Spectrum detecting SageTV?

[Malfunction]

I'm repeatedly having problems recording premium channels like HBO2 on SageTV. SageTV tunes the channel on the cable box, but I come back later to a recording of a screen that says "HBO2 is not currently available". Occasionally, the screen will be just plain black. Is this some kind of new way to keep us from recording cable? This never happened before Spectrum took over TWC.

[KryptoNyte]

I have similar issues that seem to surface on the same non-premium channels, Sundance in my case. Each time I have contacted Spectrum (previously Time Warner) about the issue, they ask me to do a full power cycle on the tuning adapter, and of course it works. I have not been able to pinpoint what causes this as the signals seem to be acceptable.

This is using Windows Media Center 7 and a Ceton 6-tuner PCIe card, Tuning Adapter connected to the computer via USB.

[ASegredo]

When I had WOW cable, they would periodically, like every two weeks, rearrange the physical channels that the virtual channels were on. Like say the virtual channel is 100. One week that would be physical channel 60-0-2 and the next week it would be say 55-0-4. Your remote responds to channel 100 but the physical channel it selects is different. You then have to do an update scan with SageTV It's a PITA.

[Malfunction]

The channels are the same, and Spectrum recognizes them. I'm going to start cycling the power on the box when this happens.

[will]

I've had this issue in the past too, with Time Warner Cable (now Spectrum).

My solution is to do a nightly reboot of my HD-PVRs and cable boxes. I honestly can't recall the last time I've see this issue since I've started doing this.

I use a network power supply that allows telnet commands and I've wrote a batch script that first checks nothing is recording and then runs a sequence of telnet commands to issue the reboot.

I'm not sure how you connect to the cable boxes but if you use component then there is no way for Spectrum to remotely know if you are using an HD-PVR, component connections are analog and don't transmit information about what is connected to it.

[Malfunction]

Originally Posted by will

I've had this issue in the past too, with Time Warner Cable (now Spectrum).

My solution is to do a nightly reboot of my HD-PVRs and cable boxes. I honestly can't recall the last time I've see this issue since I've started doing this.

I use a network power supply that allows telnet commands and I've wrote a batch script that first checks nothing is recording and then runs a sequence of telnet commands to issue the reboot.

I'm not sure how you connect to the cable boxes but if you use component then there is no way for Spectrum to remotely know if you are using an HD-PVR, component connections are analog and don't transmit information about what is connected to it.

It tunes in the right channel, just records a blank screen that says the channel isn't available and then a Spectrum screensaver. I'm wondering if this is some fuzzy logic to check to see if a user is watching by waiting to see if they change channels.

[will]

Originally Posted by Malfunction

It tunes in the right channel, just records a blank screen that says the channel isn't available and then a Spectrum screensaver. I'm wondering if this is some fuzzy logic to check to see if a user is watching by waiting to see if they change channels.

You might have a bad cable box. A few months ago I had a cable box that wouldn't tune to one channel, I think it was MSNBC, I got a channel not available and then the Spectrum screensaver. I replaced the cable box and the problem went away.

[gdippel]

This could be a result of a weak signal coming to your STB. I also was unable to view MSNBC (Channel 14 in Queens TimeWarner/Spectrum) and it turned out the coaxial cable connection from the main junction box out in the street coming into my house was bad and had to be replaced. The Spectrum cabling in Bayside Queens is underground and the rain and road salt can rot out these connections.

[Malfunction]

Originally Posted by will

You might have a bad cable box. A few months ago I had a cable box that wouldn't tune to one channel, I think it was MSNBC, I got a channel not available and then the Spectrum screensaver. I replaced the cable box and the problem went away.

If it's bad, how is it telling me what channel I'm on? I wonder if I should lengthen the delay between keypresses on the remote for changing channels.

[Malfunction]

I had a chat with a Spectrum tech in Facebook chat. He got my name and phone number and had a look at my numbers. He said my receive levels were way out of spec and if they were either too high or too low it would cause problems. So, I asked if they were too high or too low, which is it? They were too high. I told him wait a minute. I turned down the trimmer on my splitter/amp. OK, please run that test again.

He said the levels were better on 2 of my 3 devices, but still not right. I said OK please wait again. Disconnected the amp and hooked a 4 way splitter with a 75 ohm resistor (termintor) on one terminal. He said they were right around zero, which is where they ought to be. I have a better 3 way splitter on order from Amazon now. I recorded 2 shows on HBO this morning while I was asleep. They came out perfect!