I am desperate for any assistance here, as active and timely feedback from either Ceton or Comcast is not happening, and I feel like I'm caught in the middle.
Something happened around March 9th where my channel lineup got messed up. The local HD channels were no longer visible, and Channel 4 (wnbc new york) was being broadcast on my Channel 6 (should be WPVI Philadelphia).
I have a basic setup for my windows media center.
- Multimedia PC running Windows Ultimate SP1 64-bit on Intel i7 processor
- No 3rd party security software, just Microsoft Security Essentials
- Ceton InfiniTV4 tuner, HW ver: 6212, FW ver: 1.1.8.2, PCIe driver ver: 1.0.2.4, diagnostics too ver: 13.6.3.1088
- Cisco CableCARD PKM801, HW ver: 1.0
My system has been in a steady state and running just fine. Then POW, something crapped out on me on March 9th.
After countless calls with Comcast and technician visits, I reached out to Ceton. They instructed me to clear my channel map, which would be reloaded within 10 minutes. It did not. Now I have no channels at all, no call backs from Ceton, and no call backs from Comcast. I feel like I'm stranded on a raft in a digital ocean. My family is going to want to hang me on a cross tomorrow.
ANY assistance anyone has is appreciated.
Channel lineup is messed up
Forum rules
Ceton no longer participate in this forum. Official support may still be handled via the Ceton Ticket system.
Ceton no longer participate in this forum. Official support may still be handled via the Ceton Ticket system.
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bmiklosey
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Crash2009
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First things first. Go get a couple Set top boxes to pacify the lynch mob.
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bmiklosey
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that doesn't solve the problem. this is a site dedicated to WMC, so I appreciate contributions here that either supply symptoms, root causes, or real solutions....
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Crash2009
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You haven't stated anything that points to WMC being the problem. Usually when things all of a sudden stop working on a particular date, its either Windows Update or your Cable Provider.
For Windows Update problems we usually Restore from a System Image or a Restore Point that was saved prior to March 9th.
The suggestion of getting a cable box is so that you can see if you have a signal, as well as relieving some of the pressure in finding a solution.
Perhaps Ceton and Comcast have dropped you for the same reason as I am.
For Windows Update problems we usually Restore from a System Image or a Restore Point that was saved prior to March 9th.
The suggestion of getting a cable box is so that you can see if you have a signal, as well as relieving some of the pressure in finding a solution.
Perhaps Ceton and Comcast have dropped you for the same reason as I am.
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bmiklosey
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Last night after three hours on the phone with Comcast, we finally got a CableCARD to pair up. Now I have SOME channels, like HistoryHD and TBS HD. I do not have any local channels, neither in the low channel range or their HD equivalents.
This is pointing back to a Comcast issue because the channel map seems screwed up. I'm just relieved that I'm receiving some channels now. It's just incredibly frustrating to be dealing with this issue for nearly a month now...
This is pointing back to a Comcast issue because the channel map seems screwed up. I'm just relieved that I'm receiving some channels now. It's just incredibly frustrating to be dealing with this issue for nearly a month now...
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JohnW248
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Has Comcast changed the line up and gone to all digital as other cable systems are doing? That would explain the loss of the local channels.bmiklosey wrote:Last night after three hours on the phone with Comcast, we finally got a CableCARD to pair up. Now I have SOME channels, like HistoryHD and TBS HD. I do not have any local channels, neither in the low channel range or their HD equivalents.
This is pointing back to a Comcast issue because the channel map seems screwed up. I'm just relieved that I'm receiving some channels now. It's just incredibly frustrating to be dealing with this issue for nearly a month now...
Unfortunately to fix this, if that's the case, you need to re-run TV set-up to get a new guide that will have the proper channel line up. Comcast should be able to tell you what channel number you need to tune to get your local ABC or NBC station and if it is on more than one channel number (ie HD and SD)
The problem isn't with a channel map in these cases but a guide number that is different on the Zap2It/MS guide service
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bmiklosey
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john, I appreciate the suggestions. I don't think there has been a lineup change (at least a significant one) because my Windows Media Center guide lineup looks like it did prior to this issue.
In WMC I have tried to re-rerun the setup. In WMC settings, I've tried several times to 'Set Up TV signal'. The one symptom I am seeing in this routine is after going through the activation steps, there is a TV signal setup. That step finishes almost instantaneously, and I'm pretty sure it should take a bit longer than that. Also, I noticed that in WMC TV signal menu I have 4 choices (setup, activate, diagnostics, help). I noticed a 5th one appear last week while cycling through cablecards called 'Search for More TV Signals' but have never seen it again.
The other key symptom is when installing PKM801 cards for the first time, there is a Firmware upgrade routine. WMC has crashed when this occurs, however, it appears the CableCARD has successfully updated its firmware (at least in Ceton's diagnostics screen it indicates that). So I'm wondering if this is a software issue, could there be a bit set that is throwing off the lineup somewhere? I don't even want to speculate anymore. After dealing with this for a month, I seriously need more expertise to resolve this matter. Fortunately, Comcast's Escalation department contacted me today and it appears they are reaching out to Engineers.
Does this smell in any way of a hardware issue? Could it be a bad tuner? Other?
Thank you.
In WMC I have tried to re-rerun the setup. In WMC settings, I've tried several times to 'Set Up TV signal'. The one symptom I am seeing in this routine is after going through the activation steps, there is a TV signal setup. That step finishes almost instantaneously, and I'm pretty sure it should take a bit longer than that. Also, I noticed that in WMC TV signal menu I have 4 choices (setup, activate, diagnostics, help). I noticed a 5th one appear last week while cycling through cablecards called 'Search for More TV Signals' but have never seen it again.
The other key symptom is when installing PKM801 cards for the first time, there is a Firmware upgrade routine. WMC has crashed when this occurs, however, it appears the CableCARD has successfully updated its firmware (at least in Ceton's diagnostics screen it indicates that). So I'm wondering if this is a software issue, could there be a bit set that is throwing off the lineup somewhere? I don't even want to speculate anymore. After dealing with this for a month, I seriously need more expertise to resolve this matter. Fortunately, Comcast's Escalation department contacted me today and it appears they are reaching out to Engineers.
Does this smell in any way of a hardware issue? Could it be a bad tuner? Other?
Thank you.
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JohnW248
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I suggested running TV set up because I have on at least one machine in the past lost channels and had to run tv set up to get them back. Going through the diagnostic steps with the Ceton tool will clean the old tuners out and if you do that you will have to run tv set up again. If it doesn't run you may have some other part of media center that is damaged. To do that you'll have to run the Media Center recover task which will put MC back to the first time you ran it (this is different than turning off windows features in programs and features)
To do that you need to right click on computer and choose manage, when that opens you select Task Schedule and open down Task Scheduler Library>Microsoft>Windows>Media Center and then 8th one down (on my machine) is the MediaCenter Recovery Task. Make sure Media Center is closed, click on the task and from the Action Menu item at the top select run. Close the computer management panel and then open Media Center. All of your scheduled recordings will have been wiped, DRM will still work and you'll set up tv signal from scratch.
Once your cableCARD got its FW upgrade it won't do it again, that's something that come over the wire (coax) to the tuner to the cableCARD. If you open the diagnostic tab (depending on what FW you're running on the Ceton it may restart the cableCARD you'll see what FW you're running:
Cisco CableCARD(tm)
Diagnostics
H/W Model: 0800, Ver: 0012
MAC Address: 00:21:BE:49:3C:2E
SL. No: PKGTSGSQW, Mode: MMODE
Boot Time
Sat Apr 11 2015, 1:40:52 PM GMT
Current Time
Sat Apr 11 2015, 1:48:35 PM GMT
Free Memory: 1564 KB
Bldr Ver: 124
OS Ver: PKEY2.0.1_F.p.0801 >>>>This is your FW, Scrolling through other screen will reveal the time you got it, the next line is the build time.
Build Time: Mar 31 2014, 15:12:04
Resource Status: 00521C1F00527FBF
BFS: Received, Hub ID: 44
I only think you can see the cableCARD FW in the cableCARD diagnostic screen, the Ceton Diagnostic can't see it especially with the last two FW updates.
To do that you need to right click on computer and choose manage, when that opens you select Task Schedule and open down Task Scheduler Library>Microsoft>Windows>Media Center and then 8th one down (on my machine) is the MediaCenter Recovery Task. Make sure Media Center is closed, click on the task and from the Action Menu item at the top select run. Close the computer management panel and then open Media Center. All of your scheduled recordings will have been wiped, DRM will still work and you'll set up tv signal from scratch.
Once your cableCARD got its FW upgrade it won't do it again, that's something that come over the wire (coax) to the tuner to the cableCARD. If you open the diagnostic tab (depending on what FW you're running on the Ceton it may restart the cableCARD you'll see what FW you're running:
Cisco CableCARD(tm)
Diagnostics
H/W Model: 0800, Ver: 0012
MAC Address: 00:21:BE:49:3C:2E
SL. No: PKGTSGSQW, Mode: MMODE
Boot Time
Sat Apr 11 2015, 1:40:52 PM GMT
Current Time
Sat Apr 11 2015, 1:48:35 PM GMT
Free Memory: 1564 KB
Bldr Ver: 124
OS Ver: PKEY2.0.1_F.p.0801 >>>>This is your FW, Scrolling through other screen will reveal the time you got it, the next line is the build time.
Build Time: Mar 31 2014, 15:12:04
Resource Status: 00521C1F00527FBF
BFS: Received, Hub ID: 44
I only think you can see the cableCARD FW in the cableCARD diagnostic screen, the Ceton Diagnostic can't see it especially with the last two FW updates.
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cKuR6
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Can a mod move this somewhere else, since this has nothing whatsoever to do with the thread in which it is posted?
OT poster. Make backups. Next time, save yourself time. Turn off every piece of hardware that serves your TV. Reboot your PC and roll back. Restart everything.
I don't see that you've done this but it is the easiest way most time. Other times, simply turning everything off, then restarting as you did the first time you set it up, will fix things.
FW upgrades stalling has its own thread somewheres. . . . I followed the suggestions there and babam... it all works. Search is your friend. The guys here are all very helpful, but there are forum use norms to follow.
1. search
2. start your own thread or post in one specifically related to your issue
3. don't bite the first hand that tries to help you
Crash only suggested to you, what you will see most individuals end up doing, in order to appease the family while we work out our screw ups or system failures. There was no way you were going to fix this overnight. You've entered a strange world, with odd failures and very random quirky behavior. If your family isn't willing to lose tv every once in awhile. You need a stb backup.
OT poster. Make backups. Next time, save yourself time. Turn off every piece of hardware that serves your TV. Reboot your PC and roll back. Restart everything.
I don't see that you've done this but it is the easiest way most time. Other times, simply turning everything off, then restarting as you did the first time you set it up, will fix things.
FW upgrades stalling has its own thread somewheres. . . . I followed the suggestions there and babam... it all works. Search is your friend. The guys here are all very helpful, but there are forum use norms to follow.
1. search
2. start your own thread or post in one specifically related to your issue
3. don't bite the first hand that tries to help you
Crash only suggested to you, what you will see most individuals end up doing, in order to appease the family while we work out our screw ups or system failures. There was no way you were going to fix this overnight. You've entered a strange world, with odd failures and very random quirky behavior. If your family isn't willing to lose tv every once in awhile. You need a stb backup.