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bswarm
join:2005-07-28
Santee, CA

1 edit

bswarm

Member

[CA] Cox Cablecard and Tuner Adapter problems on an HDhomeRun Prime

Sorry, long story...
I bought an HDhomerun Prime tuner, ordered a cablecard from Cox, asked about the self installation kit and was told I didn't need one. I got the M cablecard the next day, put it in but only got about 20 channels, none of the ones I'm paying for. Called Cox again and was told I needed a Tuner Adapter, and that was supposed to be the installation kit I was told I didn't need. I asked about the activation of the tuner adapter and was told they would initialize it at the Cox store when I picked it, and it should just work when I hooked it up. Went to the Cox store, picked up a Cisco STA1520 tuner adapter, I hook everything up and the tuner keeps blinking a green light, and the HDhomerun webpage keeps saying the tuner adapter is disabled, but both the card and tuner are showing as Authorized. I've checked everything, tried powering down and up, tried different cables, signal strength and signal quality are both at 100%, noise levels well within limits (new quad shield cable up to the outside tap) it still won't work. Another call to Cox, told me to power it down, wait a few seconds and power it up again, then wait as it might take up to 45 minutes to get online. Waited 3 hours, still the same. Called Cox again, waited a few minutes because he said his computer was slow, but sounded like a video game in the background, offered no help at all, just wanted to send a tech over. The regular TV Cablebox works fine, so does the Internet cable modem. Any suggestions before I take all this stuff back to Cox and ditch cable for satellite? I'm not letting a Cox tech in my house after the fiasco I had with them last year. This is Cox San Diego service area.

BryanInPHX
Premium Member
join:2001-03-06
Phoenix, AZ

BryanInPHX

Premium Member

You need to Call Cox at 1-877-820-8202 and have them activate/authorize the TA also. The CableCARD and TA should be on the same occurrence on your account.

Also, have Cox read all the numbers back to you. and verify they are correct.

»media.cox.com/support/pr ··· oCT2.pdf
CableCARD Serial # PKxxxxxx
CableCARD ID __-__ __ __-__ __ __-__ __ __-__ __ __
Host ID __-__ __ __-__ __ __-__ __ __-__ __ __
Tuning Adapter Serial # SAxxxxxxx

Check this out and see if it helps
Cisco Tuning Adapter Status Troubleshooting
»www.tivocommunity.com/ti ··· t=482537
bswarm
join:2005-07-28
Santee, CA

bswarm

Member

Already did that. They were both showing as authorized. After looking at the setup I noticed the USB cable was really too long and kind of cheap looking, so I dug up a really short well insulated USB cable. I've run into this before with long USB cables getting interference from other nearby components. So far it's been stuck at initializing for the last few hours, instead of immediately being disabled. But now it also says "Authentication none" on the Tuning Resolver Menu of the HDhomerun status webpage. Does the TA go through my hdhomerun/router for internet access or does it pick up the activate signal directly off the cable coax? Here's the latest log if it'll help...

19700101-00:00:00 System: reset reason = power on
19700101-00:00:00 CableCARD: USB device 05A6:0008 connected
19700101-00:00:00 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver connected
19700101-00:00:01 CableCARD: M-CARD inserted
19700101-00:00:01 CableCARD: invalid session 0xDEAD (cchost_session:267)
19700101-00:00:02 System: network link 100f
19700101-00:00:03 System: ip address obtained: 192.168.0.100 / 255.255.255.0
19700101-00:00:06 CableCARD: Cisco card (0103:0001)
20140511-03:34:57 System: time changed from Thu Jan 01 00:00:09 1970 to Sun May 11 03:34:57 2014
20140511-03:34:58 CableCARD: authentication status: authentication in progress
20140511-03:34:58 CableCARD: authentication status: authentication success, validation success
20140511-03:35:36 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver disconnected
20140511-03:35:36 CableCARD: USB device 05A6:0008 connected
20140511-03:35:36 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver connected
20140511-03:35:37 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver downstream status: in progress
20140511-03:35:37 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver upstream status: none
20140511-03:35:37 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver authentication status: in progress
20140511-03:35:37 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver operational status: initializing
20140511-03:35:38 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver upstream status: in progress
20140511-03:35:38 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver authentication status: success
20140511-03:35:56 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver downstream status: success
20140511-03:36:36 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver upstream status: success
20140511-03:40:54 CableCARD: Tuning Resolver authentication status: none

BryanInPHX
Premium Member
join:2001-03-06
Phoenix, AZ

2 edits

BryanInPHX

Premium Member

The TA gets all its data from the Coax it is not connected to your router.

From your TA Diagnostics Menu Pages/links you need to see the following messages, if they are anything else the TA is not properly configured by Cox, or it is not able to communicate with the headend.

Status Summary:
> INITIALIZATION:
> Status: Ready

POST and Boot Results:
> BOOT STATUS
> UNcfg: Ready

RF Statics:
> DAVIC: Connected,
> Status: Locked

Hard Harry7
join:2010-10-19
Narragansett, RI

Hard Harry7 to bswarm

Member

to bswarm
Looks like the cable card isn't paired with it's authentication data. Its not saying its failing authentication, its saying there is none. My guess is they unpaired the cable card for troubleshooting which generated a new data code, which wasn't entered into the system for repairing. If the card can't authenticate, then it has no data to validate through the tuner adapter. Just my 2cents, mostly listen to BryanInPHX, he is the cablecard master!
bswarm
join:2005-07-28
Santee, CA

bswarm to BryanInPHX

Member

to BryanInPHX
This is what it looks like this morning...

Tuning Resolver Status
Authentication success
Downstream success
Upstream in progress
Operational Status disabled

Status Summary:
INITIALIZATION
Status: Ready - B'cast Only
CPU/Bus: 594/174
MEMORY
Ev Pool: 743
System Heap
Total: 116891640
Free: 114486592
Largest: 114398396
Chunks: InUse=14335, Free=29
SARA Heap
Total: 358400
Free: 229712
Largest: 164540
Video Heap
Total: 14680064

POST and Boot Results:
BOOT STATUS
UNcfg: Broadcast
BFS: Ready
SI: Ready
SAM: Ready QPSK
IPG: Ready QAM
PowerKEY: Ready
Analog Capable: NO

RF Statics:
CURRENT FDC
Freq: 74.250 MHz
DAVIC: Slow-Boot Wait
Status: Locked
Level: 10 dBmV
Seconds: 1342
Corr Bytes: 43
Uncor Blks: 175
Errs Avg/Inst: 0 / 0
Total Bytes: 237133660
S/N: 32 dB
CURRENT QAM
Freq: 603.000 MHz
Tuning Mode: QAM-256
Status: Locked
Level: 6 dBmV
bswarm

bswarm

Member

I noticed the front panel led blinks 8 times, pauses and repeats. I looked up the codes here »Bright House Networks FAQ »What are the Cisco Tuning Adapter front panel blink codes and it says its in "service disconnect, brick mode" Does that mean its a bad TA?

Hard Harry7
join:2010-10-19
Narragansett, RI

Hard Harry7

Member

said by bswarm:

"service disconnect, brick mode" Does that mean its a bad TA?

I don't think so. Brick mode is probably that it's walled inside Cox's system because there is no service assigned to the equipment. It would be like a modem without a data occurrence. Same thing happened to person in thread below and they got it fixed by "provisioning the TAs". I really think you need someone knowledgeable about cable cards and TA to take a look at your account. For someone who knows what they are doing, this should be a easy fix IMO. I would suggest getting in contact with one of the Cox employees on here and PM them your account info to have a look. Anyone have a suggestion on who?

»www.tivocommunity.com/ti ··· t9761959
bswarm
join:2005-07-28
Santee, CA

bswarm

Member

I would really appreciate it if a Cox tech here on this forum helps. This is where I came for help a year ago after being unable to get the local tech to do anything but replace my gold plated coax connectors with theirs on the new coax I put in, and telling me it should be OK and charging me $60. It wasn't, I came here a year ago after many phone calls, telling me they needed to send a tech out again. The Cox tech on this forum got them to replace the taps on the utility poles, which fixed all the problems then, service hasn't dropped since.
bswarm

bswarm

Member

Solved for now. I called cox's local number instead of the number on the cablecard instructions, they connected me to the card activation center, they sent a signal to the TA, and now have a steady green light for the first time. Total time took less than 20 seconds. Why the first 4 phone calls to cox could not do that is unimaginable.
signcarver
join:2005-03-20
Phoenix, AZ

signcarver

Member

I know when I first installed cablecard tuners the cablecard activation people flat out told me they have nothing to do with the TA just the cablecard activation and two sets of instructions were given out one for the cablecard and another for the TA (that may have changed as lately I haven't even got any instructions when picking them up the last couple of times) I have never had to call for a TA as it gets added to the account when I pick it up.

I did notice your FDC was rather high and had many uncorrectable errors (more than I have had in the past month combined on 3 I checked on around town) as it tends, and can be, very low compared to the QAM levels and currently it is reporting higher that I would like to see any level. The error you had, 9 times out of 10 unplugging it for 10-15 seconds has resolved it for me in many locations (I do have one location I service that it may take 3 or 4 attempts but most it is just one) and as I said, I have never had to call for a TA issue as long as it is on the account and they have always scanned in the barcode when I pick one up an put it on the account which to me is much more accurate then reading off the numbers.
bswarm
join:2005-07-28
Santee, CA

bswarm

Member

I added another device today, a Samsung GX-SM530CF Smart Mediaplayer. And another cablecard/TA pairing nightmare. I made 3 calls to the 877 number, same BS, called the local number and was connected to the card activation center, they sent the magic packet and it's up and running. Cox needs to get their crap together.

Anonguy
@68.106.20.x

Anonguy

Anon

said by bswarm:

I added another device today, a Samsung GX-SM530CF Smart Mediaplayer.

OT, But. How do you like it? Been contemplating one for a teens room but heard it is Horribly slow.

Can you post a pic of the guide?

Thx
bswarm
join:2005-07-28
Santee, CA

bswarm

Member

Click for full size
GX-SM530CF TV Listings
Guide as in the user manual or what the TV listings look like? (which is way better than the Cox Cablebox) The only negative thing I don't like about it so far is we can't view Cox's Video On Demand, but with the included Netflix & Youtube apps it's not missed. The onscreen keyboard is really sluggish using the remote, but it has another USB port on the front for adding a wireless mouse or wireless keyboard, which I haven't tried yet. I'll be posting a review on Amazon after I use it for awhile. It'l pay for itself in about 15 months by not renting a box from the cable co anymore. You can find the user manual here »www.samsung.com/us/suppo ··· 30CF/XAA

Anonguy
@68.106.20.x

Anonguy

Anon

Thanks, Ya I Meant the OSG/TV listings like you showed.

How are the apps? Slow?

No monthly fees for guide data. Correct?
bswarm
join:2005-07-28
Santee, CA

bswarm

Member

The apps are a little slow to load, the onscreen keyboard is painfully slow to navigate. I see no slowness with live TV or Netflix HD videos. I'm using a 10/100 wired connection to my router with about a 30Mbps broadband internet. Using a wireless connection may cause buffering for online content, not sure about that. There are no charges for the guide that I know of, I wasn't asked for a credit card or anything like that. I've only used the Netflix and YouTube apps, not sure about the rest of them. One thing that worries me is there's a decal on the top that says do not use above 104 degrees and don't stack or cover the top. There's vents on the bottom but not the top or sides. It gets warm to the touch but not hot.
Read the reviews and the manual before you buy one, which is what I should have done with the HDhomerun Prime, I'm sorry I bought that now as you can only view DRM'd channels with Windows Mediacenter, my Linux PC's will only get local channels because Cox DRM'd the rest of them.
jimc115
join:2007-07-21
Surprise, AZ

jimc115 to bswarm

Member

to bswarm
I purchased the same....after two days of getting all the channels I wasn't supposed to get (pay and sports) and only half of the channels I was supposed to get, the third day, I got a total of 10 channels.
After about 10 calls to Cox, the box was returned to Walmart and Card to Cox.....the Cox rep basically called me a liar when I told him I had all the pay channels.
Cox has NO DESIRE to allow customers to use their own equipment.
bswarm
join:2005-07-28
Santee, CA

bswarm

Member

Was the green light on the TA steady? if not it wasn't paired to the card, which takes many phone calls to Cox.
jimc115
join:2007-07-21
Surprise, AZ

jimc115

Member

It was paired and the light was steady.