TWC SA8300HDC - Some HD Channels Don't Work

[Danno321]

For the last few days I can't get probably 40-50% of my HD channnels (no ESPNHD News, FOOD HD, HDNET, HD Movies, CNBCHD for example) on my SA8300HDC.  I have no problems with my SA8300HD.  I have the new guide with yellow highlight on the HD but not on the HDC.  Anyone else having problems?

[LoadStar]

For the last few days I can't get probably 40-50% of my HD channnels (no ESPNHD News, FOOD HD, HDNET, HD Movies, CNBCHD for example) on my SA8300HDC.  I have no problems with my SA8300HD.  I have the new guide with yellow highlight on the HD but not on the HDC.  Anyone else having problems?

Try doing a cold reboot of the box having problems.

[samsung46]

I have the same problems at times.  I reboot the box and the channels may or may not come in only to have the same problem later anyway! :mad: I called TWC they just me to reboot the box or have a tech come out or get a new box.  
I believe I have a SA8300HD.  Are they handing out different boxes now-a-days or should I just have the clown come out and check the node in my apt building?

[nick3092]

I have the same problems at times.  I reboot the box and the channels may or may not come in only to have the same problem later anyway! :mad: I called TWC they just me to reboot the box or have a tech come out or get a new box.  
I believe I have a SA8300HD.  Are they handing out different boxes now-a-days or should I just have the clown come out and check the node in my apt building?

If you have a non-C box, hold on to it for dear life.  I've heard they have begun handing out Samsung SMT-H3050 boxes for non-DVR boxes.  A few have been spotted in the wild in MKE.  Rumor is they will be using the SMT-H3090 for DVR replacements.  But no one has seen them yet, and they are still handing out the 8300HDC.  Which out of the 3 people I know that have it, and have seen it in action, is garbage.

[Danno321]

Try doing a cold reboot of the box having problems.

I should have added I did that.  No change and I haven't had time to call TWC yet.

[samsung46]

If you have a non-C box, hold on to it for dear life.  I've heard they have begun handing out Samsung SMT-H3050 boxes for non-DVR boxes.  A few have been spotted in the wild in MKE.  Rumor is they will be using the SMT-H3090 for DVR replacements.  But no one has seen them yet, and they are still handing out the 8300HDC.  Which out of the 3 people I know that have it, and have seen it in action, is garbage.

What is wrong with the "C" boxes??  I have a non-C box but it is acting up still.  In addition to "channel not available" with a few SD channels the box will give a black screen for about 1 second, then back to the picture and endlessly repeat!  I know someone who just got a "C" box and is not having issues...yet.

[nick3092]

What is wrong with the "C" boxes??  I have a non-C box but it is acting up still.  In addition to "channel not available" with a few SD channels the box will give a black screen for about 1 second, then back to the picture and endlessly repeat!  I know someone who just got a "C" box and is not having issues...yet.

C boxes are OCAP, and run ODN.  ODN is extremely slow and unresponsive.  For example, you press the guide button and it takes like 2 - 3 seconds to come up.  On MDN when I press guide, it comes up in like 1/2 second.  And it's not just the guide.  It is slow to respond to pretty much any button press.  And scrolling through the guide is horribly slow on ODN as well.  And if it ever has to reboot, its a 5+ minute process.

[samsung46]

I might not care if it takes care of my "channel unavailable" issue and if the picture quality is the same...

[kevbeck122]

C boxes have the same issues with channels.. and they are unbearably slow at times like nick said.

[Danno321]

What is causing this "channel unavailable".  Is it signal strength?  If so, can I check that in diagnostics?  To add, the unavailable channels seem to change as I can now get FOODTV HD but now Fox News HD or CNN HD.

[bbauter]

I too am having the same problem with the HD Channels saying they are currently unavailable (Press the yellow A to try again). I called and asked and they told me to reboot and as per everyone else's comment,  it does nothing.

The non DVR box was also traded-in for another, which also did nothing. At this time i am fed up with TWC and am going to be demanding refunds. They are not scaling very well, and the whole "Free HD" slogan they have is a scam. I could go on, but I know my feeling are not alone.

Anyone know when U-Verse id going to be in G-town?

[kevbeck122]

What is causing this "channel unavailable".  Is it signal strength?  If so, can I check that in diagnostics?  To add, the unavailable channels seem to change as I can now get FOODTV HD but now Fox News HD or CNN HD.

The C boxes give an error when going to an unavailable channel: "No SDV Bandwidth" which could indicate that TWC is out of channel capacity.  The channels you get are dependent on who is watching them in your neighborhood.  If too many SDV channels are being watched, then you can't tune to another.  I talked about it here too: http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=8365&page=2.  

Anyone know when U-Verse id going to be in G-town?

Have you called AT&T or checked their availability website?  It's available in most parts of G-town I believe.

[Danno321]

Just noticed in the DIAG menu (press SELECT until mail icon lights, then press down arrow) on page 5 that SDV Registration is set to FAILED.  Since the bigger basket of HD channels depends on SDV this makes sense that I don't get all of them and the ones I get switch around.  A tech is coming out today to take a look.

[Danno321]

The C boxes give an error when going to an unavailable channel: "No SDV Bandwidth" which could indicate that TWC is out of channel capacity.  The channels you get are dependent on who is watching them in your neighborhood.  If too many SDV channels are being watched, then you can't tune to another.  I talked about it here too: http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=8365&page=2.

except for the fact that my SA8300HD works fine with 'SDV Registration' set to 'Registered'.

[Danno321]

TWC tech just left.  He removed a splitter that was installed years ago (2003?) to boost the Road Runner signal and said the signal from one splitter to 2 tvs and one RR modem was plenty.  So problem is now fixed for the most part, but the SA8300HDC ODN STB blue screen "channel unavailable" does temporarily display before showing the channel content for some HD channels.  This never happens on my SA8300HD MDN STB.  And I will be watching for RR problems!