patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
| [TWC] how to get an old cable box (no OCAP/cablecard/mystro)? ny
The UI of Mystro is making me nauseated, it doesn't respond, and the channel numbers don't change until many seconds after the channel comes into tune. Any remote click takes 3/4s of a second before the screen starts to change. I recently switched my boxes to the Samsung OCAP box.
How can I get my old Passport boxes back? I still have 1 passport SA 2*00 box in my house, I'm not giving it up for anything. Will TWC give out any non-OCAP cable boxes? Is there a way to get a cablecard box without OCAP (separable security/integration ban)? From reading the integration ban rule, a cable company can redeploy any cable box deployed prior to July 1 2007, so can TW give me a used box that runs Passport? Is there a way to get a non-HD SD box (from other posts, it seems you can't get an HD box)? |
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ignorant
join:2006-03-26 | Re: [TWC] how to get an old cable box (no OCAP/cablecard/mystro)
All of the old Passport boxes are going to be pushed the Mystro guide at some point, might as well just get accustomed to using it. |
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patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
1 edit | Atleast the MDN guide I hope will be faster than ODN Java on Pentium 166mhz running Windows 95, unless by design, the C MDN app relies on threads/programs going into infinite loops, until an anti infinite loop protection mechanism kicks in, terminated the thread/process, and restarts it since it (OS/Parent process) assumed the thread/process crashed and you need to soft reboot/restart the thread/process.
I don't think TWC NYC will be pushing Mystro MDN any time soon (next 2 months atleast). There was a pile of new/refurbed SD SA Passport boxes and HD SA 3250HD to the ceiling at the Jamaica service center. I was really lucky  . The rep knew exactly what Passport and Mystro was, amazing, they have no reason to know what on earth that is as part of their job training. We first told her we want a box without Passport, she left, then came back and tried to trick us into accepting 2 new/refurbed SA 4250HDC, we confronted her "that has a cablecard, are you sure that runs passport?", she then turned around without saying a word, walked out and got 2 new/refurbed SA 3250HDs, we then said "those are HD boxes, we asked for SD", she said "so, that runs passport, you wanted that right?", we accepted at that point.
Earlier while waiting, a different rep gave some new/refurb no-CC SD SA box (I didn't see the model number) to the person who was at the desk next to our rep.
With almost zero resistance to getting Passport back, especially so long after the integration ban, I think these reps were trained how to deal with the complaints about Mystro, and the Mystro boxes getting returned. Especially since FIOS is now in NYC, NYC would be the last market in all of TWC that TWC would dare to do Beta testing at large on its subscriber base (AKA no Roadrunner caps), since all a customer has to say is, Passport or canceling and getting FIOS, and BTW, my address qualifies on the website, you pick Ms Rep.
I guess there have been 100s or 1000s of complaints about Mystro from average non-geek Joe Six Packs who replaced their box without realizing the crap they will get, and lower management, possibly local to NYC, made up a policy and trained the reps on how to deal with Passport vs Mystro complaints, especially to not loose fuming customers to FIOS, especially since the lobby to the headend behind the RFID ID card locked glass doors is better looking and better renovated and decorated than the Customer Service area which looks like and has the atmosphere of the DMV, the only product display they had was abandoned and all equipment removed, the place was very depressing and made you hate TWC. I wonder how long the lines/the decorations/display products are at VZ's FIOS Customer Service centers and does it feel like the DMV or Social Security office.
I do have to give kudos to TWC for having a number calling system, and printing an estimated waiting time on your ticket (27 minutes for 20 numbers with 2 reps working). No standing in a line from hell or loose your position. The payment line, separate from exchanges/new service/etc line, was line base/loose your position if you leave, and they were behind glass. The exchange/service change line was bank financial advisor style setup, except solid long table (no walking around).
I saw 1/4 of the boxes getting exchanged were silver Samsungs, some with their plastic protectors still on..... (then again, we never removed our plastic gloss plastic protectors off our boxes in 7 years)
Also 1/8 of the boxes had to have their Coax cut, since obviously people don't know what a wrench or pilers are to unscrew a too tight coax connector. I'm guessing the folks will pull out a knife, cut back to expose the copper core of the coax, then slide on a crimping F connector, never crimp it or fold back the braid, then duct tape it in place when they get home *cringes at RF interference generated and being told to exchange the box over and over again because the box has tuning/pixalation/etc problems*. |
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rv65
Let's just say I like Dublin Dr Pepper
Premium
join:2008-08-02
San Diego, CA | Passport is going to be replaced soon with MDN. The 3250HD runs mdn pretty nicely though it can get unstable at times. Enjoy passport while you can because it will happen soon. |
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CS Rep
@rr.com | reply to patcat88
MDN should be rolled out next month in Queens. Unless it is pushed back again. |
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rv65
Let's just say I like Dublin Dr Pepper
Premium
join:2008-08-02
San Diego, CA
| reply to patcat88
patcat88,
It looks like MDN has been deployed on the 3250HD's in Queens. You might want to consider swapping your old Passport SA 2x00 box when they rollout MDN on it. I had a Pioneer running MDN once and it was just god awful. The 3250HD is a good box for MDN. Make sure you have decent SnR ratings since Navigator seems to run better with good cable wiring. If you get a Passport box after they've converted to MDN it will simply download it from the head end.
--
SA 8300HDC ODN v3.1.1_3
SMT-H3260 ODN v3.1.1_3
SA 4250HDC ODN v3.1.1_3 |
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patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
| My one of my 3250HDs got Mystro MDN today when I came home. My other 3250HD and my 2100 are still passport. I think the 3250HD that didn't get Mystro didn't get it because it was tuned to a channel 24/7.
MDN Mystro is slightly better than ODN. No please wait in the Settings menu. Setting menu is decently responsive. Channel numbers on the box actually change when you channel surf now. But channel surfing (press and hold button on remote) is slower than shit compared to Passport. 1.5 channels per clock second tick. Plus every other channel doesn't draw on the info bar compared to ODN Mystro drawing the new channel icon and new program name, but keeping the number the same on the box and infobar.
Haven't fully finished vetting MDN Mystro. Will post more later. |
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rv65
Let's just say I like Dublin Dr Pepper
Premium
join:2008-08-02
San Diego, CA | I still think MDN on a SA 2100 is going to be awful. Those boxes look like DOS on a fancy background. Then again I have a functional and speedy ODN box  . |
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rv65
Let's just say I like Dublin Dr Pepper
Premium
join:2008-08-02
San Diego, CA
| reply to patcat88
I've compiled a list of boxes that run Navigator well and not so well. The ones that run it well are fine as long as you have good SnR ratings.
Boxes that run Navigator well
SA 8300/8300HD
SA 8300HDC
All SA 4000 boxes including the HDC ones
SA 3250/3250HD
Pace DC-510
Pace DC-550HD
All Samsung boxes both DVR and non DVR
Boxes that don't run Navigator very well
Any SA box below 3250 (Though the 3100HD might be ok but it's an old box that lacks HDMI or DVI. It too has minimal memory.)
SA 8000/8000HD DVR
Any Pioneer box
Make sure you tell all your family and friends that they should swap their box if they have one of the non recommended boxes. Those boxes just don't have enough memory and CPU performance to run it. The Pioneer and SA 2000 boxes run make ODN on a Samsung 3050 look good. Swapping an older box running MDN to a new ODN box is like night and day. Then again I have good SnR ratings which helps make it run faster. Navigator is very sensitive to SnR. If you have bad SnR ratings then it runs like crap. If it's good then you should be fine. |
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pandaman1784
join:2000-07-11
Corona, NY | What is considered a good SnR? |
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rv65
Let's just say I like Dublin Dr Pepper
Premium
join:2008-08-02
San Diego, CA | For HD you want at least 35 db on the downstream. Downstream power should be around 0 but up to -5 is ok. If it's a little higher than 0 then your fine. |
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pandaman1784
join:2000-07-11
Corona, NY | reply to patcat88
hmm what about for SD? |
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rv65
Let's just say I like Dublin Dr Pepper
Premium
join:2008-08-02
San Diego, CA | SD is usually less tolerant but having at least 35 db is a good SNR. It's good to have a high SNR but not too high. |
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