Network Tuner Wizard "Damages" cards

[bhellmer]

Added a second InfiniTV 4 to a machine. The original InfiniTV was already configured as network tuners. I configured the second InfiniTV as network tuners.

I later ran Tuner Salad for local support of up to 12 tuners and wanted all tuners to be local. I ran InfiniTV Network Tuner Wizard to Reset to Factory State. One InfiniTV stayed networked and the returned to factory. I tried setup and reset over and over again. I removed one card and tried setup and reset over and over again. I replaced the one card with the other and tried setup and reset over and over again. One card will not reset to factory and only works with bridging. The other card will not work with bridging.

Ceton claims that the Cards are "Damaged". The tuners work but will not change between bridge dependent and bridge independent. The tuners work with one bridged and the other not bridged. However I need to run Windows Network Troubleshooter to fixed bridging after every restart for the computer to have access to the internet and to make the network tuner discoverable.

I have repeatedly ask Ceton for firmware image files and they refuse to release them.

I'm just returning the InfiniTV's. I discourage anyone from running the Network Tuner Wizard with two InfiniTV cards. Use Tuner Salad instead.

[bhellmer]

When using the InfiniTV Network Tuner Wizard with two InfiniTV cards installed to perform a reset to Factory State, the wizard does not request the selection of a card.

Which card is it resetting? Is it resetting both cards? Or, is it going to corrupt the configuration of both tuners as I have experienced?

[earwigger]

I had the same problem. ALL of my USB Ceton Tuners are stuck on network mode. Tried everything including sending dumps back and forth to Ceton support. At one point they wanted to do a call - but I work... A LOT. So never followed up, If anyone has found a solution please let me know. The tuners are assigned to machines that no longer exist on the network.

[erkotz]

I have looked at bhellmer's ticket, and the failure that your cards experienced is not caused by the Network Tuner Wizard. The Network Tuner Wizard does not damage InfiniTV cards, and the OP's issue has nothing to do with having more than one InfiniTV.

The reason your firmware request has been refused is that you are requesting something that does not exist. As we stated in the ticket, your InfiniTVs have an issue that require being returned to Ceton for repair.

Regarding the "reset to Factory State", I assume you mean the Reset Network Settings button? This button resets all InfiniTVs as it uses broadcast packets. This is intentional to reset InfiniTV cards which are inaccessible due to their current network settings.

Additionally, Tuner Salad is unnecessary when using InfiniTVs - our drivers implement the same functionality.

[bhellmer]

erkotz: Ceton Tech Support is who wrote that the two cards are damaged. I do not really believe that the two cards are damaged, but rather inconsistently configured by the Network Tuner Wizard. I am simply quoting Ceton as indicated by the quotation marks around the word damages. I suggest that the Network Tuner Wizard caused the "damage" to the two cards because it coincided precisely in time with the execution of the "Reset InfiniTVs to factory settings" command and the "damage" is related to the functions performed by the "Reset InfiniTV to factory state" command. Furthermore, the cards were not being physically handled, weather was fair (no lightning), nor were there any apparent electrical disturbances. The InfiniTV cards are kept quite cool as my PC case has seven thermostatically controlled cooling fans with one of the temperature sensors controlling two of the fans attached to the RF cover on one of the InfiniTV cards. That cover is kept at or below 50 degrees C.

erkotz: Not too long ago, Ceton publically provided InfiniTV firmware files on their website. Firmware is now updated by the Ceton Diagnostics Tool application. I suspect that Ceton InfiniTV firmware development still produces firmware files as the Ceton Diagnostics Tool is loading them from somewhere.

erkotz: I do not believe that we are not referring to the same button. The "Ceton infiniTV" menu within the Windows Media Center Start page contains the button "network tuners". InfiniTV Network Tuners, sometimes referred to as the Network Tuner Wizard, has two options "Setup InfiniTV" and "Reset InfiniTVs to factory settings". I am referring to this "Reset InfiniTV to factory settings" option. I believe the erkotz is referring to the "Reset Network Settings" button within the Device tab of the Ceton Diagnostics Tool application.

erkotz: The publically available versions of Windows 7 Media Center limit the number of supported tuner of any one type (cable card, clear QAM and analog) to four (4). I believe that the InfiniTV driver increases this limit to six (6). Previously with two InfiniTV 4 cards, I assigned the limit of six (6) tuners for local use and made the remaining two #3 tuners available to other PCs through the network. Tuner Salad increases this limit to twelve (12) and I prefer that all eight (8) of my InfiniTV tuners be available locally and no longer desired any shared network tuners. Furthermore, the bridging utilized to share network tuners was unreliable and the PC often required the Windows Network Troubleshooter to fix the bridging on PC restarts.

[erkotz]

erkotz: Ceton Tech Support is who wrote that the two cards are damaged. I do not really believe that the two cards are damaged, but rather inconsistently configured by the Network Tuner Wizard. I am simply quoting Ceton as indicated by the quotation marks around the word damages. I suggest that the Network Tuner Wizard caused the "damage" to the two cards because it coincided precisely in time with the execution of the "Reset InfiniTVs to factory settings" command and the "damage" is related to the functions performed by the "Reset InfiniTV to factory state" command. Furthermore, the cards were not being physically handled, weather was fair (no lightning), nor were there any apparent electrical disturbances. The InfiniTV cards are kept quite cool as my PC case has seven thermostatically controlled cooling fans with one of the temperature sensors controlling two of the fans attached to the RF cover on one of the InfiniTV cards. That cover is kept at or below 50 degrees C.

I agree with Ceton support that the cards are in need of being returned to Ceton for service. I am stating that the Network Tuner Wizard did not cause damage to the cards.

Of course, it is impossible to say what exactly triggered the failure, but one possibility is static electricity. Static Electricity typicaly causes latent damage in electronics, and failures typically occur at a time after the damage actually occurs.

erkotz: Not too long ago, Ceton publically provided InfiniTV firmware files on their website. Firmware is now updated by the Ceton Diagnostics Tool application. I suspect that Ceton InfiniTV firmware development still produces firmware files as the Ceton Diagnostics Tool is loading them from somewhere.

Those were firmware upgrade files. There has never been any sort of "reset" flash as you are requesting. Once again, your InfiniTV has a problem which requires a return to Ceton to resolve.

erkotz: I do not believe that we are not referring to the same button. The "Ceton infiniTV" menu within the Windows Media Center Start page contains the button "network tuners". InfiniTV Network Tuners, sometimes referred to as the Network Tuner Wizard, has two options "Setup InfiniTV" and "Reset InfiniTVs to factory settings". I am referring to this "Reset InfiniTV to factory settings" option. I believe the erkotz is referring to the "Reset Network Settings" button within the Device tab of the Ceton Diagnostics Tool application.

Both buttons do exactly the same thing. The "Reset InfiniTVs to Factory Defaults" only affect the network settings of the InfiniTV card. I can see how the current wording is confusing, and have filed a change request with our devs to change the wording in a future release.

erkotz: The publically available versions of Windows 7 Media Center limit the number of supported tuner of any one type (cable card, clear QAM and analog) to four (4). I believe that the InfiniTV driver increases this limit to six (6). Previously with two InfiniTV 4 cards, I assigned the limit of six (6) tuners for local use and made the remaining two #3 tuners available to other PCs through the network. Tuner Salad increases this limit to twelve (12) and I prefer that all eight (8) of my InfiniTV tuners be available locally and no longer desired any shared network tuners. Furthermore, the bridging utilized to share network tuners was unreliable and the PC often required the Windows Network Troubleshooter to fix the bridging on PC restarts.

There has never been a version of the InfiniTV driver which limited it to 6. Our initial release increased the limit to 8 tuners, and our current release raises the limit to 30 (though we will only support up to 12). Tuner Salad is unnecessary to install on any PC using the Ceton InfiniTV using current drivers, as our drivers already provide this functionality.

The bridging used by InfiniTV Network Tuners is a Windows component written by Microsoft. If you find that unreliable, you may have a problem with your network card, network drivers, or Windows installation.

[bhellmer]

erkotz:

I can assure you that I took all appropriate ESD precautions when handling the cards.

I never asked for anything called a "'reset flash". I asked for a "firmware image file". But now that you mention a "reset flash", it sounds like a wonderful idea. Ceton should consider creating a "reset flash" app that restores the factory firmware image and resets all subcomponent registries back to their factory values.

I was wrong about the tuner limit with the InfiniTV driver. Had I known the limit was that high, I never would have executed the Network Tuner Wizard or paid $5 for Tuner Salad. Even if the cards were both damaged by ESD, I might never have known it because both of the cards still stream video. They just refuse commands to change their network configuration.

I have received confirmation that two replacements are on their way and then these two will be Ceton's problem. At this point, I no longer care about these "damaged" cards and I have wasted way too much time on them.

[erkotz]

I just looked at your ticket, and we sent a message to you Friday with the FedEx tracking number of the new cards. It shows them as being scheduled to arrive Wednesday.