Should Scientific Atlanta HD Boxes Be Too Hot to Handle?

Whith the weekly "black screen" effect application by Cox tonight, (been hapenning for years) I decided to to go to support to see if they were owning up to transmission issues.  Of course, you have to go through the "its your fault, stupid user" routine first.  The final step was to remove power from the cable box.  The Cisco HD box is slightly warm to the touch only in an area right under the power supply.  The Scientific Atlanta HD box, however, was VERY hot all over, and the bottom plate was hot enough to burn my fingers when I tried to pick it up.  (Had to use a  pot holder to hold it long enough to be able to pull the power cord from the back).  

Every Sci Atl box I have had over the years runs extremely hot, even in standby, but this is the first one that was "burning hot" and this one is a  "newer model" I got a short time ago when an older version failed outright.  Is such heat production normal for the newer Sci Atl HD boxes?