime. The
built-in DVR and Picture-
In-Picture (PIP) features
give you complete control,
convenience, and choice
when watching TV. Use your
DVR to control the following
features...
Control live TV
The telephone is ringing and you do not want to miss any scenes of your
favorite live TV program. DVR lets you PAUSE the live program, or REWIND
and PLAY a portion of it again, or FAST-FORWARD it to catch up to live TV.
Sports fans can enjoy complete control by using INSTANT REPLAY,SLOW
MOTION, and FRAME ADVANCE AND REWIND to watch their favorite play
again.
Record TV programs without a VCR
RECORD and save your favorite TV programs to the DVR to watch later.
When two of your favorite TV programs are scheduled at the same time,
RECORD one program to the built-in recorder while watching the other!
Never miss your favorite programs that are scheduled at the same time.
Simply RECORD both programs at the same time. While recording both
programs, you can play back a third program you have already recorded.
RECORD a single episode or all episodes of your favorite TV programs.
RECORD one of your favorite TV programs and at the same time, access any
advanced application, such as video-on-demand (VOD).
Not sure if you have room to RECORD new programs? Checking your
available recording space is easy with the recording space used feature.
Watch two TV programs at the same time
PIP is built into the Explorer 8000 DVR, so you can watch two live programs
at the same time on any make or model TV that is connected to your DVR.
When something exciting occurs in the PIP program, you can easily swap the
PIP into the Main screen. Once that program is in the Main screen, you can
pause or record it.
When the PIP screen is covering a “must see” moment on the Main screen,
simply MOVE the PIP screen to a dierent corner of your TV screen.
Let’s Get Started!
"Design On A Dime"
Save: Until erased
Title
Options/Play Scheduled Recordings Preferences
Date Time
Recorded List
Length
World Soccer
Extreme Homes
Design On A Dime
Home Matters
Thirteen Days
Wed 11/10
Wed 11/10
Mon 11/15
Sun 11/14
Mon 11/8
4:10am
8:10pm
12:00pm
12:30pm
8:00pm
30min
50min
30min
30min
1hr 30min

3
Using Your Remote Control
Use the keys on the AllTouch Remote Control to access the DVR and PIP
features of your DVR.
This guide describes the keys used to access the DVR and PIP features.
For descriptions of the other key functions, refer to the user’s guide for your
remote control model:
• AT8400™ AllTouch Remote Control User’s Guide, part number 749219
• AT8550™ AllTouch Remote Control User’s Guide, part number 4006383
Important: Your remote control must be set to Cable Mode (CBL) to access
the DVR features.
AllTouch AT8400 Remote Control
T15486
Swaps PIP screen with
Main screen
Turns PIP feature on or off
Moves PIP screen
Displays the Program Guide
Displays a menu of services
or options (if offered by your
cable service provider)
Displays a list of your
recorded programs
Makes on-screen choices
Stops recording a program
or stops playback
Pauses the program you
are watching
Rewinds in 3 speeds
(Must be in Play mode)
Replays the last 8 seconds of
a program (Instant Replay)
Moves through on-screen
choices
Selects cable mode
Performs the selected action
Exits to full-screen TV
Dedicated PIP Keys
Selects PIP channels up
or down
Power on or off
Dedicated DVR Keys
Returns to live programming
Fast-forwards in 3 speeds
(Must be in Play mode)
Records a program
Resumes playing a paused
program (Press twice for
slow motion)

4
Preparing the Explorer 8000HD DVR to Work
With Your High-Denition TV
If you have an Explorer 8000HD DVR and an HDTV, and you are not using a
Digital Visual Interface (DVI) connection, you may need to set up the DVR so
that it provides video to your HDTV in picture formats that your HDTV supports.
Otherwise, your picture quality may be less than optimal.
During installation, your cable service provider may have already selected an
appropriate picture format for you, or the factory setting of the DVR may be
compatible with your HDTV. In either of these instances, you should see a
picture when you turn on your HDTV and DVR.
If your HDTV The HDTV displays Follow these steps to
supports: this when ON: setup the DVR:
A 1080i There are no steps to follow.
picture (Your HDTV uses the picture
format format that the DVR is
set to when it leaves the
factory.)
Optional: Although the
or DVR uses a format that
your HDTV supports, you
may nd the picture quality
less than optimal when
viewing certain picture
formats. To enhance the
display of certain formats,
select additional picture
format settings. For details,
see “Selecting Picture
Formats With the Setup
Wizard” on page 5.
These picture A black screen Use the keys on the front of
formats: the DVR to select these
• 480i (standard formats. See the instructions
or wide) for “Selecting Compatible
• 480p (standard Picture Formats” on page 7.
or wide)
• 720p (wide only)

5
Selecting Picture Formats With the Setup Wizard
Setting up the DVR to support a variety of picture formats allows you to
toggle among the settings you have chosen while watching TV. You can
also select the setting that provides the best picture quality for the format
currently being broadcast.
Note: If your HDTV displays a black screen when you turn on the HDTV and
the DVR, you may need to select a compatible picture format for your HDTV.
Go to Selecting Compatible Picture Formats on page 7.
There are three ways you can select picture formats for your HDTV. The
8000HD Setup Wizard guides you through each one:
• The Quick Setup method, which automatically selects a setting according
to the screen type:
- For a standard-screen (4:3) HDTV, the Wizard selects 480i.
- For a wide-screen (16:9) HDTV, the Wizard selects 1080i.
• The Standard Setup method, which selects the settings 480i and 1080i.
You can then toggle between these two settings while watching TV.
• The Custom Setup method, which allows you to select any combination
of the following picture formats that the DVR supports:
- 480p (wide and standard)
- 480i (wide and standard)
- 720p (wide only)
- 1080i (wide only)
Setting Up Your Explorer 8000HD DVR With an HDTV
If you have an HDTV, use the component outputs to connect the DVR to
your HDTV. Refer to the Explorer 8000 Home Entertainment Server User’s
Installation Guide (part number 4002771) for connection information.
Follow these steps to start the Setup Wizard.
1. Make sure that the Explorer DVR is O
and the HDTV is On.
2. On the Explorer DVR, press Guide and
Info at the same time. The TV Connection
Set-up screen appears, and the front.
panel LED displays either HD-1 or SD-1
This LED changes between HD-1 and
SD-1 every few seconds.
3. When the front panel LED displays HD-1,
press
A
. The Output Selection screen appears.
Press the Guide and Info
keys at the same time
T15487

6
4. Choose one of the following options:
• If you have a standard-screen (4:3)
HDTV, press
A
.
• If you have a wide-screen (16:9)
HDTV, press
B
.
5. Choose one of the following options:
• To choose the Quick Setup option
press
A
. Press to begin watching
television.
• To choose the Standard Setup option press
B
; then follow the on-
screen instructions. When you nish, press to exit the setup. Then
press to begin watching television.
• To choose the Custom Setup option, press ; then follow the on-
screen instructions. When you nish, press to exit the setup. Then
press to begin watching television.
Setting Up Your Explorer 8000HD DVR With an SDTV
If you have a standard-denition TV (SDTV), use the composite outputs to
connect the DVR to your TV. Refer to the Explorer 8000 Home Entertainment
Server User’s Installation Guide (part number 4002771) for connection
information.
Follow these steps to start the Setup Wizard.
1. Make sure that the Explorer DVR is O and the TV is On.
2. On the Explorer DVR, press Guide and Info at the same time. The TV
Connection Set-up screen appears, and the front panel LED displays
either HD-1 or SD-1. This LED changes between HD-1 and SD-1 every
few seconds.
3. When the front panel LED displays SD-1, press . Press to begin
watching television.

7
Selecting Compatible Picture Formats
If your HDTV displays a black screen when you turn it on, the DVR may not be
sending your HDTV a picture format that your HDTV supports. Follow these
steps to select picture format settings that your HDTV supports.
Note: Rather than selecting a single picture format setting, you may want to
select all settings that your HDTV supports. Setting up the DVR to support a
variety of picture formats allows you to toggle among the dierent settings
while viewing TV and select the setting that provides the best picture quality
for the format being broadcast.
1. Find the picture formats that your HDTV supports. (If necessary, refer to
the user’s manual that came with your HDTV.)
2. If the DVR is o, press Cable and then Power on the remote
control to turn it on.
3. On the front of the DVR, press and hold Select until the Message
Light blinks.
4. On the front of the DVR, press Vol – to indicate that you want to select
a picture format setting. The LED displays HdSr to indicate that you are in
the Picture Format mode for HDTV screens.
5. Use the following table to select settings that your HDTV supports.
Important: You have 20 seconds to begin selecting picture format
settings. After 20 seconds, HdSr disappears to indicate that the DVR is no
longer in the Picture Format mode. If this occurs, repeat this process by
starting at step3.
On the
To Select This DVR The DVR And Then
Picture Format: Press: Briey Displays: Briey Displays:
480i CH+ 480i SEt
720p VOL- 720p SEt
480p CH- 480p SEt
1080i VOL+ 1080i SEt
Note: The default picture format setting is 1080i.
6. To start watching TV, make sure the remote control is in Cable mode and
press Power .

8
Controlling Live TV
Control a Live Program You Are Watching
The Pause , Rewind , Fast-Forward , Play , Instant
Replay , and Live keys on the remote control are used to control
the live program in the Main screen.
For example, when you are watching your favorite live TV program and the
telephone rings, press Pause to pause the program for up to 1 hour.
To reverse or advance one frame at a time, press Pause and then
repeatedly press Rewind or Fast-Forward . For example, to
advance three frames, press Pause and then press Fast-Forward
three times.
To resume watching your favorite program, press Play , and then press
Rewind or Fast-Forward to cycle through three dierent speeds
of rewind or fast-forward.
To replay the last 8 seconds of a live or recorded program, press Instant
Replay .
To see the action in slow motion, press Play from normal play mode.
Press Play again to resume normal play mode. From Pause mode,
press Pause or Play to resume the normal play mode.
If you have rewound or paused a live program, press Live at anytime to
catch up to the live TV program.
Note: You can use these same dedicated DVR keys to control the reduced
screen (also known as the quarter screen) in the Program Guide and in all
DVR screens.
Pause a Live Program
The paused status bar appears when you press Pause .
Note: All of the features for controlling live TV (such as Pause, Fast-Forward,
and Rewind) are also available when playing back recorded programs.
T15467
Pause Design On A Dime 12:00 - 12:30pm
"Paused" Status Bar
Red Area of Bar Indicates
Missed Programming
Green Area of Bar
Indicates Stored or
Recorded Programming
Clear Area of Bar Indicates
Programming Not Aired Yet
Live Point of Programming
Triangle Indicates Your
Current Position in Program

9
Using the Program Guide
Find a Program to Watch
1. Press Guide . The Program
Guide appears and lists the next 7
days of programs.
2. Press the directional keys ( ) to
move through the program listings
and highlight the program you want
to watch.
3. Press Select . If the program is
currently on, the Program Guide
closes and the program you selected appears in full-screen TV. If the
program is on in the future, a future program option screen appears.
Search for a Program by Channel, Title, or Theme
1. Press Guide . The Program Guide appears and lists the next 7 days of
programs.
2. Press Browse By
A
. The Browse By area of the Program Guide displays
the options Title, Channel, and Theme.
3. Press Move Up or Move Down to highlight one of the following
options:
• Channel, which lists programs numerically by channel number
• Title, which lists programs alphabetically by program title
• Theme, which lists programs by theme, such as adventure, comedy,
sports, or news
4. Press Select . The Browse By area of the Program Guide displays the
programs according to the option you selected.
Search for a Program by Date
1. Press Guide . The Program Guide appears and lists the next 7 days of
programs.
2. Press Date
B
. The Browse By area of the Program Guide displays the
next 7 dates.
3. Press Move Up or Move Down to highlight a date.
4. Press Select . The Program Guide displays the programs that will be
broadcast on that date.
Headline News
4:00-5:00pm
Up-to-the-minute coverage of the
latest events.
HDLN
36
DSC 34
CNN 35
HDLN 36
ESPN 37
TOON 38
Great Chefs
Inside Politics
' Headline News
Bikes, Blades & Boards
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Hollywo
Pokemo
Travelers
Headline News
NFL's Greatest
Pokemon
Great Chefs
Early Prime
Yu-Gi-Oh!
4:00pm 4:30pm
36
Wed 6/18 4:02pm
5:00pm 5:3CHANNEL
WED 6/18
DateBrowse By

10
Recording TV Programs
Record a TV Program You Are Watching
1. Press Record .
2. While in the Conrm Recording
screen, choose your recording options
and press
A
. The Record Indicator is
lit on the front panel of the DVR.
3. To manually stop recording before the
scheduled time, press Stop and
then follow the on-screen choices.
Record a TV Program From the Program Guide
1. Press Guide .
2. Press the arrow keys to highlight a TV
program, and then press Record .
3. In the Conrm Recording screen,
choose your recording options and
press
A
. The recording program is
highlighted in red in the Program Guide.
Record Multiple Episodes of a TV Program
If you want to record all the episodes of a program you are watching, follow
these steps:
1. Press Record .
2. Choose One Episode or All Episodes.
Notice the information in the fourth
column changes, based on your
selection. Press
A
. If you selected All
Episodes from the third column, the All
Episode Recording Options screen
appears.
3. Choose one of the options on the
screen.
4. Press Select to save your settings.
Note: The “New rst-run episodes
on this channel” option is subject to
availability in your area.
TUE 1/15
Channel 2 Action News
Tue 5:00-6:00pm
(60 min)
WSB
02
DateBrowse By
PBY_B 1915
DVR 1
WSB 2
WATL 3
WGNX 4
World View News
Recorded Programs List
Channel 2 Action News
Ricki Lake
Frasier
Simpso
Channel 2 Action News
Steve Harvey
Judge JudyFrasier
5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:3CHANNEL
Choose highlighted item
All Episode Recording Options
Cancel changes
Options
All episodes on this channel at any time
New first-run episodes on this channel
All episodes on this channel in this time slot
"Design On A Dime"
HGTV (Ch 238)
Thu: 11/13
START
Accept recording Cancel changes
RECORD
Confirm Recording
SAVE TIME
12:00pm
STOP
12:30pm One episode
All episodes
14 days
"Design On A Dime"
Tue: 11/13
Save: 14 days
START
Accept recording Cancel changes
RECORD
Confirm Recording
SAVE TIME
12:00pm
STOP
12:30pm All episodes
One episode
14 days
"Design On A Dime"
Tue: 11/13
Save: 14 days