# Cable-box power check prior to recording...



## Dimarc67 (Apr 19, 2005)

Hi. Why can't TiVo be programmed to automatically check if the cable box is turned on before it records something???

In New York City, Time Warner Cable periodically, sometimes frequently, sends software updates and executes remote testing on their Scientific Atlantic cable boxes in the early AM hours. They do not notify customers of these events, and calling to ask receives a barely courteous "We do not have that information available."

The problem is that these events cause the cable boxes to reset and reboot, LEAVING THEM TURNED OFF when complete. I can't tell you how many times I've gone out of town for a few days or more, only to come back and find my cable boxes powered off, and NONE of my shows recorded (and Time Warner almost sadistically unsympathetic). I try to check my cable boxes every morning, but sometimes I forget.

It seems to me that TiVo should be able to check for cable box functionality on a regular schedule (maybe two or three pre-set time per 24 hours), if not before every scheduled recording event. I would think there could be methods of detecting the power-on status of the cable box by examining the incoming signal, or perhaps by testing a channel change, or even just sendind the power-on IR signal a few times to determine the difference and which is the power-on state.

Anyone else suffering this issue? It's notorious in NYC. Is this type of power-on detection just not possible to be considered for TiVo?

Thanks.

David Marcus
New York, NY


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## dirtypacman (Feb 3, 2004)

Thats all well and good that it checks the signal but that still does not allow it to turn on the cable box itself. The Tivo only controls channel changing.

Its not a bad suggestion though:

http://research.tivo.com/suggestions/


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## skanter (May 28, 2003)

Dimarc67 said:


> Hi. Why can't TiVo be programmed to automatically check if the cable box is turned on before it records something???
> 
> In New York City, Time Warner Cable periodically, sometimes frequently, sends software updates and executes remote testing on their Scientific Atlantic cable boxes in the early AM hours. They do not notify customers of these events, and calling to ask receives a barely courteous "We do not have that information available."
> 
> ...


Get a new box. I use TWC in NYC as well, I had two boxes (SA) that always turned themselves off. I got a new one and turnoffs are rare.


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## HotStuff2 (Feb 21, 2005)

Dimarc67 said:


> ...The problem is that these events cause the cable boxes to reset and reboot, LEAVING THEM TURNED OFF when complete.


As a former TWC employee, and someone with basic common sense, I'm surprised you haven't gone into the cable box setup (press SETTINGS twice on the remote) and look at the options available. There's an option to tell the box to turn itself back on after a power loss/failure, another to tell it to auto-power up after an update, another to tell it what channel to turn to when power is turned on (previous channel watched, select the channel, or default to 001), etc.


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## dirtypacman (Feb 3, 2004)

HotStuff2 said:


> As a former TWC employee, and someone with basic common sense, I'm surprised you haven't gone into the cable box setup (press SETTINGS twice on the remote) and look at the options available. There's an option to tell the box to turn itself back on after a power loss/failure, another to tell it to auto-power up after an update, another to tell it what channel to turn to when power is turned on (previous channel watched, select the channel, or default to 001), etc.


Woot Woot we have a winner!!!


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## skanter (May 28, 2003)

HotStuff2 said:


> As a former TWC employee, and someone with basic common sense, I'm surprised you haven't gone into the cable box setup (press SETTINGS twice on the remote) and look at the options available. There's an option to tell the box to turn itself back on after a power loss/failure, another to tell it to auto-power up after an update, another to tell it what channel to turn to when power is turned on (previous channel watched, select the channel, or default to 001), etc.


I have gone to the settings menu many times. My box has no settings (SA Explorer 3250) like the ones you mention. Three cable guys from TW cable have been here, They re-wired in the building, claiming that would fix the problem. It didn't. One cable guy said that "the box is getting tired", and that's why it turns itslf off. 

Which box model are you referring to?


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## GD1082 (Mar 22, 2006)

There is a SIMPLE fix to this...I am in NJ with CABLEVISION....

I have an Scientific Atlanta box....In the settings for the SA Cable box is a setting for Power....There are 2 setttings; one is Power Button only and the other is Numeric keypad...

When I first got my TiVo in 2002 I would get the problem of my SA box turning off and then my TIVO would record black for x amount of time...When I change the SA box settings to use the NUMERIC keypad for power, when TiVo would change the channel it would TURN THE BOX ON!!!! Hence, I NEVER had all-black screen programs again!

- GD1082


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## skanter (May 28, 2003)

GD1082 said:


> There is a SIMPLE fix to this...I am in NJ with CABLEVISION....
> 
> I have an Scientific Atlanta box....In the settings for the SA Cable box is a setting for Power....There are 2 setttings; one is Power Button only and the other is Numeric keypad...
> 
> ...


My SA box (Explorer 3250) has no such settings. You are the second person with a SA box that has different settings than mine. WHAT MODEL IS YOURS??

The best I can do is set the box to turn on at a single time every day. That way if it turns off before that time, the box will turn itself on. There are no other power settings.


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## skanter (May 28, 2003)

Strange, I've read posts by others with the SA 3250 box who seem to have different general setting than i have. Are there different software versions with these boxes?


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## GD1082 (Mar 22, 2006)

Explorer 1850 - Cablevision of New Jersey

http://www.scientificatlanta.com/ExplorerClubGuides/getting_started/4012606.pdf

http://www.scientificatlanta.com/ExplorerClubGuides/getting_started/4003318A.pdf


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## skanter (May 28, 2003)

GD1082 said:


> Explorer 1850 - Cablevision of New Jersey
> 
> http://www.scientificatlanta.com/ExplorerClubGuides/getting_started/4012606.pdf
> 
> http://www.scientificatlanta.com/ExplorerClubGuides/getting_started/4003318A.pdf


Well, that's a different box. But I've read posts on other forums from people with my box, Explorer 3250, who calim to have the same settings as you do, hence my thought that there may be different software versions of the same box.


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## hockeyinsd (Sep 23, 2005)

Its been a while since I've had cable, but DISH has the same problem, but on any of their recievers you can set an auto tune. I seem to remember my cable box having something like that a few years ago when I had digital cable. If that is something you can do, just set an auto tune at 5:59am or some similar time.


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## skanter (May 28, 2003)

skanter said:


> Well, that's a different box. But I've read posts on other forums from people with my box, Explorer 3250, who calim to have the same settings as you do, hence my thought that there may be different software versions of the same box.


I think these are the 3250HD boxes, which have different settings...


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## megazone (Mar 3, 2002)

I have the Explorer 3200 with the setting to turn on when it sees channel changes, not just Power.

Many SA boxes also have the ability to turn on with a timer, so you could set the timer to turn the box on each morning at 5AM or something.


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## skanter (May 28, 2003)

megazone said:


> I have the Explorer 3200 with the setting to turn on when it sees channel changes, not just Power.


It seems my SA Explorer 3250 deos not have this setting. 



> Many SA boxes also have the ability to turn on with a timer, so you could set the timer to turn the box on each morning at 5AM or something.


I do that at 11:00 AM. But it could still turn off if they do the test afterwards...

These 3250 boxes rarely turn off. The previous boxes (forget model) turned off a few times a week, so I implored TWC to switch them out.

What boxes do I want for HD DVR? Does TW use one model, or several? I'll be getting HD plasma soon.


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## megazone (Mar 3, 2002)

For an HD DVR I'd just wait for the TiVo Series3 later this year.


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## skanter (May 28, 2003)

megazone said:


> For an HD DVR I'd just wait for the TiVo Series3 later this year.


Eventually, but until then I want to see some HD. I'm aware that the TW box is no Tivo, but it will record HD, has two tuners, and will only cost a few extra bucks a month in the meantime...


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## lppena (Jun 23, 2005)

Does anyone have clue how to get the two units working together? I managed to get the TIVO to change the channels okay but apparently the 322 powers it self off after and extended period of no activitity from the TIVO channel changer thingy. Additionally, I modified the original channel settings to add pressing enter when changing channels to see if this makes any deference at all. I guess if this doesn't work then my next solution would be to add a DISH NETWORK DVR to my account for $5.98 a month and shelf my SERIES 2 for a while, or sell it. I also have a SERIES 1 that I currently use as a security recorder in conjunction with a color video camera. It's a shame that the SERIES 2 won't really work at all w/o a paid subscription. BNG in Texas.


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## passant (Feb 21, 2009)

I see its been a long time since anyone posted about this problem, but I experienced the same issue while in Buenos Aires.
Time Warner must have done an update and the cable box was then left in off.
No way to turn it back on.
There is no power on setting, so I set a time to turn on each day at 7 am. We'll see if the problems occurs.
Any dieas?


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