Time Warner Cable recently started rolling out their new enhanced DVR service in Kansas City and many other markets across the country. In this post I’ll be sharing some information about the hardware Time Warner is for this new service, the Arris DCX3600-M advanced video gateway.
Upgrading to Enhanced DVR
Once I heard this box was starting to be deployed in Kansas City I headed down to one of Time Warner’s retail stores and requested to exchange my DVR for the new models.
I didn’t have any issues obtaining the one of the new units but I did discover that the enhanced DVR service was going to cost me an additional $3 /month per box on my bill.
Currently Time Warner charges $12.99/month for each standard DVR, and $15.99/month for the Enhanced DVRs. More details on Time Warner Cable’s pricing can be found on their retail price notification document.
Known Issues with the DCX3600-M on Time Warner Cable
Below are known issues with the DCX3600-M which have either been observed by myself or reported by other users.
- Composite Audio Output RCA outputs do not support stereo (only mono)
- Picture in Picture (PIP) feature does not work
Hardware Specifications
- 6 digital tuners (BCM3128)
- 1 TB hard drive
- Built in Docsis 3.0 modem with channel bonding (8 x 4)
- Multiroom DVR support (MoCA 2.0)
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 support
- 3D capable
The Arris DCX3600-M boasts some fairly impressive hardware specs, most notable are the 6 digital tuners, and the massive 1TB internal hard drive.
With 6 tuners you can record up to 6 different channels at the same time and still watch a previously recorded show. Or you could record 5 shows at the same time while watching live TV on the 6th tuner.
Input Output Ports
The Arris DCX3600 provides a fairly standard assortment of inputs and outputs, very similar to the Samsung SMT-H3270, and the Cisco 8742HDC, although it does not have a Firewire port.
- Cable in (RF Coaxial)
- Component out (YPbPr)
- Composite out
- HDMI out
- SPDIF optical audio out
- USB 2.0 (2 ports)
- RJ45 ethernet (10/100/1000Mpbs)
- eSATA
- IR input
- DC power input (12 volt)
For more detailed port specifications consult the DCX3600-M users manual.
Active Cooling
As you can see from the photo above the Arris hardware designers opted to add a fan to the DCX3600 to keep it cool. The fan appears to vary in speed based on the temperature of the box.
The fan is very quiet, the only time I’ve been able to even hear it is when the fan runs at max speed while the box it booting up. During normal use I’m not able to hear any fan noise whatsoever.
The fan is a nice addition considering the numerous problems with overheating some of the previous Time Warner cable boxes have experienced.
Internal Hard Drive
The DCX3600 utilizes the Western Digital WD10EURX 1TB SATA hard drive. This model uses WD GreenPower technology which is designed to provide power conservation and cool operating temperatures.
Western Digital classifies this drive as an AV class storage device which is specifically designed for video recording and playback in a 24×7 always on environment.
According to WD’s specs for this drive it can deliver continuous playback of up to twelve HD streams at the same time. This feature becomes more important if you are using Time Warner’s multi room DVR service.
In a whole home DVR configuration the DCX3600-M would function as the master box and other slave boxes would communicate to the master over coax using MoCA technology.
On DVR / HDD status page (d13) you can view the SMART diagnostics information for the internal hard drive which is useful to determine if the hard drive in your DVR is about to fail.
Front Panel Display
The front panel of this DVR has a very clean, minimalist design.
The power button is located on the lower left side of the box, the button is illuminated with a blue LED while the unit is turned on. Most users have found that the DCX3600 has a substantially brighter display and if placed in your bedroom it may keep you up all night.
The clock is brighter than the power button but the clock can be turned off by pressing the settings button on the remote then going to display \ clock options.
The power button goes dark when the DVR is turned off so with the clock disabled the unit is almost completely black (unless a show is being recorded).
AC Power Adapter
The DCX3600-M does not have an integrated power supply and requires the use of an external power brick to provide the 12 volts DC power required by the cable box.
I find these external power bricks to be a bit annoying since they add extra bulk and wires to my home theater area but these seem to be the trend in most newer boxes.
The power adapter is made by Delta Electronics, model number EADP-40MB. The adapters accepts an input voltage of 100-240 volts and produces an output of 12 volts DC at 3 amps.
Diagnostics Menu
I was able to access the diagnostics menu on the DCX3600-M by holding down the select key for about 10 seconds then pressing the up key. This seems to be standard on all Time Warner Cable boxes using the OCAP software.
From the main diagnostics menu you can access the extended diagnostics page shown below. In the extended diagnostics you can access tons of information on the status, and current configuration of the cable box.
The interface / port status page is useful to see which ports on the cable box have been enabled or disabled by Time Warner.
Interestingly I couldn’t find any information relating to the status of the eSATA port. At some point in the future I may attempt to test the port to see if the box will recognize an external drive but with a 1TB hard drive built in I highly doubt I will run out of storage space any time in the near future.
Should you upgrade to Enhanced DVR?
There are three main groups of people who will benefit most from upgrading to Time Warner’s enhanced DVR service, if you fall into one or more of these categories then you should definitely consider upgrading.
- People who constantly run into issues where 2 tuners isn’t enough.
- Whole house DVR subscribers
- Users that are constantly out of storage space on their DVR.
If you don’t fit into one of the above categories then you probably won’t receive much benefit from making the switch. The DCX3600-M is a great cable box but it isn’t a revolutionary piece of equipment that you can’t live without.
This may change in the future as Time Warner releases software updates that take advantage of more features that this new DVR has to offer.
Sam is there any way to access the diagnostic program on the DVR? If so is there a way to turn down the clock brightness? If not currently is it possible for an update to the software to add that as a feature?
I’m not aware of any way to adjust the brightness of the clock, it may not be physically possible on this model.
Time Warner does have a menu option in settings\display\clock options that will allow the clock to be turned off completely though in case that helps.
Sam, I can’t get this box to work as a remote with my iPad. Any ideas.
I put a layer of transparent tape over the clock and the bright blue light and then used a black Sharpie to darken them. 3 layers later they were finally dark enough for me. PITA!!!
another user suggested applying a piece of red translucent tape over the clock/channel
display area.
Suggestion: Go to your local car window tint provider and ask for a free sample scrap of automotive window tinting. Cut a 1″ square and adhere it over the clock. Add layers as needed to select ideal brightness.
I have the same issue. The clock is SIGNIFICANTLY brighter than the box I just replaced. It’s annoying and I actually had a tough time falling back to sleep in the middle of the night since it’s so bright.
PLEASE…. can there be a software update to fix this?? Yes, I know, get a piece of tint.. blah, blah. Other companies boxes can be dimmed, why not this one?? And I want my clock displayed so I can see the time at all times so I do not wish to turn it off in the settings.
Thanks!
This is pretty silly that such a common/simple function is missing. Seems as though when new things are developed there is way too much emphasis on increasing the complexity of software, while everyday functionality and human interaction are forgotten. We shouldn’t have to buy cellophane tape to put over a display in order to sleep.
The light can BE TURNED OFF!
How!?
hit settings on remote, right arrow over to display on bottom of options, up arrow to clock, hit sel (middle button) , change to no display, hit sel again
Would love to know how to turn off the light.
It’s sort of annoying to have to get up and do it, but I put the remote in front of the box when I go to bed. Lines up at just the right height and the problem is solved for me!
You may find something to “dull” the light such as a piece of transparent red tape. Another color might work better also, trial and error. Before you stick the tape onto the plastic, try holding it over the numbers with the sticky side face forward so if it doesn’t work, you aren’t stuck with it. (Pun Intended).
I wonder how large of a hard drive you use as an external my old 2 channel fios DVR can handle 3tb which was the largest drive made at the time it made so I wonder how large of a media drive this unit can handle
I believe it’s 1TB
How do I access the integrated program control to set up a wireless connection on the DCX3600M?
What are the purposes of the USB ports and the Ethernet jack? They don’t seem to do anything.
The USB ports are essentially useless since most cable companies disable them. I suspect the manufacturers include them to keep their options open for supporting future peripherals, and the cost to include them is negligible.
The Ethernet jack is pretty much the same story. Arris supports the ability for the box to transcode content stored on the device and stream it to other devices on the network such as tablets, etc. Time Warner doesn’t take advantage of this feature and I suspect other providers don’t either.
Most providers can barely support the basic features modern cable boxes provide so the advanced features seldom get utilized.
So there is no way to unlock the Ethernet port to use it instead of coax?
I am missing channels and I subscribe to all of them… I live in South texas
You can try to reboot the box by unplugging and reconnecting the power cable. Sometimes that will restore channels that are having issues. If that doesn’t fix it you’ll need to contact your cable company.
How do u record a show on the new box
With Time Warner cable you can press the record button on the remote to start recording the current channel. From the guide screen you can also select a show and press the record button to schedule a future recording. If you have a different cable provider you’ll have to check with them but most are fairly similar.
Sam, thank you for the answers to these various questions.Good job Buddy?
I just got this box, but for whatever reason, I have no access to the guide, or any DVR related features. why is this, and how can I fix it?
It sounds like there could be a problem with the software loaded on your box. I would try unplugging power from the box, then plugging it back it. The box will reload the software package when it boots up.
If it doesn’t work after the hard power cycle you’ll have to give Time Warner a call. It could also be a bad box, or a problem with their network not properly supporting the new hardware.
Can you confirm the DCX3600 displays in 1080p 60fps or 1080i 60fps?
The Arris specifications say it will output video up to 1080p 60fps, although I as far as I’m aware Time Warner does not offer any content in 1080p (or at 60fps). The Time Warner software on the box lets me choose between 1080i or 720p, both at 30fps.
So, yes it will do 1080p/60 if your provider is broadcasting content in that format, but I suspect they aren’t.
How do I adjust to 1080? My box is attached to my projector and it says 720×480
I just picked this new DVR up on Tuesday. I had to replace my modem on Monday and saw the posters about the Enhanced DVR in the Time Warner office. Went back Tuesday and swapped my old DVR out for an Enhanced. Only had it for two days, but I love it! I was almost constantly hovering around 80-90% full on my old DVR, between new recordings each week and old recordings of shows and movies rarely ever on TV that I was saving. I love having a bunch of recorded shows and movies already and only seeing 2 or 5 or 7% full. That extra space is a godsend.
Only issue I’ve found thus far, is sorting the guide by channel. With my old remote, if I pressed the guide button again scrolling through the channels, it would bring up the show listings for that specific channel so I could more easily sort through what that channel would be airing in the coming days. It doesn’t appear I can do that with the Enhanced DVR. Have you seen anyway to do so that I may have overlooked?
Hiya, yea… hit your A button, scroll down to Networks A-Z and that will bring up your channels list.
Excellent article, and very well written. Got my box as an upgrade from the horrible Scientific Atlanta HD ones TWC was foisting on folks, and was curious as to the specs. Thanks for your efforts!!
it seems like the picture in picture does not work with the box can you confirm this and if so why? It worked with their older dvr’s
Mine works but it requires several clicks and drags to get it to work each time. Also I haven’t figured out how to resize the two windows so that there’s a large window to view and a second small window of another station.
I’ve written to them asking for the icon to be placed in an easier place. They ignored my letter.
We have two boxes through Time Warner Cable. I can see shows recorded on both boxes in my “LIST” button. There’s no way to distinguish which box a show is recorded on. When I try to access shows recorded on the other box, the current box seems to freeze for 30 seconds and the screen goes black during that time. I then get a window saying the show is unavailable at this time. Any advice to get the boxes speaking to each other correctly? Thanks!
Are both of your cable boxes the same model or are they different models? I’m not a multi room DVR subscriber but my understanding is that typically there will be one master box that does all of the recording and the other boxes are simply slave boxes. Usually the slave boxes are a different model that don’t include local storage and simply communicate with the master box via MOCA.
Do you subscribe to Time Warner’s multi room DVR service? If you don’t then the boxes are probably still talking to each other via MOCA but may lack the authorization to use the feature.
Having said that you should probably check with TW to confirm since I’m probably not the best source for multi room DVR questions.
now. if only they would put BACK the “skip forward” function.
oh! and a separate ON and OFF infrared commands would be great.
Separate on / off codes would be very useful indeed! I’ve often wondered if the individual codes do exist but the remote just doesn’t implement them. It seems odd that the cable box manufacturers would design only a on/off toggle button.
Did you ever find this code for this BOX? I have it working for rage dcx3400 for years. But just got my new 3600m box today and the skip forward doesn’t work. So either different code or disabled.
Having just upgraded to the Arris DCX3600-M I experienced what I had read was going to be the disabling of the PIP function. I am stuck because they gave me a serious reduction in my bill but added all these bells and whistles for a year with special discount plan. I tried eveything. Even called Arris, but, they took no responsibility said it’s the T/W software. (true) One point about this new box and its 6 channel record at one time option. How ridiculous. Who in their right mind can get their head around actually ever recording that many programs at.the same time. At the absolute most maybe you might once a year find a situation to watch one and record three. At best I could watch 1, and record 2 others. that would be fine. Most programs are repeated at different times. IE : Daily Show repeats 4 times after the original. PIP was a man’s playtoy. It’s how they introduced the wide-screen TV”s. But if you had cable only the DVR box could provide that function. Men want to watch a regular program and keep their eye on a ball game. That’s who uses the PIP. I caught Alex Rodriguez hitting that Grand Slam against Minn. a few weeks ago
using the PIP on my previous Cisco #8642DVR. Maybe, if enough people complain to T/W they’ll consider finding a software solution around that 2nd tuner conflict issue that they used to disable it.
Sports fans will use the 6-at-a-time recording. Take soccer/football and especially regular league games (e.g. English Premier League) which have several concurrent matches (and TEN concurrent, usually, on the last day of they season. NBC does a great job of managing it all.
Had to add, family of 4 – 2 teens & 2 adults, I always find content I want my hubs to enjoy later, so I record – even if available on demand because it’s not reliable all the the time. Then they (teens) will fav a few shows as I do, some all play during peak prime time watching hours,between 5-8pm. Results we use ALL 6 recording options multiple times a week.
* Issue – I’d really like some instructions/ pictures on transferring a few movies I always save….no matter what cable comp. or new boxes we get….want to move to an external hard drive. I have time to play them if a recording feature is needing to be done! Reasons why….Over the yrs. Have lost countless recorded items. My now, TWC boxes. whole house DVR system doesn’t work remotely as good as our AT&T UVers. System previously did before moving from Houston to Dallas. Plus when everything is gone & you’ve experienced the whole house down way to many times you start to wonder “CAN I BACK UP MY HARDDRIVE MATERIAL, so we don’t loose all recorded movies & shows???”
Our bills with tv, high-speed max Internet & sometimes phones….are always over $200…some times $285. SO I THINK I’VE PAID FOR IT. Assistance to transfer where info is saved would be nice. Plus will it work if played back on tablet or computer ??? since I have read a lot about the encoding so it might not play with sound or other things like lines or viewability issues…etc….once transferring is. Complete??? Any help of multiple options welcomed
I remember the good old days when the cable bill was 20 bucks.
Only issue I’ve found thus far, is sorting the guide by channel. With my old remote, if I pressed the guide button again scrolling through the channels, it would bring up the show listings for that specific channel so I could more easily sort through what that channel would be airing in the coming days. It doesn’t appear I can do that with the Enhanced DVR. Have you seen anyway to do so that I may have overlooked?
Here’s what I notice that is a small issue. When I use the guide button and then I press the “day” button to go forward it seems to hang on the next day. Puts a black screen in the right corner with a”please wait” notice. But if I wait until it disappears then it goes forward to that next day. Each time I go forward a day the same thing happens. It’s annoying but I ‘m not sure it does it on every box. I’m just trying it out for you, on one of the replay boxes not my DVR. It’s the loss of PIP function that burns me tail.
I get the fact you can record 6 channels at once. If your watching 1 live broadcast then you can only record 5. Is it possible to watch 3 recorded shows on 3 different TV’s at the same time ? I realize also each additional TV requires a set top box to communicate to the Enhanced DVR.
Thank You
Tom
I just got the new DCX 3600 M and need a short manuel on how to operate it a . ie reording and other features. This was not in the user guide I looked at on the computer. I did not get one when the tech installed it. We are in our 80’s and need this
You’re lucky! Bright House cable here in Bakersfield charges $5 a month to upgrade to the Arris. Until now, they used old Cisco models which could only handle two channels. Ugh! Though we cannot get the Samsung SMT-H4372, it’s all that’s depicted in Bright House customer emails and on the company’s web site. Perhaps the far sexier design of the Samsung, only available in Florida I’m told, doesn’t sell as well as the clunky, black Arris box. Sure looks nicer though!
any idea how i can save recorded basketball games on the dcx 3600-m to an external hard drive?
Unfortunately there is no known way of transferring content to an external drive at this time. Cable providers prevent this functionality for piracy reasons.
My son, a computer engineer has me set up to record TV directly to my computer. I can then transfer it to an external drive or thumb drive. However, I cannot transfer something from the TV to my computer without it playing all the way through. If it is something I already have recorded on my DVR then I turn on my WinTV and put the channel (the WinTV channel) to composite. I hit record on my computer and it records what I am watching on TV (I don’t actually have to sit there and watch it, I can come back in an hour or whatever time I know it will be over and then I turn off record.
If I know in advance that I want to record a show from TV as it is playing, I turn the WinTv channel to whatever channel it is playing on TV (for instance, CBS). I press record and it records on my computer until I click stop recording. I can then watch any channel I want on TV. The computer is recording the channel I set it on, not the channel I am watching. I like it this way because I can watch “Big Bang Theory” on my computer and not have to worry about internet working or that nagging “buffering” you may sometime get with Hulu or Netflix. I can also transfer it to thumb drive and take it with me to friend’s house and watch on their computer or PlayStation. Plus I use VLC to watch videos. VLC is great because you don’t have to rewind or forward, you and just click anywhere on the line at the bottom and it goes to that point immediately. My son says there is a way to transfer it directly to computer from DVR without having to play the whole show while recording but he can’t do it without an access code from TWC. He would have to hack it and he won’t do anything illegal.
Oh my goodness! Your info is probably what I want to do…. simple & easy recordings. I’ve lost so many things through out the years…. movies recordings with bad boxes dying…. I’ll look up VinTV. But how do you do this?
Hi Sam,
Any idea why my two cable boxes are not communicating with each other. I have all house Dvr and picked up the box you are speaking about. TW has been call twice. I would like to avoid a service call.
Thank You
Hello Sam can I just run a IR Receiver directly into the back of this Particular DVR box so I can hide it in my entertainment center or not if not can you sent me so suggestions please thanks
Yes you can
I want to do this also. Is there any particular ir extension cable I should use? Is there a procedure or is it basically plug an play?
I just got this box set up and it seems I’m having compatibility issues with my Vizio TV? Have you heard of this? I’ve tried rebooting the box multiple times without any luck. The picture continuously flickers off to a black then fuzzy / snowy screen every few seconds, then back to the picture. It might be fine for a few minutes, then does it again for several minutes. I’ve tried different HDMi cables and outlets with the same issue. Exchanging the box today in hopes it’s just a defective box, but tech support through my cable provider seems to think it’s a compatibility issue with my TV and is blaming Vizio. Would love some suggestions.
I am having the same issue with my Vizio TV and I have had TW out 4 times. Every time they come out they switch the box and i am still having issues. They finally told me that the IR signal was interfering with the TW box and i needed to call Vizio to have them service my TV. They are the worst in customer service and support. I never had this issue with the old boxes. Does anyone know how to fix this issue? if not i am getting rid of TW.
Kathy,
I had the same exact problem, and solved it this way:
I unplugged the Master DVR for 10 minutes & unplugged both slaves (I have 2 slaves).
Then plug in the Master DVR only. Once that DVR is operating correctly (allow 20-30 minutes to boot up), plug in a Slave controller. Once that slave is working correctly, plug in another slave controller.
After all devices are plugged back into power and operating, hopefully you will see a perfect picture son all units! This worked for me & solved the snow that kept intermittently destroying the picture.
John,
Thank you for your reply but its not the snow that is the issue. when i try to change the channel or fast forward a show, the box cuts out and i have to restart my TV. Time Warner has said this is due to the IR signal in the TV interfering with their box signal, to where the box wont even work unless i turn off the TV and turn in back on. have you experienced any of these issues or do you know how to fix it? my TV isn’t that old maybe 4 years so i don’t think it’s the TV because i have never had these issues with any other TW box.
Kathy,
I have never experienced this type of problem. There are a few simple things you can try, to temporarily eliminate the alleged IR interference.
1- Place black electrical tape (or the equivalent) over the IR eye of the Time Warner Cable Box. This will cause the box to ignore any alleged IR signal from your TV.
2- After applying the black electrical tape to block the IR sensor of the Time Warner Cable Box, you can control the cable box using My TWC App on your phone or tablet. While this may not be the permanent solution you choose, it will enable you to positively determine whether IR from your TV is really affecting the sensor , or not.
3- I did experience a slightly different issue controlling IR to the same Cable Box. In my case, The box would not “see” the signal. It would not respond to any command from the Time Warner remote. I solved it completely by buying an inexpensive Logitech IR extender. That device blasts IR signal, overpowering any IR that bay be conflicting with the Time Warner Cable Box. I bought one through Amazon.com & two through eBay:
Logitech Harmony IR Extender System (815-000055-UG)
I experienced this same problem in 3) separate rooms, and for $25 – $30 each, I bought 3) and solved the problem 100% of the time. It retransmits the desirable IR signal so powerfully, it overwhelms any other IR in the area, and your commands get through.
I hope some of this is helpful! Please keep us updated.
Just got the DCX 3600 and it no longer shows when playing recorded shows the time of the show or how much time is left when you play it back or pause it. Is there a way to get that. We see it on HD boxes that communicate with it, but not on the actual main DVR 3600 itself? Is there a settings screen we can use to do that? Would a complete reboot fix that?
I’m having same issue, just got box today, can’t tell how much of a program is left when I am pausing or moving forward, also it lists them at top of screen instead of to the side like the old box from time warner,/how do we get to see how much is left of a program? how also can we see how much space is being used ( the old box would give percentages) is there some programming guidebook online?
Apparently it just does not do that or TW forgot to program it to do so, generally being complete idiots. The ONLY way I have found to tell is to STOP a playback, then go back into the Recorded Programs area of the DVR control menu, navigate to the recording, and in addition to a RESUME option there is USUALLY a status bar showing a graphic of the position in the recording… but sometimes not, somehow depending how how you got to the recording page, which I havent figured out. And to Time elapsed numbers, just Length of recording and the percent played bar. Yep, sucks.
You can see the playback progress by using the info button
No that doesn’t work any more.
“can coexist in your bedroom without keeping you up all night.”
What? Dude. I just got this box and the clock is brighter than ANY cable box I have had before it. The clock on this thing is like a full moon on a clear night, while every other box I’ve had are like a crescent moon hidden behind the clouds.
When trying to set a series recording it will not let me select the channel. For example i tried to record the survivor show series and the channel is channel 5 but i have hd channels. How do you pick the hd without have to scroll through the guide to record
wife talked me into switching from Directv to Time warner. Issues with rain and snow here with directv signal. But now I get my Time Warner system installed and realize it’s like 2005 technology. I can only record in one room!!!! So if I’m watching something in a different room from the whole house unit. I have to get up get dressed go downstairs go to that room and either take over the TV if someone else is already watching it or interrupt who ever is in that room to record my show!!!!!! Didn’t see that in the commercials. How can they be so out of date with their technology. Worse yet is half the people working sales don’t know this or don’t care and lie about system compatibility.
Is the Enhanced DVR , Arris Dcx 360 is it 2.0
I got the Arris DCX3600-M yesterday, and the HD pictures look like they have a thin cloudy film over them. They’re not as sharp as with the old Scientific Atlanta box. Has anyone else had this problem and have a solution?
Same here. I went to setting/devises/video sharpness and set it to 5. Seems to help.
What remote control is Time Warner giving you with your Arris DCX3600-M? I’m thinking of upgrading from a Motorola DVR w/ two tuners which uses the ATLAS OCAP 5-Device 1056B03 remote control. I’d like to keep this remote (I’m used to where all the buttons are) if possible. If so, anybody know the ATLAS remote control code for the Arris?
I was able to keep my existing remote. I don’t have the model number handy at the moment. In general it seems that their remotes tend to be universal so I would try using your existing remote. I believe you can also reprogram the remote if needed for support of different hardware.
Hi Burt,
Re: “What remote control is Time Warner giving you with your Arris DCX3600-M?” I just (5/5/16) got a TWC DCX 3600 M DVR and it came with a Time Warner Phillip’s RC122 remote.
Jim get the time warner app and you can record DVR from anywhere. Even your comfy bed!
Yea but that’s still an annoying pain. I have to get my phone off the charger then the screen light comes on right in my wife’s face while she is sleeping. It’s the best option but still sad that in almost 2016 time warner can’t do what Directv has been doing for years.
While I do like my new Enhanced DVR, I’m perplexed as to how to get my Inteset 4-in-1 remote (ordered from Amazon) to work with it, we have tried all codes that should work, does anyone have suggestions to how I can make this work? I can control my Xbox, my DVD player, but not the cable/tv box as I could before upgrading. thanks for any assistance.
Another issue to note is that the DCX-3600M will not work with multiple DVR’s. A more accurate statement is Tine warner refuses to, or can’t figure out how to turn it on. It will work , and I had it working until I exchanged a box and it broke. Diagnostics tells you MoCa is not enabled and TWC does not know how to turn it on.
I had several issues installing these in 2 different locations in my house. Not having ‘whole house’ DVR… I wanted to be able to record SEPARATELTY my stuff in the living room and my wife’s stuff in her room. Turns out I needed the enhanced Arris model, and my wife is happy with the older Scientific Atlanta. Both work fine off a 2-way cable splitter.
Something no one has mentioned: If you have a home entertainment audio hookup, the Arris DCX-3600M DVR is the ONLY model that will allow you to get PCM audio through your optical audio outlet. I know the older Scientific Atlanta has an optical audio out… but it doesn’t offer the PCM audio (which is a pure and whole (non-compressed) audio output that makes a TREMENDOUS difference in a home entertainment audio system sound. Both offer Dolby and HDMI direct audio, but purests appreciate the PCM audio out sound… especially with a 5:1 or 7:1 system. I hope this helps in your decision process.
You seem pretty knowledgable so hopefully you’ll still be checking this and replying. Do you have any idea how I could go about finding the boxes software version number? I just upgraded two rooms to these new boxes (neither using the multi-room DVR service) and the model numbers on both boxes are the same, but one lists the recorded programs with the same style menu as my old box while the other has a new menu layout that I much prefer (instead of listing each individual recording by date recorded, it groups TV series together). I’m guessing since both boxes are the same model that one has newer software.
If you are on Time Warner Cable you can access the diagnostics menu by holding down the OK/SEL button (round center button) for about 10 seconds and then pressing the up arrow. The first page of the diagnostics menu will list the software version right at the top of the summary information page.
The boxes should automatically update to the latest release of software when they boot up. You can attempt to trigger a software update by unplugging power to the cable box and reconnecting it.
The cable providers usually use their own software version on the boxes so this probably won’t work if you don’t have TW Cable.
Is the Western Digital DVR extender that plugs into the esata port, compatible with this DVR? I currently have
a Scientific Atlanta box that I extend by 1 TB with the WD extender. Having 2 TB total space plus 6 tuners
would be great. Thanks.
Why won’t it let me record a series on certain shows? Only a “set reminder” option.
Melissa, did you ever solve this problem? I just got the Arris and am having the same problem. Some shows offer the usual record options, but others only offer the option to “set reminder”. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to which ones allow recording and which ones don’t. Very frustrating!
What is the Dolby volume setting and should I have it set to on or off? Thanx.
I recommend turning the Dolby volume setting on. This will enable several volume optimizations designed to keep the volume levels consistent and true to the original source.
You can read more details about Dolby Volume here:
http://www.dolby.com/us/en/technologies/dolby-volume.html
I had my old box replaced yesterday with the new ARRIS DCX3600-M and love it so far. However, I have certain shows that I watch every week, for instance Blue Bloods every Friday at 10 PM. I can’t set the system to record anything but the show the day it is on. I can’t program it to record “all showings”, when I try, it doesn’t work. Any ideas? I have one show that I tape daily on WTVT from 4 PM to 5 PM, I can’t do that one either.
I solved this same problem by setting up recordings on the “MY TWC” iOS App. It allowed me to set up multiple recordings of a series easily. It is so much easier to use the app, I never set up recordings using the DVR / TV anymore; I use my iPad Pro. Hope this solves it for you, too!
I’m new to Hayden Idaho I have an old DVR and they say they do not have any that can record more than two shows at a time and you have to be watching one of them.. I feel like I am in a time warp. Whats up with this give the customers the new equipment you wonder why so many are going to Direct TV give them the current updated equipment and maybe this would not happen.. also I hardly have any space to record anything. I would say less than 24 hours of recorded stuff and its full this is crazy. I think Cox in California has this box 12 years ago. Step it up or you will lose me as a new customer.
I have The Aris DCX3600 dvr, how do I set the audio to run to a receiver with HDMI NARROW NORMAL, OR WIDE
to get best sound?
This setting controls the dynamic range of the audio. It mostly comes down to personal preference but you’ll probably want to set it to either normal or wide. Setting the range to wide increases the range between the quietest sound and the loudest sound. When set to narrow the range decreases making soft sounds louder and loud sounds softer. You may want to experiment with it to see what works best for you.
I need the cable box code for the Arris DCX-3600-M using the RC122 remote
Thanks
Me too, for my Samsung UN55JS8500. I’ve tried a couple of the codes for the RC122 and a few of the buttons work but as Samsung owners know, the UN55JS8500 remote is not very compatible for learning/programmable remotes because the UN55JS8500 remote has too many special buttons. I’m looking for a RC122 code that will work mo betta with my Samsung UN55JS8500.
Thanks all for the info. Just (5/5/16) got the DCX3600-M to replace a dying Moxi 2-Tuner MR-1500-T3 DVD recorder.
Question: Is there an option, when recording a series, to record new episodes only?
Disregard the “new episode” question. I found the option.
The volume changes when I switch back between TV programs using my Samsung’s Multi-Link feature—two same-size windows displayed side-by-side at the same time. One Source is TV the other is HDMI1.
Settings > Audio/SAP > Dolby. The only other option is Primary Language.
Got tip?
Components:
Samsung UDTV: UN55JS8500
TWC Arris DVR DCX 3600 M DVR w/Phillips RC122 remote
Also trying to teach my Inteset INT-422 remote but haven’t found the device codes that do much more than Power ON/OFF, Vol, Mute and ch+-
Do I need to keep the TWC Arris DVR DCX 3600 M’s power On (the blue light on the font panel) 24/7?
Thanks, Kerry
Components:
Samsung UDTV: UN55JS8500
TWC Arris DVR DCX 3600 M DVR w/Phillips RC122 remote
I also use an Inteset INT-422 remote which has “learned” most of my Samsung’s buttons.
No you don’t
Thanks Gary. It appears that, as you say, it records late-night programs without the blue Power light on. Apparently it powers on automatically to record a late night program.
Something that hasn’t been mentioned is the savings in electricity (compared with my old TIVo and Moxi) due to the 3600-M being powered by 12v and not needing TWC’s always-on Tuning Adapter.
Kerry
Any updates with the pip function?
We really miss this feature especially when watching sports.
Do you know if any options besides a downgrade to another box.
I have discovered that the new Arris cable box does not allow my Sharp TV’s ARC functionality to work. I traded it out for the Cisco box and it work like it should but then I needed that box traded out due to issues so I got the Arris again and the ARC does not work. Does anyone know if there is a way to fix this?
If your service is interrupted is there a way to still watch your recordings.
Yes. As long as you have power to the TV and the DVR.
How do you do that?
I assumed you meant if the cable service was interrupted. Myself, due to frequent power/cable outages here on the Big Isle, I run an extension cord (through the cat door) from my small 1000 watt photo-voltaic system Inverter to the TV and DVR so I can watch recorded programs.
I have Time Warner. Do you know of any compatibility issues with DCX3600-M working with Harmony One remote and SamsungUN55HU9000F?
Also, there shouldn’t be any problems with having (2) DCX3600-M on 2 different Samsung TV? thanks
Sam I used a flashligt to try and locate the IR reciever port. Is it the opaque rounded cornered rectangle left of the center panel?
Arris DCX3600
What is wrong when the % Full decreases a lot less than 1 month ago?
It’s showing 99% full with a lot less shows on it from a month ago.
I delete far more than new tapings and very little change to %.
I don’t see a way to turn off HD in Settings as suggested by TWC frequently asked questions.
Have rebooted with no change.
Have this model new in January 2016.
Any ideas what’s happening to DVR?
When watching DVR playback, can you set it to continue playing a continuous stream of a show? I used to select ‘play all’ and be able to have the whole set of episodes that I had recorded play without me having to constantly go back through the menu and select the next one. I really miss that feature, especially since my remote works half the time I push a button even with new batteries.
I can’t wait until my year is up and I can get rid of this!
I used to be able to record shows and movies to a DVD recorder that I wanted to keep for my personal viewing and this only let’s me record a fraction of them!
I’m not talking about pay channels, I’m talking about family channel and Hallmark channels to name a couple.
I can still get some recorded, but not all.
If anyone knows how I can keep recording my shows I would appreciate it.
I am using Arris DCX3600-M now and occasionally get a very brief blast of “snow” and very brief temporary loss of sound. In addition, the screen may go black for a few seconds and then relocks. I am thinking this intermittentancy may be the lack of signal strength from having too many splitters before it gets to my Sharp 70″ TV. My old Scientific Altlanta 2 channel DVR did not have this problem.
What do you think?
I solved this problem by asking a tech in his truck stopped by a pole about splitters and he recommended using only the splitters TWC uses. Before, I had a combination of Radio Shack and TWC’s.
I lose recorded shows by just switching away to a broadcast channel. This did not happening with old box. What’s up with that?
Anyone know the procedure for formatting/resetting the hard drive on the Arris 3600?
Does anyone know how to pair a rf remote to the 3600? The instructions in the manual don’t seem to work. Powering off/on and press info doesn’t do anything except get info. The Arris manual says it should. I tried to chat with TWC support and the guy there had never heard of a RF remote????? Idiot finally gave me some strange instructions on how to hook up rca connectors when I gave up on him. Arris points me to TWC support they don’t want to help at all.
Need tip on how to stop where I want to stop when slow or fast forwarding.
With my Moxi I was able to fast forward and press Play after a commercial and it would stop and play at the frame I wanted. What happens for me when I speed through a commercial and then press Play it seems to be programmed to play part of the last commercial—or, several seconds forward into the program being watched which requires reversing and trying to catch the first frames after the commercial.
It can be adjusted in the setup menu.
Thanks Gary, I’ll check it out and let you know if it solves my problem.
Your welcome. let me know if you need a walk through.
Gary, I tried the 4 different settings and didn’t see any difference. The problem remains. i.e. I pause a program when it comes to a commercial. Then when I try to fast forward through the commercial I press the Play button when I see the commercial ending and it starts to play at least a minute into the program. I then have to back and forward to pick up at the very end of the commercial. So… I called OTWC and they promptly mailed me a new box. The box has the word “Technicolor” and “9865HDC” printed on the font. I’m having the same ff forward problem with the replacement.
Can someone tell me the diff between the old and the new boxes? I don’t see any difference.
Usually when you press play after the pause/fast forward it skip back a few seconds. Have you gone to
Settings/DVR
Options are:
Less
Normal
More
None
Normal, will bring it back after a few seconds after hitting play.
Try the different settings and see what happens. Hope that helps.
Hi Steve,
What does “arc” refer to?
Does your “pin 13” fix cure the inaccurate pause and start problem or is your post for someone else?
If my problem is a pin 13 problem will OTWC provide “a hdmi to dvi male adaptor” and a “female dvi to hdmi adaptor?”
Hi Gary, Yes, I’ve tried each of the 4 settings with no noticeable difference.
To Fix the arc problem you have to physically remove pin 13 from an hdmi cable or get a hdmi to dvi male adaptor then female dvi to hdmi adaptor that will remove the pin 13 and your problem will be fixed
Does anyone know if you switch from standard dvr to enhanced dvr equipment if you have to reprogram your universal remote. We don’t use the TWC remotes but have a Universal Remote so we have all of our equipment in a cabinet in our office and can use remotes in bedrooms without having equipment in the room. Do the 2 DVR’s use the same codes/signals or am I going to have to reprogram 2 remotes? Thanks for any advice.
How do I set up the time to appear on the lower left or right corner of my television screen?
hi I have twc and am buying new tv what should I get so as to have pip feature very import game changer. . I would like a 49″ LG. 4k smart. but don’t think it’ll work help
Caution about Samsung’s TVs. I have a Samsung UDTV: UN55JS8500 They tout PIP and a Multi Link feature that allows for two (non-resizable) screens at the same time—but the number of buttons one must press to turn it on makes it worthless. It’s a graphical Interface inconsideration made by a programmer who doesn’t use PIP every time. Worse yet, I’ve written to them and they have yet to fix the problem even after 4 software upgrades;
It’s been a year since I searched for one like my old Sony Bravia so I don’t know who does PIP well.
BTW: The Samsung 4K picture is very nice.
Sam,
I found a ARRIS DCX3600M Video Gateway on craigslist. Can I use this device for Over the Air TV?
I can’t afford cable and I am looking for a cheap way to DVR my shows.
Mike
No, those will only work when activated through a cable provider. Instead you might look into something like the Channel Master DVR.
https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Master-DVR-Bundle-subscription/dp/B00JGZQ17Q
Another option would be to look into purchasing a capture card and building your own using something like MythTV.
Just hooked up and activated my new arris and tried to set up my fave series and random shows coming on tonight. Problem is when I went to the list to see what is going to record it says I have nothing set to record and under series says that I haven’t set any up. I know that the dvr will record though bc I hit record on a show that I had playing live and it shows up in the recordings with the red dot. Anyone else have this problem and how do u fix it?
I had the same problem on first day received the Arris 3600 last week. I set up programs to record (was not given option to record program as a series) but when went into the DVR, nothing was scheduled to record. I unplugged the Arris, waited 10 seconds then plugged it back in. Once it rebooted I searched on shows and set them up to record. This time it worked and was able to set-up shows to record as series.
I love this DVR. When TWC rolled this out in the NYC area I got one and I use it every day. I can record up to 12…yes 12 channels at a time. It was the firmware version as shipped from the factory. One day I called TWC about an unrelated issue and I casually mentioned how I love that feature. The rep informed me that there was no such feature and never heard of it. I was informed that I had to return it to avoid a charge because I was not supposed to have it. I went ballistic and after getting passed around they sent a tech to the house to retrieve it.
I refused entry and I was actually passed up the corporate ladder. I found a sympathetic ear and was allowed to keep using it free of charge as it was not my error. How I received this version I cannot say. Either way I love it. By paying my bill on time and being a customer since 1987 also helped.
I have it connected to my generic Walmart 40 inch TV and soundbar. Looks and sounds good. I like minimalist designs. Keep it simple is my motto. As far as the power bricks go they have advantages and disadvantages.
ALL my TWC equipment use bricks now. That allows for cooler operation and cheaper manufacture.
That’s awesome! I’m glad you stuck to your guns, how dare they try to take it away, with threat of bills. Their mistake, and you were just giving a dang compliment…geeesh. Good for you, feels good when a loyal paying customer finally gets to reap any of the rewards! Enjoy!
Is there a way to see which programs are being recorded in each room when viewing the list on one of two whole house DVRs? Right now it’s just one list of all programs (same list on both DVRs) with no way to see what is being recorded from the living room vs bedroom. I have Time Warner and their software seems clunky and not all that intuitive sometimes. I know on Verizon FiOS you can see what is being recorded in each room that has an enhanced DVR box. Any suggestions appreciated. Thank you.
You’re not making any sense. Why would you have 2 DVR’s? A whole house DVR is as the name says. ONE DVR for the whole house. On each box, you press the DVR button and it shows what is recorded and what can be played.
My parents got the Arris DCX 3200M digital adapter. I have set up their newer TV and it works fine. They have another adapter to hook up to their other TV, but it’s an older model. It does not have HDMI and the cables that came with the adapter do no fit onto the cable connector on the TV. I have gone through all the cables that both they and I have but am at a loss. The box requires to push on connector and the TV requires a screw on connector. Any tips to fix this?
Unfortunately, I’ve had nothing but horrible luck with TWC since switching from Dish. I also thought the enhanced DVR would suit my needs, and it does, when its actually on. In the last 72 hours, it has rebooted itself randomly 10 times now, including once today. Every single time I contact tech support, they all tell me the exact same thing. They’ll update & restart my DVR, and to make sure there are NO splitters on the line. All three support agents have told me to remove any splitters and see how the DVR functions. I didn’t even think there were any splitters since I have two cable runs coming in from the outside box. I wrongly assumed they would tap into the unused (former Dish cable) that was running into the house. Nope. I’ve just found where they put a splitter on the cable supplying my cable modem, and ran a 2nd cable over to the back of the DVR.
People on here are saying splitters are fine as long as they’re the ones TWC uses, yet they’re telling me to take them off and don’t use them. I must say, I’ve always had decent luck from their internet service, but since signing up for TV as well, everything has gone to hell in a handbasket around here. They’re sending another tech out in a few days to check these lines. They wanted to charge me $39 for having them come out and check them. I told the lady absolutely not! TWC installed this thing, something is definitely not working correctly, and I’m not paying an extra $39 for you to fix it. This is DVR #3 they’ve installed, and if things don’t improve after the tech visit, I’m going back to satellite TV. Not in 8+ years with Dish did I ever have equipment issues like this, and it’s really getting old. *Fingers crossed*
I recorded a TV program on Arris 3600 yesterday. Today I went into DVR to watch the program and received message “loading data.” I thought the recorded program was saved on DVR so why does it need to load data? My husband recorded a game this afternoon and had no problem watching recorded game. Has anyone else had this issue? I really don’t want to reboot the DVR/cable box. If reboot then might have to reprogram all the TV series have currently set-up to record.
This past week I’ve been seeing unusual displaying of the Program Guide menu and, several times when I try to view a recorded show such as “SIX” I get “recording unavailable, try again.” MY DVR was relaced two months ago with a “Panasonic.” Now when I come to the end of a recorded show the screen goes black for 2-3 seconds and then the menu to delete appears.
How can I delete channels I don’t get?
Hit the guide button twice and it will bring up an option for the guide to display:
All Channels
Favorites
Networks A to Z
On Demand
Subscribed
If you select “Subscribed” the guide will display only the channels you get. Better yet, go set up “Favorite Channels” so that your guide will only display the channel you actually watch.
Where can one of these units be purchased. I saw some used and “Remanufactured”. I called Ariss and they do not sell to the consumer.
Any information would be appreciated. Incidentally, my provider is Spectrum.
I’m really disappointed that the ARRIS DCS3600M does not support PIP. It appears they simply disconnected the feature when it is built in. When will Spectrum recognize that that is a huge loss and makes me want to cancel them. Any more updates you can share
I recently upgraded from a TWC 2 tuner DVR to a Spectrum 6 tuner Arris DCX 3600. My wife needs closed captioning. When I go through the settings the only option for closed caption that I get is OFF,ON,ON with Mute.
The default font comes up small (too small). I find no way to adjust the font to a larger size and neither does Spectrum support. Can anyone out there help with this problem?
I was wondering if their was any universal remote I could buy or install in my device to work as the cable remote, my kids and husband are always losing (I say hiding) it. On days when I can finally enjoy the only DVR in the house I never can find it. I prefer to install one, do you know of one in particular. I have tried about 4. Thanks
First, thank you for the article and wealth of useful info, and the great additional comment contributions, and the active participation of the author. This seems to be a crowd that likes to get things done, and done right, and well.
I am furious with what the the dim, incompetent programming fools at Time Warner (now Spectrum here) did to the SOFTWARE. As is so so often the case with mentally deficient software designers (Cough, Microsoft, Cough), they took the opportunity of a hardware upgrade to rewrite the software. Why, oh why, do designers always do that? (Answer: they get PROMOTED for changing the interface, even to massively damage it as the doofus Time Warner programmers did in this case. Clueless higher managers see the glitz, but are not technically intelligent enough to understand the functional crippling that software upgrades commonly do. Ergo, job promotions instead of firings. That’s why!)
Their DVR interface for cable service was pretty powerful for years. Substantially better than FIOS’s for example. When they upgraded to a 1T DVR, however, they rewrote the “enhanced DVR” software. Why? WHY? Features disappeared, and even the screen displays are faint and difficult to read even on a 60 inch screen. Someone looks like they went out of their way to cripple the product.
Here’s what happened:
One, they removed the assignment of commercial skip button on the remote. You heard me right, I’m not kidding. Un______believable. Second, much of their interface motif is LIGHT GRAY ON DARK GRAY. Yes. Gray on gray.
Next, a TERRIBLE one: they removed the perfectly working capability of telling the DVR to record a future as-yet unscheduled movie or show. This major feature meant you could tell it to record Godfather the next time it ran. Or Walking Dead or whatever you’re into. It was even set up spectacularly – you could control HD or not, whether to mark read-only, whether to allow duplicates, whether to only allow first-runs … and you could set up 10 (maybe it was 20) movies and series like that. But that is ENTIRELY GONE. Just gone. That was a critical feature.
Now, if you want to tell the DVR to record “Bad Santa,”
1. You have to know within 2 weeks, in advance, of the showdate. You have to run the painfully tedious “search” at least every two weeks and see if Bad Santa shows. And you have to do this for EVERY PROGRAM you want to set up. That letter-by-letter thing. Now if that’s not devastating enough, get ready for this:
2. You have to know what channel it’s on.
That’s right, you can’t say “record Seinfeld from any channel” or “from any HD channel” – you have to locate, and then enter in the channel. And time.
And the stupidity award of the decade goes to: the “guide” can’t just list one channel, one broadcast per line. It formerly worked perfectly – e.g. you could see a whole day’s schedule for HBO or FX on the screen. But NOW, you have to make FORTY TWO CLICKS for the same thing. Want to see two days? Was 2 clicks. Now 90. Yes. 90.
The last paragraph is quite profound. Let it soak in.
And everyone painfully knows about the fast forward positioning. What you may not know is what happens when you attempt to frame advance. Try it. You will be furious too. If you try it too many times, it won’t jump one frame, it will jump *ten minutes*. Once again, it wasn’t broke – but they fixed it.
I’ll also note two features I found on another XFINITY system. One is voice interface – and it’s on the box, not a smartphone. I’m a reasonable person; I understand that this could be complex and potentially expensive (though actually not so much if they leverage smartphone technology). The other is ability to position the DVR rapidly at the end of the show. You must waste a tremendous amount of time doing that currently with a movie on Spectrum where all you can do is go “speed 4” and wait and wait and wait.
If there was justice in the world, the guilty decision makers should be assigned to the Siberian Front. In my technical estimation, absolutely NONE of the dis-improvements were required by the hardware change. Severe corporate incompetence. Not only that – it wasn’t broke. Why fix it?? ????
Anyway, the ORIGINAL programmers – or maybe even 9 year old boys – have the knowledge to fix these deficiencies. They were loudly reported to Time Warner in 2015. What is the major malfunction that nothing whatsoever has been done? I would hope the personal pride or cowardly shame at publicization like this would have some effect. (Ergo, my disdainful tone. Maybe shame will impel correction.)
/rant off, Anger to using Spectrum still on. They KNOW of this, and have the programming to fix these. I urge everyone to rain hell on them until they do.
I think my box is dying and have 2 questions.
I loose control of my box where it takes many seconds (up to 20) for it to respond to commands of any type. (show menu, change channel, shut off, etc) Rebooting the box clears this for about a day. Seems to get worse over time. I assume this is the box, and it needs replacement. Is this true? Or could it be a network (Spectrum
Cables) congestion or the like.
That said, I have Tons of stuff saved and I don’t want to give up the box! I heard from a tech that S is working on customers being able to save/transfer their recordings to the new box. This would be great. Is it true or coming soon? Nothing on web site. I am very hard on cable boxes so this would be godsend. I save snippets of shows, subdivide shows into segments, record the 6 at a time and play recordings during commercial time while watching shows live.
I have had really bad luck with shows I like being the ones canceled and never cut to DVD or on demand. So would like to control my own destiny
What is the box code so I can conrtol it from my Xbox One
I’ve been getting into Amazon Alexa. I can control most of my entertainment center but although the Alexa App on my iPhone shows the DVR as active, I can’t control it. It tells me that there’s a network or power supply problem. Any advice?
On the main diagnostic page of the Arris DCX 3600-M Some of my readouts on the 3 pages are
red, does that mean i’m receiving a low signal or is this normal. Any help for what to look at
on diagnostic pages would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Vince
Sam,
My DVR keeps rebooting, Is there a way to copy the recorded content and upload on a new DVR?
thanks
Barry