Tuning Adapter issues

[hurnik]

So for a few weeks now I've had problems with HGTV and Food network in HD.

So have a few others.

Well last night, my Tivo was recording HGTV (I think that's the channel) of Property Virgins. I went to the other tuner to see what's on and all I see is a gray screen. I checked a bunch of other channels (non-SDV, non HD, etc.) EVERY single channel was gray screen. I went into the Tivo diagnostics for the cable card -> DVR diagnostics and it reported that signal strength was 100 and SNR was 37db but that channel lock was NO. Whereas, on the other tuner, that was recording the show the channel lock was YES.

Here's what's even more weird. After the Property Virgins was done recording the channel went gray and neither tuner got any channel whatsoever.

I had to unplug the TA, wait for the Tivo to see it was gone (unplug the power that is) and plugged it back in and then everything came back.

I'm seriously thinking about splitting the cable out now since apparently you don't have to connect the TA to the Tivo via the Coax (just the USB). So you have two cables, one going into the TA and the other going into the Tivo directly.

[Skaggs]

I'm having the same problems with HDTV and Food channels. There are other channels, occassionally, too. I keep meaning to call TWC, but have to work up my strength to explain everything to the CSR that I will get that knows nothing.

[dkennedy]

Jul 7, 2009 16:39:50 GMT -5 hurnik said:

I'm seriously thinking about splitting the cable out now since apparently you don't have to connect the TA to the Tivo via the Coax (just the USB). So you have two cables, one going into the TA and the other going into the Tivo directly.

Could you elaborate more on this?

I just tried what you said (TA to Tivo via USB, one coax to TA and one coax to Tivo) but I don't get any SDV channels with that setup.

[hurnik]

Supposedly (at least according to the Tivo forums), you can do this:

Cable comes out of wall jack. You split the signal there with a splitter. One end goes to the TA, the other split goes to the Tivo.

Keep the USB attached.

Supposedly the only thing the TA does is to authorize the cable card to view the SDV channel (and it sends the signal back to TW of course). Now, I've not actually tried it, just that I've read on the Tivo forums that the Cisco unit can work this way.

[hurnik]

Skaggs, did that work? There a thread on the Tivo community (when I get home I'll find out which one) and it seems others are having this issue as well with pixellation on ly on SDV channels. SUPPOSEDLY someone says that TW and Cisco are aware of it but haven't narrowed down the cause. One thing they noted was that it seemed to happen shortly after tuning it, and shortly before the program ended. I noticed it last night when I was trying to watch HGTV and that Real life Rennovations show (now I can't remember what the actual title is). The pixellation was a little in the beginning and then like the last minute, it was so bad, the Tivo stopped recording the channel a minute early. (so I actually lost 2 minutes of the show).

[hurnik]

Here's the thread. It's towards the bottom
www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=7383623#post7383623

[Skaggs]

I haven't looked at the TiVo Cimmunity thread yet that hurnik mentioned.

I have been having problems with getting the "CHANNEL NOT AVAILABLE" message on SDV channels. I finally sat down last night to note all of the channels I wasn't receiving in order to prepare for calling TWC. There were about 15 channels.

Before, I called, I decided to reboot the Tuning Adapter and the TiVo. That did the trick, and I was able to view all the SDV channels again.

I'll read the TiVo Community thread now.

[peekb]

I tried changing my setup the other night based on that thread....wall to splitter, splitter to both the TA and my TiVo. I have to say things have improved since the change. I'm getting less pixellation, and channel changes seem to be a bit more stable. Anyone else give it a try?

[hurnik]

Not yet, but I think I'll be daring and try it today. FoodTV was really bad again last night.

[Chris Miller]

I'm not getting pixellation, but I'm tired of the monthly reboot of the Tuning Adapter. I just had to do it again a few minutes ago. The fastest way to o it for me is to do the following:

• Unplug the USB cable from the Tuning Adapter. Within a minute you should see a message from the TiVo that the Tuning Adapter is no longer available.
  
• Press the Select button on the remote to clear the TiVo message
  
• Turn off the Tuning Adapter and wait 30 seconds
  
• Turn on the Tuning Adapter
  
• Wait until you get the steady blinking green light from the Tuning Adapter.
  
• Plug the USB cable back into the TiVo.
  

Within a minute or so, you should have the SDV channels back and a message on the TiVo that it has detected the Tuning Adapter. After that, you should be good to go until the next Tuning Adapter "event". You should not have to reboot the TiVo, just give it a minute or two.

[hurnik]

Okay, so I've been getting (lately) the "channel not available". Even WHILE it's tuned!!!! (like right in the middle of a show, bam! channel not available).

So last night I decided to split the signal, run one to the Tivo, the other to the TA and just use the USB cable.

That actually made things worse as about half the SDV channels wouldn't come in (but it was consistent as to which ones).

I've reset things up.

Only thing I've not done is reboot the Tivo.

I'm thinking there's either a communication issue with the TA, or more likely, a software issue with the Cable card where it doesn't think the channel is available.

Especially if this is happening on TW equipment as well.

[hurnik]

Okay, I lied. Still problems with the SDV channels. I rebooted the Tivo and it seems to be better now. Definitely something going amiss somewhere. But I don't have another TivoHD to "play" with. (and I'm not going to buy one until/unless TW gets rid of the stupid 0x02 copy bit).

[Chris Miller]

I still getting both pixellation and the SDV channels dropping. Power cycling the TA restores the SDV channels, but pixellation remains. I think I'm going to try splitting the cable between the TiVo and the TA.

[shanedude]

While searching for announcements on the website I came across an announcement that Timewarner is supporting the tuning adapter for Moxi pvr. I am excited to see this since from what I have read the Moxi blows the childish look of the Tivo menu to the wayside.

www.timewarnercable.com/Albany/learn/cable/sdv/default.html

Does anyone have a Moxi? I'd appreciate any feedback from you prior to ebaying my tivohd and laying down some $$ for a Moxi.

Thanks

[Skaggs]

Flashing light again tonight. Tried to reboot twice...no luck so far.