engelke2005
join:2005-11-20
Portland, OR
| Installation of HDTV box problems
Last Friday, I purchased my first HDTV. The next day, I upgraded my cable box to the Motorola DCT5100. No signal at all came through for hours. I ended up finding out that the box was bad. Today I swapped the box for an allegedly new one. I still am getting no picture at all! What is the best installation method for this stupid box? I am ready to go back to non HDTV programming and the digital box which NEVER gave me problems! |
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gar187er
Premium Alcoholic
join:2006-06-24
Dover, DE | first off, was a tech out to install it? second, is it just a black picture? is it all channels? or just the highers ones? |
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patspub
join:2005-02-10
Philadelphia, PA | reply to engelke2005
Their still installing DCT 5100's??? I thought they were using DCT 6200's. |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
2 edits | Last I saw here there's some 5100's at Circuit City and Best Buy demoing Discovery HD Theater on some HD Sets. They work well right, whats wrong with them? A buddy of mine has a 6208, but its a single tuner DVR.
Here's a manual (its PDF Format so you need Acrobat Reader)
»broadband.motorola.com/dvr/downl···uide.pdf
Maybe this can help you. It's not exactly your model, but the connections and configuration should be the same.
Excerpt:
There is no video on the TV screen
Verify that the TV is powered on and set to the
appropriate input source for the DCT*.
Verify that the DCT* is powered on and tuned to an
authorized cable channel.
Verify that the coaxial cable feed is firmly connected to
the DCT* and the wall jack.
The DCT* DVI output may not yet be enabled. Use the
component video (Y Pb Pr) output instead.
If the DCT* video output is connected to a home theater
unit, verify that the home theater unit is powered on and
set to the appropriate input source.
Not all HDTVs can display every output format (1080i,
720p, 480p, or 480i) available on the DCT*. Enter the
User Settings menu and cycle through the available
output formats until a picture displays on the TV.
Verify that all video cables between the DCT* and the TV
are firmly connected. |
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IM Comcastic
@71.194.x.x
| reply to engelke2005
ODes the guide show? If the guide shows and all channels are black it an account issue. Call customer service explain your situation and tell them to reorder the equipment on the account. If the box isnt in the right place holder it will give you a black screen. |
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engelke2005
join:2005-11-20
Portland, OR | The guide does show, but all it shows are "To Be Announced". The box was activated and registered for my service, at least according to the person I spoke with. I hope I won't have to go back to regular digital service, with no HDTV channels. |
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AHHHHHHHHH
@63.78.x.x
| I have the same thing, I plugged everything in and it was working (could view programs) and downloading channel information. But then I called to activate the service (Step 5 in the instructions) and after I did that everything reset itself and now I get the menu, but no channel programs will display. They all say "To Be Announced". It looks as though the box is not updating with the channel information. I called and they said that they will have to send out a tech. |
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jdelan
join:2005-09-22
Alexandria, VA | reply to engelke2005
ANy chance it was updating the firmware when you first plugged it in and then reset the box mid update? |
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AHHHHHHHHH
@63.78.x.x | I was thinking that could be the problem, but it never said anything aboout do not shut off, or updating firmware. If that is the case do I need to get a new box? |
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ajwees41
Premium
join:2002-05-10
Omaha, NE | reply to engelke2005
When was it activated? Before hooked up to tv, or after hooked to tv?
ajwees41 |
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AHHHHHHHHH
@63.78.x.x
| After,
I have been talking with comcast, and every person that I talk to has something different. But now the theory is that my WO is not closed, so they have not activated my equipment, and that is why I am not getting any channels. So I told them to activate my unit since I picked up my equipment. They are working on it and calling me back. That was 2hrs ago. I still doubt that this is the problem, because I would assume that I would still be able to view the standard channels. I am not downloading anything to the box at all. We will see. I assumed that the WO was closed when we picked up the equipment from the office, or when I called the number in the instructions when it said "Call to activate system". |
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swintec
Premium
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME | reply to engelke2005
Motorolas take quite awhile to download the guide data. Some cases over an hour, in the meantime it will say To be announced. |
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AHHHHHHHHH
@63.78.x.x | They called back after 3 hours and said that they activated the box and everything should be working when I get home from work. We will see... |
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ajwees41
Premium
join:2002-05-10
Omaha, NE | reply to swintec
Why do Motola's take that long to download the data? On a 6412 with Cox in Omaha Nebraska and Passport echo it takes only 15-30 minutes.
ajwees41 |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
| Takes our 6412 about 15 minutes to download guide data hear as well. First it downloads the program times, and you'll see correct sized grids in the guide, then it slowly fills in the To Be announced titles with program information. I guess it depends on how the plant's setup? |
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AHHHHHHHHH
@comcast.net
| Well I got home yesterday and everything was the same. I called and they said that they could send out a tech or I could exchange the box. So today I left work early and got a new box. Guess what... Same thing when I plugged in the box, no TV on any channels and "To Be Announced" is displayed. Tech support on the phone will only reset the box, and that has happened twice and does not change anything. This box is brand new never been used before (what the lady told me), but it still has plastic over the comcast label. I was reading on another forum that he had the same issue and when the tech came out the box had the wrong frequency. How do I check that and change it if necessary? Are there any other ideas? |
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KeithA
@comcast.net
| Any luck with this? I got home today and have the exact same problem. I have the DCT3412 I (had it since April). Now the Guide works fine (I get all the program info and all the menus work) but there's no picture at all for standard programming, HD channels, or On Demand.
The coax cable is firmly connected to the wall jack and my TV, as are all necessary cables. There's no problem with the TV; my Xbox 360 and DVD player are both working fine.
I'll call Comcast tonight if nobody has any suggestions, but I'd love to hear from you if you have ideas. |
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AHHHHHHHHH
@63.78.x.x
| Well, they finally came out... and I was kind of right. There was an issue with my account. First they never closed a WO so my digital service was never started or sent to my house. Then when we fixed that it was still not working. So They asked where I picked up my box from. That is where all of the problems were. I picked up a box from a different location other than the one that was closest to me, I picked one up from the location closest to work which was not my home office. The people from Comcast assumed that where I picked it up from was my home office so the header information that they were sending with my digital signal was for the wrong location that I was connected to, Thus our problems. Once they changed everything to the proper home office everything come up and started working. I do not think that this is the same issue as you are having Keith, because you at-least are getting some information to your box, where I was not. But there you go, that was my problem. |
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KeithA
@comcast.net | Thanks for the follow-up. As it turns out, just cycling the power on the box (unplugging it from the outlet and plugging it in again) was enough to restore video for me. |
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