For the past 2 weeks, I’m having issues changing channels with my 2 Scientific Atlanta stb provided by Time Warner Cable. I’m receiving digital cable TV in Cincinnati, Ohio. I can’t get the channel to change properly using the MCE remote and IR buds anymore.

I’ve been running MCE 2005 for the past 18 months without a hitch but since I noticed Time Warner Cable recently made changes to the way they broadcast signals, channel changing is becoming impossible: I can change 1 and 3 digit channel OK but can’t with a 2 digit channel. It seems that the stb reacts to the second of the 2 digit input and for example sends me to channel 7 instead of channel 47.

I actually was running FireSTB to change channel via firewire and that has stopped working as well at the same time. I tried to reinstall FireSTB but it won’t change anything. Has anyone an idea on how to try to fix this channel changing issue with just the classic IR buds stuck to the stb?

Thanks!

After spending a full hour with TWC engineers level 3 and what not, here is what I got:

1. TWC upgraded my stb’s from Passport to Maestro (also known as Navigator).
2. They won’t provide and technical know-how to help troubleshoot issues with Windows MCE whatsoever.
3. In the upgrade process, they disabled the firewire port on the stb (So, no FireSTB setup possibility anymore)

Now, I still have issues with changing double digit channels with MCE remote when the digits are identical (i.e. 77, 44, etc.). It puts me on channel 7 or 4 in this case. Is anyone having the same issue? Any work-around solution?

I also thought that the FCC requires stb’s to be provided to customers with Firewire port enabled (I read that somewhere...). Listening to TWC, this isn’t true, of course.

Am I furious? Hell yeah!

This is time to switch to satellite TV… or just good books and few DVDs!

This should work http://mediacenter.mattgoyer.com/2004/12/14.html 

Though, I'm still curious to find out if it is legal that TWC disable the Firewire port on their stb. Thoughts? I used to run FireSTB to change channel via Firewire and this isn't working anymore. Maybe this topic has been discussed already but I couldn't find a clear answer whether or not consumers can request in their own right that cable operators must enable Firewire port on all stb... Here's what I found on some other threads:

"The specific FCC regulation that requires this is 47 CFR 76.640 where it says:

4) Cable operators shall:
(i) Effective April 1, 2004, upon request of a customer, replace any leased high definition set-top box, which does not include a functional IEEE 1394 interface, with one that includes a functional IEEE 1394 interface or upgrade the customer's set-top box by download or other means to ensure that the IEEE 1394 interface is functional.

ii) Effective July 1, 2005, include both a DVI or HDMI interface and an IEEE 1394 interface on all high definition set-top boxes acquired by a cable operator for distribution to customers."

postal64:

Great link! This solved the issue. Thanks a lot.
My settings for SA3250HD running TWC Navigator on XP MCE 2005:
100 / 300 / 400

Though, I'm still curious to find out if it is legal that TWC disable the Firewire port on their stb. Thoughts? I used to run FireSTB to change channel via Firewire and this isn't working anymore. Maybe this topic has been discussed already but I couldn't find a clear answer whether or not consumers can request in their own right that cable operators must enable Firewire port on all stb... Here's what I found on some other threads:

"The specific FCC regulation that requires this is 47 CFR 76.640 where it says:

4) Cable operators shall:
(i) Effective April 1, 2004, upon request of a customer, replace any leased high definition set-top box, which does not include a functional IEEE 1394 interface, with one that includes a functional IEEE 1394 interface or upgrade the customer's set-top box by download or other means to ensure that the IEEE 1394 interface is functional.

ii) Effective July 1, 2005, include both a DVI or HDMI interface and an IEEE 1394 interface on all high definition set-top boxes acquired by a cable operator for distribution to customers."

Glad you got it working.

Not sure on the firewire regulations, Chris Lanier is good on this type of stuff maybe he knows?.