[ibupronec]

Well I just back back from Comcast today. Turned in the old HD box (component output) to the newer and better HDMI output cable box. The thing is freaking awesome. Lets me choose 480p/720p/1080i manually. Have a 1080p set, and wish that I could use 1080p but oh well. Even converts SD channels to the HD setting that I have it on so that is pretty neat.
Main reason why I got it though was to trash the component cables (actually put them on the progressive scan dvd player) and use HDMI.


Now, this thing has like 3 USB ports with 1 of them in the front and 2 Firewire ports a long with an ethernet port! Now, when I got this box, it came with no manual. So anyone with an advanced cable box, what the hell are these for!

Can I hook up external HDD's? Can I have it tap into my network so that I can stream stuff? My only HD box had I think just one USB port, but I think that it was just a service port as I couldn't use it.

I have searched everywhere in this cable boxes menu but don't see anything for accessories plugged in via usb/firewire or ethernet.