Tuning Adapter and SDV error 1

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rcme

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Tuning Adapter and SDV error 1

#1

Post by rcme » Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:05 am

I am hoping someone here has experience with tuning adapters. I have Time Warner Cable (TWC), a STA1520 TA, a Ceton InfiniTV 4, and Windows 7 (32-bit).

Last Fall (Aug-Oct 2011) I started getting the "SDV error: 1" on some SDV channels. Somewhat consistent, but not always reproducible on the same channel. I opened a ticket with Ceton and spent a couple of months going back and forth trying to determine the problem. Eric Kotz and others at Ceton were very responsive reviewing my diagnostic files and working with the TWC Corporate CableCard folks (and supposedly even the local TWC engineers). At the same time the local TWC techs and engineers worked on the problem at my house. The TWC techs were at my house several times, replacing TAs, checking and tuning signal levels, replacing all the splitters, cable connectors, etc. The local TWC engineers also spent many hours at my house, at the box in the back yard, and in the neighborhood, trying to determine the problem.

After some experimentation, we (the TWC engineers and myself), found that when the "SDV error: 1" occured, the Ceton TA diagnostics always reported the TA tuned to tuner frequency 753.000 Mhz. Upon seeing this, the TWC engineer was perplexed, saying that 753.000 Mhz is a data frequency, not a video frequency and the TA should not be tuning to that - which is likely the reason for the "SDV error: 1". The TWC engineer then called back to the office, had a long conversation with something there, and left my house saying that he would "look into this". Interestingly (coincidence?), the next day, the "SDV error: 1" disappeared!! For the next couple of days, I did random checks with the Ceton TA diagnostics and never saw any SDV channels tuned to 753.000 Mhz. Problem solved... or so I thought...

Well, fast forward 4 months to this week and the "SDV error: 1" has again reared its ugly head - exhibiting the same symptoms - the Ceton TA diagnostics are showing the TA tuned to 753.000 Mhz whenever the "SDV error: 1" is reported (for several SDV channels right now). Rebooting and power cycling doesn't fix the problem, only shifts the error to other channels (with the TA showing as tuned to 753.000 Mhz for any channel exhibiting "SDV error: 1"). I called the local TWC tech support and was able to get right to their L3 engineers. Problem is, they have no record of their engineers coming to my house last Fall, the "753.000 Mhz issue", no record of having done most of the work they performed at my house, and no record of making any type of repair/investigation specific to fixing the "SDV error: 1" problem. So, it would seem that I am back at square one with the local TWC office in getting this "SDV error: 1" problem resolved.

Has anyone experienced a similar issue with "SDV error: 1" problems?
Can anyone confirm that 753.000 Mhz is truly a data frequency and not a video frequency (as the TWC engineer commented)?
Any ideas why the TA would be getting "stuck" on 753.000 Mhz?

erkotz

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#2

Post by erkotz » Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:50 am

A tune_status code (what this message is) of 0x01 means "Tuning resolution cannot be determined at this time (Channel not
available)"
This error is returns from the Tuning Adapter itself (when a request is made to the TA, the TA will either return 0x00 for success, 0x01-0x08 for failures, with 0x09-0xFF being reserved).
My guess is the TA is falling back to that frequency for some reason in the event of a failure. Do you have an open support ticket with us? If so, can you please PM me the ticket #? If not, can you please open a ticket and then send me the ticket #?
Thanks!
Quality Assurance Manager, Ceton Corporation

maximus4

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#3

Post by maximus4 » Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:31 am

I have TWC, a STA1520, and the same intermittent sdv errors myself, but I also am getting multiple no TV signal warnings every day. Any issues with that type of stuff?

rcme

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#4

Post by rcme » Mon Feb 20, 2012 5:19 am

maximus4 wrote:I have TWC, a STA1520, and the same intermittent sdv errors myself, but I also am getting multiple no TV signal warnings every day. Any issues with that type of stuff?
Does the "no TV signal warning" come before the "SDV error: 1" message?

When changing to a SDV channel that gives the error, W7MC will usually first display a screen for 5-10 seconds (sometimes longer) that says there is no TV signal, and then displays the screen which indicates the "SDV error: 1".

It would be interesting to know if your TA is getting "stuck" on the same frequency when getting the "SDV error: 1". Here is what I do to check the TA tuner frequency when I get the "SDV error: 1". Using the keyboard for the HTPC, I unmaximize the W7MC application leaving it tuned to the channel getting the "SDV error: 1", then open the Ceton web diagnostics, go to the TA tab and select the details link. Select the top link and click next a couple of times to get to the page with the tuner frequency.

maximus4

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#5

Post by maximus4 » Mon Feb 20, 2012 1:30 pm

i didnt even know what web diagnostics was... all i had done was run the diagnostic reports which i send to ceton. quick google search told me an ip address to go to, which i did, and followed your instructions. under 'RF PARAMETERS" it lists the "Tuner: 747.000 MHz"

did i do it right? i gotta say, im good with computers but none of this stuff makes sense to me.

jmpowell

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#6

Post by jmpowell » Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:34 pm

Same issue here in Austin TX with Time Warner.
Recieving SDV Error:1 messages.
Technician was familiar with the issue and was able to over come this by first tuning to a known good SDV channel that I recieve with no issue (ESPN1 in my case), then switch back the the channel that got the error previously.
And it tunes in with no error.

I can repeat the issue by tuning to a non SDV channel and trying to go back to a trouble channel (SPIKE HD in my case) and the error reappears. Tune to SDV ESPN1 and the go back and SDV SPIKEHD and it tunes like normal.

No solution from the tech. The phone support saw that my tuning adpater was listing Status : Ready B'cast only and suggested I change out my tuning adapter or roll a tech. I chose roll a tech and got nowhere.

I also saw this same issue with my time warner DVR before switching to the ceton card.
No regrets on switching, I was a analog/digital tuner card user prior to the change to ceton.

I am assuming this is an issue with the tuning adapter and will continue to press time warner on this. Please post if solutions are found.

erkotz

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#7

Post by erkotz » Fri Feb 15, 2013 8:20 pm

jmpowell wrote:The phone support saw that my tuning adpater was listing Status : Ready B'cast only and suggested I change out my tuning adapter or roll a tech.
If you see this, your TA isn't provisioned properly (or a small chance it's an RF issue). Either swap the TA or open a support ticket with us and indicate I said to because your TA says Status : Ready B'cast only - also include a Ceton Diag.
Quality Assurance Manager, Ceton Corporation

kevin34ct

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#8

Post by kevin34ct » Fri Apr 25, 2014 1:58 am

For me all I had to do was turn off the Tunung adapter (STA1520) by pressing the button, wait 5 seconds and then turn it on. That solved the problem for me. It seems like every time my cable system sends out a reprovisioning signal to my TA it get's messed up. I have Charter Cable.

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