Time Warner set-top-box shenanigans

[KryptoNyte]

Maybe there is a Time Warner tech lurking the forums here that can provide a little sympathy ...

Today I setup SageTV + HD-PVR to record 24 hours of straight Lemans racing from my Time Warner 4640HDC set top box. At about the 3 to 4 hours mark, the Time Warner set-top-box decided that it would require user input to continue playing the Lemans race. With my HD-PVR recording the event in my absence, the Time Warner set top box decided to STOP broadcasting the event.

Is there something I am missing on the STB setup that disables this kind of bullcrap? Wow, this issue has me really hot, any help would be much appreciated ...

[ddeerrff]

I'm going to guess it is a SDV timeout.

[PONIES]

This is a known behavior which can't be changed. All Time Warner DVR's will go to a black screen or "Channel Not Available" after viewing something for 4+ hours without pressing any buttons.

[Jack 1000]

Maybe there is a Time Warner tech lurking the forums here that can provide a little sympathy ...

Today I setup SageTV + HD-PVR to record 24 hours of straight Lemans racing from my Time Warner 4640HDC set top box. At about the 3 to 4 hours mark, the Time Warner set-top-box decided that it would require user input to continue playing the Lemans race. With my HD-PVR recording the event in my absence, the Time Warner set top box decided to STOP broadcasting the event.

Is there something I am missing on the STB setup that disables this kind of bullcrap? Wow, this issue has me really hot, any help would be much appreciated ...

I'll send to my cable guys.

Jack

[PONIES]

Something tells me that Time Warner isn't going to be sympathetic to his plight.

They put the CCI 0x02 "Copy Once" flags on every channel for a reason. For some reason I get the feeling that they don't want you bypassing it with one of those crappy HD-PVR boxes

[KryptoNyte]

Thanks, Jack.

[KryptoNyte]

Something tells me that Time Warner isn't going to be sympathetic to his plight.

They put the CCI 0x02 "Copy Once" flags on every channel for a reason. For some reason I get the feeling that they don't want you bypassing it with one of those crappy HD-PVR boxes

Poni, if Windows Media Center wasn't so limited with its options, I would probably be more inclined to use my Ceton.  Additionally, the combination of the Ceton, Tuning Adapter, and cable card has been far less stable than the SageTV + HDHomerun + HD-PVR system that I've come to know over the past 7 years.

[Jack 1000]

Maybe there is a Time Warner tech lurking the forums here that can provide a little sympathy ...

Today I setup SageTV + HD-PVR to record 24 hours of straight Lemans racing from my Time Warner 4640HDC set top box. At about the 3 to 4 hours mark, the Time Warner set-top-box decided that it would require user input to continue playing the Lemans race. With my HD-PVR recording the event in my absence, the Time Warner set top box decided to STOP broadcasting the event.

Is there something I am missing on the STB setup that disables this kind of bullcrap? Wow, this issue has me really hot, any help would be much appreciated ...

My tech friend's suggestion: Who fixes TWC screw-ups btw,

The only thing I can suggest is under the Timer settings in the menu. Make sure the Power Saver Mode is turned OFF (It's on by default) which throws up a screen saver and shuts the box off after so many hours of no input. Aside from that, if the channel is an SDV channel he is SOL. The box after a set period (note the times may be set by the headend and could possibly vary from divisions) will trigger a prompt for user input to continue watching and if there is none, it will release the channel. If you can find out what the exact message was that he saw I can determine which it is. I'm hopeful that once TWC goes all digital and eventually IP based that they stop using SDV.

See if that works,

Jack

PS. The quick way to get to Power Save Mode and turn it off:

Press Settings
Scroll left/right to Timers.
Press Select
Choose Power Save Mode.
Make sure that Power Save Mode is OFF.
Press Exit

[KryptoNyte]

Thanks, Jack.  I'm pretty sure I have all the STB's power settings disabled, but I'll double check just to be sure.

I may have to figure a workaround for this issue with the USB-UIRT sending a command on an interval (if that even works), or I'll just need to keep all my recording times less than 4 hours.

[popegreg]

I like to leave a news channel on in the background, usually CNN International (ch 357 an SDV channel for sure) and it will prompt me to hit the A button every couple of hours to continue viewing.   Very annoying and I have to wonder if this doesn't trip up the visually impaired.

[PONIES]

Why are the visually impaired watching television?

[KryptoNyte]

On some of the shows that I record, I've noticed there is a separate sound track for the blind, where a narrator describes what's happening.

I think it's fantastic that the visually impaired have an avenue for "watching" television.

[LoadStar]

On some of the shows that I record, I've noticed there is a separate sound track for the blind, where a narrator describes what's happening.

I think it's fantastic that the visually impaired have an avenue for "watching" television.

Here's a blog entry on that very topic from Time Warner Cable:
http://www.twcableuntangled.com/2012/06/getting-more-from-television-for-customers-who-are-blind-or-have-vision-loss/

[popegreg]

Why are the visually impaired watching television?

You may need to get out more.  

Get this, there are even hearing impaired people who go to concerts!!!