Dayton, OH: Are SA8300 DVRs Redily Available?

[Captain Spaulding]

Over the past few months I've read comments about the 8300 HD DVR being in short supply in the Dayton, Ohio area. Is this still the case? Also, if I sign up with TWC can I be assured of getting an 8300 and not the older 8000?
Thanks!

 

[terryfoster]

You can be assured of nothing. It is possible if you go to one of their offices you could request a particular box, but if you sign up for service they will come to your house and hook up whatever is on the truck. Now, in the Cinci market, I believe I have heard that the SA8300HD is the only HD-DVR offered. It is possible the 8000 is being phased out.

 

[mlb]

I haven't heard either way on the 8300HD DVR. When ordering request an SA8300HD, but don't hold your breath on the installer bringing it. If you don't get it, call up their office and see if they have any in stock, and if so ask them to hold it so you can come exchange out your box.

 

[Hall]

...call up their office and see if they have any in stock, and if so ask them to hold it so you can come exchange out your box.

You'll typically have to call one of their smaller offices directly, like Leo St or the Vandalia office, as they could physically walk to the cabinet where they're kept. If you call their main number, you probably get the call center in Kettering, and they can't actually check.

If you're near the Dayton Mall area, the Sound Waves on Springboro Pike is some sort of TW "partner" (maybe related to selling HD service with HDTVs ??) and stocks HD set-tops and HD-DVRs. They are definitely small enough that you can call them directly and ask. A co-worker even called them looking for an 8300HD with a hardware revision greater than some number and the guy he spoke to was more than willing to look (to resolve the audio over HDMI issue that the guy at Sound Waves was very aware of, unlike the phone reps at TW would be). Problem is, this was during the period of time where TW had very, very few 8300HDs available. In fact, the only ones available would have been customer-returned ones.

 

[mlb]

Good point, Hall. I live just down the road from the Kettering office though, so the main number is good for me...

 

[Hall]

I had asked the question about Sound Waves over at avs and someone else finally "confirmed" this, but it appears they have or are in the process of going out of business (???).

As for DVRs from TW, there's good news and there's bad news:

1) They have DVRs available. I was forwarded the following e-mail:

Great News! We have just received some great shipments of DVR's! Please begin selling at full speed on the phones, sales centers and in the field!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DO NOT PUT PHONE ORDERS ON A WAITLIST! SCHEDULE THE ORDER IMMEDIATELY FOR EQUIPMENT MAIL!

2) TW-WOH had a major mainframe computer crash and apparently they're still "recovering" from it. If you call, you will be on hold for a long time.

 

[cable-guy]

the 8300 and 8000 were in short supply due to the 3 free months of dvr service that TWC offered to lure in more all in one customers. we lterally had a waiting list for the equipment, but supplies should be back up now. you can call in and request the 8300 specifically.

Tim

 

[blueaurora]

The 8300 has a recently installed firmware bug in it that causes it to speraticly freeze when you are trying to access the dvr. It sucks I have been credited for three months of DVR service due to the length of time this has been going on.

 

[Hall]

Never heard of that.... Be aware that each TW division can run different versions of "firmware" so something affecting you in Louisiana may have NO bearing on the original poster in Dayton OH.