Getting mixed messages about X1 DVR hard drive or cloud

Went to the Comcast store to see about replacing my old dvr with an X1 since Comcast keeps removing channels and replacing them with inferior (Hitz) on demand while increasing the rates. My box can't get some of the newer channels supposedly.

Store was going to give my a Pace/Arris X1 DVR Model No: PX013ANM Part No: E1183415000 but no new boxes for the other 2 TVs. This box has a built-on hard drive with an option for an external SATA drive. Between onsite technicians and different call center technicians, some says this box will record to the hard drive until it is full and others say it is all on the cloud regardless of which box you have. Cloud DVRs are often less responsive and definitely don't work when there are network problems at Comcast while my old DVR with hard drive works, sometimes even if I can't watch live tv I can watch last nights recorded programs.

Does anyone know what's the real story about X1 DVRs and recording to its hard drive? Has Comcast bricked this feature? Located in CT if that makes a difference. Can't wait til Frontier puts fiber in my neighborhood!

Responses

CCLayla

Gold Problem Solver

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259 Messages

3 years ago

Hi, @mike_Z, we truly appreciate you bringing this concern here to the Xfinity Forums. I hate to hear you've been receiving so many different details on the box that you were going to get.

The box in question can most certainly record programs and store approximately 150 total hours of HD programming on the hard drive, and 150 hours of Cloud DVR storage per X1 DVR.

Now, keep in mind the account does need to be subscribed to the full DVR service in order to use those 150 total hours on the hard drive. Here's a great overview of the X1 DVR service.

mike_Z

Contributor

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54 Messages

3 years ago

Hello Layla,

Thanks for the info.

-I reviewed the link and it makes it sound like X1 records on your box hard drive and the cloud (not sure why). From the link:

"Note: DVR storage hours and menu screens such as current storage percentage (Guide > Saved > Recordings) may not update immediately, but will shortly after you upgrade. Cloud recordings will initially differ from what's on your local hard drive. Any new recordings will be reflected similarly on both the cloud and TV Box." If it records on both then why would a power outage interrupt a scheduled recording unless all of Comcast was down?

-Not sure how large the hard drive in my old box is but what about the eSATA external hard drive port on the Pace/Arris X1 DVR Model No: PX013ANM?? Has Comcast disabled that?

-Does the remote have ALL the required buttons? With my current box a smaller XR2 black remote was supplied and is mssing the instant replay and live buttons. These buttons are present on the old silver or bronze remotes. I use a URC RF-20 remote control which is programmable and also can learn keys. I have an old silver Comcast remote but if the X1 remote is missing replay/live keys I cannot program my remote. I have macros set up to watch a movie with the audio receiver, etc.

-So you are saying if I upgrade my box and DVR service to X1 with the Pace/Arris Model # PX013ANM Part # E1183415000 that it will actually record on its internal (or my external?) hard drive? What other model boxes do I need for the other 2 TVs in the house? We need a small one for the bedroom TV, currently a Pace RNG110 after they wanted to give us a large box after returning the crappy DTA. They mistakenly told us DTA meant digital transport adapter but was really a digital to analog as you had to set your TV tuner to channel 3 or 4. We had been using the TV without a box as all signals are supposed to be digital as of the 2012 law. newer TVs do not even have an analog tuner. I won't waste my time at the store again as they did not seem to get it that eventually we would need 3 boxes total. They can be shipped if I am assured of getting the correct box with the hard drive.

Thanks for your help.

CCTambrey

Gold Problem Solver

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3.4K Messages

Hello, @mike_Z!

I appreciate your questions. Our DVR system is my specialty and I'd like to take a quick second to back-track a bit and help simplify our DVR system for you.

I find it easiest to just think of it as having two DVR libraries at your disposal.

If you are paying for DVR service you will have access to an in-home DVR and a cDVR (cloud DVR). Each has 150 hours of recording space. Note: customers who do not pay for DVR services get 20 hours of complimentary cDVR space.

These two DVR's work together though. When you make a recording request, that order is sent to both DVR's and each will record your show at the same time, effectively leaving you with two identical recordings. When you watch recorded shows from home on your cable box, you are viewing the recordings stored on your physical DVR. When viewing your recordings online on your pc, phone, tablet, etc (anything using the app), you are viewing the cDVR recordings.

In the event that one of your DVR recordings becomes corrupted for any reason, the cDVR acts as a backup and will display that copy of the recording instead.

Right now our most current DVR model is the XG1v4. It does have limited stock, but it is something we can get shipped out to you if it's something you would like.

If you were to switch DVR's at this point, you wouldn't lose recordings as your new DVR would be providing you with the cDVR copies of each recording that was on your previous box.

My concern is that you mentioned you sometimes have trouble with live TV and cDVR recordings not being very responsive. That sounds like there may be more underlying issues going on that we can help you with so you can have a better service experience overall! Please send us a Direct Message with your first and last name as well as your service address so we can take a closer look.

To send a Direct Message, please click on the chat icon on the top right of this page, next to the bell. Make sure to send the message to our singular handle "Xfinity Support" and we will get back to you ASAP.

I no longer work for Comcast.

3 years ago

Rustyben

Expert

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24.6K Messages

@mike_Z the esata drive is not compatible with the X1 DVR. your scheduled programs are stored in the cloud so any change of DVR (physical) in the home means you don't lose the recordings since you will automatically see the cloud DVR's recordings on your home equipment (like a backup). you get 6 tuners to watch/record with x1 not just the two on the old DVRs.

I am not a Comcast Employee.
I am a Customer Expert volunteering my time to help other customers here in the Forums.
We ask that you post publicly so people with similar questions may benefit from the conversation.

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3 years ago

mike_Z

Contributor

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54 Messages

Reply to XfinityTambrey.
Thanks for the info by why are many of my questions unanswered?

I asked about the missing instant replay and live buttons on many of the newer Comcast remotes. As explained the replay button is a must.

The XG1v4 does not appear to have a audio digital out. Most modern cable boxes have either an optical or coax audio out port for connection to a receiver. I have my cable box HDMI connected directly to the TV. The XG1v4 not having a separate digital audio out would mean I would have to connect the box HDMI to receiver and I would have to turn on my receiver just to watch the morning news. Not an option. Is the XG1v1 the same as the Pace/Arris X1 DVR Model No: PX013ANM Part No: E1183415000 I originally inquired about?.

To your reply "My concern is that you mentioned you sometimes have trouble with live TV and cDVR recordings not being very responsive." I was referring to other peoples X1 Cloud service I have seen not being very responsive. My earlier point was that when our live TV was out, with our current box and it's hard drive, we were able to was recordings previously saved on the DVR while my cloud DVR neighbors had NO TV until the service was back up.

3 years ago

user_a33721

Visitor

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6 Messages

@XfinityTambrey

I'm not sure this is entirely true, but that would be great if it is. We have an XG1v1 DVR box (connected to our XB6 gateway by coax through a splitter) with the 150GB cloud DVR service, and I recently added an Xi6-A box (connected to the XB6 gateway by ethernet) . We also have a TP-Link Deco M4 wireless mesh network, with the main TP-Link router connected to the XB6 gateway by ethernet. In addition, we have 4 Amazon Fire TV stick TV's and 2 Android cell phones connected wirelessly through the TP-Link network, all of which are running the Xfinity Stream app.

We've had the XG1v1 box for 2 years now. About a year ago, the 150 GB drive on that box filled to capacity, and all recordings after that point on went to the cloud, which makes sense. The recordings on that XG1 box are important to us (stuff we recorded from the holidays that our 10yo granddaughter loves to watch with my wife) and we want to keep them.

When that XG1 box is online, the Xi6 can see all of its DVR content, but the Fire TV's and android phones can only see the cloud DVR content. If I take that box completely offline (coax unplugged and powered down), all of a sudden the Xi6 can no longer see any of its recordings. If those recordings are duplicated in the cloud, as you say, shouldn't the Xi6 still be able to see them, and why can't the Fire TV sticks or phones see them even when the XG1 box is online?

Also, we're thinking about returning the XG1v1 box. My goal is to get rid of all the coax splitters, splices, and patch cables, so that I only have a single 25 foot straight RG-6 run from your coax drop into the house straight up to the XB6 gateway we have, and all the TV's connected to the gateway either by cat 6 ethernet (the Xi6 box and TP-link main router) or wirelessly. Believe me, I found that as I started switching from coax to wireless, allowing me to remove a maze of 2 way and 3 way splitters and coax (some RG-59) branches, I gained about 50 mbps for each splitter I removed. So my question here is - can we have only a single Xi6 box, no X1 DVR boxes, and still have and use the xFI cloud DVR service (which we'll upgrade from 150 to 300 GB)? Technically, it appears as though we can (i.e. I've taken the XG1 box completely offline and everything runs fine, we just lose access to that boxes recordings).

3 years ago

X1

mike_Z

Getting mixed messages about X1 DVR hard drive or cloud

CCLayla

mike_Z

CCTambrey

Rustyben

mike_Z

user_a33721

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