Comcast RNG 110 STB

Call Comcast again. Ask (escalate) for a technical supervisor. Explain that you just got a new STB (provided by them) and ask that they "activate" the STB.

Or... stay with the cablecard. Yeah... no channel guides. But, whether you have an external STB or cablecard, they still rearrange channels.

Hi,

I have a problem with my RNG110 box. Basically, the box doesn't always respond to the box. I have to punch in the keys several times to get response from the box.

It's basically acting like a remote with almost dead batteries. Sometimes it responds, sometimes it doesn't. Very random.

Thinking the battery I got is dead, I tried switching to my own batteries. Doesn't solve the problem. I tried to use my universal remote (Logitech 550) and it still doesn't work... still showing the same symptoms.

I tried switching the box (went to the Comcast office and exchange for a 'new' one). And it's behaving the same way.

Just wondering if anybody else is experiencing the same thing? How do you fix it? Thank you!

Let me guess...

You have an LCD TV. When the TV is on... the remote doesn't work properly for the cable box.

Turn off the TV... and the remote works fine with the cable box.

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure what you meant though. I have a Panasonic plasma TV.

So do you mean to turn of the TV, and then switch it on using the remote? I mean.. there's no point if the remote works with the cable box and the TV is turned off right? Sorry.. a bit confused here...

Basically what it's doing is acting like a remote with almost dead battery. You have to punch in the buttons multiple times to get a response from the box (like changing channels, pulling up the guide menu)

Thank you,

LCD and plasma TV's have been known to interfere with the IR (infrared) receivers in cableTV boxes.

"TO TEST"... turn off the TV and see if the remote works fine with the cable box. (Hint: you will know because the numbers will change on the front panel of the cable box. )

Reference:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...r#post15015649
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...r#post15506760

Place a small piece of paper over the front of the cable box. Then try it. If that is the problem you can solve it by finding the eye on the cable box and placing a very small piece of paper over the eye. Some have solved the problem by turning down the brightness of the TV also.

I've heard thin masking tape (the translucent stuff) works, too. Basically, you're reducing the amount of IR signal that hits the eye of the box, so that the remote's more powerful beam hits while the TV's interference is cut out.

oh ok... I didn't know that.... my box (RNG-110) doesn't display the number on the front panel, but I think it flashes a green light everytime the channel get changed...

The weird part is, I used to have directv box (don't know which model) and I never have such problem... Same with the old comcast box (I forgot which model.. either Motorola DCT5100 or Motorola DCT6200).. Never have IR problems...

Thanks for all the suggestions! I can't wait to go back home to try now

Some are more sensitive than others. It seems completely random sometimes when these problems crop up.

Putting a piece of paper in front of the panel works! Thanks everyone...

I still can't believe they would make an HD box that have a chance of interfering with plasma/lcd though.... Clearly, most of the consumers of HD boxes would be using it on plasma/lcd....

It's the TV that causes the interference, not the box. They throw off so much light and IR junk it gets the remote's beam lost in the noise. I suppose the box makers could filter their IR ports more, but it's not really their fault, it's the TV makers, who probably don't see it as their problem, either.

Yeah... I can understand your argument...

But the thing is, there are plenty other boxes that have no problems with my TV... Now of course, different TV, different matters... but if there are some companies that manage to avoid the problem... why is this still happening to certain box?

I can understand if if happens to non HD boxes that probably are not going to be used with plasma/LCD... but this is an HD box!! they should be aware that most of the customers would be using LCD/plasma...

anyway.. I guess no point in complaning... it's working, and (in my case) beggars can't be choosers right?

Like I said, it's completely random, and when it does happen, both sides say, "Hey, not my problem." The box makers sell to cable companies (in the US), not to customers, so they probably don't get any complaints. The cablecos say, "Hey, it's your TV's fault, go complain to them." Seriously, check the thread Ratman posted. First post has Comcast blaming the TV.

Yeah.. I guess there's no point debating about that now huh? I'm just glad that I come to this forum... Comcast's technical support are practically useless.. they had no idea what's going on.. and when I came to their store, all they suggested to do when I explained the problem was to switch the box..

Just got a new Comcast RNG 110 STB yesterday activated it and it worked fine. Was gone for the day, returned home, poered on the STB and TV and the wife gets a No Signal error. I reboot the STB and now get the Power and Data lights flashing at me, and every ~fifth cycle, all four lights flash in sync...still with no signal to the TV. And the remote no longer works with the STB, but works fine with the TV once I remove the STB (plug cable directly into my Samsung LCD HDTV).

Anyone seen this yet? Comcast "Service Professional" is coming out to the house Tuesday.

My Dad just got the RNG110 and we had a heck of a time getting my Hava box to work with it. Apparently alot of remotes have a hard time controlling this box. I finally was able to get a code on the internet that let me get remote control the box. What a pain.

I get the same interference problems between my Aquos LCD and my Tivo HD... so this issue is not limited to cable set-tops.

re: RNG110

I haven't seen these boxes yet... it looks like they are digital-only, a couple of questions:

1) Do they run cooler than the DCT/DCH Motorola boxes?

2) Are they using the same TV Guide program guide and VOD Navigator that you see on the Comcast Motorola boxes?

The RNG-110 runs iGuide.

Comcast tech says I had a bad box, installed a new one, activated the HD channels and we were good. Then I had to pull the entertainment center apart and move for carpet installation. Reconnected everything (after 3 days) and I have no HD signal, even after calling to have box re-activated.

Tech is schedule to come out on a Saturday, he never shows (this is to be their third visit to our house and the 5th box we've had in the last 6 weeks of new service). Comcast reschedules tech visit for next day - w/o informing me. This tech tells us the RNG 110 STB is NOT an HD box! We get an older school HD box and things finally work. Now I am scared sh|tless to unplug the box to hook up an HTPC with digital tuner card...Comcast sux.

It seems that the new I.R. remote protocol is more sensitive than the older one. The new I.R. protocol works on Motorola DCH, DCX, Comcast branded "RNG", and DTA set top boxes. With the Motorola DCH and DCX, they are still backwards compatable with the older remote protocol.

The dark grey Comcast remote is programmed with the new protocol, and the lighter grey Comcast remote is programmed with the old protocol. I have a DCX-3400 320GB DVR that is supposed to come with a dark grey remote. However the local Comcast center gave me a brand new light grey remote. It works just fine without any issue.

The RNG-110 is manufactured by Pace. It run's I-Guide, but it has the ability to keep the on screen graphics stretched to fill the screen even when on a 720p or 1080i channel. All other HD boxes center the on screen graphics in a 4:3 mode on top of 720p or 1080i content. This means the screen saver function actually WORKS and protects the side 'pillar' area's when outputting an HD video mode.

The RNG-110 has a pretty neat diagnostics dashboard. To get to it, power off the RNG-110 and quickly push the OK/Select button on the remote. If you do that fast enough you will see a blue screen with colorful indicators regarding the signal levels (Green for good, yellow for marginal, red for bad). You can read the on screen instructions to get out of the "Dashboard" and into a big menu full of diagnostic options.

The RNG-110 runs much cooler than the standard Motorola set tops. It has a cable card slot in the left side, and from the top vents you can see the Motorola M-Card inserted inside. This is not user serviceable, it comes with the card by federal mandate that was put into effect on July 2007. The RNG-110 has USB, Firewire, Ethernet, IR, HDMI, Component and Composite ports on it. It's a pretty neat little box. Remarkably small considering it does full HD. They've come a long way since those huge pizza box sized Motorola HD boxes.

You can also fine tune the output resolutions. Power off the box and push menu on the remote. The last channel will come back on the screen along with an overlay box in the upper right corner. You can turn on or off individual resolutions. I usually select YES for all resolutions that the TV is capable of. Selectable options are 1080 passthrough, 1080i, 720p, 480p, 480i. There is also a setting for closed captions and TV aspect Ratio (4:3 or 16:9).

I am using Comcast coax out of the wall to my QAM HDTV. Picking up all the local HD stations and a couple of others. I am considering renting a HD STB w/o DVR. I assume from this thread the RNG 110 is Comcast newest HD box. We have the expanded basic service which according to my Comcast business office is equivalent to Digital Starter. With the RNG 110 will we be able to pick up additional HD stations such as ESPN?

The box should get anything Comcast encrypts on the tier that you end up paying for when all is said and done. Pretty much all of their current boxes should do this, as the home office for your area will tell it what you're subscribing to and what channels you should pick up. Additional HD channels may need you to pony up more cash, but it depends on what they offer.

Tulpa - thank you for the info

Comcast just replaced my Motorola DCH3200 with the Pace RNG-110. I have it hooked up via HDMI to my Sony xbr9 lcd tv. Odd thing that occurs is when I change inputs on the tv (i.e. from cable box to dvd player, then back to cable box) there is no signal on input source for cable box. When I turn cable box off then on again I get the signal and it doesn't go off unless I change input sources again. Anyone else with this? Seems awfully strange. No response yet from Comcast. Did not have this problem with the Motorola.

We had a 110 activated today.....needed a tech to come out and zap it

I have a Samsung 46B630

Just went out and changed the source on the Samsung from RNG 110 on HDMI to our DVD and back to the RNG 110 on HDMI...signal from RNG 110 was still there

My sequence is turning the RNG 100 first followed by the HDTV

I see something similar on our XBR8. If we turn off the TV and leave the 110 on, when we power back up the TV there is no video signal until we change channels on the 110.

I also get the same interference problems between my Aquos LCD and my Tivo HD... so this issue is not limited to cable set-tops.

were you using HDMI on the DCH3200?