IS there a TWC SDV clock screensaver workaround?

[snazzy]

Hi, I didn't know TGB was back, kudos. That also speaks to me being problem free for so long and until very recently.

Time Warner in New York has been changing all sorts of things around. One of which is that, after some period (4 hours according to some of the things I've seen), certain channels go into screensaver mode. Black with a TWC logo with a (broken) clock that flies around.

Old news to many no doubt. New to me. Nearly every recording I made in January (I am waaaaay behind!) is the friggin' clock logo.

I'm very close to being a cord-cutter so I don't actually dvr via 7MC all that much. Just a few pbs shows that I really like which are included in basic (yet not OTA broadcast). In other words, I don't think there is a cable card in my future. Yet from searching that seems to be the discussion that I've found, something called a tuning adapter will wake up TWC for your cable card. I'm guessing I don't get one or control one without a cable card system.

I was wondering if there is some other way to wake up the STB. Can we send additional iR blasts with each tuning for a recording somehow (like the "A" key which is supposed to wake up the box)? Or just have 7MC automatically tune to a non-SDV channel after or before every recording? The act of tuning itself doesn't seem to wake it up, at least if it was already on that channel I think.

Took a peek at the registry and don't see anything that's already there. Is there a tweak?

Thanks much for any leads.

[blueiedgod]

TA won't work without the CableCARD tuner in the system.

If all you record is PBS, I am surprised you said they are not on OTA. My parents in the Bronx, and sister in Montville, NJ get 3 or 4 PBS channels off the air with a small Mohu leaf type antenna.

I am in Buffalo, and I get 3 PBS channels, friends in Toronto (good 100 miles, well 60, as the bird flyes, but 100 to go around the lake) pick them up as well. In fact, the PBS station here is Buffalo-Toronto PBS.

If you insist on recording off STB, check the STB sleep settings, which is most likely the culprit, not SDV.

[snazzy]

The STB sleep settings are off. I'm fairly certain it's a new use of SDV in this area (Westchester). TWC's previous step a couple of months ago was encrypting all the content on coaxial.

I do get at least 2 good pbs signals over the air, but that's not where my shows are typically carried. It's on the dedicated pbs world and pbs create channels. But sometimes others as well. It doesn't matter, as it is, I won't be recording anything anymore. Simply the act of leaving the STB tuned to a wide variety of channels will ensure it goes into this screensaver mode before most recodings start. No good.

So since a TA won't work as I suspected, I remain looking for a hack. I don't see any obvious place in the registry or ehome where it lists what the iR blaster blasts, or how win7 sets up the scheduled tasks. But that must be somewhere you'd think.

[blueiedgod]

The STB sleep settings are off. I'm fairly certain it's a new use of SDV in this area (Westchester). TWC's previous step a couple of months ago was encrypting all the content on coaxial.

I do get at least 2 good pbs signals over the air, but that's not where my shows are typically carried. It's on the dedicated pbs world and pbs create channels. But sometimes others as well. It doesn't matter, as it is, I won't be recording anything anymore. Simply the act of leaving the STB tuned to a wide variety of channels will ensure it goes into this screensaver mode before most recodings start. No good.

So since a TA won't work as I suspected, I remain looking for a hack. I don't see any obvious place in the registry or ehome where it lists what the iR blaster blasts, or how win7 sets up the scheduled tasks. But that must be somewhere you'd think.

Have you considered getting rid of STB completely and just getting a CableCARD tuner, and renting a CableCARD? TWC here charges $2.50/month for a CableCARD that is 6-streams capable, and a tuning adapter.

Since you already have WMC7 set up to record, you are just eliminating the weak link, STB.

[snazzy]

If I go from something that was working just great for years, to something I have to throw money at to get it to work, Time Warner wins.

[werds]

If I go from something that was working just great for years, to something I have to throw money at to get it to work, Time Warner wins.

If you mean on principle... maybe. But by going Cable Card Time Warner would lose monetarily unless your STB is at no cost (which would be an oddity). In most cases it would be a loss of revenue for TWC and a net gain to your pocket book longterm Also not sure what kind of money you would be throwing at it since you already state you have a 7MC system in place... and if it is a Cable Card capable tuner that you are missing - even that will usually end up paying for itself within a year to two years depending on what your current STB fees are.

[snazzy]

It's true that the least expensive cable card I see at Newegg for $179 would hit the break even point at two years ($7.75 savings per month). But Time Warner is an insidious moving target. I cannot predict what additional obstacles will appear in those two years or later, so counting on breaking even and living happily ever after seems naive.

I'd also have to ditch or seriously rebuild the somewhat ancient Dell that has been quietly and efficiently running my HTPC experience for years. I have no spare slot, existing tuner is in a pci slot. I could add a riser cage and get more slots. I'd probably need a beefier power supply then, at least if kept OTA recording and FM with my current tuner. That wouldn't fit the case... and so on. The expense increases.

No, I meant it but should have made it clearer in the OP: I don't see a cable card as a solution.

I could get rid of 7MC however. If I used a different backend to record, I can get access to some scripting to change the behavior when the tuner starts. That would be a shame since I really like 7MC's epg and interface. I was hoping someone had a 7MC way to fix this.

[malong335]

It's true that the least expensive cable card I see at Newegg for $179 would hit the break even point at two years ($7.75 savings per month). But Time Warner is an insidious moving target. I cannot predict what additional obstacles will appear in those two years or later, so counting on breaking even and living happily ever after seems naive.

I'd also have to ditch or seriously rebuild the somewhat ancient Dell that has been quietly and efficiently running my HTPC experience for years. I have no spare slot, existing tuner is in a pci slot. I could add a riser cage and get more slots. I'd probably need a beefier power supply then, at least if kept OTA recording and FM with my current tuner. That wouldn't fit the case... and so on. The expense increases.

No, I meant it but should have made it clearer in the OP: I don't see a cable card as a solution.

I could get rid of 7MC however. If I used a different backend to record, I can get access to some scripting to change the behavior when the tuner starts. That would be a shame since I really like 7MC's epg and interface. I was hoping someone had a 7MC way to fix this.

If you wanted to use a cable card solution, you could use a Ceton InfiniTV4 USB based tuner and I just happen to have one for sale in the Buy/Sell forum!

[snazzy]

Ha, and USB too. That'd work, if I wanted it to work.

[blueiedgod]

It's true that the least expensive cable card I see at Newegg for $179 would hit the break even point at two years ($7.75 savings per month). But Time Warner is an insidious moving target. I cannot predict what additional obstacles will appear in those two years or later, so counting on breaking even and living happily ever after seems naive.

I'd also have to ditch or seriously rebuild the somewhat ancient Dell that has been quietly and efficiently running my HTPC experience for years. I have no spare slot, existing tuner is in a pci slot. I could add a riser cage and get more slots. I'd probably need a beefier power supply then, at least if kept OTA recording and FM with my current tuner. That wouldn't fit the case... and so on. The expense increases.

No, I meant it but should have made it clearer in the OP: I don't see a cable card as a solution.

I could get rid of 7MC however. If I used a different backend to record, I can get access to some scripting to change the behavior when the tuner starts. That would be a shame since I really like 7MC's epg and interface. I was hoping someone had a 7MC way to fix this.

$179 is MSRP if you are talking about SiliconDust HomeRun Prime, which has 3 tuners. It was recently on sale for $80 - $85.

There is also Hauppauge dual USB tuner which has been on sale for $50, or buy used.

Ceton InifniTV4 internal/USB are also an option, and have been as low as $129.

If you are not planning on moving to FiOS, then look for ATI DCT on ebay/classifieds on here. CableCARD enabled single tuner for $25 - $30. This is the original CableCARD tuner that was sold for over $300 just for 1 tuner.

However, to make the most out of the $2.50/month CableCARD rental, you would want to have a 6-tuner unit. Either wait for SiliconDust to release one, which may or may not happen before Messiah returns, or just grab Ceton InifniTV 6 ETH.

If you insist on the notion "this worked for years, and doesn't work now, and I don't want to accept that technology changed" then you are going to be stuck recording STB clock. It is no different when I go into a shop and introduce them to a new way of doing things, and they say "we've always done it this way, and not going to change"

[barnabas1969]

I'd definitely recommend a network tuner like the Silicondust HD HomeRun Prime. However, you could setup EventGhost (free) along with the ProcessWatcher plugin (also free) so that when ehrec.exe starts (this is what records your show), an EG event will be triggered. The event can then start a macro which sends the "A" key to your cable box (free if there is a plugin that is compatible with your IR blaster, otherwise you'd have to buy a new IR blaster).

[snazzy]

you could setup EventGhost (free) along with the ProcessWatcher plugin (also free) so that when ehrec.exe starts (this is what records your show), an EG event will be triggered. The event can then start a macro which sends the "A" key to your cable box (free if there is a plugin that is compatible with your IR blaster, otherwise you'd have to buy a new IR blaster).

Ah that's the kind of work around I was looking for, thanks very much. Let me see if I can get that working (will post if I do).

I appreciate the upgrade equipment lists as well. USB or network tuners sub $100 ease the annoyance factor. But it's not like I'm some Luddite. TWC flips a switch and the most apparent path of least resistance is renting their dvr. That's no accident.

[barnabas1969]

you could setup EventGhost (free) along with the ProcessWatcher plugin (also free) so that when ehrec.exe starts (this is what records your show), an EG event will be triggered. The event can then start a macro which sends the "A" key to your cable box (free if there is a plugin that is compatible with your IR blaster, otherwise you'd have to buy a new IR blaster).

Ah that's the kind of work around I was looking for, thanks very much. Let me see if I can get that working (will post if I do).

I appreciate the upgrade equipment lists as well. USB or network tuners sub $100 ease the annoyance factor. But it's not like I'm some Luddite. TWC flips a switch and the most apparent path of least resistance is renting their dvr. That's no accident.

Their switch won't affect the CableCARD tuners. Your best solution is CableCARD.