# Comcast DCX 3400



## petelang

Getting the new DCX3400 installed right now


Update now has 250GB HDD with about 238GB free


More Updates


SW: 75.59 - a25p2-2.S1.r-8

Firmware: 22.31

Model: DCT

IPPV: yes


You can also select all the resolutions your TV can accept via the User Settings Menu. 1080p/24 and 1080p/30 as well as 1080i/720p/480p/480i.


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## Sim-X

I just got 2 of them put in! I can't get the skip button to program to the new remote!


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## stretch437

yes - these things are finally starting to show up in the wild.


for any new folks that stumble across this, you may want to check out http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1004005 


plus the OP started a thread just for the skip button issue at
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...php?p=16750394 


lastly you may also want to check the thread pertaining to your local cable operator...


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## deising1

I swapped out an apparently broken Comcast DCH3416 for a new Comcast DCX3400 today. It was a little funky at first, as the guide and menu information did not appear on screen even while displaying encrypted HD over HDMI. However, after fully completing activation, everything seems to be working fine.


At the Comcast depot where I exchanged the box, the clerk told me that I would need to return the DCH3416 remote and gave me a new remote (which at first glance looks identical to the old remote, just a darker color), stating that the old remotes don't work with the new boxes. However, I did not need to reprogram my Harmony remote and the old 30-second skip code must still work on this box, as the Harmony remote as programmed for the DCH3416 works just fine.


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## 7558037

Does this Moto retain widescreen aspect over its Composite and S-Video outputs (assuming it has those outputs).


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## c-not-k

Is this unit a replacement for the SA 8300?


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## cushlash1978

Has anyone had weird resolution issues with the DCX-3400? I just got one of these from Comcast the other day and have it hooked up to a 1080p Samsung plasma. I have configured the HD-DVR to output 16x9/1080i and "stretch" for the 4x3 overide (note I only enabled this setting because I'm still breaking in my new plasma). What I'm seeing is that at least 2 or 3 times a day the box is reverting back to the default settings of 4x3,480p and 4x3 overide turned off. Has anyone else seen this?


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## jbdawson

Im so amped up, had a issue where there was a green vertical line while in 1080i on old dct/dch boxes


Are there now no issues at all?


Also is there a mega thread somewhere for best settings?


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## Staudie




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *cushlash1978* /forum/post/16930560
> 
> 
> Has anyone had weird resolution issues with the DCX-3400? I just got one of these from Comcast the other day and have it hooked up to a 1080p Samsung plasma. I have configured the HD-DVR to output 16x9/1080i and "stretch" for the 4x3 overide (note I only enabled this setting because I'm still breaking in my new plasma). What I'm seeing is that at least 2 or 3 times a day the box is reverting back to the default settings of 4x3,480p and 4x3 overide turned off. Has anyone else seen this?



I have this same issue and two other issues. The first issue I have is on HD channels I get horz. line in the screen. It turns out the cause was having the box set to 1080i and the station broadcasting in 720p. Only seems to happen during primetime movies but now I know how to fix it. The second issue I have is the box seems to lock up from time to time. Ill go to turn it on and the blue power light is already on, the unti will not work until I pull the power cord and reset the machine.


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## alexdagrate

When I swapped out my old comcast moto box I kept the old remote.


it works fine on the DCX box, including 30 sec skip.


Now I have two remotes for the same TV, kinda nice.


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## addedit

Am I missing something with this Motorola DCX3400? I thought the Scientific Atlanta we have at work was the lamest HD DVR on the planet but the 3400 appears to be even worse. I had the older model Moto BMC9012 at home for several years and it was not perfect, but it was far better than the 3400. The 9012 started hanging on channels so I turned it in for a newer model. How can newer model stink so badly by comparison?


There appears to be no way to search on titles or key words. Is there a true search function? What this model calls a “search” is just a listing. And it’s not even a complete listing. If I select sports/golf, it shows me some golf that is on at the current time, but not all, and it does not list any future golf events. (the TiVo lets you search on keywords in the title or title and description).


The two arrows FF (>>) is actually just real time while dropping frames. It looks like it drops 10 frames and then pauses for 1/3 second and then plays a few frames then drops 10 frames and holds for 1/3 second, so rather than a 1.5x or 2x fast forward, it is just sputtering forward at real time. Not very useful.


When fast forwarding (>>>) most decent DVRs compensate for reaction time by jumping back one or two seconds when you hit “play”. This thing actually pauses then jumps forward, so it makes watching sports miserable by making sure you completely miss everything you want to see.


When recording a show already in progress (hit the REC button) there is no option to extend the “end time”. So far I‘ve only found those options while going through the guide and setting up a recording. (the TiVo is actually smart enough to ask if you want to add time to anything that is a live event, even just hitting the REC button on the remote).


The remote is a gem. Like the Scientific Atlanta, the buttons that jump forward to “live” or back to the start of a program are about 1/8 inch above the FF and REW. If you accidentally touch one of those you jump possibly hours away from where you are in the program and then there is no incremental jump button, so you have to FF all the way back to where you were in the program. (The TiVo lets you jump forward or backward in ¼ hour increments).


If you look at Future Recordings it does not show you a list of all of them, just day by day. So you have to scroll through each day to see what you have scheduled.


The user manual I found on the Motorola website is nothing but instructions on how to hook up the connections. No information of any of the actual user functions.


I am pretty sure I am going to have to go ahead and buy a TiVo HD DVR because time Warner provides these Motorola boxes which get worse with each generation. I would have been happy with a working BMC9012 if it had more storage. Maybe I am spoiled by the SD TiVo in my bedroom, I just stunned by what a miserable user-unfriendly box this 3400 is.


(another common sense TiVo feature is letting you recover a deleted program that has not been over written yet. Motorola seems to think once you’ve deleted something you would never ever want to look at it again, even 10 seconds or 10 minutes later.)


AddEdit


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## ubercool

Just when you thought a new PVR might lure you back to the cable guys, you read this. Thanks for a most insightful review, I'm going to stick to my plans and get either a Moxi or TiVO.


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## ilyjbid

So, I know its a few months since you posted this but, I just received this seemingly piece of crap box, last friday...It has froze up Saturday,Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and today.

Is there an end in sight? Do you still have this box?

I have Comcast...they are trying to make me believe its a signal issue and they wanna make a service call...


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## ultraviolet353

I just got the DCX 3400 box from Time Warner Cable in Los Angeles. It freezes all the time. I got home yesterday and turned on the TV to see it had frozen 5 hours earlier on ESPN. Has a lot of freezing problems when recording two shows at once.


Does anyone know if this "freezing" issue is prevalent. Having a tech look at it tomorrow.


Any ideas?


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## Richard in SF

From my experience their quality control is bad. I had two 3400s installed a couple of weeks ago. One works fine, but they had to replace the other twice. Now they work fine, but Season Pass seems either nonexistant or bad, and the entire unit is clunky. I think I'm going for a cable card and Tivo for my primary TV.


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## belfert

I have a DCX3400 from Comcast. I also have both the silver and gray remotes.


I was told the gray remote is needed with the DCX3400, but the old silver one seems to work fine. The silver one can still add the 30 second skip and the gray one can't so guess which one I use?


The DCX3400 might not be perfect, but if I went with Tivo or Moxi I have to pay for the box plus monthly fee. The Comcast DVR is $16 a month, but I don't have to pay the $7 HD fee.


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## racerx9




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *ilyjbid* /forum/post/17788000
> 
> 
> So, I know its a few months since you posted this but, I just received this seemingly piece of crap box, last friday...It has froze up Saturday,Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and today.
> 
> Is there an end in sight? Do you still have this box?
> 
> I have Comcast...they are trying to make me believe its a signal issue and they wanna make a service call...



Mine froze last night. Same thing, Comcast said signal problem, have to send out tech, even though older box in another room worked fine. Unplugged box and plugged back in and it was fine.


Older box (DCH3416) never has any problems since I got it (4 years).

I've had the 3400 for 2 weeks. Lost channels once activated and had to reactivate and now it froze. It's not looking good for this box.


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## JohnnytheSkin

So I just swapped for this box as I was told it can output 3D and I just bought a new plasma. However, my receiver is only HDMI 1.3a and thus can't display 3D.


What I'm thinking is sending the HDMI directly to the TV, and then an optical connection to the receiver...will this work?


Also, what kind of settings should I have in the menu regarding colors, image sharpness, etc.


Thanks!


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