mbernste
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|  [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice
So, contrary to my normal nature I decided to wait a couple of months before getting the tuning adapter (T/A) for my TiVo Series 3. I know to say people's success level at getting it to work is mixed, is being generous.
Even though it's dead simple to hook up, I still read the instructions that came with it, the info at TiVo's site, and the instructions on Cablevision's site (which I printed out). So, here's the good news. I expected the tuning adapter to not work and I am pleased to say that it has lived up to my expectations.
I called up Cablevision, got transfered to a digital specialist. He sent a software update which I think it got. We rebooted the tuning adapter, disconnected the USB cable, swapped USB ports, rebooted the TiVo Series 3. I know the USB ports are good since the wi-fi adapter works fine in either port. I gave updates to the status of the light on the adapter (on, off, blinking, steady). Used channel 777 (HBO comedy) as the test channel (verified I get it on my SA 4200HD in the other room). No luck. Obviously I never got the "downloading channel listing" prompt illustrated on the TiVo site and nothing on the T/A diagnostics screen. The closest I got to progress is when I go to 777 rather than get "channel not available" it says "searching for signal." At this point no harm. I still get all of my other channels (crystal clear and solid) just none of the new ones. I have an appointment for 4/3 for someone to come out and take a look.
Every so often I see the box light up solid, then do the blink thing for a bit and then go solid and then out. With 777 tuned, I pulled up the DVR diagnostics on the T/A screen. For the tuner that 777 is on the RC state is available. The current tuning status says Not Tuned: Wrong Card State (put it in italics in case that's significant.
So, if you're still reading, thanks for your patience. Before people tell me I didn't search the forums well enough, i did do a search and didn't find anything too conclusive. I figure I'd ask here. Does anyone have any ideas that I haven't tried to get it to work? I know all this SDV stuff is a bit of black magic, but Mr. Clark's law is true. Any technology if sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic. So, any magicians out there?
Thanks in advance! |
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RickNY
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join:2000-11-02
New York
1 edit | Are you using the pass-through from the adapter to go to your Tivo, or are you splitting it? IIRC, the Series 3 is very sensitive to a hot signal, and from what I understand, the pass-through ends up delivering a hot signal to the box.
Try splitting your cable before the Tivo with a 2-way splitter.. Put one in the 'Cable In' on the Tivo.. The other leg should go to the 'Cable In' on the adapter. The 'Cable Out' on the adapter should be empty. See how that works out for you. Thats how I have it hooked up to my TivoHD and I've yet to encounter any issues.
Also -- have you gone to the Tuning Adapter diagnostics screen on the Tivo? That should give you a screen very similar to the Cablecard diagnostic screen -- the screens that are available resemble the same screens that are on a regular Explorer box. |
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mbernste
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| said by RickNY  :Are you using the pass-through from the adapter to go to your Tivo, or are you splitting it? Nope no pass-through, no splitters and getting excellent digital signal on the digital channels and no splitters.. The signal isn't hot (e.g. exceeding the "SMR-like" number.. It is a direct coax connection from the wall. The connection goes to the main junction in the house.
said by RickNY :Also -- have you gone to the Tuning Adapter diagnostics screen on the Tivo? As stated:
said by mbernste :Obviously I never got the "downloading channel listing" prompt illustrated on the TiVo site and nothing on the T/A diagnostics screen. The tuning adapter every so often goes through the solid light, blinking light solid light, off process (total time of the series, 30-60 seconds). When it's "off" (e.g. no lights) it is "off" for several minutes befre trying again. |
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mbernste
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| reply to RickNY
Tuning Adapter Error | 
Signal level |
I also justnoticed that last status briefly says "fatal error."
So is it a bad TA? |
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mbernste
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1 edit | reply to RickNY
Fatal error says, "time out---waiting for..." and the rest is cut off. I'm thinking the TiVo is waiting for the T/A to do something. I also swapped out the USB cable with, ironically enough, the one that came with my Cablevision provided cable modem. |
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RickNY
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New York
| reply to mbernste
I think I am misunderstanding you... If you're not using the pass-through, and not using a splitter -- where is the signal coming from that goes to the tuning adapter?
When I say pass-through -- that is the method in the tuning adapter instructions. It tells you to plug the cable from your wall into the 'cable in' on the adapter. Then use the included short length of coax to go from the 'To Tivo' output of the adapter to the 'cable in' of the Tivo. -- that method is the pass-through that I dont reccomend.
Second.. Under Tivo.. Messages & Settings.. Account & System Information.. Tuning Adapter -- do you get the menu I posted above? If the adapter is being recgonized, you should be able to choose 'Tuning Adapter Diagnostics' and get the 2nd screen that I posted.
Rick |
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mbernste
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2 edits | 
Like I said... |
I configured the tuning adapter as instructed by TiVo and Cablevision. If you want to call it "passthrough" then that's what it is. External cable line to line in on the TA. Provided coaxial patch cable from the cable line out to the cable line in on the TiVo. I do not want to get a signal degradation by using a splitter since it could adversely affect some of the channels I currently receive very well. |
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mbernste
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3 edits | reply to RickNY
said by RickNY :Try splitting your cable before the Tivo with a 2-way splitter.. Put one in the 'Cable In' on the Tivo.. The other leg should go to the 'Cable In' on the adapter. The 'Cable Out' on the adapter should be empty. See how that works out for you. Thats how I have it hooked up to my TivoHD and I've yet to encounter any issues. OK. Not to be stubborn, if I understand you correctly, I'm trying your suggestion.
This is how I have it:
1. External coax to "in" on splitter
2. From splitter coax to "in" on TA & coax from splitter to "in" on TiVo
3. Nothing from the cable out on the TA |
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mbernste
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3 edits | reply to RickNY
After configuring as stated previously, I then rebooted the TA (unplugged it, waited 10 seconds plugged it in). Green light was solid for several seconds, then blinked for 5-10 seconds then went off. Still nothing in the TA diagnostics and in the DVR diagnostics I have the same status.
The TA continues its pattern of solid, blink, off every few minutes. I also tried a soft reboot (select restart/three thumbs down) of the TiVo. I even tried a different USB cable.
One thing I am wondering, should I not have the USB plugged in to the TiVo? Maybe keep the USB unplugged, reboot the TA, wait for it to get updates (like 15-20 minutes) and then plug it in. It seems to me that the TA is in some kind of reboot loop (which I know has been widely reported). |
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xirian
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Beacon, NY | reply to mbernste
Have you tried exchanging the TA? |
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RickNY
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New York
| reply to mbernste
said by mbernste :One thing I am wondering, should I not have the USB plugged in to the TiVo? Maybe keep the USB unplugged, reboot the TA, wait for it to get updates (like 15-20 minutes) and then plug it in. It seems to me that the TA is in some kind of reboot loop (which I know has been widely reported). You can give it a shot of leaving the USB unplugged.. But you said at some point, it did go to solid, but then starts blinking every few minutes.. If its not too much trouble, I would exchange the TA.. They gave you an instruction set, I am assuming (I had a sealed Cisco box when I got mine). I do recall that when first hooking it up, you were only supposed to hook up cable to the TA and power -- and then let it boot - THAT part I had to wait about 30 minutes for to complete the first time. After that, they gave you a number to call at CV, where they were supposed to activate it. Once that was done, then you were supposed to plug in the USB to the Tivo. |
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mbernste
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| Yeah, its probably a bad box. I was given a cardboard box with the TA in it and the other cmponents were sealed. I just have to decide if its worth the bother disconnecting everything, packing it all up and going to the Optimum Store to swap it out or just wait until the tech comes on the 3rd. |
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RickNY
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I know its not much consolation -- but hoping you just got a bad TA.. Mine has worked fine since I got it -- with the exception of the Tivo telling me 'A tuner adapter has been connected' any time the TA has rebooted for firmware updates or whatever. |
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mbernste
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| said by RickNY :I know its not much consolation -- but hoping you just got a bad TA.. Still hoping it's a bad TA. I kept the USB unplugged from the TA for hours today. I noticed that when the USB was out, it didn't do the reboot thing. I am unsure what significance that holds, but it is interesting nonetheless. I know the TiVo is "seeing" it since it says "initializing" when its plugged in and "not connected" when the USB is disconnected. While I do hope it's a TA issue, my mind is starting to consider the possibility is on the TiVo side, but what on the TiVo side is what I don't know. FYI, I have version 11 software on the Series 3. |
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RickNY
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New York | I cant help you with experience on the Series 3.. I have the TivoHD. And you did call the 800 number that was on the instruction sheet to have the TA activated, right? |
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mbernste
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| said by RickNY :And you did call the 800 number that was on the instruction sheet to have the TA activated, right? Yes I did, which is standard customer service. They're the ones who transferred me to a "digital specialist" who worked with me for a good 25 minutes trying to get it to work. He also mentioned to me that the box was pre-activated at the Optimum store, since I was curious about that. |
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bcronin
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join:2004-03-27
Hyde Park, NY | reply to mbernste
I had similar sounding problems with one of the two tuning adapters I recently installed. To make a long story short, it was caused by a bad coaxial cable between the TA and the TiVo. So, if you haven't checked that, you may want to. |
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mbernste
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| said by bcronin :it was caused by a bad coaxial cable between the TA and the TiVo. So, if you haven't checked that, you may want to. Yeah, I tried swapping out the coax as well, no luck. |
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csmcdem
join:2009-01-11
Marlboro, NJ | reply to mbernste
@mbernste i had a bad tuning adapter, and thats what happened to me. try swapping the adapter, worked for me |
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mbernste
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Should I be surprised that the CV tech came without an additional tuning adapter to swap out? While I am not surprised, you'd think they would be prepared. Luckily I live 2 miles from Cablevision's office. He left all of his stuff here and took a run down to get one. I guess in retrospect I could've and should've done that but having them verify that my signal levels are ok also didn't hurt. In the tech's defense, the ticket, which he left on my coffee table only said I was missing channels (technically accurate).
What, of course remains unsaid is that I am missing channels due to the fact that unlike FiOS, Cablevision has limited bandwidth and has to employ tricks like SDV which necessitates a "tuning resolver" to acquire those missing channels and subsequently would need a replacement since they don't always work. Should I be mad at Cisco for their quality control or Cablevision for their poor case/trouble ticket description and inability to provide proper channel bandwidth without such tricks?
I'm leaning towards both.
I am sitting here waiting for the tech to come back in the hopes that a replacement TA will get me up and running with the SDV channels. |
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