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mbernste
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join:2001-06-30
Piscataway, NJ
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|  [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice
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 | Re: [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice 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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| Re: [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice 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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RickNY
Premium
join:2000-11-02
New York
| Re: [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice 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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3 edits | 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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RickNY
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New York
| Re: [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice 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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| Re: [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice 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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join:2000-11-02
New York
| Re: [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice
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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| Re: [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice 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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join:2000-11-02
New York | Re: [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice 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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| Re: [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice 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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mbernste
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Piscataway, NJ | It looks like neither tuning adapter 1 or 2 never does the initial link up to do the download, so it seems like it is a plant-side/Cablevision-side issue. | |
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mbernste
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| Well, after almost three hours of solid work and beign transferred to like 10 different people, he couldn't get it working. Despite all of this, the guy was EXCELLENT! Why? Despite getting flak from his boss who not only told (well, yelled at) him to go on to his next call and insisted it was the TiVo, the tech told him it isn't because the boxes did the same thing when not connected. He spoke to dispatch, and a couple of 2nd and 3rd tier people without luck. They tried sending hits to the box, rebinding the cablecards, etc. Ulitmately he gave me a case number after having a trouble ticket opened for someone in engineering or some other area within Cablevision to investigate. Factoring in the holiday, if I don't see any progress by Wednesday, I'll call up and give them the case number.
Right now I have a different TA which he verified was activated on my account. The TA is just sitting there valiantly going through the reboot process just like its predecessor did. This reboot happens regardless if the USB cable is connected or not. | |
| | | | | | xirian
Premium
join:2003-01-26
Beacon, NY | Have you tried exchanging the TA? | |
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bcronin
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join:2004-03-27
Hyde Park, NY | 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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| Re: [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice 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. | |
| | | csmcdem
join:2009-01-11
Marlboro, NJ | @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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| Re: [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice said by csmcdem :try swapping the adapter, worked for me Well, it's not the TA, though I suppose two TAs could be bad. He installed a different one and the same symptoms as documented in the above postings. He seems to be mildly frustrated, which is understandable. I'm starting to not feel optimistic that he will be able to resolve it. Right now he's doing a second signal level check. I wonder, if he can't fix it, where do I go from here? I'm thinking a posting in OOL direct might be my next course of action.
My signal level are: -1 for incoming (range is +10 to -10) and 47 for outbound (30 to 55 is the "good" range IIRC). | |
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IllIlIlllIll
EliteData
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join:2003-07-06
Lindenhurst, NY
| blinking = aquiring
solid = aquired
off = not aquired
issues sounds like it cannot communicate with the plant.
i have experienced the same exact issue with a cable modem.
turned out to be a plant problem.
--
☺ | |
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mbernste
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1 edit | Re: [iO] SDV/Tuning Adapter Troubleshoting Advice said by IllIlIlllIll :issues sounds like it cannot communicate with the plant. That's exactly what the CV tech and I are thinking.
Just one correction: When the TA is done with the download the light should be off as per the instructions:
said by Tuning Adapter Installation Guide From Cablevision :
All CableCARDs must be installed first in the CableCARD device before installing the Tuning Adapter.
Note: All CableCARD installations require a professional installation. Please contact Customer Support
to arrange for an appointment if your CableCARD is not already installed in your CableCARD device.
2 Before beginning your installation, look on the back of the Tuning Adapter for its Serial Number. It begins
with the letters SAB. Jot it down below. This number is required to authorize your Tuning Adapter.
Tuning Adapter Serial Number: S A B __ __ __ __ __ __
3 Connect the coaxial cable coming in from the wall into the “CABLE IN” port in the back of the Tuning Adapter.
Note: This coaxial cable may already be connected to your CableCARD device. If so, remove and connect it
to the “CABLE IN” port on the Tuning Adapter.
4 Using the coaxial cable provided, connect the Tuning Adapter “CABLE OUT” port to the “CABLE IN” port
on the CableCARD device.
5 Plug the DC Power cord provided into an electrical wall outlet and the other end into the DC-IN of the Tuning Adapter.
6 After plugging in the DC power cord, the green LED will begin to blink. The Tuning Adapter will begin
downloading the latest program and service information. This could take up to 15 minutes.
7 After 15 minutes, confirm the green LED on the front of the Tuning Adapter is no longer blinking and is not illuminated.
8 Next, call Customer Support at 1-866-670-0855. Advise Customer Support that you require authorization
of your Tuning Adapter. Provide the Serial Number of your Tuning Adapter (recorded above) to Customer Support.
9 Press the button on the front panel of the Tuning Adapter. This green LED should illuminate and remain on. If
the green light does not illuminate, wait a few moments, then press the button again. There may be a slight
delay for the authorization to complete processing.
10 Using the USB cable provided, connect the USB port on the back of the Tuning Adapter to one of the
USB ports on the CableCARD device. Follow on screen instructions and press continue. Your CableCARD device
should now be ready to receive all the switched digital video channels to which you have subscribed.
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