No QAM with HDHomerun on Time Warner

[CrunchyDoodle]

I bought one of those HDHomerun dual-tuner boxes to try QAM from my standard cable Time Warner service. When I run the scanner, it sees the many regular cable TV channels, but not one unencrypted QAM. I did see six or eight QAM256 channels, but they were weak and it said they were encrypted anyway.

Should I just send this thing back for a refund? Should I keep it , and pray that Time Warner will some day put some QAM channels on our cable?

Bye.

[Empyrean5]

Originally Posted by CrunchyDoodle

....it sees the many regular cable TV channels, but not one unencrypted QAM.

If you're seeing ANY channels with the HDHR, then they're digital, as the HDHR doesn't tune analog channels.

Seems like your signal is too weak - all channels should come in strong. Check splitters, combiners, cable splices, crushed coax, etc. to get the best possible signal. Move the HDHR as close to the head-end as possible.

[CrunchyDoodle]

OK, here's a little more explaination . . . .

I am performing a scan with the command line scanner utility to create a "channels.txt" file to use with the QAM remapper. Here is a snippet from that file:

SCANNING: 561000000 (us-cable:80, us-irc:80)
LOCK: qam256 (ss=97 snq=10 seq=0)
PROGRAM: none
SCANNING: 563000000 (us-bcast:29)
LOCK: none (ss=98 snq=0 seq=0)
SCANNING: 565750000 (us-hrc:81)
LOCK: none (ss=98 snq=0 seq=0)
SCANNING: 567000000 (us-cable:81, us-irc:81)
LOCK: qam256 (ss=99 snq=30 seq=0)
PROGRAM: none
SCANNING: 569000000 (us-bcast:30)
LOCK: none (ss=97 snq=0 seq=0)
SCANNING: 571750000 (us-hrc:82)
LOCK: none (ss=97 snq=0 seq=0)
SCANNING: 573000000 (us-cable:82, us-irc:82)
LOCK: qam256 (ss=98 snq=20 seq=0)
PROGRAM: none
SCANNING: 575000000 (us-bcast:31)
LOCK: none (ss=97 snq=0 seq=0)
SCANNING: 577750000 (us-hrc:83)
LOCK: none (ss=96 snq=0 seq=0)
SCANNING: 579000000 (us-cable:83, us-irc:83)
LOCK: qam256 (ss=97 snq=10 seq=0)
PROGRAM: none
SCANNING: 581000000 (us-bcast:32)
LOCK: none (ss=97 snq=0 seq=0)
SCANNING: 583750000 (us-hrc:84)
LOCK: none (ss=96 snq=0 seq=0)
SCANNING: 585000000 (us-cable:84, us-irc:84)
LOCK: qam256 (ss=97 snq=10 seq=0)
PROGRAM: none

In part, this is showing both analog and digital channels with signal strength (ss) in the high 90's and whether it could lock on to a digital QAM channel. You can see some QAM256 locks, but they contain no programs. The seq (symbol error quality) should be 100, but is zero. With the analog signal strength in the high 90's, it means to me that I am getting what should be a strong enough signal, or am I?

Can the analog signal strength be high and the digital signal be very low at the same time on the same channel? If the analog signal strength is high, how can I make the digital signal strength higher? Or is Time Warner blocking digital signals from coming into my house because I pay only for standard analog cable? Is that possible?

Bye.

[Empyrean5]

Offhand, it looks to me like you have an amplifier right before the HDHR .. if that's the case, you're amplifying a lot of noise ..the signal strength is high (ss=97), but the amplifier doesn't have enough signal to start with. If this assumption is correct, move the amplifier to the point where the CATV terminates (if you also have cable Internet, split the signal in two, and put the amplifier after the split that does NOT go to the cable modem.)

Also, if you have any RF-Modulators in use, turn them off, and remove any filters you have to see if that makes any difference.

When HDHR finds an analog signal, it reports:
LOCK (ntsc) (ss=100 snq=0 seq=0)

When HDHR finds a qam256 with programming, it reports:
LOCK: qam256 (ss=97 snq=100 seq=100)
PROGRAM: 1000: 0.0
PROGRAM: 1001: 0.0 (encrypted)
PROGRAM: 1002: 0.0 (encrypted)
PROGRAM: 1008: 0.0

Programs 1000 & 1008 above are clear-QAM.

Eric

[Rich A]

The digital signal is a little more sensitive to power levels than the analog signal. So if you have added a splitter, you might want to just try running a line directly to the HDHR. Since the HDHR has dual tuners, you must have had to put a splitter there to feed both. And I'm assuming that what ever you originally had setup was also split again to get the signals to the HDHR?

You should be able to get Unencrypted channels that match those local OTA channels that are transmitting digital OTA. This is an FCC requirement for the cable company. I believe that the cable company however, has the option to send you either analog or digital versions of those OTA locals.

I had a lot of trouble getting mine set up because of a stupid error on my part. I have a couple of "custom" cable channels programmed into my whole house TV distribution system. These were security cams mounted in the front and back yards. I had them set to broadcast on channels 95 and 96 so I could tune them in when watching TV and see who was at the front door etc.

Because these signals were broadcasting to my cable TV setup, I had to add a filter where the cable came into the house to block all channels above 90 from going back out to the street (so my neighbors wouldn't see my cameras) In my case I don't have anything I need to see above channel 90 (only have basic cable) so I didn't care if the higher channels were blocks.

BUT, all my clear QAM channels were above channel 90 ... so for several days I couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting any. Only to finally realize that I was actually blocking them myself.

My solution was to add a splitter at the input from the street, one going directly to the HDHR and the other to the distribution system. Since the newly added splitter was right at the home's cable input, there was very little loss. And the other half of the signal just happened to be strong enough to drive the whole house distribution amplifier just fine.

So your signal could (maybe) be an issue. Try running a cable line directly to just one of the HDHR inputs and do another scan and see if it affects anything.

By the way ... here, dealing with the cable company (Cox New England) was an exercise in futility. To this day they are still telling me there is NO clear QAM channels being propagated to my home and that the ONLY way I can get digital would be to rent their box.

Of course I've been enjoying wonderful digital from their cable for several months now.

[Zogg]

I have TW in Plano, TX. I only pay for basic cable but get all the locals and a couple of others in clear QAM. Here's my remap file for BTV, not the channel scan, but it shows the channel and program number that might be of help to you:

; Channel: 106
; Frequency: 687000000
; Modulation: qam256
; Program: 3
; Description: Discovery HD

81-1 21 qam256:687000000 3

; Channel: 110
; Frequency: 711000000
; Modulation: qam256
; Program: 1
; Description: FOX 4

82-1 22 qam256:711000000 1

; Channel: 110
; Frequency: 711000000
; Modulation: qam256
; Program: 2
; Description: NBC 5

83-1 23 qam256:711000000 2

; Channel: 108
; Frequency: 699000000
; Modulation: qam256
; Program: 2
; Description: ABC 8

84-1 24 qam256:699000000 2

; Channel: 107
; Frequency: 693000000
; Modulation: qam256
; Program: 1
; Description: CBS 11

85-1 25 qam256:693000000 1

; Channel: 108
; Frequency: 699000000
; Modulation: qam256
; Program: 1
; Description: KERA 13

86-1 26 qam256:699000000 1

; Channel: 107
; Frequency: 693000000
; Modulation: qam256
; Program: 3
; Description: KTXA 21

87-1 27 qam256:693000000 3

; Channel: 108
; Frequency: 699000000
; Modulation: qam256
; Program: 3
; Description: KDAF CW 33

88-1 28 qam256:699000000 3

As Eric said, you need to check your incoming cable along with any amps, splitters, cables, etc. The HDHR is a bit sensitive to signal strength and I had to rework my setup a bit to improve the SS and SNQ to make it glitch free. My incoming cable goes to an 8-port amplified amp, and from there I have 4 cables going to my 4 HDHR inputs. My incoming signal is a bit weak so the amplified splitter fixed it and now the HDHR is rock solid.

All splitters are not created equally. You want them rated for 2GHz signals. The ones from SmartHome (Channel Vision) are excellent and inexpensive, and the 2GHz signal splitters at Home Depot seem to work okay as well. Anything from Radio Shack is crap (trust me) and reduces your signal MUCH more than quality splitters do.

You could shotgun it by putting a 10dB amp onto your incoming cable and then see what that does to your SNQ. For me though, bad splitters (and too many) in between the amp and the HDHR's caused my recordings to have some glitches (not terrible but several per hour) but with my new setup it's perfect.

EDIT: Rich posted while I was posting, and his note about blocking the signals is noteworthy. I did the SAME thing unintentionally when TW changed their channel map on me. If you have a filter on your cable at some point then that could block out channels as well.

Good luck,
Z

[CrunchyDoodle]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I think I need to pursue a cleaner, as well as stronger signal. A few minutes ago, while experimenting with a booster amplifier, I suddenly had a clear QAM256 channel come up. I noticed that it was carrying several programs, only one was unencrypted. It looked great. So, I need to rethink my arrangement of splitters and amplifiers.

Bye.

[gerhrd911]

Check out this thread:

Need a good Cable Amp?

for an excellent potential solution for your cable distribution needs. I am using one and although you will probably need to do some wiring to integrate it, it's well worth the effort.

I was able to eliminate all but a couple of two way splitters and I'm feeding 4 BTV tuners + 5 TVs & a cable box Great signals everywhere

[rotorwash]

I have TWC in SoCal(SFV) and get the following stations HD stations using the HDHR:
[Station (channel/program)]

• KABC (116/3)
• KNBC (108/1)
• KCBS (108/3)
• KCAL (116/4)
• KTTV (88/2)
• KCET (88/1)
• TNTHD (117/5)

There are others but those are what I have mapped into BTV. BTW, TNTHD is a little iffy in my house without a little amplification. I just select the QAM setting in the hdhr_config_gui (i.e. I do not use the QAM256 selection).

Once you get your cable/splitter/amplifier situation fixed (the HDHR is sensitive to an over-amplified signal), the stations above should work fine for you.

*edit*
TNTHD changed to 101/300 and is rock solid now

[CrunchyDoodle]

Well, I finally got my new ChannelMaster 8-port distribution amplifier and rewired my goofy livingroom setup. I now get a boat-load of solid QAM channels with very high quality numbers. I get all the HD channels mentioned by rotorwash, plus a bunch of SD - total of 29. It is interesting that there are many QAM channels that simply do not show any video in spite of having no encryption and very high signal quality.

I went through the rather lengthy setup procedure and finally got a custom line-up to integrate with the standard analog cable stuff. Now I have the problem of getting the HDHomerun box to function within BTV. It just won't start when I select one of its channels.

I'm guessing I messed up doing the mapping, or getting the Custom Lineup information entered. I sure wish there were more examples of how to do it. I also discovered that the Custom Lineup must not be renamed or it just won't show up. I wasted some hours trying to create a QAM Lineup only to have it dissapear - pressing Save and Exit doesn't, if it's renamed.

Bye.

[Empyrean5]

Originally Posted by CrunchyDoodle

I now get a boat-load of solid QAM channels with very high quality numbers. I get all the HD channels mentioned by rotorwash, plus a bunch of SD - total of 29.

Congrats!

Originally Posted by CrunchyDoodle

It is interesting that there are many QAM channels that simply do not show any video in spite of having no encryption and very high signal quality.

I get the same thing and have always wondered about that. I assume many of them are the music channels that are perhaps encoded differently, I dunno. Also, I'm sure there's a batch of channels that show up that way that are the Internet frequencies.

Originally Posted by CrunchyDoodle

Now I have the problem of getting the HDHomerun box to function within BTV. It just won't start when I select one of its channels.

Well, be sure you're waiting long enough. My HDHR can take 40-seconds to tune a channel .. that's a long time when you sitting there looking at "Starting Live TV"!

Originally Posted by CrunchyDoodle

I'm guessing I messed up doing the mapping, or getting the Custom Lineup information entered. I sure wish there were more examples of how to do it.

Yes.

[CrunchyDoodle]

When I attempt to tune a QAM channel, it says it's starting live TV and finally times out saying maybe I should try a different channel. At no time do I see a streaming light on the front of the HDHR as I do when I'm using the HDHR configuration tools. It's most frustrating after many hours of fussing with the remapping process.

Bye.

Originally Posted by Empyrean5

Well, be sure you're waiting long enough. My HDHR can take 40-seconds to tune a channel .. that's a long time when you sitting there looking at "Starting Live TV"!

[nanook105]

Originally Posted by CrunchyDoodle

When I attempt to tune a QAM channel, it says it's starting live TV and finally times out saying maybe I should try a different channel. At no time do I see a streaming light on the front of the HDHR as I do when I'm using the HDHR configuration tools. It's most frustrating after many hours of fussing with the remapping process.

Bye.

You might want to post your remap file here along with a screen shot of the setup page in Web Admin for that lineup. Perhaps someone can spot the issue

[Joe The Dude]

All of those blank un-encrypted QAM channels with a strong signal are either for the Cable Modem service or On Demand programming.

I have a couple of neighbors that order a bunch of On Demand stuff on the weekends, and i can watch it at the same time using the HDHomerun, but they never watch the stuff they order all the way through.
Also, they like to fast foward, pause, and rewind a lot.
It's maddening.


So i just made a lineup without the on demand stuff.


Oh, I wish i could help you out with getting a lineup to work.
I had a heck of a time myself when i was setting it up.
All i can say is that if you edited an xml file in order to get it to load a channel faster, you should try changing it back to the default value, as I have read that some people have had problems when they edited the Timeout setting in some xml file.
I haven't tried making the edit to an xml file myself ~ I'm just going by memory on some stuff I had read a while back.

[Empyrean5]

Originally Posted by Joe The Dude

All i can say is that if you edited an xml file in order to get it to load a channel faster, you should try changing it back to the default value, as I have read that some people have had problems when they edited the Timeout setting in some xml file.
I haven't tried making the edit to an xml file myself ~ I'm just going by memory on some stuff I had read a while back.

I forgot; this was the same problem I had. I edited WebAdmin->Settings->Advanced Settings->Video Playback Settings-> Header Timeout as some had suggested (changed it to 3) and I my logs often said something to the effect of "no signal detected for 30 seconds" and it aborted trying to record the show.

When I changed the Header Timeout back to 15, all was good.

Perhaps that's the issue here as well.