I can't get my digital cable going. No Dig cable = no REAL TIME.

:cry:

Maybe someone will have a suggestion I haven't already tried.

Series of events:

In mid November I asked to have the cable shut off because I was getting in an ever deeper financial hole. Well, I WORK there so they took their time in getting around to shutting it off. During that time (about 2 weeks) I was playing with getting a media center pc hooked up - so I messed with some connections. While in the midst of THAT the digital cable was shut off. (those sweeties I work with left ON my analog, however) When the digital cable box was shut off it immediately went to analog and the stations come in through the television itself. Now - before the digital cable was shut off if I shut of the set top box the television just went dark - it did not switch to analog stations.

Now it has been announced that all employees in our service area are being offered FULL service digital (all regular AND pay stations - with the exception of PPV) for a flat $15/month. SWEET. My cable bill is paid off, so I decide to turn it back on, and get a second box for the bedroom while I'm at it. I want one of the newer (with more connections) boxes, so they require a 12 hour burn in before the box can be hit ... which couldn't happen today. I will get the new box on Monday at work. My digital service is *supposed* to be restored, however.

I got nothing. Same behavior as mentioned above (although I think previously the box didn't even turn on and display any numbers/etc - and now it does) - no video or audio, and if I shut the box off it immediately switches to analog on the tv.

Did they likely not complete the process of turning me back on ... or am I having a freeper moment? Any ideas?

I have components all over my living room and can't figure out how to hook the VCR, DVD and DVR all back up. A tech from the cable company is coming out tomorrow to "restore order". :(

I'm no dummeh (since I DO work with technology every day)... so I suspect it is INDEED connected correctly and that something's amiss at the office. That's not NECESSARILY the case though. I have been known to be wrong before. Shocking, isn't it? :D

Dammit. It wouldn't matter except I got myself ALL psyched up to watch real time tonight.


edit: Did you ever get that vid I sent? Also ... I still have questions re: the other thing I was talking to you about........

you're no dummy. :)

I couldn't run the VCR when the DVR was on and the DVD player wouldn't play through the tv. I have my stuff a mess. I've become a technological incompetent.

It's definitely confusing. I think I went over and retraced my connections a good 15 times before giving up. It's like a rat's next of cables back there!! :scared:

We always told people to unplug the box for about 30 seconds and then try. If that doesn't work, can you call the cable company and have them send a signal to it? Sometimes after the cable has been shut off the boxes have to get refreshed.

If you do have to call, it wouldn't hurt to ask if they did indeed switch it back on.

I then did that too.

Yeah, I kind of figure they forgot to do something at the office ... too bad I have to wait until Monday to find out what/if/etc. :(

Some signal amplifiers actually block certain frequencies on the return path (or from the box back to the cable company's office) So if the box doesn't "answer back" when they query it from the office, they can't reactivate it, or change the programming in any way. If there aren't any amplifiers, then you might have a connection problem, possibly a bad piece of cable with a break in it. I'm assuming there's a splitter somewhere in your setup, because you said you were still getting the analog signal.

Nothing's changed since I had working digital in the past - other than I *did* mess with a htpc for a bit before they shut it off and there is a *small* possibility I didn't reconnect something correctly. I can't for the life of me see where that could have happened though. Oh and because my homies didn't come to the house and physically disconnect me from the pole - instead leaving my analog on for me when I disconnected - they haven't been here to mess with cables either)

Basically - this is the connection to this particular tv -

Cable into the house, into 2way splitter. One output from splitter goes to av receiver for better fm radio reception. Second output goes to IN on STB. RF out goes to TV, composite vid w/ rca audio OUT to av receiver. S-video from receiver to TV. ....

I get no audio OR video at all with the STB on. Turn it off, and I instantly get analog on the tv. I am as positive as I can be without being fully 100% that it is hooked up as it was when working previously.

Reason I ask is that we just got an HDTV and had to swap out the digital converter for an HDMI converter and even with that, all the pictures were not nearly as pristine as they were in the store.

Turns out, only certain stations receive the digital signals, so you have to turn to them.

HDTV is on the list ... but it will have to wait for a bit, and then I'll need a new receiver as well. $$$$

Congrats on your HD. If I believed in jealousy, I'd be really GREEN right about now. :D

We get them something along those lines every year. Something obstensibly for the 'house' or the 'family'. So far, so good. Although I have to admit, BoyMidlo is playing PS3 on it so much that I have only watched one show on it and that was last night.