DCT2224 - Confirm my assessment?

[Senorpete]

Hi folks,

The Box:
I have a motorola DCT2224/1662/ACDEGL PH9 dated DEC/18/02.

The Background:
I picked up this box from my local cable company (Comcast) a few years back and when I hooked it up I realized it was getting all of the channels (except for the PPV). I figured the cable company would correct this but they never did. They also never charged this box to my account (it was absent from my bill)I used the box for well over a year w/ no problems. One day it just stoped working and I just disconnected it and put it on a shelf.

I was turned toward this site from someone who has one of your cables and I did some reading. I am under the impression that I can NOT make this box usable and here is why:

From the newbie guide:

"the XC chip controls the auth of channels and packages"

"most dct that have been shut off by the cable company can be reactivated by the nvram. This happens because they only shut the box off and don't tell the XC chip to not auth the channels."

I think that my XC chip may have been deactivated. While the above statement makes the point that "most" times the box is just shut off that seems to leave the idea open that "sometimes" they actually tell the chip to not auth the channels.

I tried to test my theory. I had an NVRAM e-mailed to me that is from a nearby area (same system). I have no idea if this was a "good" NVRAM and suspect it may not have been. Anyway, when I loaded it to my box and connected it the display just blinked "1003/8024"

I loaded my (backed up) NVRAM back to the box and connected it to my TV again. This is when I got the idea that perhaps my NVRAM was fine and that it was actually the chip that was de-authorized. I am here to ask what the "Experts" think. The following describes how my box currently works:
*channels 3-24 come in fine
*channels above 24 say "not authorized"
*All guide info and channel listings are correct
* The time on the box is correct
*Pay or movie channels say "subscription service"
*The local access channel (the one that just scrolls info about local events etc...) says "one moment please, channel available shortly" but it never shows up.
*channel 500 & 501 are in the clear showing "On Demand" previews
*the music channels say "subscription service, for ordering info press info"
*If I try to go to "On Demand" get message "error retrieving data, communication error, try again or call Comcast" but you can hear the "On Demand" audio.
*If I try to order a PPV channel the process goes through until the last step and get message "unable to complete order, please call comcast"

What is your opinion? Is this box a dead soldier? If it is the chip, does that mean there is no use for it anymore? If that is the case, would anyone have any interest in this box? Should I store it away in hopes that someday I may again find a use for it?

I currently have an HDTV and use the motorola DCT-3416 DVR box and subscribe to 3 premium channels (HBO,SHOW, & STARZ) My real interest in getting this box to work was just to use for the TV in my basement bar which currently I just feed a direct cable line with no converter box.

Thats my story, appreciate any feedback.

[patsfan]

did you try a "connect the box" on your original nvram? that should tell you if the xc chip has been de auth.

[usbbdm]

Please make sure your box picks up the latest firmware from your company, if yes, your box should have the right NVRAM. If not then your NVRAM is not right and channel map is not right. My understanding is that the music channels are just free and should not use any encryption. Having no music almost indicate your NVRA is not up to date. Maybe your box has been unhooked too long and miss the incremental upgrade. If you can find a local box of PH7/8/9, clone its NVRAM and firmware and see if you get more channels. You should at least get some free channels (like ppv preview). If not, you need to fix the nvram.

[Senorpete]

Patsfan - I did try a "connect the box" command and it seemed to go through (the results of how the box worked after sending this command are how I described them in first post)

usbbdm - Is there a way I should know what the latest firmware is? I'll check what firmware I currently have the next chance I get.

Comcast is adding (or just added) a couple of channels to my lineup (Bloomberg and VersusHDGolf) My box is not currently hooked up. If I connect my box and these *new* channels show up on their correct channels on my "guide" - would that be any kind of indication that either my NVRAM or firmware (or both) are good (or current)?

- so assuming these channels are on my guide would that be any indication that it is the XC chip that has been de-auhorized?

I also have a DCT7000, would the firmware info I find on that be useful information on diagnosing my DCT2224?

I also have the DCT-3416 DVR box - I would assume that there is no information from that box that would help me diagnose the DCT2224

-thanks again for the input!

[patsfan]

each model series of boxes has a different firmware. what is the firmware version on the box? most cc's are at 7.93 now for a dct2000.

[tester5]

96 on comcast. update the nvram if you had all the channels beofre you will again comcast dosent downgrade xc. try vod VOD works on 90% of company without legal uid or upm

[JoeGreen]

Just a guess...

Sounds like your area is now going 100% digital (DS)

Once they do that, you will find that a DCT that had those channels (24-70) will not work unless it has subscription.

The diff is that the box will display analog but no digital on a channel.

For example:

I can take ch 24 digital and it will be "40 not auth" and I get no pic.
If I change that channel in my channel map to analog, it will come in and I see pic (analog).

What is possible fix? have CC hit the box with your sub. (yeah, that means you have to actually subscribe to 1-99 channels at least). Have SPI setup before you call and log the 'XC' command.

Once you are comfortable that you have the cmd, call and cancel it (go to basic-basic if you must).

Then take SPI and feed back into box, it will add channels back as previously there.

This is the concept Your mileage may vary

[sphinx]

Just a guess...
I can take ch 24 digital and it will be "40 not auth" and I get no pic.
If I change that channel in my channel map to analog, it will come in and I see pic (analog).

Is there some kind of formula to change channels in the channel map from digital to analog?

[usbbdm]

Why you want to do this?
Each channel has its attribute, your channel attribute in NVRAM must match what is in the CC end.
What is possible is you can change the channel number to compile your list of channels together and block the channel update. It is NOT possible to change the analog to digital.

[sphinx]

I want to change some digital channels to analog because expanded basic channels such as comedy central are NOT AUTH'd when I use digital on a particular box. However, when Comcast disables my TVGuide and I only get analog channels, expanded basic (comedy central) works fine.