Hargray Explorer 8300 User manual

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
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HD/DVR USER GUIDE

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
• Record your favorite programs when you’re busy
• Record one program and watch another
• Record two live programs while watching a third program
you recorded earlier
• Record and store up to 50 hours of standard-definition programs,
or up to 20 hours of high-definition programs on the 8300HD/DVR
• Pause live TV for up to 1 hour without missing a minute
• Use instant replay any time you want
• Watch two programs at the same time with the Picture-in-Picture
feature on any TV you have

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
With the Explorer® 8300™, Digital Video Recorder (DVR), you can easily record your
favorite programs and then play them back anytime. The 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 program 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 record-
ing 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
RECORD the PIP screen to a different corner of your TV screen.
Let’s Get Started!
2
Welcome!

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
4
Contents:
Remote Control Guides ............................................................................ 5
Interactive Program Guide (IPG)
Watching a program that is On Now ............................................ 6
Changing the way you view the Guide ......................................... 7
Exiting the Interactive Program Guide .......................................... 7
Setting a Timer for a Future Program ........................................... 7
Cancelling an active record timer ................................................. 8
Using Parental Control .................................................................. 8
Ordering Pay Per View Event ....................................................... 8
Preparing the Explorer 8300HD/DVR
to work with your HD Television .............................................................. 9
HD Television Setup Wizard
Selecting HD Television Picture Formats
with the HD Television Setup Wizard ........................................... 9
Start the HD Television Setup Wizard .......................................... 9-10
Select Picture Mode for Normal Viewing ..................................... 11
Controlling Live TV
Control a Live Program you are watching ..................................... 12
Pause a Live Program ................................................................... 12
Program Guide
Find a program to watch ............................................................... 13
Search for a Program by channel, title or theme .......................... 13
Search for a program by date ....................................................... 13
Record a TV Program you are watching ....................................... 14
Record a TV program from the Program Guide ............................ 14
Record Multiple Episodes of a TV Program .................................. 14
Recording
Access and play back your recorded programs
anytime from your list ................................................................... 15
Access and play back your recorded programs
from the program guide ................................................................ 15
How much recording space do I have? ........................................ 15
Automatically erasing oldest recordings if space is needed ......... 15
Picture-In-Picture (PIP)
Activate PIP on your Television ..................................................... 16
Activate PIP from the Program Guide ........................................... 16
Swap the Main and PIP screens ................................................... 16
Move the PIP screen .................................................................... 16

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
VIEWINg & BROWSINg CONTROL:
• POWER Turn equipment ON & OFF
• AUX, DVD, AUD,
TV, & CBL Select which device to control
DEVICE CONTROL:
• GUIDE Display the Program Guide
• MENU Display the Application Menu
• INFO Display Channel & Program Information
• SETTINGS Display General Settings & Quick Sell
• OK/SELECT Select the highlighted option
• PAGE + - Move the Program guide one page
• EXIT Exit Setup
• VOL Adjust Volume
• FAV View Favorite Channels
• CH Select Channels Up or Down
• MUTE Turns Volume off
• LAST Return to last viewed channel
DIgITAL VIDEO RECORDER (DVR) CONTROLLER
•DVR, VCR, & VOD (Video on Demand)
• Play, Rewind, or Fast Forward
• Stop or Pause
A DVR, VCR, or VOD program
• Record a program
NUMERIC KEYS
• Enter Channel # & PINs
PICTURE-IN-PICTURE (PIP) CONTROL:
• Open & Close PIP Window
• Swap contents of PIP Window
& Main viewing screen
• Move the PIP Window on the screen
• VIDEO
SOURCE Select the video source
5
Remote Control

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
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The Interactive Program Guide (IPG)
The IPG organizes programs and events into listings by channel, theme, or title.
With use of the following buttons on the remote control, you can:
Open and close the guide on your television.
Display channel and program information.
Select an option.
Move around in the guide to make selections with these left, right,
up, and down arrows.
Perform actions that are prompted on the screen, for example ac-
cept a selection or buy a pay-per-view event. Instructions on how
to use the IPG features begins with the following procedure, and
continue on the reverse side.
Watching A Program That Is On Now
1. Press GUIDE to display the Interactive Program Guide (IPG).
Result: The guide appears, and the current program you are watching is
reduced to fit in the upper right area of the screen.
2. Do one of the following:
• Press the UP or DOWN arrow key to move through the channels
• Press the LEFT or RIGHT arrow key to move periods to find the
program you want to watch.
3. Press SELECT to begin watching the highlighted program if it is on now.
SELECT
GUIDE
INFO

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
Setting a Timer for a Future Program
You can set up several types of timers to automatically remind you of programs to watch or
record. You can set up to eight reminder timers and eight VCR timers for future programs.
There are three available options for non-PPV channels:
• Tune to the current channel now.
• Set a Reminder Timer to display a message on your screen reminding you of the
selected program you want to watch just before it begins.
• Set a VCR Timer to tune your Explorer® Digital Home Communications Terminal
(DHCT) to a particular channel at the proper time to record the selected program.
For PPV channels, there is an additional option to purchase the PPV event.
1. Press GUIDE to display the IPG.
2. Press the UP, DOWN, LEFT or RIGHT
arrow key to highlight the future program
you want to watch.
3. Press SELECT.
Result: The Future Program Options menu appears.
4. Use the UP or DOWN arrow key to choose the timer you want to set.
5. Press SELECT.
Note: If you are setting a VCR timer, you must program your VCR to record at the proper time. If you
have an optional VCR Commander™ module, the DHCT automatically starts and stops the VCR record
function.
7
Changing the way you view the guide
When you first display the IPG, the programs are listed by Channel. You can change the
listing to view programs by Theme or by Title.
1. Press the A key to go to the Browse By menu.
2. Press the UP or DOWN arrow key to choose Theme or Title.
3. Press SELECT.
Result: The IPG displays programs by either Title or Theme, as follows.
4. Press the UP or DOWN arrow key to find a program
to watch.
5. Press the LEFT arrow key to choose different
Theme or Title.
6. Press UP or DOWN arrow key to choose the Theme
or Title you want.
Note: When using Browse By Theme or Title, programs
marked with a star are on now.
Exiting the Interactive Program Guide (IPG)
At any time, you can press EXIT on the remote control to leave the IPG,
and return to watching your program full screen.
EXIT

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
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Cancelling an Active Record Timer
If the VCR is actively recording a program, the Explorer DHCT must be on and you must
use the remote control to cancel the active record timer.
1. If the DHCT power is off, press the POWER key on the DHCT or remote control.
2. Press the EXIT key on the remote control. Result: The recording is canceled.
Using Parental Control
Parental Control allows you to restrict certain programming. Before using parental control,
you must set up blocking by channel, time, and/or rating. Refer to PARENTAL CONTROL in
your Interactive Program Guide for Explorer Digital Home Communications Terminal User's
Guide.
1. Press the SETTINGS key.
Result: The Quick Settings menu gives you the
option to turn Parental Control on or off for the
entire system.
2. Press the UP or DOWN arrow key to
highlight the Parental Control option.
3. Press SELECT.
Result: The Personal Identification Number
(PIN) Entry screen appears.
4. Enter your Blocking PIN to turn Parental
Control on or off.
Ordering a Pay-Per-View Event
PPV events are special programs not available on regular cable programming channels.
You can purchase these upcoming events by pressing a button on your remote control.
1. Press the GUIDE key to display the IPG.
2. Press the UP, DOWN, RIGHT, or LEFT arrow key
to highlight the event you want to purchase.
3. Press the SELECT key; then, do one of the
following:
• If the event is scheduled for a future broadcast,
the IPG displays the Future Program Options
menu. Follow the instructions on the screen.
• If the event is about to begin, the preview or
purchase screen appears with the event
information. Press the Bkey to buy the event,
or follow the instructions on your screen.
4. If you have a purchase PIN for PPV events, the PIN Entry screen appears. Enter your
purchase PIN to authorize the purchase.
Note: Once your purchase has been authorized, a confirmation message appears for a few seconds.
If the program has already started, an attention screen counts down until the program begins.

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
NOTE: Your installer has already setup your DVR as well as your HD television if you have one.
Pages 9-10 are for future reference.
Preparing the Explorer 8300HD DVR to Work
With Your High-Definition TV
First make sure that your DVR is properly connected to your HDTV television
and other electronic devices. Use the component (PrPbY) or HDMI™ ports to
connect the DVR to your HDTV.
For more information, refer to the connectivity guide for your DVR model:
• Connecting the Explorer®8300™Digital Video Recorder, part number 4003987
• Connecting the Explore®8300™Digital Video Recorder, part number 4003986
Note: The composite ports (red, yellow, white) and the component ports (PrPbY)
on the back of the 8300HD are both active simultaneously.
Selecting HDTV Picture Formats With the HDTV Setup Wizard
The following section provides instructions for using the HDTV Setup Wizard to
select HDTV picture formats using the Easy and Advanced Setup modes.
Start the HDTV Setup Wizard
To start the HDTV Setup Wizard, follow these steps.
1. Make sure that the DVR is powered OFF, but still plugged into an active
power outlet, and connected to the HDTV using the proper connectors
(HDMI or Component for an HDTV; Composite, RF, or S-Video for a SDTV).
2. Turn the TV ON.
3. With the DVR powered OFF, press Guide
and Info at the same time. The HDTV Setup
Wizard screen appears.
4. Press Ato start the set up.
5. Choose one of the following options:
• To choose the Easy Setup option press A; then,
go to the Easy Setup Instructions on page 10.
Note: Choosing the Easy Setup mode limits your
HDTV picture formats to 480i and 1080i, depending
on the TV type you select.
• To choose the Advanced Setup option press B;
then, go to the Advanced Setup Instructions
on page 10.
Note: Choosing the Advanced Setup mode allows you
to save all the HDTV picture formats, so that you can
toggle between them easily while watching TV.
9
Press the Guide and Info
keys at the same time

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
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NOTE: Your installer has already setup your DVR as well as your HD television if you have one.
Pages 9-10 are for future reference.
Easy Setup Instructions
1. Press Aor Bto select the type of TV
screen you have. The setup is complete.
2. Press POWER to begin watching TV
Notes:
• If you pressed Afor the standard
screen (4:3) TV setting, the TV is set to
receive programming in 480i format
on non-HD channels and 1080i format
on HD channels.
• If you pressed Bfor the wide screen (16:9) TV setting, the TV is set to only
receive programming in 1080i format (even on non-HD channels).
Tip: After you complete the setup, you can use to stretch or zoom the picture.
Advanced Setup Instructions
1. Press A or Bto select the type of TV
screen you have.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to select
your picture formats.
3. Press SELECT to toggle between the
Save and Remove options, or press B
to see how the next format looks on your
TV screen. Note: If you see a black screen
DO NOT press SELECT. Press Bagain to
view the next screen format.
4. After saving the picture formats, press EXIT. The setup is complete.
5. Press POWER to begin watching TV.
Tip: After you complete the setup, you can use #button to stretch or zoom the picture.

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
11
Select Picture Mode for Normal Viewing
After you use the HDTV Setup Wizard to select all the HDTV picture formats you want to
use, you need to choose a General Settings picture mode for normal viewing. If you do not
have your HDTV connected to the HDMI connector on the back of the 8300HD DVR, then
Pass-Through mode is recommended for normal viewing. Pass-Through mode allows non-
HD channels to be displayed using their native picture formats, which can improve picture
quality on non-HD channels.
To select Pass-Through mode for normal viewing,
follow these steps.
1. Press SETTINGS twice. The General
Settings menu appears.
2. Press MOVE UP or MOVE DOWN
to highlight Set: Picture Format.
3. Press MOVE RIGHT to highlight the picture
format setting.
4. Press MOVE UP gap to select Pass-Through.
5. Press ACCEPT to use this option for the 8300HD. The DVR front panel
displays AUTO, plus the scan rate you are viewing (for example, 1080i).
6. Press EXIT to return to normal viewing.
Note: When the HDMI connector is connected to the HDTV, the General Settings - Set: Picture Format
screen displays the Auto DVl/HDMI option instead of the Pass-Through option.
Important: Do not connect the HDMI (DVI) output to a HDTV that does not support High-
Definition Copy Protection (HDCP). If you connect the HDMI (DVI) output cable to a HDTV
that does not support HDCP, you will not be able to see any video output. A message will
be displayed instructing you to disconnect the HDMI connection and watch video output
through the PrPbY component connectors.

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
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Controlling Live TV
Control a Live Program You Are Watching
Use the following remote control keys to control the
live program in the Main screen: 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.
From Pause mode, press PAUSE or PLAY to
resume the normal play mode.
While in normal play mode, press REWIND or
FAST-FORWARD to cycle through three different speeds of rewind or fast-forward.
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 see the action in slow motion, press PLAY from normal play mode.
Press PLAY again to resume normal play mode.
To replay the last 8 seconds of a live or recorded program, press INSTANT REPLAY.
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,
Rewind) are also available when playing back recorded programs.

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
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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. 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.

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
Recording TV Programs
Record a TV Program You Are Watching
1. Press RECORD.
2. While in the Confirm 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 Confirm 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 first-run episodes on this channel”
option is subject to availability in your area.
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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
15
Watching Your Recordings
Access and Play Back Your Recorded
Programs Anytime from Your List
1. Press LIST.
2. Use the arrow keys to choose the
program you want to play back.
3. Press SELECT to display your options.
OR
Access and Play Back Your Recorded
Programs From the program Guide
1. Press GUIDE.
2. Use the arrow keys to choose the DVR channel.
Note: The DVR channel is a dedicated channel that allows
you to play back your recorded programs.
3. Press SELECT to play back the program.
Managing Recording Space
How Much Recording Space Do I Have?
1. Press LIST.
2. Press B to display the Preferences screen,
which displays the percentage of recording
space used.
Automatically Erasing Oldest
Recordings If Space Is Needed
Turning Auto Erase on will automatically erase
just enough of your oldest recordings so there
is enough space to record your new programs.
Note: Any recordings that have a Save Time of
“Until I Erase” will not be automatically erased.
1. Press LIST.
2. Press Bto display the Preferences screen.
3. Choose Turn ON Auto Erase.

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
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Using Picture-In-Picture
Activate PIP on Your TV
While watching a program, press PIP On/Off
to activate the PIP screen.
Notes:
• To pause or record the video in the PIP
screen, you must first swap it to the
Main screen.
• You can only use the dedicated DVR keys
(Pause, Rewind, Fast-Forward) to control
the program shown in the Main screen.
• To change the channel in the PIP screen,
use PIP CH+ and PIP CH-.
Activate PIP From the Program Guide
From the Program Guide, press EXIT or GUIDE to
close the Program Guide, and then press PIP On/Off
to activate PIP. You can only activate PIP from
full-screen video.
Swap the Main and PIP Screens
To swap the TV program that is in the PIP screen
to the Main screen, press PIP SWAP.
Note: You will only hear the audio for
the program shown in the Main screen.
Move the PIP Screen
To move the PIP screen clockwise to a different
corner of the Main screen, press PIP MOVE.
You can move the PIP screen to any of the four
corners of the Main screen.

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
Telephone Support
Call
611
Select option 2
from any Hargray phone
Call toll-free
800-726-1266
and select the repair option
Monday – Saturday
7 am to 6 pm

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
Telephone Support
Call
611
Select option 2
from any Hargray phone
Call toll-free
800-726-1266
and select the repair option
Monday – Saturday
7 am to 6 pm

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HD/DVR USER GUIDE
Hilton Head Island
856 William Hilton Parkway
P.O. Box 5986
Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
Phone: [phone]
Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Bluffton
5 Buck Island Road
Bluffton, SC 29910
Phone: [phone]
Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Beaufort
130 Robert Smalls Parkway
Beaufort, SC 29902
Phone: [phone]
Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Ridgeland
8084 East Main Street
Suite B & C
Ridgeland, SC 29910
Phone: [phone]
Monday - Friday: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Closed Saturday
1.800.726.1266
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