I have an SA8300 through cablevision. This morning upon changing the channel to an HD channel the TV said, "Your TV is not authorized for use, please call (the phone number)".

I called them and they reset it but everytime I changed the channel to an HD channel, it would not work (i would also see 4 dashes on the DVR). Now the cable company is coming to replace my DVR box which is upsetting because there are quite a few hours of recorded programming I have not watched. This is the SECOND time this has happened to me in the past year and the last time this happened they blamed it on me running it through a monster 3500 line conditioner (which i think is BS since how can that cause that and without it i have a ground loop issue).

Anybody know what is causing this? The cable company blames the HDD but right now I'm watching recorded material without a hitch. Instead they are just replacing it. Ugh. They also said on the call that 3 other people called about this issue today.

Also, anybody have any issues with cablevision and the TiVO series 3? I'd hate paying that much money for one but maybe I won't have this issue anymore.

you would have much more luck in the local thread.

I don't know about the local thread, but you'd certainly get more views in the 8300 SARA or Passport thread, depending on which software you have.

If you have a ground loop issue without the line conditioner in the mix, then I would guess something is wrong, you should not need a conditioner in order to use cable. I had problems, though not the same one, when I had my cable running through a Monster line conditioner. I took it out of the loop and my problems disappeared. I haven't reconnected it for 2 years and it might have been a marginal signal level to begin with, but why mess with what works?

I assume you've tried rebooting, including the hard reboot referred to in the SARA Tips posts. Also, how is the 8300 connected to the TV, HDMI or Component? If HDMI, have you tried Component?

I don't know about the local thread, but you'd certainly get more views in the 8300 SARA or Passport thread, depending on which software you have.

If you have a ground loop issue without the line conditioner in the mix, then I would guess something is wrong, you should not need a conditioner in order to use cable. I had problems, though not the same one, when I had my cable running through a Monster line conditioner. I took it out of the loop and my problems disappeared. I haven't reconnected it for 2 years and it might have been a marginal signal level to begin with, but why mess with what works?

I assume you've tried rebooting, including the hard reboot referred to in the SARA Tips posts. Also, how is the 8300 connected to the TV, HDMI or Component? If HDMI, have you tried Component?

I"ll try posting there. If I did not run the cable through the line conditioner I would see a horizontal line scroll up the TV. I'll try discounnecting the cable out of the line conditioner and see what happens.

I did not reboot. The technician over the phone just reset the signal about 10 times and just said I would need to get it replaced. What is the hard reboot? And what is SARA?

Anyway I have the 8300 connected via component and optical cable to my denon 4306 and then I have an hdmi connected to my TV.

Jason,

The 8300 runs 3 different software packages; SARA from SA, Passport from Aptiv, and Navigator from TWC. Which thread you post in depends on which software Cablevison uses. I see you posted in the Passport thread, but if I'm not mistaken might actually be using SARA.

Both the SARA and Passport threads have tips in the first post. Generally, if one set of tips doesn't work, then you obviously have the other software.

A hard reboot as defined in the SARA thread is unplugging the power cord and then holding the Power button as you plug the power cord back in. A simple reboot is where you simply unplug and replug the power cord. Oftentimes the hard reboot will resolve problems the simple reboot doesn't and is always worth trying before replacing the unit. I believe the cableco can send a signal that will do even more, so it's always good to also let them try before replacing the unit and losing your recordings.

I don't know that the line conditioner is causing any problem, just relaying that others have had problems that were resolved by taking the conditioner out of the loop. That too is always worth trying because oftentimes that is the first thing the cableco tech will do. And, if that turns out to be the case, they can probably charge you for the service call.

The other thing is running the unit through your Denon using Component and then HDMI to the TV. I know you said this is the second time in a year, but you didn't say if this is a new setup or if it's the same one that has been working awhile and just began acting up again. My first guess was that the HDMI was losing it's handshake with the TV, but I don't know enough about HDMI or the Denon, etc., to know if that has anything to do with the problem or not. I'll be surprised though if the tech simply replaces the unit without wanting to reconnect directly to the TV and bypass the Denon.

This, gentlemen, is DRM at work.
You aren't authorized to use your $5000 TV you just bought.