Cable company defeated Fake UID/App update block

[jatucker]

It looks like the cable company has found a way to shutdown the boxes even with a fake uid and blocking updates. When I got home I found all my boxes with only channel 900. I can reprogram the code and nvram and get the channels back but if I change channels I get One Moment Please. Whatever they have done seems to be in the code as I have to reprogram it to get the channels back along with the nvram. Is it possible that they updated and now mine won't work?

[usbbdm]

Do you block the uplink? If not you are reporting back your faked UID and thus CC knows the UID exist.
They can send command to your box, even though your XC chip will reject the auth command, your box can still receive command from CC.

There is also possibility that CC can get real message from your uplink. So block uplink is the key for now unless you want to test VOD.

[jatucker]

I have the jumper on the back of the box removed. Is there any other way to block the uplink? A filter maybe? I don't care about VOD I just want the channels back and the TV guide would be nice.

[usbbdm]

The easiest way to do is to use an old VCR between the box and the CATV in.
FOr DCT2500 or DCT2224 you can remove the back short cable and plug the cable in on top right back.

[jatucker]

The box I have is a 2224 removing the cable on the back did not work, in fact it was off when they shut it down.

[UserName]

there is a new system implementing..to reduce TCs so if box does cannot communicate with cc will not be able to renew data just like ip on pc then box digtal-00 all channels..

[jatucker]

Well that seems like what has happened. If I use local nvram after a minute or so it zeros out all channels, except for 900. If I use non local nvram and change the channel info to match the local channels the channels stay but I don't get the tv guide anymore. Seems like there should be a way of defeating this as the tv guide info is still be broadcast out.

[usbbdm]

For DCt2224 make the first C000 local and see if you still have the problem.

setram 200000 c000

Leave the rest being remote.

Then do the other way around. I can only do some guess for your system. It is impossible to remotely diag what is going on.

[jatucker]

Ok, I tried both options here. With the first c000 local and the rest remote I still had the problem of losin all the channels. With the first c000 remote and the rest local I could keep the channels but still no tv guide.

Next I used NVTOOL to copy portions of the first c000 from the remote nvram over to the local nvram. I narrowed it down to a block in the local nvram at 00003098 - 000030B7. The only change I made was to 00003099 on the local nvram it was 0B and I changed it to match the remote which was 01.

TV Guide works now. Also I noticed that under the setup menu the MCA status changed from disconnected. I have had a problem with non-local DCT700's which won't load the tv guide info. I will try to track down the address which will allow them to connect as well.

[usbbdm]

Good post!!. I hope more can share your experience.