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Toshiba 50HMX96 CableCARD Question.

post #1 of 14
11/23/06 at 9:44am
Thread Starter 
Happy Thanksgiving All,

I have a 50HMX96 with a CableCARD installed. I have had it for about three months. I noticed in the past two weeks the set has "forgotten" that it has a CableCARD installed and the CableCARD seems to stop working or freezes the TV on channel 3. If I unplug the TV it works fine.

I am aware that Toshiba has posted updates for other models and some of these updates deal with CableCARD issues. Can anyone tell me if software version 2.2.49.0, FW version 34 dated May 2006 is the latest?

TIA

Rick
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post #2 of 14
11/23/06 at 2:36pm
I have a previous model TV but maybe can help.

When this happens, if you go into the TVs menu for Cablecard and look at the CableCard Status and Conditional Access menus to see that the TV does see the cablecard. If it does, then the problem may be the Cablecard itself losing it's authentication for the cable network. Do you get any messages when this happens?

By unplugging the TV you're forcing the CableCard to perform a power-up authentication with the cable network. I would call the cable company and verify that they have you properly configured.

Also, who's your cable provider and which market. I'm working with Toshiba on a problem on my set where every few weeks many channels become corrupt due to an apparent tuner issue but appears to be caused by the cable network. They've confirmed that other markets are seeing the same issue and believe the cable network is passing incorrect info to the TV during occasional network updates.
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post #3 of 14
11/23/06 at 2:52pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by magredc5 View Post

I have a previous model TV but maybe can help.

When this happens, if you go into the TVs menu for Cablecard and look at the CableCard Status and Conditional Access menus to see that the TV does see the cablecard. If it does, then the problem may be the Cablecard itself losing it's authentication for the cable network. Do you get any messages when this happens?

By unplugging the TV you're forcing the CableCard to perform a power-up authentication with the cable network. I would call the cable company and verify that they have you properly configured.

Also, who's your cable provider and which market. I'm working with Toshiba on a problem on my set where every few weeks many channels become corrupt due to an apparent tuner issue but appears to be caused by the cable network. They've confirmed that other markets are seeing the same issue and believe the cable network is passing incorrect info to the TV during occasional network updates.

Right after I posted my question, it dawned on me that the problem could be the card itself.

I am with Comcast in the Twin Cities. Thankfully, I know some people at Comcast Cable including one guy who works with hardware such as CableCARDs. I will contact him.

Time Warner is switching to Comcast in the Minneapolis area. I am aware of CableCARD users in Minneapolis having "missing channel" issues. One of the people having problems is a Toshiba LCD owner. About 10 days ago, TW/Comcast sent out a firmware update to CableCARDs that resolved this issue.
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post #4 of 14
1/13/07 at 7:53pm
Does anyone have one of these working with S/A CableCards?
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post #5 of 14
1/13/07 at 8:01pm
Thread Starter 
I have more information on this issue. It may be exclusive to Toshiba TV's, it may not. You need to find someone within your cable company that knows how to send a "cold initialization" to your CableCARD. I have seen that fix the problem twice. Finding someone within Comcast that will know what you are talking about will be a different story.

And there is new firmware for the 50HMX96. It is version 2.2.65. It seems to improve the HDMI voice lag issue.
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post #6 of 14
1/14/07 at 5:14am
add me to this list. I have been 6 months with this issue, we have tried everything. My lockup are 5X a day, terminating with the message "aquiring channel information..." and as stated, often the TV ends up on channel 3
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post #7 of 14
1/14/07 at 6:32am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by masterp2 View Post

add me to this list. I have been 6 months with this issue, we have tried everything. My lockup are 5X a day, terminating with the message "aquiring channel information..." and as stated, often the TV ends up on channel 3

For some reason, when the cable company "hits" your card to authorize it, the normal hit they send does not work. I talked with Toshiba support who in turn talked to the CableCARD people at Motorola. The people at Motorola told us to have Comcast send a "cold initialization" hit to my card and it worked. Problem solved. Luckily, I know someone at Comcast who was in a position to take care of it for me........
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post #8 of 14
1/14/07 at 6:44am
My card is SA. Toshiba has been courting me for 6 months, trying to say they can't get Cox to do what they say will work: send a firmware update via cable head

I have lost most interest in TV. I now have a $2000 DVD monitor. Toshiba will not do anything else. I have asked for a buyback, they do not take any responsibility. And I refuse to rent a DVR from the cable provider. I have spent enough money.
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post #9 of 14
1/14/07 at 7:24am
Thread Starter 
I have had two Panasonic Plasma TV's with CableCARD's that work fine with Comcast's normal "hit". It is only my Toshiba that needed this special "cold initialization" hit.

I am located in a suburb of St. Paul which has been a Comcast area for some time. We use Motorola stuff here. The Time Warner portion of Minneapolis was just acquired by Comcast and is in the process of switching over. They use SA stuff over there. I have a customer in Minneapolis with a Toshiba LCD and an SA CableCARD. He was having similar problems. I had my contact at Comcast send the cold hit to his card and it fixed his problems also.

I think this is a Toshiba issue, but they need help from the cable companies to provide a solution to the few people experiencing this problem.
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post #10 of 14
1/14/07 at 7:32am
Your problem appeared after 3 months? odd

Can you define or explain "cold initialization"?
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post #11 of 14
1/14/07 at 7:40am
Thread Starter 
My contact at Toshiba told me a cold hit was nothing more than a slower and more "complete" hit. No the problem did not show up right away........
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post #12 of 14
1/14/07 at 12:44pm
Remember his is Motorola vs the Scientific Atlanta that you have - again - just pointing out the difference.

Again, the question I'd like to know who has this set operational with a CableCard on a Scientific Atlanta System.
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post #13 of 14
1/14/07 at 1:34pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HDTVFanAtic View Post

Remember his is Motorola vs the Scientific Atlanta that you have - again - just pointing out the difference.

Again, the question I'd like to know who has this set operational with a CableCard on a Scientific Atlanta System.

Read the second paragraph of my post; two posts back.......
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post #14 of 14
1/15/07 at 12:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by RickGr4 View Post

Read the second paragraph of my post; two posts back.......

Got it - I saw Comcast and obviously Motorola is assumed - and then Motorola is in second line so I skipped from there....so much for speed reading.

If the set has a problem with Motorola and S/A Cards, then clearly this is a Toshiba issue.
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