My Pace DC758D is no longer supported by shaw but what should I replace it with?

[ursinalberta]

They will at no charge replace it with a dcx3510-m or a gateway xg1-a

No I have read that the Gateway is very buggy and I don't know if the problems have been solved over time or not.

I have also heard and read the same for the dcx3510 - M and again I am not sure over time this has mostly been corrected or not.

In my situation there are only two of us  in our sixties  and we only use 1 TV in the front room and there is a TV in our basement but it does not get used except maybe once a year and it has a dcx3200m box right now.

Any information about the problems with those units that still exists would be appreciated and any other input that you might have. I know we could go to a  blue curve xg1V3 at an extra cost but I don't know if it is worth it.

In any case which of the two would be the better to pick and if you have strong leanings two words the blue curve for my situation then please let me know what they are thanks in advance.

[Spatch]

I’ve been on Gateway for several years now without issue.  I did have my main PVR box fail this past fall, but Shaw had a new one out to me in two days.  Other than that, the Gateway product has worked great for me.

[ursinalberta]

Hi Spatch do you have the gateway xg1-a model?

[rstra]

I would go for the Gateway, but you will have to look for one on Kijjij or Marketplace. If you do decide to get the box, look for the Gateway HDPVR, the older gateway would require a Gateway and portal, they are getting pretty old and aren’t as easy to install.

https://support.shaw.ca/t5/tv-articles/equipment-info-shaw-gateway-hdpvr/ta-p/5241

[mdk]

@ursinalberta -- if you want to keep using the DCX300M, do NOT choose the BlueCurve, unless you want to pay for a second Shaw account. Ouch!

As @rstra has repeatedly said, those two devices cannot co-exist on one account.

Try to find a Gateway PVR on sites like www.used.ca because it CAN co-exist on one account with your DCX3200M. Many Telus customers are trying to sell their Gateway, because they switched away from Shaw.

As @rstra said, the "original" Gateway connects, via coaxial-cable, to a portal, and the portal connects, via HDMI, to your TV. The newer model, the Gateway PVR, connects, via HDMI, to your TV. You could also deploy a portal to replace the DCX3200M, if/when it is "retired".

[Spatch]

@ursinalberta  Yes my Gateway box is the XG1-a model.  I don’t recall what my previous box was (it failed in back October and replaced by my current box), but this one has functioned without incident since then.  No obvious bugs that I’ve noticed and functions such as the PVR and OnDemand work as advertised.

[ursinalberta]

As I had said before "They will at NO CHARGE replace it with a dcx3510-m or a gateway xg1-a" so I will not need to buy anything as I owned my boxes that I bought from Shaw a long time ago ( this is Shaw standard policy)

The installer came today and said they have been out of the dcx3510-m for 1&1/2 months now (I don't know why the person I booked with didn't know that)

So he installed the  gateway xg1-a (in front room) and also a new Arris Portal in the basement that allows me to access all my recordings and TV from the main box ( xg1-a) upstairs and watch it downstairs.

They let me keep my old channel packages of tiers 1,2,3 and the two new boxes they installed will now be rentals but at no monthly charge to me as I owned my original PVR.

After trying out the main box today I believe that the "Gateway xg1-a" was way better (and newer model) choice than the dcx3510-m.

I was glad that the guide was quick to respond to commands (as some are very slow), but it will take time to learn how to navigate everything.

The Gateway xg1-a also allowed me to use my 1TB Expander that is at least 10 yrs old now (yea!).

So now just a couple unanswered questions (hope you can help)

(1)-I don't know how I can tell if the Expander is working ???The installer didn't know how to check it as the Gateway xg1-a has its own 500GB Drive built in it. Does anyone know how to tell if it is working properly "while leaving it connected" to the Gateway Box ?     (I can record--- and I can hear it running and it sounds ok BUT is "it" doing anything?)

(2)-Some of the Guides have some sort of marking or color next to the name or channel # indicating that the channel is in "FREE PREVIEW". Do you know what it looks like and does the guide with the Gateway support that function ? I know that I read somewhere that it does exist.

THANKS I appreciate your time and effort.

[UnhappyCamper1]

We were forced to upgrade to Arris XG1-A as our old system was no longer supported.  My experience so far is that I may have to go to a competitor.  The new system is frankly very awkward to use and very insensitive to the remote.  Also, my absolute most used and favorite feature was to jump 30 seconds (and back 15 seconds) to go through commercials.  Also wore this button off on my previous remote.  This feature has been removed.  Yes you can fast forward, but not a fixed time so you end up using the buggy remote to fast-forward which tends to jump around so you are suddenly out of the program altogether or have jumped to the end and have to spend about 5 minutes to get to where you wanted to be: each time you try and jump past commercials.  So far I hate this new system and were I was completely happy with the old system until it failed.

[mdk]

@UnhappyCamper1 -- The new system is frankly very awkward to use and very insensitive to the remote. 

Replace the Shaw-supplied batteries with fresh batteries.

> my absolute most used and favorite feature was to jump 30 seconds (and back 15 seconds) to go through commercials. This feature has been removed. 

I disagree. My remote-control for my Gateway has a button for "skip forward 30 seconds", and one for "skip backward 10 seconds".

On your remote, look at the round, black-coloured button immediately above the white-coloured ">>" (fast forward) button, for "skip 30 seconds".

Also, above that black-coloured button, is another black-coloured button, for "skip 15 minutes".

Similarly, look at the two black-coloured buttons above the "<<" button, for "skip back 10 seconds" and "skip back 15 minutes".

Reference: https://support.shaw.ca/t5/tv-articles/how-to-use-your-shaw-remote-control/ta-p/6641