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New Contributor
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Aspect ratio with mini box for older tv's
I recently installed the mini box in preparation for all digital in September. I have old tv's with 4:3 ratio's. It seems like the picture from the mini box is set up for 16:9 ratio. I lose scores and time displays when watching sporting events. Is there a way to set the box to a tv with 4:3 ratios? The only setting I see is for 480dpi under video output form.
socal_transplan
Contributor III
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yes. and then comes a warning that if your tv doesn't support that, the picture may not fit.but no other choice.
it's bad enough that we have to pay cox $2/tv every month for the rest of our natural lives so they can scramble their signal & protect themselves, but now they've messed up 4 perfectly good tv's in my house.the picture doesn't fit on any of them
oh, and watch your bill for a $15 "tv self activation kit." i got mine reversed. i didn't "activate" anything new. i've paid them for tv service for 24 years!
and have you noticed how long it takes to get into these forums? it spins, & spins, & spins....
and then there's the link in the monthly online bill that's supposed to take me to view my bill...where i can see how much they've dingged me for THIS month...that doesn't go ANYWHERE!
not bad. for a COMMUNICATIONS company!??
not.
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Becky
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Moderator
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It sounds like you have a mini box made Evolution. Take a look at your mini box and look for the brand name Evolution or Cisco. There is a known issue with the Evolution mini boxes when it comes to aspect ratio, and they don't work well with older 4:3 TVs. The Cisco mini boxes do not have this problem, so you can swap the Evolution box for a Cisco at one of our Solution Stores. If you provide your zip code, I can try to verify that the store nearest you has Cisco mini boxes in stock. I'm sorry about this!
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Becky
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Moderator
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You might have the same problem as Pad617. I'm glad you reached out to us so we can help get this resolved! What model mini boxes do you have? Are your 4 TVs older 4:3 TVs, or are they widescreen?
What link do you use when trying to pay your bill each month? Are you able to log in at www.cox.com/myconnection/home.cox? If your login is successful, a box with "My Account & Services" will appear in the same spot on the screen where you entered your username and password. Click on the link for "Interactive Bill" and let us know what happens. Do you get a white screen? I want to make sure we get this issue resolved for you, as well as the issue with the mini boxes!
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pad617
New Contributor
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My zip is 44138
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socal_transplan
Contributor III
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i'm sure we do! our newest tv is 3-4 years old. by today's standards, yes...they are "old." do i want to buy 6 new tv's? NO! i have no idea what the "ratio" is. i'm not that technical.
all of our boxes are evolution. that's what was sent out here. (92691) i've already had to go to a store to return one box deemed defective by a tech over the phone. he sent us another evolution. our neighbor has complained of the same issue. they had a cox tech come out & install theirs & he left them with this problem! if there is a "known issue," WHY did cox not reach out to the people they sent them to & say gosh darn. there's a problem.
i went thru this same thing last fall when cox "doubled my internet speed FOR FREE!" how gullible does cox think we are? that free internet now cost $3/mo more. and after i went & bought the modem i was told i HAD to have...when i finally gave up & had a tech out (after losing HOURS trying to fix it myself) he says, from the top of the stairs..."i can tell you right now what the problem is. it's that modem. we don't use them any more. there's a known issue"
if cox doesn't mind sending me endless mail & email telling me what to buy, why was there no following email saying oops! take it back??
as for the bill, the message is
On Cox.com you have 24/7 access to your account. Just sign in to Interactive Bill for access to current and past statements, account activity and more.
click the link, & "windows cannot find...make sure you spelled correctly & try again." i have no idea what address is embedded in the link.it does not take me anywhere.
of course i went to cox.com & into my account to see my bills. in fact i looked up several months to see why my bill was continuously higher & higher. it's there that i discovered my new internet speed (which i don't notice) was now $3/mo more. and oh, now my tv is $3/mo more too...just because. no PUC needed. it's not a "rate" increase, right?
i'm thinking the link thing is to make it more difficult for us to see what's going on. oh, and i never agreed to no paper bill. someone seems to have done that for me.
any other info you need?
ARE the cisco mini boxes available in socal? i'm not going to the trouble to disconnect all 3 and take them around to find the proper ones. bad enough i'll have to set them all up again. this should be cox's issue, not the customer's.
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socal_transplan
Contributor III
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pad617, did becky ever get back to you?
i've heard nothing.
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DustinP
Moderator
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http://www.cox.com/aboutus/contact-us/cox-centers.cox?campcode=escalation_res_landing_store_091412 is a link to our cox.com website that has a map of the nearest Solution Stores with the store number included. To get a local map, it may require to change the ZIP code at the top right. The stores may be able to present the Mini Box inventory over the phone. You may inquire the option to swap an Evolution for a Cisco Mini Box if available.
socal,
Are you currently having trouble accessing the interactive bill, or is it intermittently having trouble accessing the info? We can take a closer look. Please Email us your cox information to cox.help@cox.com. Please include the following:
*address with city, state, and zip
*name on the account
*Cox PIN, or the answer to the secret question on the account
*a brief explanation of what you're seeing when viewing your interactive billing statement online
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socal_transplan
Contributor III
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so let me get this straight. cox sends me & i install 3 mini boxes with "known issues" & IMMEDIATELY starts charging me for them & I am supposed to call around in search of cisco mini boxes, disconnect & pack up my old ones & drive god knows where to exchange them & come back home & install all over again?
does that sound fair to you?
and i will do as you say about the bill...although i solved my problem by going in & switching myself back to a paper bill until cox diverts me again.... but i'll get someone in india that has no idea what i'm talking about AND i copy/pasted what i'm seeing when viewing my notification of my statement in my last response:
"On Cox.com you have 24/7 access to your account. Just sign in to Interactive Bill for access to current and past statements, account activity and more.
Thanks for choosing Cox Communications!"
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Becky
+2 more
Moderator
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I don't want you guys to expend any energy tracking down Cisco mini boxes—please allow my team to do that for you! I’m working to verify mini box inventory in Cox Solution Stores in both of your areas. As soon as I get more information, I’ll let you know.
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pad617
New Contributor
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Well, since I had not heard back from this forum after I posted my zip code, I called nationwide technical support. I told them about the Essential vs Cisco box and they did not know anything about it. They told me that my tv should be able to control aspect ratio. Well I tried and my old sony tv does not have that feature. They basically told me other old tv's have not had a problem and that I was basically out of luck and they could not do anything for me.
I tried calling my local Solutions Store and unfortunately the phone number for the store has a directory that when selecting the "technical support" option takes me back to the nationwide Cox directory which takes me back to the same technical support specialist that told me I was out of luck. So I guess I have to waste a trip to the Solutions store to see if the boxes are available and if I can exchange mine and if they may solve the problem.
I am beginning to think I'll just keep my internet service and get Roku and Sling tv or something and pay a little less each month.
pad617
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Becky
+2 more
Moderator
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I'm trying to verify Cisco mini box inventory for you, so don't run out to the Solutions store just yet. I'll let you know when I get more info. I wholeheartedly apologize that this has been such a frustrating experience!
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socal_transplan
Contributor III
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if the cisco boxes aren't available in our area, can they be shipped to us? like the evolution ones were?
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Becky
+2 more
Moderator
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I've been told that all California Cox Stores have both Evolution and Cisco mini boxes available. There are two stores fairly close to you:
● 29947 Avenida De Las Banderas, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
● 23704 El Toro Rd. #D, Lake Forest, CA 92630
Pad617, I’m still working to confirm mini box inventory in your area. I hope to have more info very soon!
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socal_transplan
Contributor III
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the manager of the lake forest store just called to say she's never SEEN a cisco box, but she had proactively called rsm & they set 3 boxes aside for me.
just wait till football gets going good & the guys can't see the score, time, who's playing, etc.
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socal_transplan
Contributor III
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well i drove 8 miles inland in 96o weather, got my cisco mini boxes (in spite of the idiot at the counter trying to give me "big" ones! and asking all kinds of technical questions...oh for pete's sake. just let me on the computer & i'll do it myself!!) & the problem IS solved!
however, i am now more furious than ever.
i had no idea i was supposed to get hd picture quality right out of the gate! i thought i had to wait till cox flipped a switch! my picture quality is now SOOO much better...sharper, clearer. THAT'S what they've been charging me for for 2 months already!
even our old tv that appears to be controlled by the newer one downstairs. (topic for a whole new thread!)
so, if your PICTURE ** & you've got an "evolution,
MAKE NOISE sheeple. this is the solution to THAT problem too!
becky, don't be surprised if i show up on other threads. it's shameful the way cox treats it's customers and we are stuck with a monopoly.
kudos to the manager of the lake forest, ca store for being proactive for me!
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