Comcast RNG 110 STB - Page 2

Just picked up my comcast rng110 STB from the service center today. Do I have to call and get it activated before it will work? I would think they activate it when they gave it to me. They did not say I would have to activate it, but told me I would have to activate my personal cable modem. Anyone know what I can use the USB port for?

Yes - you probably will need to activate......however when you hook the 110 up to your TV, you can check to see if you get a picture

I am in MD and the activation # they gave me is 800-995-6893. Mine would not activate so they sent out a tech (no charge) and he was able to activate it with his hand held computer. He said the call center could of sent the same signal as he did but they are not that tech savy.

The 110 manual says this about the port "To connect USB devices (future use)"

Hope this helps

rsecpa, pjp - i have a very similar issue here: the comcast RNG110 box in sony xbr9 HDMI port 1 and PS3 in HDMI port 2. when i switch to the PS3 from the cable box it's fine, but when i then switch back to the cable box it can't detect a signal, UNTIL i change a channel on the cable box - then it's fine. it's strange - TV issue, cable box issue, both? i bet a firmware update would fix it. any ideas?

Question - I'd like to control this cable box using the xbr9 remote - can't seem to get it to work using codes from sony - does anyone have any advice for this?

ok - answering my own second question regarding a remote code for the RNG110 cable box:
this site: [can't post a url until i have 3 posts]

allows one to enter the manufacturer (pace) and model (rng110) -but be sure to click the cable option above it (given a choice of TV, video+dvd, audio, cable, more). i got this code: 00237, below that is a button for "show me more" which gave these codes:
01376
01877
00008
01982
the last one worked!!!

anyway - still have the HDMI input switching issue....

My guess is that the issue is with the RNG 110. I still have a Motorola Comcast HD box in the home theater system and it doesn't have the issue we see with the 110/XBR8. The Motorola is connected to Sony projector via HDMI, rather than and XBR8/9, so not exactly apples to apples, but my guess is it's the box.

This is great -- I've been wanting to get a universal remote for the RNG 110 (since my older universals don't cover it) and never even thought about programming the Sony TV remote.

Anyone find a solution to this? I have the same issue when switching between different HDMI inputs on my Samsung AV-R730 receiver. It seems to me the HDMI port on the RNG-110 is turning-off until a change channel change is made.

I've tried going into the settings of the box (power-off followed by menu) and got the same results with all combinations of HDMI settings.

I haven't called Comcast yet, but will when the office opens.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

It's probably two colliding issues, Comcast's "switched digital" protocal and a "HDMI handshake" dropped connection prompted by switching inputs. Switching "channels" originates a call for the new "switched digital 'channel'" and refreshes the "HDMI handshake" connection.

Comcast tried to get me to accept a Pace RNG110 but that model has no RF output for daisy-chaining.

I stood my ground, holding out for the Motorola DCX3200 that offers flexible connectivity options.

My Motorola DCX3200 is daisy-chained to five recorders, one in the same room and four others in a second room; and directly connected via S-Video and composite outputs to two other recorders in the same room. The DCX3200 component output is connected to a HD "Ready" widescreen LCD TV (that doesn't have a HDMI input). The DCX3200 single white/red audio output is split with "Y" adapters to provide audio to the TV and two line in connections to two recorders in the same room. That's a total of seven recorders connected to a single Motorola DCX3200.

The Motorola DCX3200 is seen in the first photo, the connectivity illustration is seen in the second photo and some of the "Y" adapters are seen in the third photo.

Any thoughts on this one? I've plugged my Panny plasma to the 110 via HDMI & get SD channels fine. HOWEVER, just get audio & NO video on HD channels??

Has anyone had any success finding the "eye" on this box? I have an IR extender and am trying to find where to stick the little transmitter on this box to get it to work.

Did you try shining a flashlight at anywhere there is translucent plastic?

Yes, I did try that. The problem is the whole front of it is dark, translucent plastic. There were a couple of places that looked like it could by the IR sensor, but I placed the transmitter over them (and pretty much all over the thing), but haven't gotten it to work.

Another trick is to bring the remote right up touching the box and start clicking. If it doesn't respond, you're not over the eye. If it does, it should be right there.

That's an idea. I'll try that when I get home. Thanks!

Stewman -

Good luck trying to get your "eye" to work. These boxes are the bane of all custom installers existence. By the way there are actually two "eyes" both on the left side of the box (I took the cover off - snaps off easily) to see them. If you use a flashlight on an angle you can see them.

Your factory remote will work. Even a URC remote with codeset 113 going IR will work. But anytime you try to use any codes through an "eye" you'll get nothing.

If you do, please let us know. I have 4 of these in an installation right now, and nothing i can do works.

I'm one step away from telling the client to call Comcrap and get the standard Motorola boxes back. At least they work.

By this do you mean a remote "eye"? I am using the factory remote - I am just trying to use an extender since I don't have direct line-of-site to the box. Is this what you're saying probably won't work?

http://www.comcast.com/MediaLibrary/...er%20Guide.pdf

According to this on page 6, the "eye" is on the back of the device. I wonder how that works.

That is the input connection for an external IR sensor as seen in the attached photo of a Pace DC50X DTA. In the Pace DTA documentation the external IR is used whenever the DTA itself is inconveniently located, say behind the TV.

See this from the Troubleshooting section on page 18:

Check that nothing is blocking the path from your
remote control to the front panel.
Check that your remote control is currently set to
operate your set-top (consult the instructions supplied
with your remote control).
If your remote control will still not operate your set-top,
replace the batteries in your remote control.

The IR sensor on these are on the Right side of the box. About 2 inches from the edge.

I've got the same problem with a new RNG110 unit. Has anyone else seen/resolved this?

Resolved: Comcast hadn't actually activated my box yet, even though I was getting all of my SD channels, guide data, and on-demand services.

I, too, have the same problem with a new install of an RNG110, as though the batteries are almost dead. Replacing the batteries didn't help with either of the dark gray remotes Comcast provided.

What DID seem to help was shading the top of the RNG110 to keep the tv from illuminating the RNG IR sensor. (I just have a couple of cd cases overhanging the front and the remote is suddenly responsive.) ymmv

Panasonic TCP46G15 plasma, Pio vsx-919, HDMI connection.

Doug

you might want to try the IR sensor extension

Anyone seeing the issue with close captions (CC) on this box? They are not readable.

The CC text is pretty poor. I couldn't get CC to work at all when they first installed, but it started working after doing CC reset to defaults (using power off then menu button to get into control).

You can change the text format in that same menu, I found it best to set to font 4, set background to transparent, and font color red. This is pretty readable and less distracting than when background is blocked out black, but it's not easy to read if there are graphics in that area or the background color is red/orange. Still, I think I prefer this setting over the default. Graphically, it seems like it would be more readable if the line they use to form the letters was thicker.

I read on the RemoteCentral.com forum about using the IR Sensor Extender that comes with the DTAs that Comcast has been sending out. So I went to the other room and removed it from the DTA I had there and plugged it into the back of the Pace RNG 110. Guess what! Works like a charm now. That would tell me that the sensor(s) on the RNG110 aren't very good. If the remote that comes with it performs no better or less that the Harmony remote but using a plug in IR Sensor does the trick...I think we have a fix here.

Ok - so I'm trying to get my Hava to work with this thing and I can't get the damn thing to work. I tried the IR sensors on just about every spot on the front of the box. I also tried an external IR sensor that came with my HDMI Switch, with the sensors right up to it, and THAT didnt work. My remote control works fine (although all the old remotes I have dont seem to work with this box). I've taken forums advice and programmed in the C1982 code for my Hava and doesnt want to work for whatever reason. Is it possible this one uses a different code? Cant figure it out...

Hava uses the same UEI IR blaster chip as the slingbox (to control external devices), Depending on exactly which model of Hava you have it could be a PL, PX or Axium chip... Long story short is that the new protocol in the Cisco RNG boxes is the XMP protocol (the dark grey comcast remotes) and although UEI invented the protocol, their current chipsets neither have that code built in nor can they learn that protocol (brilliant I might add).

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, however - Like the Slingbox, the Hava has a mechanism to accept new IR codes - you have to get (I'll define that in a moment) a .bin file and upload it to the Hava with a computer and then the C1982 code will be available to you (not sure which format Hava uses but C1982 is probably 11982 C=Cable=1 by the way)...

How to get the bin file -
You can go do a bunch of reading on the hifi-remote.com forums and use the remote master program to create and export a .bin upgrade file or, I understand there are folks at Hava who will create a file for you given the right info - there is a pretty good post here with the information.

http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/vi...highlight=hava

And, over on monsoon, there is a thread for the PNG 200 which should be equivalent - they already have a .bin file for that that is worth a try...
http://www.myhava.com/forum/viewtopi...e28af2546d69a7

Good Luck

Thanks very much for this. The programs codes listed in the book for the Sony XBR9 don't work, but 01982 works. This is good news for the XBR9 (remote RM-YD029); however, our XBR8 came with Sony remote RM-YD024 and it does not accept code 01982 (it flashes 5 times indicating it didn't load).

I contacted Sony support for a solution for the XBR8 and they came back with a timely answer. Not a good answer, but it was timely....

Thank you for contacting Sony Support.

I'm sorry to inform you that the RM-YD024 Remote Control does not have the feature to control the Digital set-top box. Hence, it cannot be programmed to operate the Pace RNG110 STB.

Thank you for your time.

The Sony Email Response Team
C6ME
Ron