Iguide - what a joke! Check out the enhancements brochure for an upcoming update:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=60034
So, if you are watching the tuner that is currently recording something (not buffering) and change channels you have to first manually choose swap tuner before you can do so... how brain dead is that!

Oh lord u'd think Iguide would learn from Passport how to make a functioning guide.

Oh lord u'd think Iguide would learn from Passport how to make a functioning guide.


I think Iguide is older than Passport/Passport Echo.

ajwees41

FYI. For anyone watching Big Brother 7: All Stars note that there was a name change (7 was dropped). My ReplayTVs and my 6416 were not slated to record some/all upcoming episodes because of it. You have to re-setup the series recording.

I saw the same thing last year when "Commander In Chief" was changed to "Commander in Chief". Notice the word "in".

Wow, this thread sure is inactive lately. I guess that's a good thing - a testament to how stable Passport Echo 2.5 or later & current firmware are. For lack of something better to worry/bitch about I'm doing so about the unreleased Tivo S3 over in Tivo forums.

With Tivo S3 in mind has anyone here used CableCard from Cox? If so did you have any problems? I've heard mixed success from users of CableCard and would like to get a feel for what we're in for if we plan to purchase an S3 and use CableCard.

Well, the sound stll drops out randomly, requiring a seek of some sort to get it back. I suppose they have no idea what causes that.

I got an HP 5880N 1080P DLP TV a few months ago. It has the latest firmware (D36). Both component ports are filled (Gamecube and DVD). So I'm using the HDMI port with the 6416 Cox box. Every day or two, when switching channels between HD and SD, the picture will go scrambled. If cycle the input on the HP back to HDMI, it's all cleared up.

Is that a problem with the HP, or the 6416? :confused:

The guys on the HP 1080P forum tend to think it's the 6416, and I'm guessing that also. Anyone else have that issue, or know of a better workaround besides not using HDMI?

Chris

Well, the sound stll drops out randomly, requiring a seek of some sort to get it back. I suppose they have no idea what causes that.

I have lost my audio a couple of times. It has been on sd digital channels and after a local comercial. This was on a recording. I haven't caught a live audio drop in about a month and a half. Do your audio drops happen the same way?

I think the problem is related to seeking within a program; I have a DVD recorder connected to the 6416 in the front, and if I make a recording by starting the program from the beginning then just letting the DVR play 'till it's over, I've yet to have the audio dropout problem ruin a recording.

However, when I'm actually watching a program, I'm usually either FFwing past commercials or skipping back to catch something I'd missed- and then randomly (but not immediately after seeking periods, some time later) the sound will just drop out for no reason. Damned annoying.

I'm so upset with the EAS system!! I'm sick of the EAS knocking out all DVR recordings. Not only does it stop the recording, the DVR does not pick it back up after the EAS finishes!!

Why on earth would I care about an EAS message if I'm watching a recording the next day! stupid stupid stupid.... I cant wait to enjoy the first 7 minutes of my show that was recording. Cant they figure out a way to broadcast an EAS message without stopping the DVR in its tracks?

Since when did they start using EAS for amber alerts?? There were two or three tonight that totally screwed up my DVR.

I would say this is the BIGGEST issue the Cox DVRs have right now, especially with a locality that uses EAS to issue amber alerts.

Dont get me wrong, amber alerts are important, but the Cox/Passport folks need to figure out a way to show EAS without killing recordings.

Yes I agree, this is probably the single biggest reason for missed or partial recordings now. At least the design should be to pick up the recording again once the alert is issued. Personally I would like an option to opt out of alerts all together since for DVR users it does no good anyway.

I think what they were trying to accomplish was this:

You're watching the 5 hour NASCAR race that was recorded yesterday and unbeknownst to you a major event happens (F5 tornado, terrorist attack, melt-down, whatever [knock on wood :(]). They want to make sure you KNOW that something is happening RIGHT NOW and provide instructions. So the DVR stops all processes (recordings, live TV watching, recorded TV watching) and broadcasts the EAS.

I think they should fix it so that the following happens:
Use ONLY one tuner to show EAS, if the other tuner is recording, let it keep recording. If both tuner's were recording, ensure that the DVR restarts the recording after the EAS passes (just like the DVR does when the power goes out).

Its interesting that we didnt have this "feature" in the VCR days. If I was watching NASCAR on tape and an EAS occurred, I'd have no idea.

There's the problem though at least for my use mode - most often I'll watch a recording a day or more AFTER it recorded so the EAS warning would have been useless anyway. I can understand taking 1 tuner to broadcast the EAS warning (and they could enforce it to be the foreground tuner) but WHY BOTH? And why not re-start scheduled recordings after? On top of it all the EAS is never recorded so now one may not even find out about the EAS at all! You would just be pissed that your recordings got screwed. At least if the EAS was recorded into your scheduled program that would almost be better.

Not only that, when did it become MANDATORY that you can't even tune back away from these things and they take over your box?! If I wanna tempt fate and suffer thru one of the "seasons" of SoCal (fire, mudslide, riot and earthquake) unprepared, that's MY choice, right?!

Note that with my ReplayTVs recording analog channels it simply records the EAS overlay over the show and continues on it's merry way - that's the behavior the digital boxes should have as well!! Will be interesting to see the Tivo S3 behavior. Hopefully it cannot be forced tuned to the EAS alert via CableCard.

I wonder if TiVo S3 will be as hackable as the previous versions were? I have a 6-year-old S1 with 2x120GB of space and web access and backdoors enabled in the L.A. place.

If so, even if there's an EAS mandatory tuneaway, we could put it back!

There is a reason that the DVRs can't handle the EAS. It has to be broadcast over an analog channel since the signal can't be compressed to fit onto a digital channel. Therefore, the DVR is forced to tune to a predetermined channel to show the EAS. After it's over, it should go back to the channel you were on, but of course it won't start recording again. As long as the EAS is federally mandated, this behavior won't change, at least until analog is dropped altogether or they come up with a way to better compress the signal.

I agree that it would be nice if it would only take over 1 tuner, but who knows if that will ever happen.

It has to be broadcast over an analog channel since the signal can't be compressed to fit onto a digital channel.
Explain? It's a largely monochromatic screen with a ticker- probably one of the easiest-to-compress signals there is.

There is a reason that the DVRs can't handle the EAS. It has to be broadcast over an analog channel since the signal can't be compressed to fit onto a digital channel. Therefore, the DVR is forced to tune to a predetermined channel to show the EAS. After it's over, it should go back to the channel you were on, but of course it won't start recording again. As long as the EAS is federally mandated, this behavior won't change, at least until analog is dropped altogether or they come up with a way to better compress the signal.

I agree that it would be nice if it would only take over 1 tuner, but who knows if that will ever happen.


So what happens with the EAS when the cable companies start do Digital Simulcasting? Cox in Omaha Nebraska is currently doing DS and all the channels through either the regular or dvr boxes are all digital.

ajwees41

Explain? It's a largely monochromatic screen with a ticker- probably one of the easiest-to-compress signals there is.


I'm no engineer, that's just the way it was explained to me by one. I don't know what part of the signal causes problems as far as compression, but it does. It does the same thing on regular digital boxes too, not just DVRs.

You probably don't remember because it never was an issue, but in the pre-digital days, your tv or analog box didn't automatically change channels when the EAS came on, because it didn't need to.

As far as digital simulcast goes, not sure about that either. Just because the cable company is simulcasting everything in digital might not mean that the source signal isn't analog. As I stated in my previous post, by the time analog goes away entirely, I'm sure there will be a way around the issue.

You probably don't remember because it never was an issue, but in the pre-digital days, your tv or analog box didn't automatically change channels when the EAS came on, because it didn't need to.
I remember 'em. I also remember I could turn away to one of the other stations (usually one of the independents) if I'd wanted to.

(I also lived in an area subject to tornadoes and blizzards, yet had the damn EAS and tests go off far less than they do here in weatherless California. :( )

Basically FCC mandates shoving EAS down our throats. Cox/Passport Echo is just complying with the system specs where you HAVE to force tune to the EAS:
http://www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2004/FCC-04-46A1.html

For analog cable without a cable company set top box force tuning is not possible hence why the "good old days" were better and still are if you are watching analog cable - case in point my ReplayTVs recording from analog channels are not affected.

Thing is there should be a better recovery system once EAS alert is gone for these DVR boxes.

With upcoming OCAP and CC 2.0 standards cable companies will have even greater control over set top boxes and I can just envision in your face advertising all over the place plus some harsh DRM.

http://www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2004/FCC-04-46A1.htmlHrmph. Nothing in there says we shouldn't be allowed to hit the "Last" button to get back to where we were before, though.

Hrmph. Nothing in there says we shouldn't be allowed to hit the "Last" button to get back to where we were before, though.


What if both tuners were tuned to the EAS message? That would explain why you can't hit last and go to the channel you were viewing.

ajwees41

Something strange on my 6412 phase 3. It used to show errors both correctable and uncorrectable as having errors, but today when I checked the both said 000, or no errors.

ajwees41

[QUOTE=collven]You probably don't remember because it never was an issue, but in the pre-digital days, your tv or analog box didn't automatically change channels when the EAS came on, because it didn't need to.

Analog cable boxes on cox in the Omaha Nebraska automatically changed to the channel the showed the tvlistings.

ajwees41

What if both tuners were tuned to the EAS message? That would explain why you can't hit last and go to the channel you were viewing
Each tuner has an individual "last" now, though.

Each tuner has an individual "last" now, though.


But if both tuners were forced tuned to the EAS message they wold not beable to buffer.

ajwees41

At least I could go back to the channel I was watching. Now it just sits there, useless.

A couple of weeks ago we had constant "Tests" one morning and I'd started to throw stuff at the screen when they'd come on every 20 mins.

kcrupdup, have you noticed how Comcast/Iguide handle these events? Does it also not resume scheduled recordings after the EAS completes? (I would guess that is the case but wonder if you can confirm).

Please- call me "Kenny" (it'll prevent name-mangling like wha'ts happened here. :))

I don't have Comcast PVRs in L.A., just my TiVo.

Thing is, I've had Comcast for 2.5yrs and don't ever recall seeing an EAS alert; I've been using Cox here in the OC since January and must have seen it at least a dozen times.

Please- call me "Kenny" (it'll prevent name-mangling like wha'ts happened here. :))

I don't have Comcast PVRs in L.A., just my TiVo.

Thing is, I've had Comcast for 2.5yrs and don't ever recall seeing an EAS alert; I've been using Cox here in the OC since January and must have seen it at least a dozen times.


Do you digital with comcast, or just basic?

ajwees41

All my boxes in L.A. (one HDTV, two "regular") are digital. The TiVo (338Hr S1) is connected to a "regular" box (Moto 5200? maybe).

Big news and interesting read over in Tivo forums. Some detective work uncovered a very recent Tivo filing to FCC which discusses the Tivo S3 currently in beta test and the concerns about Switched Digital Video (which could be a factor for us Cox customers in the near future):
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=308083

I read alot about how the phase III boxes, 6412 or 6416, had improved analog signal over the phase I or II, and I wanted to switch to HDMI input, so I got the nerve up after exchanging out 3 of those phase 1 boxes over the last year and a half and decided to go and exchange my Phase I at the local Cox store in Lafayette, La thinking maybe they fixed the bugs from the phase 1's, yeah right.

Got home with a 6416 installed it, and it appeared it began downloading the minute I plugged it in and connected the cable, it had the "d" sign with the small line circling it. I called cox to activate it so they send the signal and it has not worked since. It keeps rebooting every minute or so and the Passport screen comes up saying please wait, then it shuts off and reboots again, I never got a picture and must have not got any download from them. What a piece of you know what, I should have known better and kept the last phase 1 after finally finding one that didnt cause problems.

They are telling me they are seeing the box but its not taking the signal to download. They are sending a tech out in two days because it sounds like a signal problem and that the 6416 may need more signal strength, but I kept telling them my signal was fine for the 6412 phase I. Has anyone here had a problem with unplugging their old phase I and plugging in the 6416 and it wont work because of weak signal or, as usual, they dont know what the heck they are talking about?

I

They are telling me they are seeing the box but its not taking the signal to download. They are sending a tech out in two days because it sounds like a signal problem and that the 6416 may need more signal strength, but I kept telling them my signal was fine for the 6412 phase I. Has anyone here had a problem with unplugging their old phase I and plugging in the 6416 and it wont work because of weak signal or, as usual, they dont know what the heck they are talking about?


Sounds like a bad box. I replaced a 6412 phase one that had a bad hard drive with another phase one and it kept rebooting. Exchanged it for a phase three no problems, so far.

ajwees41

Thanks thats what I'm kinda figuring that its a hardware problem, but you know it aint never their fault its your line as they always say. You would figure that with all the money cox makes they could find a product for the end consumer that didnt have as many problems as these boxes, and from what Ive been reading the hardware may not be as bad as the outdated software cox uses. As we all know, and cox techs have confirmed, most all those phase 1 boxes they threw onto us cox customers were refirbed comcast boxes that cox bought from comcast. Kinda like lets buy somebody's used equipment, it should work.

But back to the problem I dont know I'll see what the tech says tomorrow. BTW, the way found I found out about Cox in lafayette, La having the phase III was that one of the field techs told me to improve my analog signal get the phase III which had better digital to analog conversion. He also told me that, at least in south louisiana, they wont let them carry the phase III boxes on the truck as replacements, their superiors want them to push those old phase I's on the people right now. The only way to get one was that you had to bring in your phase I to the local office and request it. How you like that for being "your friend in the digital age" as their slogan says. They need to quit playing around with trying to add digital telephone and do what they were designed to do, cable TV.

I'm sure that if cox would have a good equipment they wouldnt need to hire so many people for service and to answer their telephones then our rates wouldnt be so high.

What makes you say it is outdated software? The way I see it Aptiv made passport echo to compete against Iguide which I hear is a pain to use.

ajwees41

Just relaying what I read from the previous posts and other boards. If the software is not the problem I guess then Motorola makes a hunk a junk. When I picked up the box the clerk said that Lafayette is usually the last to get anything in Louisiana at least and we are just getting these phase III boxes here.

The problem is Motorola had to rush a dvr to keep up with SA dvr's and since it needs software (IPG's) to work there lies the problem.


ajwees41

Guide Data

The 6412's guide data went back to show 4-5 days of data instead of the 6-7 that it used to show.


Update from cox Omaha

our guide vender Tribune had a major issue at there facility and where not able to upload the guide information yesterday or today. They have not given us any estimated time of repair for this issue.



ajwees41

You think thats what could be wrong and they just didnt say?

copotay, things aren't really as bad as they might seem to you right now. I'd say the vast majority of users and even people monitoring/posting on these boards no longer have a slew of problems with their DCT64xx III boxes and the Passport Echo software. It's actually very stable right now and aside from a few remaining known issues is quite reliable. The early days of the Cox DVR deployment were a real nightmare in comparison. Even going by this thread alone you will see the problems/complaints have decreased dramatically in the last few months and keep in mind a big portion of posts in these threads are from people having trouble.

Guide Data

The 6412's guide data went back to show 4-5 days of data instead of the 6-7 that it used to show.


Update from cox Omaha

our guide vender Tribune had a major issue at there facility and where not able to upload the guide information yesterday or today. They have not given us any estimated time of repair for this issue.



ajwees41

Don't feel bad.........I have only 3 days of data (Hampton Roads VA.)

Don't feel bad.........I have only 3 days of data (Hampton Roads VA.)


Update the major issue was a fire at the guide data provider.

ajwees41

Thanks for the ecouragement moyekj, I am a very patient person believe it or not, its just that somehow I had a sixth sense I was going to have a problem and after spending an hour on the phone with the tech yesterday as we kept going back and forth back and forth trying to get the box to take his hit it just wouldnt work. I'll give him an A for effort but what aggravates me the most is the upper management not allowing them to carry phase III replacement boxes on their trucks. I will almost guarantee the service guy wont have a phase III box on his truck to replace it even though I told the phone tech to make sure that the service tech has one and he said "I cant guarantee that". I wil let yall know.

And ajwees41, thats the place that supplies the program guide for the entire cox network across the country or is it just aroung the Omaha area, I didnt see any alerts on the local cox website about it?

copotay instead of waiting for a truck roll you should just take your existing defective box to a Cox retail center and swap it out for a new one yourself. No charge for the exchange and save yourself the hassle of having to wait for and be there at the time of a truck roll. The only thing you have to do once you exchange out the box and connect it up is give Cox tech support in your area a call to send a hit to your new box so that it gets the proper subscription level for your service. If indeed after an exchange the problem still persists then you can begin to suspect a localized signal problem at which point a truck roll would be a good option.

I've done exchanges as such multiple times in my market (Orange County, CA) as have others in mine and different Cox markets, so I don't believe your market would be any different.

Thanks, I had to take off of work three hours yesterday just to go get the box and have it activated, its a pain in the you know what, since I already did it three times over the last year with the 6412 Phase I. Its kinda like I pay over $100.00 a month for full service and they should be running to my door with new boxes when one doesnt work, but of course quality is no longer in existence in todays world its just quantity and a dollar aint what it used to be. I had also already asked the phone tech about just going to get a new box and he said my service order would not allow it that a tech had to check the lines, like I already said the 6412 Phase I was working fine and a previous tech had checked the signal two months ago which was good, so it aint the lines unless the 6400 phase III's require more signal strength. I'll make sure to post after the truck rolls and see what the tech says.

BTW bellsouth and cox filed lawsuits against the City of Lafayette, La because the City of Lafayette is running fiber throughout the city for television, internet service, and telephone, so Cox is in a bit of a bind and about to lose about 80,000 customers in the city because the lawsuit failed so you would think that cox again would be trying to keep their Lafayette consumers as happy as possible so they dont switch, but as you can see this is not the case. I guess with all the customers they currently have they can stand to lose 80,000 of them.

Confirmed missing guide data here in Orange County, CA... so it truly is a nationwide problem by the looks of it... interestingly however Zap2it listings (provided by Tribune) still has full 12 days of data as does my ReplayTV guide (also from Tribune).

I wounder why Igude can have two weeks of data on the 6412, but passport echo can only hold 6-7 days of data?

I would expect cable company that gets guide data from Tribune to be affected.


ajwees41

And ajwees41, thats the place that supplies the program guide for the entire cox network across the country or is it just aroung the Omaha area, I didnt see any alerts on the local cox website about it?



I would say the only time I saw a message on our local cox or coxnet page was for a rate change. They don's use for outages or service problems at all.

ajwees41

ok thanks for the info, and we are getting a rate increase of about $6.00

Has anyone heard heard anymore about upgrading to passport Echo 2.7, or the Iguide in the Omaha Nebraska area?


ajwees41

Haven't heard any info.

Update reference 6416. Cable tech came over yesterday and exhanged the box that was not working. He explained that when I got home and plugged it in, it dowloaded all the information needed and that when I called to activate it the phone tech should have asked if it had finished downloading, by looking at the display panel on the box for a certain code, before he hit the box. If it had not finished dowloading and they hit the box it does fry the boxes. All of my lines have sufficient strength so that was not the problem. The field tech then installed a brand new, not refurbed, 6416, (just so happened to bring one for my call), and had to wait about 45 minutes for it to download its information. He then had their office hit the box and it began working with all the channels. As he was checking the channels it cut off and rebooted five times about every five minutes. He contacted his office to make sure that they were not continually sending hits to it, and they were not. Well he ended up getting another box from his truck, a 6412 phase 1, and it worked fine. The tech told me they are having nothing but problems with the 6416's and that every once and awhile they will work flawlessly. They are currently trying to figure out why these boxes are giving them so much trouble. Advice for Louisiana subscribers is to stay away from the 6416 right now until they figure out whats happening. The tech believes it was a bad batch of boxes.

The moral for my story anyway is that I should have left well enough alone because now I am back to square one.

Could be a bad batch of 6416's. I had a 6412 PIII which worked fine (after the 2.5 / 12.31 software updates) until it started to miss recording last month. Took it to the local office and swapped it for a 6416. The 6416 has been working without a problem for about a month. Maybe I am just lucky but my 6416 with Passport 2.5.40 and firmware 12.31 has been very stable. Major improvement from the first year, when I missed about 80% of scheduled recording due to software bugs.

The headend also plays a roll in working properly with these boxes. Remember the early days with the "HD Tiling" problem it took a headend fix to correct that problem. Could be something "different" with Lafayette headend that doesn't play well with phase III boxes causing the problem. The thing I don't get though if it is a headend problem then can't Cox test it out for themselves first (say at employee homes) before deploying?

Ill agree with that test if first before giving to consumers. Oh and that hd tiling problem must be with the head end in Lafayette because they just got that to stop about 6 months ago, we are kinda behind the times over here, we just got offered the telephone service about four months ago.

Damm you guys are behind. I guess La. is not a important spot for Cox I guess.

Could be a bad batch of 6416's. I had a 6412 PIII which worked fine (after the 2.5 / 12.31 software updates) until it started to miss recording last month. Took it to the local office and swapped it for a 6416. The 6416 has been working without a problem for about a month. Maybe I am just lucky but my 6416 with Passport 2.5.40 and firmware 12.31 has been very stable. Major improvement from the first year, when I missed about 80% of scheduled recording due to software bugs.

6416 box for @5 months. Not one problem.

FYI, missing guide data problem (presumably due to TMS fire) was only temporary at least in my OC, CA market - I now have a full set of guide data (7 days).

FYI, missing guide data problem (presumably due to TMS fire) was only temporary at least in my OC, CA market - I now have a full set of guide data (7 days).

Mine was up to 7-8 days the next morning after the initial reports.

Anyone have problems with the 6412 phase3?

Every morning after I wakeup and press list to watch something it says the harddrive might have problems, but after a reboot it is fine. What could be causing this?


Are the 6412 firewire drivers usable with the 6416, or are thier different drivers for the 6416?

ajwees41

Are the 6412 firewire drivers usable with the 6416, or are thier different drivers for the 6416? Firewire is identical for 6412 & 6416 III and same driver works for both and same issues apply to both - for instance having to reboot to regain FF/REW functionality. Whenever you change boxes even if it's another 6412 III you will have to re-associate drivers with the hardware the 1st time you connect to firewire. My 6416 III has been rock solid: recording everything it's supposed to and hasn't rebooted in a long time. If the unit is telling you there is a hard drive problem I'd say it's time to watch/extract remaining recordings and trade it in for a new box. Excessive heat will lead to shorter hard drive lifetimes so make sure you have the unit well ventilated.

I figure once a week my 6412 will give me that same message about "List Failure", ask me if I want to Abort/Cancel, at which point it freezes and reboots itself. It's been doing this since forever. It's irritating, but I have no guarantee that it'll stop if I switch boxes, plus I'd have to re-enter all programs again (and DVD off the ones I've saved).

I may be behind the times, but I just got setup to capture to my PC from the DVR and noticed something funny.

Cox Hampton Roads recently completed its all digital switch over. I can capture channel 1, but no others, not even local over the air stations. I went into the settings menu and all channels are 5c protected. I played an old NBC show from before the switch over (like a year old show), and it captured fine.

Should I complain to Cox? Or are ALL channels supposed to 5c protected now? If not, which channels should be 5c protected and which shouldn't?

Thanks!

Should I complain to Cox? Or are ALL channels supposed to 5c protected now? If not, which channels should be 5c protected and which shouldn't?
The local OTA channels cannot be encrypted so should not have 5C protection. All others are fair game. Here in OC, CA that is the case. You may want to find your local market Cox thread if there is one to see if others are seeing the same.

The local OTA channels cannot be encrypted so should not have 5C protection. All others are fair game. Here in OC, CA that is the case. You may want to find your local market Cox thread if there is one to see if others are seeing the same.

Thanks -- will do...!

The local OTA channels cannot be encrypted so should not have 5C protection. All others are fair game. Here in OC, CA that is the case. You may want to find your local market Cox thread if there is one to see if others are seeing the same.


Channel 32 USA netork in Omaha NE is encrypted, but is not 5c protected. I would say they can be encrypted, but not 5c protected.


ajwees41

Channel 32 USA netork in Omaha NE is encrypted, but is not 5c protected. I would say they can be encrypted, but not 5c protected.


That would be true..they encrypt them for transmission for subscription control, so a basic cable subscriber can't get extended basic channels for example. The 5c protection is up to the content provider. The only ones I ever see it on is premium channels.

Kind of a fine line difference, but that is how I understand it.

Brian

Channel 32 USA netork in Omaha NE is encrypted, but is not 5c protected. I would say they can be encrypted, but not 5c protected. Encrypted channels may or may not use 5C. USA is not an OTA local so can be encrypted. As I said by FCC regulations OTA locals (such as your local CBS,NBC,ABC,FOX,PBS channels) cannot be encrypted. Non-encrypted channels cannot use 5C flag. As far as regulations go I think it is a little more complicated than what I'm saying. I think there is some kind of provision that if there are multiple digital versions of a local channel then at least 1 version must be unencrypted. So it is possible for example if the HD version of the local channel is unencrypted that the SD digital version can be encrypted. I used to have a link to the FCC mandates but can't find it at this moment.

Encrypted channels may or may not use 5C. USA is not an OTA local so can be encrypted. As I said by FCC regulations OTA locals (such as your local CBS,NBC,ABC,FOX,PBS channels) cannot be encrypted. Non-encrypted channels cannot use 5C flag. As far as regulations go I think it is a little more complicated than what I'm saying. I think there is some kind of provision that if there are multiple digital versions of a local channel then at least 1 version must be unencrypted. So it is possible for example if the HD version of the local channel is unencrypted that the SD digital version can be encrypted. I used to have a link to the FCC mandates but can't find it at this moment.

If you find that link, let me know...

So, do I complain to Cox or do I complain to the local station?

Here's a pretty good link:
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr;sid=a58000d1617cf4fac74011d94cfab63f;rgn=div6;vie w=text;node=47%3A4.0.1.1.4.23;idno=47;cc=ecfr
Note specifically the section:
76.1904 Encoding rules for defined business models.

(a) Commercial audiovisual content delivered as unencrypted broadcast television shall not be encoded so as to prevent or limit copying thereof by covered products or, to constrain the resolution of the image when output from a covered product.

(b) Except for a specific determination made by the Commission pursuant to a petition with respect to a defined business model other than unencrypted broadcast television, or an undefined business model subject to the procedures set forth in §76.1906:

(1) Commercial audiovisual content shall not be encoded so as to prevent or limit copying thereof except as follows:

(i) To prevent or limit copying of video-on-demand or pay-per-view transmissions, subject to the requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section; and

(ii) To prevent or limit copying, other than first generation of copies, of pay television transmissions, non-premium subscription television, and free conditional access delivery transmissions; and

(2) With respect to any commercial audiovisual content delivered or transmitted in form of a video-on-demand or pay-per-view transmission, a covered entity shall not encode such content so as to prevent a covered product, without further authorization, from pausing such content up to 90 minutes from initial transmission by the covered entity (e.g., frame-by-frame, minute-by-minute, megabyte by megabyte).

Note that the exceptions above include PPV, VOD and pay/subscription channels - i.e. those can be encrypted.

I think the rules are a little fuzzy still though when you have multiple versions of the same channel such as analog, SD digital, HD. Sounds like cable co's could make a case they are carrying one unencrypted version in their basic tier so are complying with regulations. I would interpret the above though (as many cable companies have) that no unencrypted broadcast transmissions can be retransmitted as encrypted by cable companies that must abide by these must-carry rules. i.e. however you re-transmit them you should not encrypt them.

You should raise the issue with your local Cox. As I mentioned, in our Cox OC, CA market all versions of OTA channels are unencrypted: analog, SD digital, HD.

Thanks so much -- now I will have some ammo if Cox balk's at my request to unencrypt the OTA channels!

(a) Commercial audiovisual content delivered as unencrypted broadcast television shall not be encoded so as to prevent or limit copying thereof by covered products or, to constrain the resolution of the image when output from a covered product.

I think the key here is "covered products". That would mean HD VHS recorders and such, but PCs would not be considered "covered products".

I think the key here is "covered products". That would mean HD VHS recorders and such, but PCs would not be considered "covered products". But a TV with a QAM tuner should be able to tune the channels without a CableCard and as long as that can be the case then any PC with unencrypted QAM tuner can record it. Also firewire output should be unencrypted from the cable box meaning you can capture that as well from PC. The spirit of the regulation is anything broadcast locally unencrypted should be available via cable unencrypted as well.

A TV with a quam tuner is not capable of recording, therefore the 5C acts normally and allows viewing. If you find a firewire card that is HDCP compliant, then you would be able to capture to your PC fine. The spirit of the 5C legislation is to prevent perfect copies of content floating around the Internet, it is not for the convenience of the end user. Until someone can reverse engineer the HDCP and create a patch that will fool the box into thinking the PC is HDCP, we won't be able to use our PCs to archive digital content.

A TV with a quam tuner is not capable of recording, therefore the 5C acts normally and allows viewing. If you find a firewire card that is HDCP compliant, then you would be able to capture to your PC fine. The spirit of the 5C legislation is to prevent perfect copies of content floating around the Internet, it is not for the convenience of the end user. Until someone can reverse engineer the HDCP and create a patch that will fool the box into thinking the PC is HDCP, we won't be able to use our PCs to archive digital content. The topic at hand is not about 5C, it's whether the broadcast locals are allowed to be encrypted or not by the cable company. If they are not encrypted then 5C doesn't even come into the picture for recording purposes.

My DLP bulb blew on my 720p TV. Now I'm using a temporary standard def TV. I can't see the menu/guide now. Is there any way to change the output settings to 480i, even though I can't see the guide? I can watch the tv, but no guide.

Casino: I think if you hold down the "Menu" button while the power is off, you can cycle thru the various scan modes with the (channel?) up/down(?) keys.

Casino: I think if you hold down the "Menu" button while the power is off, you can cycle thru the various scan modes with the (channel?) up/down(?) keys.

I couldn't get this to work.

I couldn't get this to work. To get to the menu the sequence is:
Power off, menu, menu (don't hold down menu button but press it twice in quick succession right after powering off). You should then see current resolution displayed on LED panel and you can cycle through different resolutions (with cursor right on the remote I believe) until you see 480i on the LED and/or get a picture on the TV.

To get to the menu the sequence is:
Power off, menu, menu (don't hold down menu button but press it twice in quick succession right after powering off). You should then see current resolution displayed on LED panel and you can cycle through different resolutions (with cursor right on the remote I believe) until you see 480i on the LED and/or get a picture on the TV.


this worked perfect. Thank you very much.

I finally did get a email back from cox that yes Iguide will replace the current guides, but no timefarme mentioned. They also said we are still supposed to get the upgrade to Passport Echo 2.7.

ajwees41

I have a strange question. I am in San Diego and am on Cox Cable. I live in a condo park that gives free advanced/extended cable to the patrons o fthe park. I currently own a samsung HDTV (no QAM). I have a tv-guide standard def dvr (toshiba). I want to move up to HD. I borrowed a friend's QAM tuner (samsung) so I know I have several QAM channels available. My question is, I have seen the Moto 6412 box on Ebay. Can I just buy it and hook it up to my cable? How does the 6412 get its guide data? Does Cox have a way of disabling these boxes?

I have a strange question. I am in San Diego and am on Cox Cable. I live in a condo park that gives free advanced/extended cable to the patrons o fthe park. I currently own a samsung HDTV (no QAM). I have a tv-guide standard def dvr (toshiba). I want to move up to HD. I borrowed a friend's QAM tuner (samsung) so I know I have several QAM channels available. My question is, I have seen the Moto 6412 box on Ebay. Can I just buy it and hook it up to my cable? How does the 6412 get its guide data? Does Cox have a way of disabling these boxes?

Save your money. It will not work. Cox doesn't allow customers to buy or use a bought 6412 since no legal sales in the US.

ajwees41

Has anyone heard any more about the upgrade to Passport 2.7? I'm in Palos Verdes, and I'd sure like to have the ability to remove channels from the guide list. That's the only feature that makes me want to go back to satellite.

Has anyone heard any more about the upgrade to Passport 2.7? I'm in Palos Verdes, and I'd sure like to have the ability to remove channels from the guide list. That's the only feature that makes me want to go back to satellite.


No
We are still waiting for it also in Omaha Nebraska.

ajwees41

Cox makes a deal with TiVo
2:41 PM CDT Thursday by Atlanta Business Chronicle

Customers of Cox Communications' cable service will soon be able to get TiVo's digital video recording (DVR) services.

Atlanta-based Cox Communications (NYSE: COX), the nation's fourth-largest cable television company, did not disclose the financial terms of its new deal with Alviso, Calif.-based TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO).

TiVo will customize its cable software for deployment on compatible Cox DVR set-top-boxes. TiVo's downloadable software will allow Cox to deliver the TiVo service in Cox subscriber homes without replacing existing DVR boxes, and without an install appointment.

"Cox is committed to offering our customers the best television experience possible," said Steve Necessary, vice president of video product development for Cox Communications. "Our new joint service will allow us to build on the popularity of the TiVo brand while continuing to provide our customers with the simplicity of our products and the award winning customer service they have come to expect."

I can't wait for this. I have a Cox Motorola 6412, phase III box and I'm not thrilled with the interface (Passport Echo). I hope this will be a nationwide thing and won't cost subscribers any more money.

I wounder what this will do to the deal to replace the guides with Iguide that also was just made pablic in the last 2 months?

ajwees41

It will cost customers probably $3-5 more.

------------------------------------------------
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6365434.html?display=Breaking+News

Cox spokesman David Grabert said Cox will initially deploy TiVo on SA set-tops in early 2007. TiVo will be available on Motorola set-tops at a later date. Comcast has a similar deployment schedule with TiVo.

Cox currently charges its customers $9.95 monthly for generic DVR service running on SA and Motorola set-tops, in addition to the fees it charges subscribers for digital cable. Grabert said Cox hasn’t yet determined what it will charge for TiVo service, but it would likely cost customers a $3-$5 monthly premium compared with what the MSO charges for its generic DVRs.

Guess we shall see how the Comcast Tivo goes as no doubt that will be deployed before Cox Tivo.

There was also some announcement by Tivo today that the Series 3 will be available "shortly":
http://www.tivo.com/series3hdDvr.asp
I was planning on buying an S3 when it became available since the future direction was for Cox to go with Iguide, but now this deal providing a Tivo option it makes me think twice. Still, I like the S3 since it has OTA recording capability which Cox Tivo DVR will never have, not to mention hard drive expandibility.

I wounder if Iguide will be the standard guide and the tivo when done will be optional or will it be required to run the 6412's

ajwees41

Cox makes a deal with TiVo
2:41 PM CDT Thursday by Atlanta Business Chronicle

Customers of Cox Communications' cable service will soon be able to get TiVo's digital video recording (DVR) services.

Atlanta-based Cox Communications (NYSE: COX), the nation's fourth-largest cable television company, did not disclose the financial terms of its new deal with Alviso, Calif.-based TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO).

TiVo will customize its cable software for deployment on compatible Cox DVR set-top-boxes. TiVo's downloadable software will allow Cox to deliver the TiVo service in Cox subscriber homes without replacing existing DVR boxes, and without an install appointment.

"Cox is committed to offering our customers the best television experience possible," said Steve Necessary, vice president of video product development for Cox Communications. "Our new joint service will allow us to build on the popularity of the TiVo brand while continuing to provide our customers with the simplicity of our products and the award winning customer service they have come to expect."


I wonder where this leaves IGuide? Maybe TIVO will be an extra $5 per month if you would rather use it over IGuide? IGuide mandatory for all the rest of the STBs...

Reading other press releases, it looks like this deal may be a way to avoid a patent infringment lawsuit similar to the one TIVO won against DISH last week.

Yes it looks very similar to the Comcast Tivo deal. The "generic" DVR (currently with Passport but in the future with Iguide) will be the standard DVR rate. Particular accounts can then choose to go with Tivo in which case the same hardware will receive the Tivo software instead and be charged an additional premium for it (around $5 looks like).

An interesting marketing technique eh? :rolleyes:

1) Passport echo is finally stable and runs pretty darn good. Maybe missing a few functions that people would like, but overall a stable platform.

2) Replace Passport with what widely is expected to be a crappy software solution: IGuide. Cox DVR customers will probably get ticked off.

3) When users tear their hair out because their previously stable DVRs are now crap, Cox will convieniently offer a better software solution then they have ever experienced: Tivo. (at a mere $5 premium).

Seems like the existing $5 monthly DVR service fee should cover the TIVO fee, right?

An interesting marketing technique eh? :rolleyes:

1) Passport echo is finally stable and runs pretty darn good. Maybe missing a few functions that people would like, but overall a stable platform.

2) Replace Passport with what widely is expected to be a crappy software solution: IGuide. Cox DVR customers will probably get ticked off.

3) When users tear their hair out because their previously stable DVRs are now crap, Cox will convieniently offer a better software solution then they have ever experienced: Tivo. (at a mere $5 premium).


Tivo for the 6412 will not even be ready until mid 2007.

ajwees41

Seems like the existing $5 monthly DVR service fee should cover the TIVO fee, right?


Let's hope so. Since we willnot be paying for the Passport Echo mess.

ajwees41

Seems like the existing $5 monthly DVR service fee should cover the TIVO fee, right? No, I think it's pretty clear (like the Comcast deal) that it will be $5 or so MORE than we currently pay for current DVR with Passport Echo - i.e. DVR Service fee will be $10 instead of $5. Probably some percentage of that (maybe most of it) goes from Cox to Tivo as part of the contract. It remains to be seen which Tivo software options specifically will be implemented and how stable the software will run on the Motorola hardware/firmware. If implemented properly it will be well worth the extra $5.

At this point I plan to go ahead with Tivo S3 purchase instead of waiting for this Cox/Tivo solution. If worse comes to worse and SDV cripples the S3 then I can still use it for OTA HD recordings which are probably 80% of my viewing anway.

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned the fact that when you pay the extra $5 (or whatever) a month you'll also be forced to watch Tivo's in-show ads like they introduced awhile back on the stand-alone Tivos to much bitching & moaning from the masses.

"As well as offering the TiVo functionality, the agreement also will bring the DVR maker's advertising platform to those Cox customers who use the service. Like the standalone TiVos, the advertising model would be integrated into the TV watching experience."

I'm also assuming the old 30-sec hack won't exist here (does it even still exist?).

--Walburga

I'm also assuming the old 30-sec hack won't exist here (does it even still exist?). For all current Tivos the hack is still there but who knows if it will be there on Motorola platform. The 30-sec functionality is possible on Motorola box since Iguide has it so I think there's a good chance it will be there. However things like HME, TivoToGo, disk space expansion, etc. are highly unlikely to be there. Of course we don't know how many of those features will be on Tivo S3 either...

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned the fact that when you pay the extra $5 (or whatever) a month you'll also be forced to watch Tivo's in-show ads like they introduced awhile back on the stand-alone Tivos to much bitching & moaning from the masses.

All of which has turned out to be much ado about nothing. The "ads" aren't in-show -- only over commercials. If you FF you barely notice them. Certainly nothing worth complaining about -- I'd happily trade it for season passes that can actually handle schedule conflicts properly (e.g., recording a one hour show for the last half-hour because something else conflicts during the first half hour is not what I had in mind), and figure out it isn't supposed to record the *same* episode of a show every single time it airs if its set to record repeats. Not to mention wishlists, one of the most useful TiVo functions.

And since we don't have a 30 second skip on the Motorola box either... somehow, I can live with that too :)

It will cost customers probably $3-5 more.

------------------------------------------------
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6365434.html?display=Breaking+News

Cox spokesman David Grabert said Cox will initially deploy TiVo on SA set-tops in early 2007. TiVo will be available on Motorola set-tops at a later date. Comcast has a similar deployment schedule with TiVo.

You must have read a different article than the one you referenced: "Cox spokesman David Grabert said Cox will initially deploy TiVo on Motorola set-tops in early 2007. TiVo will be available on SA set-tops at a later date." This one says Moto boxes first then SA

Latest rumors + leaks over at Tivo community indicate a Tivo Series 3 release date of 9/21/06 and a box price of $799. If that turns out to be accurate the $800 upfront price tag coupled with a presumed $12.95 monthly service fee (plus 2x cablecard and an additional outlet fee to Cox) is too rich for my blood. I'll probably just wait on the sidelines for a while and see how the Tivo/Comcast DVR works out (I assume the Tivo/Cox will be virtually the same since it's the same Motorola hardware but will likely be released several months later).

I'll probably just wait on the sidelines for a while and see how the Tivo/Comcast DVR works out (I assume the Tivo/Cox will be virtually the same since it's the same Motorola hardware but will likely be released several months later).

Hopefully Comcasters will be our "beta" testers...

Hopefully Comcasters will be our "beta" testers...


They will also be the beta testers of Iguide unless Cox goes with the new java based Iguide.

ajwees41

Thinking about this some more if the Tivo S3 properly supports unencrypted QAM (and allows manual mapping to guide channels) then I would consider dropping digital cable + Cox DVR for a savings of $28/month. By dropping digital cable I would still have access to all the local HD and digital simulcast local SD channels which constitute about 80% of my viewing anyway. That $28/month would then go towards a bundled service + box fee from Tivo and I would get OTA HD recording capability as a bonus as well.

I HATE the fact that Cox forces you to sign up for digital cable in order to receive HD channels. I don't care about most of the channels in digital lineup or any of the premium channels anyway so I am paying a lot more per month just to get HD channels. Extended basic + HD channels is all I want and I can learn to live without ESPN HD & TNT HD if it means saving quite a lot per month on the cable bill.

Has anyone heard from Videoguy in a while? It would be nice to see what he had to say about the Iguide and Tivo deals.

Also I was just reading on the web that Tulsa Cox is supposedly launch the Iguide tonight, but not sure on it.

ajwees41

They will also be the beta testers of Iguide unless Cox goes with the new java based Iguide.

ajwees41


That would be the J-Guide!

Cable increase

Cox Complete basic is going up to $44.20 On October 1st.


Digital going up $1.

http://www.cox.com/Omaha/Digitalcable/Pricing.asp

ajwees41

I am sure that it might say somewhere in these 3100+ posts but can you change the remote addresses on the 6412? I now have two boxes and might want to use them in the same room someday.

I am sure that it might say somewhere in these 3100+ posts but can you change the remote addresses on the 6412? I now have two boxes and might want to use them in the same room someday.


Nope

ajwees41

Has anyone heard from Videoguy in a while? It would be nice to see what he had to say about the Iguide and Tivo deals.

Also I was just reading on the web that Tulsa Cox is supposedly launch the Iguide tonight, but not sure on it.

ajwees41

Yeah we got some new funky kind of guide while I was out of town. My box hasn't recorded or played back properly since. If I press the setting menu button once I get a choice of grouped channels like: Sports, News programams, Kids channels sports channels and three interactive games. It is kinda nice to see six stations at once on your screen and being able to easily select the channel you want quickly especially if you want to swich back and forth from several football games at once.

I'd rather be able to record properly if I had my druthers though. :)


Also right now I can switch between ESPN and ESPN2 and get different camera angles of the Florida State vs Miami game, kinda cool so far.

Jimbo

Yeah we got some new funky kind of guide while I was out of town. My box hasn't recorded or played back properly conce. If I press the setting menu button once I get a choice of grouped channels like: Sports, News programams, Kids channels sports channels and three interactive games. It is kinda nice to see six stations at once on your screen and being able to easily select the channel you want quickly especially if you want to swich back and forth from severla football games at once.

I'd rather be able to record properly if I had my druthers though. :)


Also right now I can switch between ESPN and ESPN2 and get different camera angles of the Florida State vs Miami game, kinda cool so far.

Jimbo

Sounds like you got the ITV upgrade, not a guide upgrade.

ajwees41

ajwees,

Care to elaborate on what exactly this means?

Sounds like you got the ITV upgrade, not a guide upgrade.

This sounds like the upgrade we got in Hampton Roads a few months back. It's simply a passport upgrade.

ajwees,

Care to elaborate on what exactly this means?


Itv is supposed to be an application the works with any guide software that show multiple channels on one channel Kids,sports,or news six video thumbnails at at a time

ajwees41

This sounds like the upgrade we got in Hampton Roads a few months back. It's simply a passport upgrade.

I am in Hampton Roads - Was this upgrade for DVRs too? I can't view multiple channels on one channel (thumbnails). It would be nice to have. At least if I have this capability, I have not seen how to activate it. It would be nice to see more than one game at a time.

I am in Hampton Roads - Was this upgrade for DVRs too? I can't view multiple channels on one channel (thumbnails). It would be nice to have. At least if I have this capability, I have not seen how to activate it. It would be nice to see more than one game at a time.


go to this website http://www.pioneerdigital.com//mosaic/mosaic.asp it explains it more, it works with the passport echo updste 2.7.

ajwees41

go to this website http://www.pioneerdigital.com//mosaic/mosaic.asp it explains it more, it works with the passport echo updste 2.7.

ajwees41

Nothing at all like what my system displays. Are we (Hampton Roads) supposed to have this, occasio?

Naw I think I missed the line about watching 6 stations at once. I thought he said the guide grouped channels. I'm off for a couple of days but I'll check out the other areas when I get back.

I recently traded out a phase 1 6412 and was given the phase 3 6416. A couple of observations that I've made of the new box....when switching between the channel guide and the recorded programs list I have about a 3-4 second delay. I am also getting an audio delay of several seconds when pushing play after FF thru recorded programming. Is this normal for this newer box? By the way we also have the new 'interactive' menus here in Tulsa. They are accessed with the first push of the 'setup' menu button or found on our cable list at channels 994 thru 999.

My 6416 also has a delay when switching between the guide and recorded programs list - a couple of seconds sounds about right. This is not a big deal for me. My box is fine going from FF to play, no audio delay.

NFL on 6412

Fox and the new bar looked superb, clear HD,
CBS and their new interface was also exeptional, US Open also looked nice
Unsure why CBS won't air past 4:15pm or play their own highlights in HD

NBC poor image quality, looks like the olmpics (Must be compressed from NBC HQ

ESPN - will have to wait till tomorrow night.

CBS couldn't air past 4:15 due to league rules.

CBS couldn't air past 4:15 due to league rules.

That is goofy. I guess they didn't pay as much as fox, who can air longer?

So what if a game goes into overtime? Oh sorry we can't air this...

That is goofy. I guess they didn't pay as much as fox, who can air longer?

So what if a game goes into overtime? Oh sorry we can't air this...

Actually, FOX and CBS take turns each week showing NFL Double Headers. If a game goes long, they will show the entire game.

NFL on 6412

Fox and the new bar looked superb, clear HD,
CBS and their new interface was also exeptional, US Open also looked nice
Unsure why CBS won't air past 4:15pm or play their own highlights in HD

NBC poor image quality, looks like the olmpics (Must be compressed from NBC HQ

ESPN - will have to wait till tomorrow night. Agreed, NBC OTA looks just like the Cox signal and not as good as CBS & FOX.

Actually, FOX and CBS take turns each week showing NFL Double Headers. If a game goes long, they will show the entire game.

I miss the "old days" when the two networks would each show a 1pm and 4pm game. Of course in those days games seldom lasted the entire 3 hours. Today we have 1 hour of gametime and 2 hours of commercials.

Today we have 1 hour of gametime and 2 hours of commercials.

Thats why I use the 6412 and record the game. I then start watching it about 45-60 minutes in and then "skip" the commercials for most of the game...! This is one of my favorite uses of the 6412.

Dvr guide data down to 1 day.

I only have guide data for today and the rest say loading data.

ajwees41

Dvr guide data down to 1 day.

I only have guide data for today and the rest say loading data.

ajwees41

Well they must've fixed it cause I got more then a day's worth of data on mine.

I've got a sound issue. I have a Sony AV receiver, STR-DG300, hooked up with digital coax to a 6416, and I don't get surround sound. The receiver says it's getting dolby digital 2 channel, even on shows that say surround sound on the guide. It works fine with my Oppo DVD player. I tried setting PCM on the 6416, but it does the same thing. Anything I'm missing in how to set this up?

Dvr guide data down to 1 day.

I only have guide data for today and the rest say loading data.

ajwees41


Did you try the "Force Guide Data Re-download" trick? (Hold down the guide button on the box itself for 10 seconds)

I've got a sound issue. I have a Sony AV receiver, STR-DG300, hooked up with digital coax to a 6416, and I don't get surround sound. The receiver says it's getting dolby digital 2 channel, even on shows that say surround sound on the guide. It works fine with my Oppo DVD player. I tried setting PCM on the 6416, but it does the same thing. Anything I'm missing in how to set this up?


Some of the channels say they have surround sound, but it is only matrix surround (Dolby Pro Logic). The only channels that I actually get with Dolby 5.1 are HD channels and Encore.

In PCM, the DVR cannot provide more than 2 channels of digital audio.

so i have the nip/tuck on record first runs only, but it will never record them, it is the new season, what am i doing wrong?

I have the same problem with other shows. I have to record all episodes to get it to work. I seem to recall posts on here referring to this issue, and that being the "solution". I think it has to do with the "new" flag not being set in the Guide Info.

--Walburga

so i have the nip/tuck on record first runs only, but it will never record them, it is the new season, what am i doing wrong?

It could also be a slight change in Title of the program too:

"Nip/Tuck" is not the same as "Nip / Tuck"

I would first try deleting the old series recording and create a new one.

Walburga is right about the "New" tag... Cox has no control over the guide content, so its up to the guide provider to provide proper guide info. I have found that with shows that air multiple times a week (like the Sopranos), only the FIRST show is considered "New". All others don't get the "New" tag. So if you tell it only to record "New" shows, make sure you set it to record all shows, at all times.

If that doesn't work, set it to record repeats and then specify the channel, time, and day to record. You may end up with some reruns, but you definately won't miss the new ones (unless it changes its time slot frequently).

Everyday I review whats going to be recorded in the next day or so to make sure everything looks as it should.

If that doesn't work, set it to record repeats and then specify the channel, time, and day to record. You may end up with some reruns, but you definately won't miss the new ones (unless it changes its time slot frequently).

In my rushed (had to get ready for work),cryptic way, this is what I meant by having to record "all" episodes - I meant "new & repeats" but for that channel, time, and day-of-week only.

Like mat123 said, that means I get reruns, but that's better than getting NO episodes! :cool:

--Walburga

Some of the channels say they have surround sound, but it is only matrix surround (Dolby Pro Logic). The only channels that I actually get with Dolby 5.1 are HD channels and Encore.

In PCM, the DVR cannot provide more than 2 channels of digital audio.

Thanks. I was watching House on HD last night, and finally got surround out of it. As you say, it seems like a lot of shows on SD channels say surround, but don't actually send it.

Well the crippled Tivo Series 3 is released with no TivoToGo, or Multi-Room Viewing (and there is no promise these features will ever be there since it requires CableLabs approval) and even E-sata external drive is not currently functional - and all that for a mere $800 for the box and $13/month for the service. Even worse, if you happen to only use 1 cablecard then it cripples the other tuner completely for all inputs. If you choose no cablecard then there is no way to map unencrypted QAM channels to guide data thereby rendering it effectively useless. No thanks!

If/when Tivo software is available to us on the DCT64xx series it will be a superior choice to the S3 in my mind since it's very likely firewire capture for non-protected channels will continue to work.

moyekj


When the tivo and Iguide come out for the 6412 will update your webpage with Iguide and Tivo tricks or will just drop it ?

ajwees41

moyekj
When the tivo and Iguide come out for the 6412 will update your webpage with Iguide and Tivo tricks or will just drop it ?
ajwees41 My original plan was to buy a Tivo S3 and dump the DCT6416 and therefore no plans to update the web page anymore. However, seeing as the S3 is so crippled and with little prospects of implementing TivoToGo I won't be buying it and I will have to re-consider. There are already several web pages out there on Iguide and by the time we get Tivo software Comcast markets will have had it for several months, so it's likely there will be other web pages on that already out there. If needed it probably would just make sense to put together another web page and leave the current one alone. Cross that bridge when we get to it I guess. For now I'm totally bummed about the S3...

If/when Tivo software is available to us on the DCT64xx series it will be a superior choice to the S3 in my mind since it's very likely firewire capture for non-protected channels will continue to work.

I wish we could get Cox Hampton Roads to unencrypt the local OTA channels for firewire transfer.... :(

I just swapped out a 6412 III for a 6416 III and the non HD picture quality is much worse. I know it has been discussed, but never saw a solution other than adjusting the sharpness.

Also, when I check my disk space it shows 33 hours. Does anyone know if this is HD time or analog time? I should have more than just 33 hours in analog time.

If I had my choice, I would take my 6412 back in a second.

Analog takes up alot more room the digital or HD.

ajwees41

I just swapped out a 6412 III for a 6416 III and the non HD picture quality is much worse. I know it has been discussed, but never saw a solution other than adjusting the sharpness.

Also, when I check my disk space it shows 33 hours. Does anyone know if this is HD time or analog time? I should have more than just 33 hours in analog time.

If I had my choice, I would take my 6412 back in a second.

I am also from Tulsa and switched out my 6412 (phase 1) box for a 6416 about a month ago, but didn't notice any significant quality differences on non HD programming. I did notice some delays when moving between menus and guides and some audio delays when FF recorded programming. I'm not sure how accurate the 'hours' left meter is, since you are recording HD, digital, and analog programming and each type uses a much different amount of harddrive space. I do know that I much prefer the additional space for recording programming on the 6416.

Analog takes up alot more room the digital or HD.

ajwees41


Are you sure? I know Analog takes more space than digital, but doesnt HD take up significantly more space than either analog or digital?

Are there any specs that show estimated space under these 3 formats?

Are you sure? I know Analog takes more space than digital, but doesnt HD take up significantly more space than either analog or digital?

Are there any specs that show estimated space under these 3 formats?


I don't know the ratios, but digital takes up the least, then analog, then HD. I think I once read that 1 hour of HD takes up the same amount of space as 4 hours of analog.

I don't know the ratios, but digital takes up the least, then analog, then HD. I think I once read that 1 hour of HD takes up the same amount of space as 4 hours of analog.


That sounds about like what I heard.

Moyekj - you know of any specs?

I have been specifically recording certain shows in SD just to save precious space over HD recording - I would hate to think that I have been doing this when I could have had HD....

That sounds about like what I heard.

Moyekj - you know of any specs?

I have been specifically recording certain shows in SD just to save precious space over HD recording - I would hate to think that I have been doing this when I could have had HD.... specs will vary depending on exact program being recording, but in general it will be (from most space to least space):
1080i HD
720p HD
encoded SD from analog
SD digital (480i)

Here are some sample bit rates of each type to give you an idea. Note that the analog encoding bitrate is pretty high so analog encoded recordings do consume quite a lot of space compared to SD digital recordings:
http://replayguide.sourceforge.net/dct6412/DCT6412_Passport.html#Sample_Mpeg2_Transport_Stream

Since Cox OC has digital simulcast versions of the complete analog lineup the DVR no longer needs to encode anything since everything being recorded is already digital. So this effectively means our recording capacity for SD channels went up quite significantly.

Well, I switched my screen ratio from 4:3 preserve 480i to 4:3 stretch and now my non-HD channels look better than my HD channels. I'm not sure I like this new box, my old one had a better picture.

Most of my recording is done in 1080i, that's why I was wondering if the disk storage was telling me I had 33 hrs in 1080i, not 33 hours in something else. I recorded 2 shows in 1080i last night, and now the disk storage shows 30 hours.

I don't think that the box records in 1080 or 720, it just records the raw data stream, so there would be no difference in recording capacity. On the 120GB hard drive model, you get about 10 hours of HD OR about 50 hours of SD digital OR about 30 Hours of analog. Of course your actual mileage may vary.

Time remaining indicators for these boxes really is not accurate or useful. As schmitter stated for the digital channels the box is storing the raw data stream which can vary immensely from program to program. The output setting you select for the box in no way affects how it records things. The box has no way of knowing how much space upcoming digital recordings will consume. So the best statistic is how much remaining disk space for recordings do you have (which we can get already through diagnostic menus) and maybe express that as a percentage of the total.

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=318353

1) Complete pricing information on all Cox services can be found by
visiting:

http://www.cox.com/fairfax/rates.asp

2) Each piece of digital equipment leased from Cox--whether set-top receiver or CableCard--does require a digital/service/digital gateway.
Again, these and all other related charges can be found by visiting above web site. Additional CableCard information can be found by
visiting:

http://www.cox.com/fairfax/Digitalcable/cablecard.asp

3) At this time there is no self-install option available for CableCard because the installation process is a complex one requiring real-time coordination of activities between our technicians and our dispatchers.

4) Before making your purchase decision, it may also interest you to know that Cox has entered into an agreement with TiVo to make its user interface available to Cox DVR subscribers. We are excited to add TiVo to the portfolio of Cox entertainment services. Here are a few salient points about this coming change:
A) The service is expected to begin launching in select Cox markets by late 2007.
B) Cox is committed to offering our customers the best television experience possible. Our new joint service will allow those customers interested in the TiVo user interface to easily use it while continuing to enjoy the simplicity of our products and the award winning customer service they have come to expect from Cox.
C) The software will allow Cox to deliver the TiVo. service in customers? homes without replacing existing DVR boxes and without an install appointment or truck roll. Customers will continue to enjoy Cox?s dual tuner functionality and ability to record programs in HD while navigating with TiVo software.
D) The service will feature the popular TiVo user interface and new innovations that link the capabilities enabled by Cox?s broadband network like:
On DEMAND ? integrates search and menu with OD offerings
HDTV ? current TiVo stand alone boxes are not HD capable. With Cox and TiVo, customers can easily enjoy both.
Exclusive TiVo features like Season Pass? recordings, WishList.
searches
E) The TiVo software upgrade will be available for a few dollars more per month. Exact final pricing has not been determined at this time.
Additional information on Cox products and services is available on our web site at http://www.cox.com/fairfax We hope that we have been able to provide you with the information you requested. If we have not, or if we can be of any additional service to you, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

My name is David
Thank you for choosing Cox Communications, Your Friend in the Digital Age!

Sincerely,
The Cox Northern Virginia Online Customer Care Team

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=318353


What was the point of this post? Cox Fairfax uses SA equipment not motorola.

ajwees41

The point was pretty obvious and highlighted in bold as well as mentioned in the title:
The service is expected to begin launching in select Cox markets by late 2007.
The select markets are those with Motorola units - SA units are way beyond that. With the Comcast/Tivo on Motorola boxes slated to happen end of this year/early 2007 I would have expected Cox/Tivo to follow shortly after - say mid 2007, not end of 2007.

The select markets are those with Motorola units - SA units are way beyond that. With the Comcast/Tivo on Motorola boxes slated to happen end of this year/early 2007 I would have expected Cox/Tivo to follow shortly after - say mid 2007, not end of 2007.

I hope they keep Passport around until TIVO is available on my Motorola box. I'm very apprehensive about IGuide.

I hope they keep Passport around until TIVO is available on my Motorola box. I'm very apprehensive about IGuide. I hear you... Passport has matured into pretty stable software right now. It's hard to justify spending $800 on the Tivo S3 and deal with potential growing pains problems (the Tivo forum is full of complaints) and lose the capability of offloading unprotected shows. If/when the S3 gets TivoToGo and the price comes down I may go for it - until then the DCT6416 w/ Passport Echo is adequate.

Remember the problem with the DCT64xx and Emergency Alert System? i.e. Stopping recordings in progress and not resuming them once alert is over. Well Tivo S3 suffers from the same problem (as apparently does any Cablelabs certified box by FCC mandate):
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=318432

Remember the problem with the DCT64xx and Emergency Alert System? i.e. Stopping recordings in progress and not resuming them once alert is over. Well Tivo S3 suffers from the same problem (as apparently does any Cablelabs certified box by FCC mandate):
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=318432


Well, at least we're not the only ones...

I know its been said before, but in a community where they issue lots of amber alerts and use EAS to broadcast them, this can get very annoying. They should fix the box so that the recording picks up afterwards. Example: If you unplug the box during a recording the box picks up the recording when you plug it back in. Seems like this shouldn't be hard to do. Oh well -- I haven't seen an EAS for weeks now.

Well, at least we're not the only ones...

I know its been said before, but in a community where they issue lots of amber alerts and use EAS to broadcast them, this can get very annoying. They should fix the box so that the recording picks up afterwards. Example: If you unplug the box during a recording the box picks up the recording when you plug it back in. Seems like this shouldn't be hard to do. Oh well -- I haven't seen an EAS for weeks now.


It is a problem at the headend not the STB.

We have EAS test 2-3 times a month where I live. My STB resumes recording with no problems.

Interesting..do you use the Motorola 6412 w/Passport too?

Now that I think of it, I've never had a recording interrupted by EAS. Maybe I'm just lucky and they don't get issued very often here in Northeastern Kansas. I know I've seen them on, but I've never seen a failed recording due to one.

It is a problem at the headend not the STB.

We have EAS test 2-3 times a month where I live. My STB resumes recording with no problems.

I believe scanpa is in the Comcast/Iguide market (working for Comcast?)... so could be Iguide handles it differently.

Since I caved (against better judgement) and now own Tivo S3 here's my initial Tivo S3 vs. DCT64xx w/ Passport Echo comparison:
http://replayguide.sourceforge.net/dct6412/DCT6412_Passport.html#DCT6412Passport_Versus_Tivo_Series_3

In short I actually think the Passport Echo GUI and functionality is mostly superior to the Tivo S3. The biggest advantages of the S3:
- Can record OTA on both tuners in addition to entire cable lineup (with cablecards)
- Bigger drive out of the gate (250G) and can easily upgrade the internal drive from a linux boot disk
- First Run only Season passes that actually work
- 30-sec skip is nice to have back again
- Showing what's recording on the front panel is a nice feature

Still considering the hefty $800 price tag just for the box (not to mention service fees) and missing TivoToGo and MRV functionality I would not recommend this box to anyone who is not a Tivo fanatic. Even though I own a Tivo now I can't say I'm impressed at all by the GUI - seems very archaic to me.

Quiet thread lately... my poor DCT6416 is mostly going unwatched these days since the Tivo S3 (now with dual cablecards installed and working in addition to OTA) is getting all the action these days. I will probably turn in the DCT after a couple more weeks testing the S3 to save $15/month on my cable bill.

For show captures I'm going to depend fully on my Fusion 5 USB HD tuner (supports unencrypted QAM captures) and won't have the DCT firewire capture as a backup option anymore. That's probably the biggest thing I'll miss about the DCT. I thought I would be keeping the DCT around much longer to work out kinks in the S3 but so far (knock on wood) I have not had any reliability issues with the S3 - it records everything from OTA & cable I have asked it to. If major issues do surface I can always just rent the DCT again if necessary. That's the nice thing about cable DVRs - they are always there ready for you to rent at low cost should you want them.

In any case, it was a fun journey with DCT + Passport Echo and glad to see it matured into the stable platform it is today. Too bad it's days are numbered at Cox and will be interesting to see how the Iguide release goes and following that the Tivo software option.

If after a month you don't find any major issues, I'm gonna do the same thing. I really prefer the TiVo interface.

How much storage comes with the Vanilla S3 box? (I know, I know, GIFYS!)

If after a month you don't find any major issues, I'm gonna do the same thing. I really prefer the TiVo interface.

How much storage comes with the Vanilla S3 box? (I know, I know, GIFYS!) 250G Sata drive. There are already people who have upgraded to a 750G internal drive since it's a very easy procedure (same as the S2 boxes). So far the 250G has been plenty for my needs since it's already quite a big step up in available space compared to the DCT6416 and gives you at least around 30 hours of HD recording space. Down the road I will likely use the E-Sata route for expansion once/if it is enabled.

750G? Oh yeah, I'm there- sometimes I'm away from the house for longish periods of time (business travel) and when I am home don't always get to watch, anyway. 750Gs is what? 90 hrs of HD and a gazzillion of simulcasted SD?

Do you know what the current S3 max storage limit is? I've got at least 4 >300G drives just sitting here in my office collecting dust that could be turned into an array.

What did the TIVO setup cost? What are the chances of obsolescence? Does it output component RGB?

750G? Oh yeah, I'm there- sometimes I'm away from the house for longish periods of time (business travel) and when I am home don't always get to watch, anyway. 750Gs is what? 90 hrs of HD and a gazzillion of simulcasted SD?

Do you know what the current S3 max storage limit is? I've got at least 4 >300G drives just sitting here in my office collecting dust that could be turned into an array. Yeah, 750G will give you at least 90 hours of 1080i HD, more if you record some 720p stuff. 1 guy in Tivo forums reported he got things working with a 1TB Raid 5 array could not get things working with >1TB. Don't remember exactly what the limitation is. Problem with that setup is keeping the drives outside the Tivo and having to run cables to them you will need to perform surgery on the case if you want to close it - definately doesn't help the WAF. For me a single 750G drive (available now) would be more than enough even during vacation times.

Oh, there's no facility for large drives via the E-sata yet? Or, is that just if you collect a bunch of disks into an array?

What did the TIVO setup cost? What are the chances of obsolescence? Does it output component RGB? Not cheap at all: $699-$800 for the box depending where you shop.
Then you also have to pay service either monthly for $12.95 or a prepaid service for 1,2,3 years. I bought the prepaid 3 year service plan for $300 since I hate monthly payments and it equates to a discounted service rate of $8.33/month. If you own other Tivos already there are various ways of getting discounted service payments.

Biggest threat to obsolescence is if your cable company employs Switched Digital Video (SDV) for some channels which requires a 2-way communication capable box in order to tune which the S3 cannot do. However that should only affect less popular channels if deployed at all by your cable company. So far nobody but TWC has employed SDV in production in something like 3 select markets. It's likely Cox will also follow in some markets sometime next year however so there certainly is a risk even though it's a limited risk and only on least popular channels. I'm actually using mostly OTA HD recordings with my S3 so even in the worst case scenario where all cable HD channels go SDV (extremely unlikely) I would still have a use for the S3 since obviously OTA is not affected by SDV.

Oh, there's no facility for large drives via the E-sata yet? Or, is that just if you collect a bunch of disks into an array? E-sata port (for external hard drive connections to the Tivo without having to open the case) is not enabled yet on the S3. Right now if you want to upgrade you have to replace the internal Sata drive with a bigger one. The procedure is fairly straight forward but requires you to have a PC with SATA ports in order to mirror the Tivo image of the original drive to the new drive and then run mfstools to expand the partition on the bigger drive - or alternatively you can buy a larger drive with the Tivo software pre-installed from a 3rd party such as Weaknees for a premium beyond just the cost of the drive.
Tivo has stated they are working on getting E-sata functionality up and running for a future software update but have not commited a release date and there is no guarantee that it will ever be released.

Right now from my understanding the internal Sata drive seems to be limited to 1TB (I think some kind of file system limitation) and no idea if such a limitation would exist for E-Sata.

In any case, it was a fun journey with DCT + Passport Echo and glad to see it matured into the stable platform it is today. Too bad it's days are numbered at Cox and will be interesting to see how the Iguide release goes and following that the Tivo software option.

Well, I hope you still hang out with us in the forum! You're the expert when it comes to the 64XX. I'm going to hang tight and wait for the TIVO software to come to Cox. I have multiple Cox DVRs and can't see buying multiple TIVOs at $800 a pop. I'm quite happy with the Cox DVR as it stands. I'm hoping for a simultaneous I-Guide and TIVO release; and hope to never have to experience I-Guide at all!

Thanks moyekj.

For $800, I'm staying with the 6412.

Is there a better way to archive to the computer than firewire and CapDVHS that I've been using for a while now?

Thanks moyekj.

For $800, I'm staying with the 6412.

Is there a better way to archive to the computer than firewire and CapDVHS that I've been using for a while now?

nope

ajwees41

Thanks ajwees41.

I get breakups fairly often, but not always on the archive. Not sure why. Seems to be mostly with Smallville. But then I mostly archive Smallville.

Thanks ajwees41.

I get breakups fairly often, but not always on the archive. Not sure why. Seems to be mostly with Smallville. But then I mostly archive Smallville.


Where are they noticed on the 6412 or after transfered to pc?

The pc might not be fast enough or doing to much to keep up.

ajwees41

Thanks moyekj.

For $800, I'm staying with the 6412.

Is there a better way to archive to the computer than firewire and CapDVHS that I've been using for a while now? I'm using an unencrypted QAM capable PC HD capture card to do it. Before 5C was turned on most of the encrypted channels in our headend the firewire capture had the advantage since no PC capture card can capture encrypted cable channels. However now that 5C is turned on for most channels other than unencrypted ones the capture card is the better/quicker solution. I'm using Fusion 5 USB HDTV tuner ($149) which supports both ATSC & unencrypted QAM. While the hardware is good the software & firmware stink so I can't in good faith recommend it to anyone. But in conjunction with some free 3rd party scheduling software (Record_This) I can now schedule QAM HD recordings (something MCE can't do) and it's good enough for my occasional HD capture needs - mostly capturing 2 shows per week right now.

Thanks to both guys.

ajwees41, just noticed after capture. But like I said it's random. The PC is doing nothing else at the time. It's a P4 2.53 ASUS P4PE. I have many captures that have worked so I was suspecting the fire wire output from the box.

moyekj, I might give it a try.

I've been reading and waiting here and sometimes commenting, but its time for the TiVo 3 and its flexablity. I haven't been getting anything out of the Motto, not enough disk space. Fox, CBS, & WB all HD are only availble OTA not cable where I am. I have already purchased a Lifetime sub from ebay (ouch!) FIOS is around the corner and I will be able to just change cards if I choose in the future. Verizon will not be using the switch techonology.

Wrote a check to Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) for the war effort.

No consumer should have gone through what we have on this thread.

Well, I hope you still hang out with us in the forum! You're the expert when it comes to the 64XX. I'm going to hang tight and wait for the TIVO software to come to Cox. I have multiple Cox DVRs and can't see buying multiple TIVOs at $800 a pop. I'm quite happy with the Cox DVR as it stands. I'm hoping for a simultaneous I-Guide and TIVO release; and hope to never have to experience I-Guide at all! Yeah I'm still subscribed to this and other threads so will be keeping up... Supposedly Tivo & CableLabs are working to certify Multi-Room Viewing (MRV) on the Tivo S3. So if that becomes a reality and it works for viewing HD content between Tivos then that may be incentive for me to purchase another S3 at some point. I think Cox/Tivo release is slated towards end of 2007 at best while Iguide will likely come out earlier - at least that was the last information I recall reading about.

firewire capture trouble

I can not get the capture working anymore. It counts down in CapDVHS, but nothing shows up in the Data info tab.

Could the firewire port on the 6412 go out?


More info I got it to work, but I am only getting video no audio on the firewire capture.

ajwees41

The firewire captures can sometimes be hit or miss. On occasion I had to re-capture a show multiple times via firewire before I got a "clean" version that could be edited to take out commercials. The "bad" captures exhibited some strange behavior where playback would get stuck or jump ahead several minutes or mpeg editor would just freeze up when trying to process them. I believe the root cause was missing bits during the capture - I don't believe there is any error checking in the hacked Panasonic DVHS driver doing the capture so you can end up with bad captures (with errors).

ajwees41, it's likely the audio is there but whatever you are using for playback can't find the audio stream or doesn't have right codec for it. You can use the free TSReaderLite to examine the transport stream to see if it lists an audio stream.

The firewire captures can sometimes be hit or miss. On occasion I had to re-capture a show multiple times via firewire before I got a "clean" version that could be edited to take out commercials. The "bad" captures exhibited some strange behavior where playback would get stuck or jump ahead several minutes or mpeg editor would just freeze up when trying to process them. I believe the root cause was missing bits during the capture - I don't believe there is any error checking in the hacked Panasonic DVHS driver doing the capture so you can end up with bad captures (with errors).

ajwees41, it's likely the audio is there but whatever you are using for playback can't find the audio stream or doesn't have right codec for it. You can use the free TSReaderLite to examine the transport stream to see if it lists an audio stream.


I got it fixed the 6412 need rebooted and the audio andio finally transfered to the computer.

ajwees41

Comcast/Tivo will have remote scheduling capabilities according to a Comcast CSR email:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8690757&&#post8690757
Hardly a "unique to Tivo" feature as the Comcast representative put it (ReplayTV users can schedule in real time over the web) but interesting nonetheless.

Comcast/Tivo will have remote scheduling capabilities according to a Comcast CSR email:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8690757&&#post8690757
Hardly a "unique to Tivo" feature as the Comcast representative put it (ReplayTV users can schedule in real time over the web) but interesting nonetheless.

I would love to be able to schedule and manage recordings over the internet... I was on vacation a couple weeks ago and came home to a DVR full of stuff I watched while I was away. Right now, I have to have a family member go to my house and talk them through the process of deleting shows for me so my DVR won't get so full.

I would love to be able to schedule and manage recordings over the internet... I was on vacation a couple weeks ago and came home to a DVR full of stuff I watched while I was away. Right now, I have to have a family member go to my house and talk them through the process of deleting shows for me so my DVR won't get so full.


How did you watch them while you where gone? I wish they could enable the ethernet port on the 6412 with the Aptiv software. I mean sure yould wouldn't be able to do HBO and other premium services, but it would probably rent more dvr's if the port was enabled.

ajwees41

I wonder if MRV with the 6412 with Tivo will be avalable on non dvr's? It could be since since Cox already use a server for EOD.

ajwees41

I would love to be able to schedule and manage recordings over the internet... I was on vacation a couple weeks ago and came home to a DVR full of stuff I watched while I was away. Right now, I have to have a family member go to my house and talk them through the process of deleting shows for me so my DVR won't get so full.


You will be able to do this, Comcast is building a website were you can adjust your DCT-34xx & DCT 64xx series STB DVR settings & recordings via the WWW.

It is in the works and is due out 1st qtr. 2007 for both TiVo & I-Guide DVR software platforms.

Have not yet been told if this will be a free feature or a add on feature ($$$ per month)

Hopefully Cox will get it also when we switch to Iguide and tivo. If it works with cox and the iguide I will not need to use the tivo software for the 6412. I wounder if the firewire captures will still work with the Iguide?

ajwees41

Hopefully Cox will get it also when we switch to Iguide and tivo. If it works with cox and the iguide I will not need to use the tivo software for the 6412. I wounder if the firewire captures will still work with the Iguide?

ajwees41

Cox will need to design there own online website that will allow there users to access there DVR settings.

I wish Cox would launch Iguide already. Passport Echo is a mess.

ajwees41

Are you serious? if Adelphia uses iGuide then that system sucks. I will be quitting cox and getting a Moxi if that is the case.

I think passport works just fine.

Are you serious? if Adelphia uses iGuide then that system sucks. I will be quitting cox and getting a Moxi if that is the case.

I think passport works just fine.

Where did you get Aldelphia from this is a Cox forum?

ajwees41

I was commenting that Passport on the Motoral in Irvine COX is great, and that adelphia uses something that is crummy, and if that is IGuide, then I guide sucks.

I was commenting that Passport on the Motoral in Irvine COX is great, and that adelphia uses something that is crummy, and if that is IGuide, then I guide sucks.


Why do you say Iguide sucks? I guide can hold up to 2 weeks of data Passport Echo hold 7. There i talk over in the comcast forum that the next Iguide release should include web based scheduling.

ajwees41

How did you watch them while you where gone?

ajwees41

I watched them on TV -- live, the old fashioned way. I guess I would need a slingbox to watch my DVR over the net.

Cable might increase prices again


The local channels might ask to get paid from cable just like Dish and Directv pay them right now.

ajwees41

http://www.localtelonline.com/EchoViewersGuide.pdf

according to above passport echo includes PIP functions.

it really does't say what version it is, but looks to be 2.5 or 2.7.

ajwees41

Probably 2.7. When the hell is Cox gonna do that Passport upgrade anyway?

Probably 2.7. When the hell is Cox gonna do that Passport upgrade anyway?

I heard it might be the middle of this week. I hope we get the upgrade that allows PIP. Some cable systems have the 2.7 without PIP.

ajwees41

Returned the DCT6416 to Cox today since the Tivo S3 has been very reliable and I'm getting used to the Tivo interface. Only issue I've had with S3 so far is the local NBC HD OTA feed is sometimes "toxic" to the S3 causing it to reboot - the Cox re-transmission of that channel is fine so that's what I record (filtering the OTA feed of that channel from my lineup for now). Filed the problem with Tivo so shall see if they are any good at debugging such issues. Feels kind of weird not having the DCT in the cabinet anymore but for $15/month it was a waste to have it sitting there unused...

Cox has no plans to enable the PIP on the Motorola 6412 phase 3 and newer dvr's.

ajwees41

Omaha got Passport Echo 2.7 at 2A.M . this morning. Firmware 12.35

ajwees41

Not much more difference except for some tweaks but I haven't looked through it all yet as far as the other menu features.

So far I've noticed a few minor changes:
1. Full info now available when you press the Info key on the saved programs list
2. An "Are you sure?" prompt when you erase a program.
3. HDTV icon now shows at the beginning of the info instead of at the end.
4. Rating is now displayed on the Info bar when Info is pressed during playback/live viewing.

Just looked again and I see what you've seen now.

It lets you show only favorite channels in the guide now and sort them either by channel number or channel name.

So far I've noticed a few minor changes:
1. Full info now available when you press the Info key on the saved programs list
2. An "Are you sure?" prompt when you erase a program.
3. HDTV icon now shows at the beginning of the info instead of at the end.
4. Rating is now displayed on the Info bar when Info is pressed during playback/live viewing.
When you access the settings menu you are now able to watch tv just like you can when you are looking at the guide.

The only things missing are Multiroom viewing and PIP. They are both avalable on the Cox SA DVR platform, but not on the Motorola.

ajwees41

6412 with Passport Echo 2.7 problems.

When checking the service menus via menu b up down b it sometimes causes the box to reboot.

ajwees41

Ever? Or just in the next few months? I'm considering buying a high end HDTV without PIP and it would be a great feature to have. I know I talked to Cox the other day and they indicated that the new mosaic feature of Passport would be live in the next couple of months, they just needed to roll out a lower end version of 2.7 before they could upgrade to mosaic.

Ever? Or just in the next few months? I'm considering buying a high end HDTV without PIP and it would be a great feature to have. I know I talked to Cox the other day and they indicated that the new mosaic feature of Passport would be live in the next couple of months, they just needed to roll out a lower end version of 2.7 before they could upgrade to mosaic.


I don't think we wil see PIP on the 6412 unless they udate the passport Echo 2.7 that the Motorola use. The Passport Echo running on Scientific Atlanta can do do PIP.


Video Mosaic is supposed to be here in December.

I wounder why they rolled out the Passport Echo update instead of waiting for the Mosaic and and other feature to be ready. by te way it looks like Isubscribe is about ready to go also when tuned to a usubscribed channel the screen looks like the Isubscribe scren, but it is not working yet.

ajwees41
ajwees41

I don't think we wil see PIP on the 6412 unless they udate the passport Echo 2.7 that the Motorola use. The Passport Echo running on Scientific Atlanta can do do PIP.


Video Mosaic is supposed to be here in December.

I wounder why they rolled out the Passport Echo update instead of waiting for the Mosaic and and other feature to be ready. by te way it looks like Isubscribe is about ready to go also when tuned to a usubscribed channel the screen looks like the Isubscribe scren, but it is not working yet.

ajwees41
ajwees41

Are they going to switch from Passport to ISubscribe, or is that a feature to go along with Passport?

Are they going to switch from Passport to ISubscribe, or is that a feature to go along with Passport?

Isubscribe is a add on to passport 2.7 that allows customers to order Premimum channel through the digital box.

ajwees41

Isubscribe is a add on to passport 2.7 that allows customers to order Premimum channel through the digital box.

ajwees41

So, you can turn on HBO or Showtime whenever you want?

Not really sure, that's how it is explained on the webpage.

http://www.aptivdigital.com/isubscribe/isubscribe.asp

you would still need to pay for it. Hopefully Cox can do away with the service fees they charge to have customer servive input the change into the computer.


ajwees41

Not too exciting - just a way to subscribe to services with your remote (without making a phone call). I bet it's easy as heck to subscribe, but to unsubscribe would still require a phone call. They better have that password protected to make it a little harder for the kiddies to subscribe to everything...

I've used the Firewire/CapDVHS setup in the past with success, but I'm going to be running into something of an input problem soon.

For HD input to my TV I have 2 component inputs and 1 HDMI input, my series 2 box is currently DVI->HDMI connected. I'm going to be installing a computer to the TV soon and taking over the HDMI connection. But since the Wii is only 19 days away and I already have a DVD on the second component input...

My "simple" solution would be to just direct video from the DCT through my computer. Is there anything out there that will direct view the firewire connection and not record it, that may also enable me to watch the 5C encoded streams.

Barring that I've been looking for DVI/HDMI input for computers, but not finding a lot of things on that end... question for another sub-forum though.

I wounder why they rolled out the Passport Echo update instead of waiting for the Mosaic and and other feature to be ready. by te way it looks like Isubscribe is about ready to go also when tuned to a usubscribed channel the screen looks like the Isubscribe scren, but it is not working yet.
ajwees41

That's what they did here in the KS market as well. We got the Passport update and then the Mosaic screens came a month or so later.

I haven't noticed the Isubscribe screen here though. You just tune to any old unsubscribed channel to see that?

That's what they did here in the KS market as well. We got the Passport update and then the Mosaic screens came a month or so later.

I haven't noticed the Isubscribe screen here though. You just tune to any old unsubscribed channel to see that?


Isubscribe works on any unsubscribed channel. Turn to a unsubscribed channel and see what the screen says.

ajwees41

So far I've noticed a few minor changes:
1. Full info now available when you press the Info key on the saved programs list
2. An "Are you sure?" prompt when you erase a program.
3. HDTV icon now shows at the beginning of the info instead of at the end.
4. Rating is now displayed on the Info bar when Info is pressed during playback/live viewing.

Have you guys noticed the "gas gauge" to see how much DVR hard drive space is being used by recorded programming and how much disk space is available?

Have you guys noticed the "gas gauge" to see how much DVR hard drive space is being used by recorded programming and how much disk space is available?


I have.

ajwees41

This has probably already been answered earlier in this thread, but I was just wondering if anyone here had a 1080p capable tv and, if so, what setting you use on the 6412/6416 for video output? I have a friend who just got a new tv and I'm assuming 720p would be better but not sure.

This has probably already been answered earlier in this thread, but I was just wondering if anyone here had a 1080p capable tv and, if so, what setting you use on the 6412/6416 for video output? I have a friend who just got a new tv and I'm assuming 720p would be better but not sure. Since most HD programming is 1080i and going from 1080i->1080p only requires de-interlacing that is definately the better choice. If you choose 720p output then that always requires scaling to 1080p plus for 1080i channels you are going through at least 3 conversions: 1080i->720p->1080p

Since most HD programming is 1080i and going from 1080i->1080p only requires de-interlacing that is definately the better choice. If you choose 720p output then that always requires scaling to 1080p plus for 1080i channels you are going through at least 3 conversions: 1080i->720p->1080p

I would agree. De-interlacing 1080i should work the best.

1080i certainly is the only choice for a 1080p TV it makes no sense to through away half the detail of all 1080i broadcasts( 2 megapixels per frame) by downscaling them 720p(<1 megapixels per frame) and then have you TV reinvent the content of the over 1 million pixels required to upscale it to 1080p.

OK, thanks. I just wasn't sure if progressive to progressive would be better.

question on capturing

Has anyone captured a show using firewire and it appeared to do it fine, but upon play back it plays a few seconds and then the playback freezes?


Another thing it only captured 15 minutes of an hour show.

Omaha local channels are now 5c protected.
ajwees41

Does anyone know if the firewire port can go bad? I recorded a show on ABC and it's doing the samething that CBS did capture fine then during playback on the pc it plays a few seconds and then freezes.

Capturing live tv works fine on both ABC and CBS. It's only occuring during placyback off the hard drive. Could it be a problem with the hard drive?


ajwees41

Don't know if the firewire output can go bad. However, I notice with Smallville that when I attempt to record and then upon subsequent playback, I get digital pixelization and upon occasion freezes. This is the only channel I've noticed this with. But it is what I record the most. Then upon going back to play from the DVR, I notice that there are small breakups in the video. It's almost as if they get magnified playing back from the PC. It could be the CW station, the firewire output, CapDVHS ability to record breaks in the chain, or VLC's ability to handle breaks in the video chain. I gave up trying to figure it out and just decided to live with it.

I few seconds of video followed by either a frozen frame or black screen is usually an indication that 5C encryption is on.

I few seconds of video followed by either a frozen frame or black screen is usually an indication that 5C encryption is on.


That's the first thing I thought of. I checked and Only CBS was a 1 under 5C IMPLEMENTATION and not ABC.

ajwees41

Does anyone know if Cox in Tulsa uses 5C encryption on any of their non-premium channels? I am considering adding Firewire card to my PC to be able to archive some programs to DVD. I would hate to buy the card and find out it is useless.

Well, I seem to have answered my own question. According to the service menu, all of the channels (including locals) are encrypted.

Does anyone know if Cox in Tulsa uses 5C encryption on any of their non-premium channels? I am considering adding Firewire card to my PC to be able to archive some programs to DVD. I would hate to buy the card and find out it is useless.

Well, I seem to have answered my own question. According to the service menu, all of the channels (including locals) are encrypted.


It's really a toss up Omaha's local channels are not 5c protected, but they can't be copied over firewire. The regular digital channels are encrypted, but able to be copied over firewire.
ajwees41

It's really a toss up Omaha's local channels are not 5c protected, but they can't be copied over firewire. The regular digital channels are encrypted, but able to be copied over firewire.
ajwees41

So there's no way to know without spending some money. Good thing everyone has a return policy.

So there's no way to know without spending some money. Good thing everyone has a return policy.

Well Omaha's local channels used to be viewable with firewire capture up until this week. I am still waiting for clarifacation in the Omaha avs forum as to if it's just my 6412, or systemwide.


ajwees41

Does anyone know if Cox in Tulsa uses 5C encryption on any of their non-premium channels? I am considering adding Firewire card to my PC to be able to archive some programs to DVD. I would hate to buy the card and find out it is useless.

Well, I seem to have answered my own question. According to the service menu, all of the channels (including locals) are encrypted.

100% of Hampton Roads' channels, including locals were 5c encrypted a couple months ago. I haven't checked lately though...

I have since looked at a different page in the service menu that says they are not all 5C encrypted. I think I looked at the wrong page earlier.

The most reliable flag to check for 5C on a channel is the CCI setting:
Cable, Power off, Select, Select
d06 CURRENT CHANNEL STATUS
You want CCI to be 0x00 for no encryption. If it is 0x02 (copy once) that means CapDVHS won't work.

Here is an explanation of all the CCI values:
http://replayguide.sourceforge.net/dct6412/DCT6412_Passport.html#5C_Copy_Control_Information_CCI_Flags

using moyejk's trick it looks like Omaha's local channels are flagged with Copy Once.

That really stinks. Anyone else notice it In the Omaha area or could my 6412 be going bad?


CapDVHS doesn't work either,


ajwees41

when viewing the guide there is a icon that looks like a comet flying out of a tv. Depending on the channel its greyed out or not. What is that icon for? I cant find one thing on the channel to that associates with the icon being active or not.

any ideas?

when viewing the guide there is a icon that looks like a comet flying out of a tv. Depending on the channel its greyed out or not. What is that icon for? I cant find one thing on the channel to that associates with the icon being active or not.

any ideas?


My guess is "Favorites" or "Automatic Favorites". I think the box keeps track of what channels you record the most and then makes them "automatic favorites". Try using the "Fav" key on the remote while looking at the guide and see if they match up...

My guess is "Favorites" or "Automatic Favorites". I think the box keeps track of what channels you record the most and then makes them "automatic favorites". Try using the "Fav" key on the remote while looking at the guide and see if they match up...


That's not it favorites have a little star next to the channel# in the guide.

ajwees41

That's not it favorites have a little next to the channel# in the guide.

ajwees41

I didnt know about the automatic favorites. I dont think thats it because the guides "TV screen with comet shooting out icon" it active on channels I never watch. Maybe digital or analog? Ill try that too.

I didnt know about the automatic favorites. I dont think thats it because the guides "TV screen with comet shooting out icon" it active on channels I never watch. Maybe digital or analog? Ill try that too.

I see what you're talking about now... I think its just decoration. When any letters encroach on the picture, it is greyed out. Thats all I think it is... Anyone have any other guesses?