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August 14th, 2008 00:00

CableCARD Issues on an XPS420

Hello,

I currently have two ATI CableCARD tuners (firmware 1.17.1) on Cox Cable in the Phoenix metro area. I am running Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 with the Windows Media Center TV Pack installed (aka "Fiji").

Up until a few days ago I could tune every channel perfectly. Then, a few stations stopped working (EPSN-HD, ABC-HD, Showtime-HD, and HBO-HD). All the other stations and HD stations work just fine.

Cox Cable came out today and replaced both CableCARDs, checked the signal levels and I am still missing the same stations.

The signal level on both tuners is showing -7 with a SnR of 33/34. My cable modem and the cable company's tester however are showing a downstream of 7.1 and an upstream of 47 (the tuners and modem are all on the same splitter).

What I need to know is the operating signal range in order for these tuners to work. If possible, both what the tuner should display for the signal level and what the cable company should see for the signal level. And is there anything else I can do to fix this?

 

Thanks,

 

John C.

8 Posts

August 14th, 2008 16:00

Are you using M-Cards or S-Cards? I notice someone else on a Comcast system was reporting spotty channel outage after a Fiji update. He had four ATI tuners and was running Ultimate. His machine was set up with dual boot and when he went back into Vista with Media Center .18000 everything was there.

 

I've had a few problems with ABC-HD (which is a 720p service) with M-Card SA-800 in LA West Valley Time Warner, but they've resolved it. That was a head end M-host problem.

 

There could be a conflict with the channel mapping and the new guide or a problem with ATI Tuners with your host on Comcast depending on the card. If you have M-Cards, have Comcast bring you a couple of S-Cards which run on a different host on the head end.

 

I also got a Windows Update (listed as optional) the day before yesterday for the ATI Cable Card Tuner. You might go to Windows update and do a manual search and look for hardware and see what that entail.

I have the 1.17 firmware as well (full version 1.17.1.08040741 [Apr  7 2008 - 16:29:12]. When I ran the update it found both my tuners, did an update and said it was successful--all this without doing the ATI update routine of removing the cable cards, rebooting and running the update between 2 and 10 minutes up in the session.

 

If you read through the green button, you'll see a few cases of cable card issues like this, but all have been related to Comcast so it's hard to say if the problem is ATI, Comcast or MS MCETVP or an S-Card, M-Card problem.

106 Posts

August 14th, 2008 17:00

I had S-Cards when the issue started.  When they replaced the cards they put in M-Cards.  So it doesnt seem to matter which type I am using, but I get the same issue.

 

Does anyone know what the proper signal range is for these tuners?

106 Posts

August 14th, 2008 22:00

Since I couldnt just uninstall the TV Pack (wasnt an option to in the list of updates), I did a system restore.  And voila, the channels came back.  Very strange.  Wonder what the TV Pack messed with with the CableCARDS.

8 Posts

August 15th, 2008 00:00

That's interesting, that exactly the same thing that happened to the other Comcast subscriber. He set up dual boot so he could switch between MCVP and MC.

 

I have a feeling it has to do with the guide and if you do the dual boot you might try other zip codes (maybe even other cities) and see what results you get.

106 Posts

August 15th, 2008 00:00

106 Posts

August 15th, 2008 14:00

Chris,

 

I had installed it on an XPS420 with almost no issues whatsoever.  The only thing that went wrong is that I was missing a few channels.  IMHO, I would include it on the restore disks and if someone "accidentally" lost their Vista restore disk, they would have it on the replacement.  Also, the information that came with the update only specifies that it has the same hardware requirements as Vista itself.

 

Thanks,

 

John C.

Community Manager

 • 

54.9K Posts

August 15th, 2008 14:00

chapmanjw,

Dell has not yet decided when or if it will include Fiji Windows Media Center TV Pack in future PCs. What has been decided is that none of our currently selling PCs and older ones will not be given Fiji since it is not backwards compatible to older Vista systems.

8 Posts

August 15th, 2008 14:00

So that mean those of us that just bought systems need to send them back? Seems like a strange decision on Dell's part and not in keeping with all your competitors. It's bad enough you phone system keeps disconnecting on calls, but this is really amazing.

1.7K Posts

August 17th, 2008 08:00

Media Center TV Pack 2008 works wonderful on my Dell XPS 720. As Microsoft has said its up to the OEM if they want to release the TV Pack.. others will  , Dell will not and its backword compatable to all vista OS's  ,  unlike what some Dell employees may say.

Message Edited by Toronto699 on 08-17-2008 05:00 AM
Message Edited by Toronto699 on 08-17-2008 05:01 AM

46 Posts

August 19th, 2008 00:00


@Anonymous-Chris_M wrote:
chapmanjw,

Dell has not yet decided when or if it will include Fiji Windows Media Center TV Pack in future PCs. What has been decided is that none of our currently selling PCs and older ones will not be given Fiji since it is not backwards compatible to older Vista systems.

Chris,

 

Whoever is saying that it is not compatable with "older" Vista systems is completely incorrect.  The entire Microsoft "Fiji" beta test was conducted by instaliing the update on RTM versions of Vista.  The testers were also given the final executable to install the Gold update on their systems.  This is the file that's been leaked to the internet and people like Toronto have downloaded and installed.

1.7K Posts

August 19th, 2008 01:00

Zoder i was given the file  its was not downloaded,, its a genuine  official  MS  file. The greenbutton.com  microsoft message board has decide not to delete links . there are some very angry ehome microsoft ppl... as some microsoft ppl  think the packs should be for general release,, if things stay this way any OS updates will mean buying a new OS disk or buying the updates , i can see what the future holds and its not good.  
Message Edited by Toronto699 on 08-18-2008 09:26 PM
Message Edited by Toronto699 on 08-18-2008 09:32 PM

46 Posts

August 19th, 2008 01:00


@Toronto699 wrote:
Zoder i was given the file  its was not downloaded,, its a genuine  official  MS  file. The greenbutton.com  microsoft message board has decide not to delete links
Message Edited by Toronto699 on 08-18-2008 09:26 PM

Sorry about that.  I had read about the links on the greenbutton.com and assumed those were leaks of the official file.

1.7K Posts

August 19th, 2008 02:00

yes the links of the official file at the greenbutton,,  my file is not from any link ,
Message Edited by Toronto699 on 08-18-2008 10:40 PM

1.7K Posts

August 19th, 2008 02:00

My comment about Dell and Media TV Pack on Dell OS's  was not Directed At or to Chris_M  , Chris_M is great i have much respect for him and what he does on our behalf .. sorry if i offended  anyone .

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