Tips for troubleshooting Cisco STB formerly Scientific Atlanta boxes

[Wolfgang]

I was recently asked for tips regarding SA boxes so I said why not share them with other forum members, so here we go:
If a Cisco box wont power up the first thing to check is the power supply. Usually it is a small electrolytic capacitor 22uF gone dry (C7 or C12 in some models) that makes the box dead.
Having all the voltages present within the expected range doesn’t mean it is a good power supply because spikes in the voltage cannot be registered by a multimeter.
It may show for example 12v but it may have spikes up to 20v while the only way to find out such a problem is to use a scope and measure the DC voltage.
This is all caused by dry capacitors, especially those marked with IC (Illinois Capacitor) If you see some of them replace them all, without an exception.
A bad hard drive can also cause overloading of the power supply and the box will look dead, disconnect the power cable to the HDD to see if this is the case.
If you have a known good PS and you have disconnected the HDD but still nothing happens on the display then here is what may be the problem:
Auxiliary switching power supply that provide low voltages like 1.25, 1.8. 2.5 or 3.3v (depending on the model). This is a small IC on the main board that drives 3 or 4 dual MOSFET packages as final stages for those voltages. If you have all of these voltages then next step is to check the clocks from the quartz crystals on the main board. Those are easily measured by a scope, the frequency is usually printed on the xtall. If those are good then you are in trouble. The problem comes to the main BGA CPU and/or the non-volatile flash memory. It might be just corrupt boot-loader of the flash but you can’t tell that unless you have a diagnostic tool (JTAG or UART connection) None of these two are directly usable since the manufacturer has different approach for diagnosing purposes. It uses a Diagnostic Code which replaces the main firmware and provides full access to the circuits of the box. If you are lucky to get boot on the display (boxes without a display are pain in the butt to troubleshoot) then you go to the next level of troubleshooting.
The next problem you may face is: the power supply is known good, display will show boot and then nothing happens after that. This is another possible HDD problem but it will usually (but not necessary) show codes in the 50ties (Er50, Er51 etc) which tells you that the HDD is the problem. Another reason that he box will not completely boot and enter into application download is a bad cable card (also called m-card) Of course here you may have a bad firmware which is correctable by a fresh download (If downloading is not self-initiated you may force it by keeping Power and Select together while plugin the power cord.
Every time you put an empty hard drive in a SA box, it will show a few error codes (Er60, Er63 etc) on the display and it will search for new firmware download. If the firmware is available (the box is connected to a live feed) it will show Fr.00 and then it will start downloading the complete firmware. It will be counting down from certain HEX number until reaches 0000. Then the box will reset. Now the applications loading comes which takes another 5 min. (this happens every time you cycle the power) If the firmware is not available from the feed or something is wrong with the frontend splitter amplifier or even the OOB/DOCSIS tuner is bad the box will enter the hunting mode and it will search, scan for available data downstream frequency. If not found, the h-xxxx will keep counting up forever. If you have used already formatted HDD it will not look for a new firmware, it will just boot in a regular way and start working. This is still correct if you have a HDD from the same type, for example a formatted HDD from card-less box will require new firmware if mounted in a box with an m-card. If you are experiencing DVR problems, freezing, tiling or no DVR Service format the drive: Turn the box off, keep the Pause button on the remote for about 15 seconds until the envelope sign shows up on the display, then press Page Down button, then Number 4 and then DVR (List) button 3 times until the display shows HDDF, when the hard drive formatting is over the box will cycle power.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, there are thousands of possible problems to troubleshoot but that takes more knowledge and tools.
I just tried to answer a few basic questions that might help anyone that's interested in these boxes.
If you have any particular questions related to the troubleshooting STB post them here. I will try to answer to the best of my knowledge. Good luck.

[Killswitch]

There's a Man who deserves a solid round of applause for that Post. Bravo ! He did a capsule summary from A to Z and, if there were any gaps, he plugged them right up. It's funny how SA's aren't available in Phila PA but are being used in the Tri-State area (NJ, Del) big time. I'll bet that unit cost for Comcast is a little higher than Cisco or Pace products. It appears as if he's a little above the Testing phase. This guy is plugged in with two fingers right into the 120 VAC socket on the wall. That one should be made into a Sticky ! I've noticed that he doesn't pony up a lot of opinion on Modems (like myself) but has easily moved hisself toward the Inner Circle of STB's. He gets an A for this one. Not even an A- . Almost a term paper. Keep up the good work and relax with a bottle of Molson Ice.

[Wolfgang]

.... I've noticed that he doesn't pony up a lot of opinion on Modems ...

Well, I guess I don't deserve that much glorifying but anyway thanks for the compliments.
As far as the modems I can't say I have that much experience. I joined the modem game to late. I loaded Haxorware 1.1 r39 to a few SB5101, sniffed a few config files and gave up pretty quick after reading all these new security measures were introduced with DOCSIS 3. I am not sure if there are any changes on that matter but i can still see posts about JTAG-ing modems, maybe it's not that bad as I thought.

[gone]

Where can I find a list of all error codes for these SA units?

Also, with out-of-market units, is it possible to block new provider from updating box when connect to their system?

[Wolfgang]

Where can I find a list of all error codes for these SA units? Also, with out-of-market units, is it possible to block new provider from updating box when connect to their system?

The only way to prevent a cable box from firmware/software, updates is to disable data downstream tuner(s) (DAVIC or ADSG or both). Unfortunately that will also prevent your channel map update including the TV Guide. I will provide some error codes for SA boxes soon.

[Wolfgang]

Where can I find a list of all error codes for these SA units?

Save the attachment to get the boot-loader error codes for SA boxes.

[gone]

Thanks. much appreciated

[NewIdea1219]

The only way to prevent a cable box from firmware/software, updates is to disable data downstream tuner(s) (DAVIC or ADSG or both). Unfortunately that will also prevent your channel map update including the TV Guide. I will provide some error codes for SA boxes soon.

Been testing these SA (EXPLORER 4250HD & Cisco RNG-150N).
Was trying to stop the time like the Pace but can't find the correct chip.
Please help me cause i been trying for hrs hrs!!! Don't really want to screw
it up. Only have 1 of each. Please any direction or advise would be greatly appreciated.

[racerx007]

u wont find help without pm's

[Wolfgang]

Been testing these SA (EXPLORER 4250HD & Cisco RNG-150N).
Was trying to stop the time like the Pace but can't find the correct chip ....

E4250HD's QPSK tuner (also called OOB or DAVIC) is the U1014 IC chip. Unfortunately newer models include a DOCSIS tuner which is a QAM tuner. This complicates disabling updates since data may come via any of these two down-streaming tuners. Your E4250HD may or may not have DOCSIS since there are two versions of the same model. Anyway the DOCSIS tuner is the U2041 IC chip if such one exists in your box. Newest models like RNG150N don't even include an OOB tuner since a DOCSIS tuner does the same job better at 4 times greater bandwudth (6MHz) than the OOB tuners. Your DOCSIS IC chip for this model is U400. All of these ICs are found under the RF shield/can in both models. I personally haven't done any of this and I can't recommend which component to remove. These things are now more complicated since DOCSIS operates within the video spectrum.

[Skillet50]

Pressing Vol+,Vol-, and info will soft reset the box. (after "boot" is displayed)
The Operating firmware (forced download Lxxx on LED/VFD) is from the video tuner (555MHZ in my case) and the App download (5 mins every boot) is from the OOB tuner (102.5 MHZ in my case).
After getting the envelope sign (hold pause with power off) Page down then "Last" 3X will run a HDD diagnostic which hopefully will say PASS anything else is bad
I have found with the "Dead Boxes" good power, you can jump J1201 and the box will come up in direct load mode (L___ ) on the display. I have gotten it to (L-__), but can't get any further. This is the corrupt bootloader....

[syankey1970]

That's funny. You are comfy with these things but docsis eludes you? I'm very comfy with cm's in hardcore security but I gave up on a dct 700 after a few days.. lol

I rarely watch live tv so I guess there is no real payoff for me to go through all the headache for 800 channels of CC programming!

Once you actually know how the hardware negotiates a connection it isn't that hard to get an ip on a diag cm. I watch you guys discuss these boxes and it seems to me to be far more of a migraine than cm testing...

[racerx007]

tried to reply but still not accepting incoming pm's hmmmm?

[moddog]

tried to reply but still not accepting incoming pm's hmmmm?

This man like to do things in the open.......ask question here and he will answer am sure he will.

[moddog]

That's funny. You are comfy with these things but docsis eludes you? I'm very comfy with cm's in hardcore security but I gave up on a dct 700 after a few days.. lol

I rarely watch live tv so I guess there is no real payoff for me to go through all the headache for 800 channels of CC programming!

Once you actually know how the hardware negotiates a connection it isn't that hard to get an ip on a diag cm. I watch you guys discuss these boxes and it seems to me to be far more of a migraine than cm testing...

My isp is nowhere near cc and i hope it stay that way till am old and gray....lol...for the 700 am still getting my ass kick.